I’m a documenter. Everywhere I go, I take hundreds of photos. I keep a small notebook with me where I jot down facts and quotes so I can remember them by the end of the day. And over the past several weeks, I’ve been steadfastly updating my own travel blog with my adventures so that my friends and family can follow along.
Even so, I’ve been struggling to find a way to sum up these past three weeks.
Wow.
Turkey is an unbelievably vibrant and beautiful country. I’ve had the opportunity to marvel at the majesty of the Haghia Sophia. I’ve dressed up in a ridiculous headdress and danced with a traditional folkloric troupe. Under the hot Mediterranean sun, I’ve been able to wander through the ancient ruins of cities from Ephesus to Hierapolis.
For the first two weeks, my “orientation” to Turkey and the McGhee program consisted of a whirlwind tour of what Turkey has to offer. We began with a week in Istanbul, visiting the major tourist sites, but also taking the time to meet with university administrators, social workers, and local entrepreneurs. Our travels then continued into Iznik, Bursa, Eskisehir, and Pamukkale, where we visited numerous workshops of dedicated craftsmen, spent beautiful afternoons by the sea along the promenade in Izmir, and met with archaeologists to discuss their digs.
One of my favorite moments was when we had the opportunity to perform with a youth folkloric dance group in Izmir. We weren’t given too many details about the meet-up beforehand, so we were shocked when we arrived at the concert venue to find out that we’d be performing in front of an actual audience of strangers.
The dance group took us backstage, and dressed us in elaborate costumes that represented traditional garb from various regions in Turkey. Our instructions? “Just follow what we do.”
And so, the nine of us took the stage along with our professional friends, clumsily walking and clapping with the beat as we acted out a traditional wedding ceremony. I’m pretty sure our Turkish audience was quite bewildered why a group of clumsy Americans were also included in the show that night. (We were too.)
Afterwards, it was Black Sea Night at the venue, and a crowd formed in front of the stage, going through the steps of a traditional dance. We quickly joined in, stumbling through the complicated step at first but eventually able to complete some semblance of the dance. Strangers smiled and cheered us on, grabbing our hands to let us in on the fun.
In a way, we felt like we belonged.
…
After our two-week orientation tour, we’ve finally settled in Alanya, a city on the southern coast of Turkey that will be our home for the semester. Slowly, my life has revolved back into a routine—classes, reading, meals, and so on.
And once again—just like the dancers we met back in Izmir—I’m impressed with the overwhelming generosity of the Turks that I meet. Last Friday, my friend and I had dinner with my host family. Over dinner, dessert, and many cups of çay, they graciously let us into their lives, even if our conversation had to be aided by a strange sign language on our part and a handy phone translation app.
And in a way, we felt like we belonged.
There are plenty of times when I feel foreign in Turkey—like when I stumble over Turkish words at the supermarket or when I try to navigate my way through the city. But at the same time, I am quickly falling in love with this fascinating and culturally rich land.
I can’t wait to truly belong.
Shannon Galvin also documents her travels on her personal blog, as well as maintains general information on study abroad at the Study Abroad Survival Guide.
