When a class is taught in Turkish, you know you have a problem...

In honor of completing my first week of classes, I thought I would provide my readers with a run-down of the observations I have made this past week.

Most of them are simple, but point to the fundamental differences in culture that make Turkey so different from my normal experiences. Hopefully, I will be doing an Independent Study with a professor here at Koc examining these differences, with a focus on communication norms. (But more about that later!)

So.. Back to the topic. Classes here run on a Monday-Wednesday, Tuesday-Thursday schedule. Friday's are reserved for problem and discussion sessions, which I have successfully avoided all together! This means that I have a three day weekend, every weekend!!!!

Anyways- I am taking the following classes:

1) Institutions and Politics of the European Union
2) Basic Turkish Language and Society
3) Intercultural Communication
4) Family Studies and the Turkish Family

My plan is to add an Independent Study to this list, but thanks to AU's unbelievable bureaucracy, and Koc's unbelievable slowness, this hasn't quite happened yet. Stay posted!

Overall, classes have been going well. I have yet to do any homework, which is a great way to start the semester! I am interested in the topics, and think that my professors will all be pretty good. So, with the fundamentals covered, on to my list of observations...

1) No one ever pays attention during attendance. (Anywhere, this is not unique to Turkey) That is, until a professor calls my name, and I have to say here, or state my my year, major, and reasons for taking the class... As soon as I open my mouth, the entire class swings around, and starts staring... I'm not sure yet if it is my accent, or the fact that I am an American, but I seem to harbor a lot of attention. And talking in class? Forget it! As soon as I raise my hand, people stare until I am done with my thought.

2) Even the Turkish kids don't always know where the buildings on campus are... Having gotten lost several times this week, I have been relying on the kindness of fellow Koc students to help me find buildings. However, sometime this have proven difficult. All of the academic buildings here connect through a complicated series of under and above ground tunnels, which makes it hard to tell which building you are in. Luckily, I think i have it figured out now. But, I felt comfortable in my company, as some of the natives couldn't even find their way around.

3) Armani is like a god here... The TA of my second class had a very flashy Armani sweater on... I had a hard time focusing, in my basic long sleeve shirt and jeans.

4) Time is very fluid... A 2pm class means that the professor shows at 2:05, and the class begins at 2:10.... But, if you show up any time after that, you can still come in... Only one of my classes has the professor expressed the need for people to arrive on time. Everyone else just assumes that you will arrive eventually, and if not, that it is your problem to deal with...

5) Exchange students have a natural bond for a reason... Being alone in a classroom with 30 Turkish kids is terrifying... So, when you walk into the student center, and there are other people who are terrified and speaking English... Relief sets in.

6) When day 1 of class is entirely in Turkish... Drop the class... Enough said....

7) Coffee is necessary... Even if it has to come out of a machine... The university has coffee vending machines all around the academic buildings, and EVERYONE uses them... As a patron myself, I can attest to the fact that they really do make getting through class a lot easier!

8) Class from 11-5 is bad, no matter what country you are in...

9) People talk in class, constantly! No matter who is talking, or where they are sitting, talking in class is more frequent than note taking. Not that I can understand what anyone is saying, but I do know that it has nothing to do with the material at hand.

10) Communication professors are special everywhere! My comm professor here is a American-Greek-Jew from LA, with crazy hair and a need to move around the classroom at all times. She makes me laugh, because she represents all the insanity of SOC (School of Communication) that I miss...


Well,there you go! The Top Ten of Turkish Education... I'm off to bed for now, I have to be at my Turkish class at 8:30 AM!!!!!