“Ee-yee tah-teel-ler”: Have a nice holiday!
It’s hard to believe the program has already reached the half way point. The students have been able to pack a lot into a short period of time, and this week was no exception. The week was also a bit shorter, as Monday was a national holiday. Many of the host families took advantage of the long weekend to travel to nearby cities and villages. Several students attended weddings or other celebrations with their families. Whether they stayed home or traveled, the extra day off was a good opportunity for the students to rest and relax after a busy week.
The past week proved to be no less interesting, even if it was a day shorter. On Tuesday, students took part in their regular peer language activities in a nearby park, with a focus on newly learned vocabulary of time and daily routines. On Wednesday, we took a special trip to the office for the Ministry of Education in Bursa, where we were able to speak with a representative from the minister of Bursa’s office. Students asked insightful questions about the Turkish education system and learned a lot about the curriculum in Turkey and the highly competitive college entrance exams. They were surprised and delighted when the ministry representatives offered them each a commemorative plate in the Iznik style, made by local students.
The program may be half way over, but as one host dad expressed, this is really just the beginning for our students. There’s still a lot more to experience!
