NSLI-Y 2023 Turkey – Week 1
Haydi Başlıyoruz!
It’s hard to believe we’ve been in Türkiye for a week already!
Our first couple of days in country went by especially quickly. Orientation in DC helped build up the excitement, and our first day spent touring Istanbul didn’t disappoint. Notwithstanding the high temperatures (a constant companion throughout the week), we were able to see many of the highlights of the Sultanahmet historic district, including the Ayasofya, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, and the Spice Bazaar. Our skilled guide Ahsen provided context for the itinerary and, as an Istanbul native, added her own local insights.
After our whirlwind tour of Istanbul, we were off to Bursa to meet the host families. We arrived in Türkiye at the end of Eid al adha, so there was hardly any traffic on the way! We made record time to the restaurant, where the students and host families eagerly met for the first time over a plate of Iskender kebab, the local specialty.
Day two in country and we were already in the classroom. Students took a quick assessment to test for prior knowledge of Turkish before being evenly split into two classes. By the end of the week, students were already showing signs of progress as the benefits of immersive language learning became clear. Their knowledge was put to the test on Thursday afternoon at our first weekly Peer Language Partner activity. As the name suggests, the students were able to use what they had learned in class and with their host families in focused activities with their Turkish peers.
We closed out the week with a city tour to some of the most important sites in Bursa — the Grand Mosque, Irgandı Bridge, and the Green Mosque Complex — where students were given an overview of the later period of Bursa’s role as the first Ottoman capital. The tour was rounded out with a visit to the Bursa City Museum, where a guide gave a thorough walkthrough of Bursa’s history from Roman town to booming industrial metropolis. Students departed from the tour to spend the weekend exploring and relaxing with their host families, another busy week ahead.
The students are given a guided tour of Aya Sofya, an important religious site for Christians and Muslims alike.
The tour of Sultanahmet included a stop at the Obelisk of Theodosius in the Hippodrome.
Rania, Will, and Jack wait outside the Basilica Cistern.
Alhena asks our guide questions inside of Rustem Pasha Mosque.
Riya enjoys the local specialty, Iskender kebab, at the welcome dinner with her host mother.
Sajid, Aristo, and Thomas take the language diagnostic on the first day of class.
Students take advantage of downtime to play games with together with their host siblings.
Lauren, Rania, and Aristo wait for pickup outside the language school on the first day of class.
Elif and Noelle working together during the peer language activity.
Fernanda works with her host sister Efsanur during the peer language activity.