Volume I, Issue IV
September 2017
NesilFest Journal Inside this issue: ✦ The
story…
by Ema ✦ Hitting
roads
the Turkish
The story by Emanuela Cruceanu
by Vladimir ✦ Does
all?
Beypazarı have it
by Iveta ✦ Refugee
by Arianna ✦ Travel
in Turkey
by Nestan ✦ How
to learn new vocabulary easily
by Maggie
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Hitting the road by Vladimir Jovanovski
Finding yourself in a foreign country for some period of time and residing in one place will not give you a full glimpse to all the fortunes that certain country has to offer as well as their mindset. Speaking of that, Turkey is a country that every single of its corners will present to you various life styles and distinct environments. While doing my voluntary service accompanied with my exploring spirit I decided to fully indulge in visiting places and more importantly to get
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In doing it so, one has to enter their personal space, to be allowed to travel together with them and to be willing to engage in conversation which topics sometimes may not be pleasurable. So, with a purpose to discover them and hear about their country, culture, life etc. I hit the tukrish roads and hitchhiked to my places of interest. In the beginning, I was reluctant of how it will be and whether I am going to wait a lot on the roads under the summer’s scorching heat of around 35°C. But, now after getting it done, I can state that altogether I spent more time on writing the signs than to get a ride. Also, once you enter their car you are automatically perceived as their guest and you will be treated with nice hospitality. The help that I got from them was immense, not only the ride, but also they will offer you food, especially from my experience stopping for a bowl of soup and the inevitable çay (tea) is the ultimate refreshment. Living in Ankara and starting the journeys from this huge city was not easy and getting outside of Ankara was a trip of itself because in some occasions it took 4
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me up to one hour. So, in whatever direction you are heading you first go to Ulus, Ankara’s central area and from where all dolmuş (minibuses or shared taxi) to every spot of Ankara are going. Ulus is the mother of the dolmuş. If you go West (İzmir, Eskişehir, Bursa, İstanbul), you go to Ulus and take the Turkuaz dolmuş from Denizciler Dolmuş Duragı (as labeled on Google Maps). You go east (Samsun, Trabzon) on Ulus you go to Anadolu İlahiyat Akademisi and take the Mamak dolmuş. If your direction is South (Kapadokya, Mardin, Konya, Antalya), then you go to Ulus again and take the Gölbaşı dolmuş from Altındağ Gazi Anadolu Lisesi. To me this hitchhiking experince was unique since I saw fırsthand Turkey’s division between its East and West, which means more traditional versus more liberal way of life. While conversing with the drivers towards Sungurlu/Boğazkale and to Konya, aside the introduction topic, the conversations were aimed more about the current political situation,
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religion and its necessity. The driver to Konya even asked me if I am maybe a terrorist and whether carrying some bomb. To which I replied: “Yes, two of them”; and he was even better: “Hmm, now you make me curious how you can fit them in such small backpack”. That was a moment of relief because neither of us were serious. However, for me was a sign that current situation in the world is playing a big role in everyday life and affects their opinions towards the foreigners. On the topic of religion, I said to them that even though I have been given Christianity I consider myself religious-free, immedietly imposed some need in them to say me that I should reconsider my choice and think about reading the Kuran and eventually becoming a Muslim. I understand that more members means more strenght, but still trying to convince someone about the religious choice I consider it as more intimate thing than to be discussed while travelling. Nevertheless, being firmly confident of my choice I was not giving so much importance to it whatsoever, but it remained for me as kind of a mystery whether is it correct or wrong approach. Arriving in Konya, once capital of Ottoman Empire and the city where the great XIII century poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic Jalāl adDīn Muhammad Balkhī-Rumi was living and creating introduced me to the surrounding of people that strongly follow the religious practices and cherish the teaching of Rumi. During the day light, Konya is lively, but quiet as the people do not want to disturb the peace of Rumi, which museum and his resting place fill the city with turists. But, when the night falls, Konya is somehow odd since after 9pm you can barely find open place to eat, streets are empty and even cars are not so prevalent. I found that situation kind of scary because I was worrying where are the 2 million were are the 2 million people of Konya,
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what are they doing and why they were not enojying the summer nights outside. Eventually, aligning their life with the Rumi’s lessons was the reason of it and having peacful night with the family members is what the tradition dictates. On the other hand, western cities, İzmir and Eskişehir, are different story. Already in the car the differences were obvious. The drivers were more open-minded, curious to hear about the place from where I am coming and our values, asking me did I like the rakı (anis flavoured liquor), how I am coping with the high prices of beer here and that real modern Atatürk’s Turkey is on the west. Mentioning him, I got to know that his parents were born in Skopje, capital of my country and even rarer information for me at that moment that his favourite song was Vardar Ovası (Vardar’s field) with Vardar being a river in my country Macedonia. The moment that break all my suspicions about the Turkish hospitality happened on the way to İzmir. A man stopped to pick me up although he was with a big kidney pain
that he could not fastened his seatbelt. He was heading to his friend, a doctor, for a check and to learn about his situation since the doctors in his hometown, according to him, were not telling him the factual state. He was in pain, with bad and pessimistic thoughts and seemingly assured for the worst. Despite of all that, he stopped to help and left me wordless for a while. Also, I must not forget to say, the person that gave me a ride Ankara-Eskişehir was one of the politest I have ever encountered. He as well helped me with meeting my friend in the city and he spoke with him on the phone. Citing my host: “I thought some state official or from a bank speaking to me with such high addressing Bey (Mister)”. The two cities are indeed covered with progressive and vibrant atmosphere. İzmir, as a coastal city getting influenced from the turists as well as from its history as a trade center, is liberal, noisy and much colorful. I found that the people there are smilling more, speaks English or French or German, spending the nights in meyhane (turkish tavern/pub) and their clothes are adjust to the summer heat and not to the conservative attire. Likewise, Eskişehir (Old City) unlike its name, is a new city with modern infrastructure. 6
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Emerging as an university center, with Venice style gondolas going up and down the river and with youngsters that are coming as far as from Hatay, city that is some 800 km to the south-east, have prolific alternative scene and urban living. In the very first 15 min walk around the city center I grew a feeling that here is the new-generation of Turkey that want no religious label and aspire for their freedom and personal choice. Assuming from their appearance, I would say that they could only receive the “street-style fashionistas” label. Moving from Eskişehir to Bursa to me it happened something that I want to be an experience to all hitchhikers. I fastened the Bursa sign on my backpack and started to walk towards the intended hitchhiking spot and to eat my breakfast. Only after several minutes, I did not finish with eating, a car stopped and the boy said: “Gel (Come)”. It ended even better, he invited me with him and his friend to walk around Bursa
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and to show me the landmarks, favourable silk shops and they brought me to the old village of Cumalıkızık. The day in Bursa ended up with exchanging contacts and they promised that they will pay me a visit in Macedonia. Therefore, I consider hitchhiking a very advantageous way of travelling since I can make new friends, hear from them the reality they live in, experiencing 100% local and deducing that majority of the people are good and harmless. On the end, regardless of either East or West, people were helpful and kind, and without their help I could not successfully managed my travelling desire and discover the pros and cons of them and Turkey. My journey is finishing in Istanbul, an enormously huge mega-city which is considered as a small world with its nearly 20 million population. P.S. I finished this article on the ferry Bursa-Istanbul, so more about my experience there, hopefully in the next occasion.
“Fortuna audaces iuvat.” “Среќата ги прати храбрите.” “Fortune favors the bold.” “Cesur olan kazanir.” -Virgil Vladimir Jovanovski jovanovski@outlook.com
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Does Beypazarı have it all? by Iveta Cádrová
On the week-end of 15 to 17 September, we had a chance to present our cultures at a festival organised in the charming town of Beypazarı, only 2hour drive from Ankara. What an experience! This cute little town surprised us with its selfsufficiency, thriving tourism and its loveable people. Beypazarı was a town of importance already in the Ottoman period, when it served as a military base and the cavalry was stationed there. Beypazarı is known for its ancient-motived embroideries, its mineral water sold all over Turkey, its typical wooden houses (that are searched for as traditional movie settings by the film directors), by its beautiful hand-made silverware but also by its carrots! Carrots, carrots, carrots,… Could you believe that this town produces more than half of Turkey’s carrots?
You can find carrots literally everywhere. There is even a huge “statue” of carrots at the beginning of the main pedestrian street. And just not to forget, they also make a carrot ice-cream! Aaand the Beypazari people! It would be difficult to describe the good-spirited and hospitable Beypazarı people better than by words of my dear fellow volunteer Arianna: „People here are pure and genuine as the fresh water“. So, to answer the question – it is a yes. This little-big city definitely has it all!
Photo: With the artistic director of the Beypazarı festival
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Refugee by Arianna Luci
Those black-eyed eyes stared at me gratefully. They were surrounded by a smile of unknowable milk, in whose cracks I was imprisoned by my tears held. I wanted to burst. I could not hold that child's gaze. About 5 years. You do not need to speak the same language to figure out what those huge eyes were asking: Do we play? About eighty eyes invade me in festive silence; is the first time they attend a dancing violin. As I am absorbed by all those children in a row, who now do not think about receiving the gift of colors, cards and plasticine, I did not realize that another table of eyes was listening to me. Moms record the moment. The applause is triggered before the end, almost at the beginning, when legs and hands burst into jumps and beats. Joy. Joy joins the whole group, volunteers, children, parents, like the colored paper strings we have made all afternoon. Fatima, about 6 years old, indicates what color to use
for her crown: beyaz (white), kırmızı (red), yeşil (green). It's time to learn colors, and I have a good teacher to do it. They speak all two languages, Arabic and Turkish, and some older grandchild starts to speak a few tits of English. Beyaz, kırmızı, yeşil ... an airplane for the second time flew over our heads. Fatima looks up seriously for the second time and follows her through the trees until she only returns to the sound of the playful screams. Of hungry mouths! Of all the chicken we have washed this morning remain some charcoal crumbs with some tomato and bread. There is a sausage left in the dish. I swallow the water in my mouth: those eyes are more hungry than me. And then, I'm not more hungry. I can feel in my throat: anger, helplessness, and a strange guilt to be so banally fortunate. And to come from people who base their racism on ignorant puddles. Puddles: they are annoying when a racing car takes you muddy, even lethal when riding on a racing bike. You can not quantify how deep a puddle is, without drowning. And the more we drown, the more people drown us, the more we dig dirt that the road hides. A ignorance’ well. But there is no time now to venture into ping-pong flights and sentimentality. We start collecting the remains of the picnic. And greetings. I hugged for the last time in that smile cross and in those eyes shining the dusty light of Aleppo. 9
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Travel in Turkey. Travel in Istanbul by Nestan Meskhi
In Turkish, yabancı means foreign. Yabancı is a word you’ll hear a lot. Order food or ask for a table at a restaurant and you’ll hear at least one waiter whisper to their colleague: Yabancı. That’s one of the first words you learn in Turkey during traveling. Enjoy being YABANCI… Welcome to Turkey… Am I safe in turkey? You become what you think. However, influencing this are the thoughts and act of others. What other people think and what other people create can shape our reality and collective thoughts are powerful. Another way of looking at this is, positive thoughts bring positive results. Negativity breeds negativity. Is it safe in Istanbul? Is it safe in your own hometown? It’s a difficult question to answer.
Istanbul is a big city and not immune to crime. But one thing that is different is its huge population. There is always a high degree of natural surveillance around you – many eyes on the street. Do I need to cover when entering mosques? Yes. When visiting mosques, make sure your shoulders and legs are covered and ladies do cover your head with a scarf. It’s respectful to do so. Some of the bigger mosques will have scarfs for you but best to use your own. Take your shoes off before entering any mosque and take them with you using the plastic bags provided. Also avoid walking in front of people praying, and know mosques will close for 30 minutes after the call to prayer five times a day for local worshippers. 10
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Places you have to visit in Istanbul Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet, Taksim Square, Galata Tower, Dolmabahçe Palace… These are the most touristic places in Istanbul, everybody knows that they have to go there during their journey, but… What about Fener-Balat? Fener and Balat are certainly the richest in history of this city, the most fascinating and characteristic of the whole Istanbul.
And what about Bazaars? Old bazaars in Istanbul are a joy to visit taking you to the ancient times where you can find many traditional and original items. Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar are waiting for you in the center of Istanbul.
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And Islands… Islands in the city? Heybeliada second-largest of the Princes Islands off the coast of Istanbul in Turkey's Sea of Marmara.
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Kız Kulesi (Maiden's Tower or Leander's Tower) This is a tower lying on a small islet located at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus. This is
How to learn new vocabulary by Małgorzata Kiełtyka
I remember learning english at school. It was constant attempts to memorise new words, constructions, grammar rules. Did it work? Not very well. I would forget everything soon. Everything besides grammar, because we would practice it all the time. Those days we didn’t have Internet and the only time we could hear a proper pronunciation was during the lesson.
It means we would come home and forget everything very fast. Those days, studying was time consuming and didn’t bring very good results. A lot of waisted time. Mnemonics In the end of high-school, my English teacher suggested that I can learn new words by connecting them with those that already know. I didn’t listen that time, I didn’t see a point. English was not similar to polish, and she didn’t explain how it could work. I forgot soon her idea. But years later, I implemented it with Turkish. It was easier this time because I had 2 languages I used every day and wider range of vocabulary to choose from. 13
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The idea of finding similarities to what you already know is quit simple. It means, your brain doesn’t have to memorise new constructions which are completely new. You only learn a new meaning to the sound you already recognise. The word you know doesn’t have to be the same, it can be similar. Your brain will first bring you the old one, then the new one. After some time you won’t need the old one any more. The new will be familiar enough, you will remember. So, if I learn new word and I can find in my memory a similar word from the past it is easier for me to recall the new word later. I simply remember the old construction, then new meaning and then the correct version of the new word. These are mnemonics. A mnemonic is a pattern, idea or association that you use to help you remember something. There are two basic types of mnemonics that we can use in language learning. -Word Associations -Mnemonic images
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Basically, mnemonics are connections you make that you can use to remember something. Mnemonics work because the brain remembers things much more effectively when you bring attention to them and connect them with images and existing knowledge. Examples: English “cat” and turkish “kedi”. Kitty sounds similar to kedi. If you watched “The Chronicles of Narnia” you will easily remember that “lion” in turkish is “aslan”. How to remember turkish world “door”? “Kapı”, sounds like “cap”, you use “cap” to close the bottle. You use door to close the room. “Kapı” is connect with closing something. Also world “kapak” means “cover”. You will remember that both words “kapı” and “kapak” are connected with closing, covering something. Mnemonics can be very complex, you can create in your had images, connect names with words, imagine that famous person is singing phrase you want to remember. There’s a lot of mnemonics ideas and you can easily find them on the Internet. Here’s a popular example for learning the Mandarin Chinese word "dùjià", which means "to go on vacation" in English: “Dùde! Yeàh! We’re going on vacation!” – Hint: Say this one out loud in a “surfer” voice to get the correct pronunciation of “jià”. Also, while you say it, pump your hand down twice, like you’re using a slot machine. If you’ve never heard about mnemonics give them a try. It’s much better way to study than memorise, pass the exam and then forget! 14
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