Category: Culture

Özgürlük – Freedom – Part 2

Fear and the Loss of Freedom to Be Afraid "By the time this clip was finished, we knew what was going on.  There was much to be said, a lot of fear, and things to do.  It was not long before an emergency bag was packed and I had made the dreaded first call to... Continue Reading →

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Ordering Online? Beware Cargo!

Due to some of the personal email responses I received from this blog post, I have updated the post.  First, is my personal experience in Ankara, which may be useful to both Turks and expats here in Turkey.  Second, is some helpful information for foreigners and Americans when dealing with shipping in the U.S. In... Continue Reading →

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Two minutes of peace

Sharing this blog from 5 years ago. Two minutes of silence in honor of Ataturk.

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Adventures in Ankara

This morning I expereinced something miraculous, wonderous, beautiful, strange, and different.  Today is the 72nd anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s death.  He was the founding father of modern Turkey.  At exactly 9:05 this morning, the precise time that he passed, all of Turkey came to a standstill for 2 minutes of silence.  I was driving on a highway at that time.  All of the vehicles stopped.   I stopped.  The radio stations went silent.  A few people got out of their cars and stood at attention. 

Two minutes of silence is not quite an appropriate term for what I experienced.  The driver of every vehicle soulfully honked his horn.  I am told that people will stop whereever they are, walking down the street or up a flight of stairs, and stand still for two minutes.

For most Turks, this is likely a sign of patriotism, a gesture of respect. …

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Ode to a Friend

It has been about a year since my friend Fulya passed away.  I mentioned her passing briefly in this blog post, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.  Today I want to take a moment to honor her and to discuss what I have learned about death in Turkey. Fulya cam from a more prestigious family... Continue Reading →

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Beyond words: from Back to Bodrum

Özgecan.  Words can not express what Turkish women, expat women in Turkey, and frankly, women around the world are feeling.  A young woman takes a small bus.  Something she did on a regular basis.  Unfortunately, she was the last passenger on the bus.  She was raped by the driver who then stabbed her to death... Continue Reading →

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Babacığım

A week has come and gone - celebrating the life of my father-in-law. He was one of the most kind and gentle men I had ever met.  If you caught him in one of the rare moments he was not smiling, you could still see the smile in his eyes. You would never find him... Continue Reading →

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