busy.busy.busy

Hello loyal readers,
My last few weeks have been busy.  I am well into midterm territory and on top of worrying about class, I have have been lucky enough to have visitors in Istanbul!  So, now that I am getting into the rhythm of class, I can write a bit about learning and stuff.

So far, class at Bogazici has been less exciting than I'd been expecting.  My history classes have been straight lectures, with almost zero class participation and discussion.  I feel like I am not learning any history (or anything at all) and just having facts read to me.  Anybody who loves Carl Becker will know how I feel about that.  In my Byzantine History class, we have been learning about the Byzantines in the Macedonian Dynasty (starting10th century) and up through the Komnenian Dynasty and Crusades (1204).  Our professor shows up between 15-30 minutes late for every class, though our lectures are usually action packed and interesting.  Nice discussions would do wonders for the class.

My Modern Turkish History Class is similar.  The professor is great (reminds my of Andy Overman), however 3 straight hours of lecture is difficult to concentrate through without getting any intellectual stimulation from discussions.  We have a midterm on Monday, and I am worried that I won't be able to regurgitate enough facts.

Despite a lack of intellectual stimulation in class, it is really great to learn about the past, and then to see it manifested in society at the same time.  Learning about a Byzantine emperor, and then seeing the mosaic he erected in the Hagia Sophia is fantastic and it really drives home the immediacy of history.  I feel it even more acutely when applying what I am reading about in Modern Turkish History, about the birth of Turkish nationalism, to the city and people I see around me everyday.  Going to Eastern Anatolia for spring break will be great because I will be able to see the effects of this extreme nationalism in action.

As for my progress in Turkish Class: we had a midterm at the end of March, which went well.  Apparently some people think I am pretty good at Turkish but I definitely don't feel that way.  It is frustrating to be unable to communicate with people (pretty much) at all in their native language.  I am learning what we go over in class, we just don't learn much.  We just started on certain verb tenses, however our approach in class is very unsystematic and  disorganized.  I doubt I will retain much after I return stateside.

Finally, my core class is by far the most disappointing.  I assumed that I wouldn't be super-excited about my history classes (because I was pretty sure they'd be lecture-based, and not like my Mac classes at all) or my Turkish class.  However, I was under the impression that my Duke class would be both difficult and intellectually stimulating.  Instead, our reading has been mostly "Intro to World Religions" materiel that is better suited for high school.  We have guest speakers who talk to us about different religions, and they are often all over the place.  Their talks have no focus and no one is able to facilitate a discussion.  Since we have not really met very often yet, there is a chance that my opinion might change.  But I'm not holding my breath.

Anyway, I just wrapped up two weeks of having visitors.  First, my wonderful Aunt Lisa, and her friend (and mine) Margaret came to visit me.  I enjoyed acting as a tour guide, showing off my adopted city, and getting taken out for delicious dinners.  I also got taken on a quick sojourn to the Aegean coast and to Lycia.  Not too shabby!  We visited Ephesus once more, Aphrodisias, Heirapolis/Pamukkale, Miletus, Didyma, and Prieme.  It was fantastic and the weather was out of control (beautiful for those of you who don't understand my young, hip slang).   See the picture of Hieropolis above.  My friends Lily and Erin then came to spend their spring break in Istanbul with me, and I acted as tour guide once more.  I don't mind, because I like to mix in sights and activities I haven't been able to do when I have visitors (ei. Bosporus Cruise).  Now, however, I am looking forward to catching up on sleep and getting through midterms to spring break.

Although it might seem like visiting Turkey has been a complete bust intellectually, that is far from true.  While classes aren't great, I have met many extremely smart people here: both Turks and exchange students.  Having discussions about the nature of Turkish identity with my Turkish friends, while drunkenly watching ships sail through the Bosporus late at night is an experience I wouldn't trade for a million interesting classes.  A theme that has emerged during the past two months is that history is alive and always influencing society, and Istanbul is a great example.  What people choose to remember and glorify from the past shapes how they interact with each other now.  Besides, as I have learned, if Turkey is in the center of the world, then you can get to America by going East, and so Turks can be Orientalists against us.  But not to worry, at heart we are all part of the great Turkish race.