Tim in Love Valley
My experience in Turkey is going well and I feel quite fortunate to have been selected for this experience. While my language skills are not where I would like them to be, I have made many good friends and I am enjoying life in Ankara, despite its sleepy feel.
With that said, I am actually living on the Beytepe campus of Hacettepe University, which is located 20 kilometers or so to the west of the city. I had originally aimed to live in the city but living on campus saves me some money and the tremendous hassle of commuting with thousands of students on far too few buses.
In comparison to my experience with the Peace Corps, I can say that I am less integrated into the culture here in large part because of my lack of language skills. Also, it is less different from home because I am living in the country's capital. In the circles that I travel, especially at the university and in sections of Ankara, society is just as liberal as parts of the US. This is a major reason why I really want to travel to the eastern parts of Turkey.
I have traveled to Istanbul, Trabzon, and Cappadochia and have enjoyed each one of those places. My university department treats me very well and they have given me Fridays off to travel so I have on several occasions. People have been very welcoming here and I am enjoying teaching. It is demanding but it has rewards, as any teacher knows.
I really am having a good time and learning a lot. My colleagues and students are great. The students come from all over Turkey and they are the brightest as they have passed the university entrance exam. My university also held a three-day international conference related to American culture last week. So things are good.