40 Turkish American Youths Visit Turkey
"Turkey is truly a beautiful country, more than I had imagined"
Ipek Aydin, ATAA Research Assistant, Special to the Turkish Times - Between 16-29 July, a total of 40 young Turkish Americans visited Turkey as part of a youth program organized for the first time in cooperation with the Turkish government and Turkish American associations. The visit came about through the initiation of last year's ATAA delegation to Ankara and created a unique opportunity for the students to experience Turkish traditions and culture, to discover the country's rich history, and to enjoy its pristine natural beauty. The 40 were chosen by the local Turkish American Associations in cooperation with the Turkish Embassy and Consulate Generals and represented a solid cross-section of Turkish Americans throughout the United States. The selections were made among leading high school graduate students between the ages of 18-25. The students were required to know some Turkish, have at least one Turkish parent and preferably to have never been to Turkey, and are accomplished students and leaders in their communities. This was the first trip ever of its kind to Turkey involving second and third generation Turkish Americans who would be experiencing the land of their heritage, most for the first time.

Rana San depicts her first meeting with the other participants with these words, "We are all Turkish by blood, that was easy enough to trace back to our parents." Rana adds that while students talked a lot about their souls, they also discovered their Turkish sides and the essence of Turkish culture.

The first stop was Turkey's capital, Ankara. Here the group was given an overview as to how the Turkish political, military, and education systems function. Derya Gürbüz of Los Angeles believes that Anitkabir gave her a more insightful look into Atatürk's ambitions and dreams for Turkey and its future. Ersin Usmen says that the experience was 'truly incredible' and he adds that learning about Atatürk's life and his philosophies, many of which still apply in today's society, was most inspiring.

The program also had many other events organized, such as a visit to the American Embassy and a luncheon with the General Secretary of the National Security Council. The highlight was a chance to meet the President of Turkey, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, and ask him questions about their mother country.

The group also went to see a cultural performance and some even sang with the performers. According to Derya, after that evening they were no longer a shy group of Turkish American students; they let their true Turkish identity appear and appreciated their own Turkish culture. They connected well and became good friends in a very short time. Derya mentions that she established close ties with other students during this great experience and they regarded each other like brothers and sisters. There is no doubt that the World Cup soccer matches played a great role in bringing them closer together.

The group also visited Cappadocia, an area that can only be described as an open-air museum of culture, to enjoy the natural beauty and deep history of a region that has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. After spending some time in NevÍehir, the students then visited ÌanlÎurfa to see Turkey's biggest energy project, the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). Ersin said that he was amazed by GAP because it will be fascinating to see how much the project will improve the economy of the region.

When they arrived in Istanbul, they explored more of Turkey's vast history by visiting several historic sites, such as Ayasofya and the Blue Mosque. Most of the Turkish American students portrayed Dolmabahçe and TopkapÎ palaces as being truly astonishing. They completed their Istanbul tour with a boat trip on the Bosphorus. All the students described Ïstanbul as a breathtaking city.

The purpose of this visit was to create an opportunity for the students to form bonds not only with each other, but also with Turkey. For Ersin, the two weeks flew by too fast, yet he felt that the trip really was a priceless learning experience and a unique chance to discover Turkish traditions. A student from California depicts her trip with these words: "Turkey is truly a beautiful country, more than I had imagined. I am glad that I was chosen to go on this trip or else I would have never had the opportunity to see many of Turkey's most fascinating sites." Derya says that even though she lives in America, her heart belongs to Turkey.