REPORT ON STAY OF POLISH DELEGATION IN TURKEY,
8-11.04.2014 AS A PART OF THE COMENIUS PROGRAMME
“OUR LITTLE, GREAT MOTHERLAND”
Turkey welcomed us with warm, sunny evening, with the smell of fig trees, olive trees and beautiful scenery. Mountains, sea, shady pine trees, soaring palms. This view was quite exotic for us. In the hotel we were warmly welcomed, although the service spoke almost only Turkish, fortunately Sezin, who speaks English, was always with us. Although the hotel room was situated on the fifth floor, the traffic noise could be heard throughout the night. Turgutlu, the city we arrived to, has more than 100 thousand inhabitants. It is situated on the routes to Manisa and Izmir. Izmir is one of the biggest and the most important cities in Turkey in which industry is growing rapidly .
In the morning, after a delicious breakfast we went to Mehmet Altan Anaokulu, nursery for children between 3 and 6 years old.
And, it's a surprise ! Recent changes have resulted in the choice of a man as the director of the kindergarten. His name is Veysel Gencer and he is friendly, cheerful, English speaking gentleman.
In the kindergarten there was silence before performances: children presented songs and dances specially prepared for our arrival. However, the greatest joy and emotion gave us the oldest group, who danced "Kłaniany" and sang "Poszło dziewczę po ziele" in Polish! It was a beautiful, affecting performance!
This day was very long and full of a range of activities related to the project: the first meeting at which we summed up the next stage of the work, then ... hand painting -
a great idea of the Director, Mr. Veysel Gencer, painting of a tree in the kindergarten building. In this place each of us: teachers from Finland, Turkey and Poland impressed hands in the wall. The tree is called the "Tree of Remembrance " – a great keepsake for years to come!
a great idea of the Director, Mr. Veysel Gencer, painting of a tree in the kindergarten building. In this place each of us: teachers from Finland, Turkey and Poland impressed hands in the wall. The tree is called the "Tree of Remembrance " – a great keepsake for years to come!
Weather was beautiful and it was spring in Turkey. In the nursery garden there was organized a meal consisting only of regional dishes for us. We were shown how to prepare and eat a traditional kebab, what pita bread is used for, how many ways you can cook beans and lentils, and a lot of brewed tea and coffee, of course in a Turkish way. After a delicious snack there was time to move. We went to another preschool, in which the director was also a man. Kindergarten is located in the poorer parts of Turgutlu and everyone is trying to help to equip it. Children in highly imaginative costumes presented us dances from different parts of the world. Then we visited kindergarten, which turned out to be a modern, almost transparent place because almost all the doors and walls were ... glass . There were joyful children everywhere who greeted us in English. They seemed to always smile .
In the evening, after a walk through Turgutlu, we spent time having dinner at Ümran’s home. We learned about an interesting habit of sitting at the table: first men, then women and children. It comes down to married men whose wives were present at the dinner. We women, as guests, sat thogether with the men. I admit that some of us were embarrassed, but respect for the traditions of each nation should be kept. We were coming back in silent streets, where there was the smell of jasmine, figs ripened and there was already a bit chilly wind . After an eventful day, we fell asleep immediately.
The third day, as it turned out later, was even more eventful than the previous one! We went on a trip to Manisa and Izmir. There were two beautifully situated cities with lots of monuments connected with centuries-old history of Turkey. First, Manisa, its suburbs and the Stone of Tears of Niobe ... those of you who are interested in it, I recommend mythology full of tragic but touching stories.
Next there was a visit to the museum Melvewi Sema ceremony, which is the famous dance of the dervishes. The roots of the Mevlevi date back to the twelfth century.
A characteristic feature of the members of this order is meditation in motion. It was performed in a series of dance figures of which the most spectacular is the ability to spin quickly (hence the name). Before you start spinning, they shed black robes, being in a long, pristine white dress. On their heads they have high, felt hats - a sign of the tombstone. While spinning they look like flowers. The way in which the dervishes keep arms and hands during the sema (dance) also has a symbolic meaning. Dervish can be considered to be a transmitter of grace coming from God, and which he directs to the ground. This history was almost completely unknown for us, but the stay in the museum and an interesting guide’s message explained almost everything to us.
A characteristic feature of the members of this order is meditation in motion. It was performed in a series of dance figures of which the most spectacular is the ability to spin quickly (hence the name). Before you start spinning, they shed black robes, being in a long, pristine white dress. On their heads they have high, felt hats - a sign of the tombstone. While spinning they look like flowers. The way in which the dervishes keep arms and hands during the sema (dance) also has a symbolic meaning. Dervish can be considered to be a transmitter of grace coming from God, and which he directs to the ground. This history was almost completely unknown for us, but the stay in the museum and an interesting guide’s message explained almost everything to us.
Then there was a moment of relaxation with traditionally brewed coffee, in the crucible on the hearth, and delicacies for gourmets!
Izmir - third largest city of Turkey. The tumult, colours, lots of cars, tourists, colourful bazaars, the wind of the Aegean Sea ... all causes that we will remember those places for a long time ...
You can hear the characteristic azan - Muslim call to prayer several times a day, which now takes place only in mosques . We also learned that before the prayer you have to wash in a specially constructed wells, and the sequence of washing every part of the body is also important .
The next day we were invited to a primary school in the suburb of Turgutlu, which is also a nursery. School was new, modern, but very poor. The children come from farming families from the surrounding villages. Unfortunately, children do not have toys, equipment and there was a beautiful action organized by teachers from Anaoukulu kindergarten, whose purpose was "to share what I have with those who have nothing". Children brought toys, which they wanted to give their unknown friends from country Kindergarten. It does not matter that one child got a beautiful Barbi, and other slightly worn car - all the children enjoyed the gifts, like never before! Certainly such action should be an example to follow not only in poorer countries but it also should be should be imitated in rich countries.
The government pay for all books and equipment in the school.
Great emphasis is placed on foreign language, nature and history learning. Children were laughing, happy, and they were running around us, kissing the hands showing respect to us. The situation was quite embarrassing, but even more it was unusual behavior to treat us as celebrities. Children were running behind us asking for signatures on the books, notebooks, pencil cases. It was explained to us that we were the first people from abroad who visited them. They simply did not know any other nationalities.
After a very nice, but a surprising visit to the school we went to a small snack to grandmother of one of the teachers. One more time, we had the opportunity to learn the habits of the people in the country, both related to food, as well as show of respect for older people. Departure time has come..
Turkey - multicultural country, increasingly similar to Europe with respecting their customs and traditions. This country is beautiful, warm and colourful…
Visit in Turkey gave us the opportunity to get knowledge about a lot of the mysteries of everyday, real life. Not from the tourism ads, holiday hotels, swimming pools and expensive shops, but from the streets of the city with small of the old political system. That country with the new houses adjacent to the old, almost decayed. In this place the poverty knows many people. But we can also see Turkey, where young people learn foreign languages, more and more often leaving country to take part of the national projects, willing to learn, to explore the world, to grow mentally and spiritually. Turkey, which wants to enter the European Union to continue to work on self-development, to live peacefully and hopefully look for tomorrow.
It was a very beautiful, educational expedition. Thank you to our partners from Turkey!
Photos: Anna Schmidt
