Alas! Yet another long period of time has passed since my last update. I guess that's just the way this blog is going to work until I become more disciplined (and find more time to organize my thoughts).
I've recently started my second semester of my second year at the university I work at here in Ankara, and this whole year has been quite different compared to last year. Last year I taught PIN (the second level of 5 proficiency levels, so relatively low-level), and all this year I've been teaching Pre-faculty (the most advanced level). It's quite a change, especially in terms of grammar and the language I actually use in the classroom, but I like it. I like both levels, in fact, because there are different, fun tasks and activities you can do at one level that you can't do at the other. I guess I don't really have a preference, but I do enjoy teaching essay writing :)
The policies and such of the school have changed considerable this year, and I would be lying if I said I was happy about it. But this post isn't going to be a bitch-fest, particularly because aside from all the politics and blahblahblahing going on here, I know I'm lucky. I'm in a new Teaching Unit this year, and I truly LOVE every single lady in that room. Additionally, my Head of Teaching unit (my boss) is an absolute angel, and seriously the best manager I've ever had at any job anywhere in the world at any time. I'll be sad to leave all of them when my contract ends. Additionally, I adore my students. My first PreFac class that I had last semester was a 16 week class, and they were probably the best class I've ever had in terms of having a great rapport with them and appreciating one another's abilities. They were a nightmare in terms of classroom management, however, but even this helped me learn and become a better teacher. I will miss that class and remember them forever, I bet. My very first class here in Turkey (my first PIN class) as well as this first PreFac class are quite special, and I actually still talk to many of the students from each. The experiences both in and out of the classroom that I've had with them as well as various other students from other classes I've taught here are the reason I teach. Yes, I love the English language, but I also enjoy that student-teacher relationship and seeing how they progress in the language as well as individuals. Fascinating stuff.
I'm also lucky because regardless of whatever may bother me about my current situation, the benefits FAR outweigh the negatives. I mean, since my last post I've traveled with Adam toPammukalle to experience the amazing travertines, Canakkale to explore the war history there (the Gallipoli Campaign), as well as to Troy to see the ruins of the city where the story of the Trojan Horse supposedly took place. I also traveled with Nicola to the Republic of Georgia, where I was able to cross off drinking from a traditional Georgian kvevri off my bucket list, ride a horse through the Caucusus Mountains, befriend my tour guides named Ilo and Oleg, and saw a whole different kind of living. I've visited Bursa with Nadia, Halil, and Rob Loomis and snowboarded for the first time as well as Kars with Nicola to visit Ani. Most recently, I traveled with Rob Lockwood to Israel and learned so much about what's actually going on there between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and I feel a lot more educated now, among other things, because of it. I even got my nose pierced while I was there! I have plans to visit the west coast when my mom visits in April and I'll be going to the Hardwell concert in Istanbul in May with Nadia and Halil (sooo excited for that!). I will eventually go to Kayseri to eat their famous Manti, Hatay to eat their famous Kunefe, and Cyprus just because I want to. I mean, not a lot of the people I know back home can say they've done these things. I've experienced incredible things and met so many amazing people from all around the world because of what I'm doing and where I'm at right now.
Even my current 16 week PreFac class is lovely. It's only our third week together, but they are by far the most respectful and motivated class I've ever had here. And they were so cute on my birthday! It was only the first day of week 2, but still one of the girls made muffins and brought them to the class to celebrate. They tried to fool me into thinking they had forgotten but then some of the girls came in "late" with a muffin with two tooth picks wrapped in napkins set ablaze because they had no candles. It was adorable and they were really sweet. In fact, I got a lot of love on my birthday from random friends (especially Halil) and old students. Even though I don't like the "birthday hype" that goes along with one's special day, it was a good day nonetheless.
Do I have some hard times and unhappy days? Sure. But I'd have those even if I were back in Orlando. It's difficult to think of my time here coming to an end in about 5 months, but I know I'm ready to continue on doing what I'm doing in a different location. I'm even taking master's courses now to try to ensure I'm qualified for better positions (I hope I get accepted the Applied Linguistics program I applied to! I should know in a few weeks...). I'm going to try to stay in Turkey (so far that's looking good), but I'm going to keep my options open, you know, because I'm in a lucky enough position that I can.
No, there's certainly nothing to bitch about here.
(PS - some of the Turkish words here are misspelled because I don't have a Turkish keyboard with Turkish characters!)
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