A Week by the Seat of Its Pants

Well, friends, the wait is over.

That's right. School is in session.

For weeks this has been all I've been waiting for. Just get me started, I would think to myself. The time has come and I want to be productive! Well, you know the old adage. Careful what you wish for!

On Tuesday I received my class schedule. This was awesome. My new colleague and friend, Evren, helped me to procure said schedule, and then most graciously explained it to me. So far so good! Well, next I discussed these classes (4 sections of English Speaking, each meeting twice a week, and 2 sections of American Culture and Literature, each meeting once a week) with the appropriate colleagues in charge. I was informed that there was no set curriculum for either course--I was completely free to teach what I thought was appropriate. This surprised me, as Ali and John, both teaching with the School of Basic English while I am teaching in the English (Literature) Department, have set curriculums and books that they are to follow. In many ways, I envy them for how straightforward their requirements are, but this does present an exciting opportunity for me to take true ownership of my teaching.

Set free with this information, I was suddenly raring to go. Good thing, too, because after I was shown my new office (in which I am alone...a big luxury in many ways, but also a wee bit lonely), I was told that I should probably go to my 7:00 class, which was meeting right then, and say hi.

Ah, yes, a word about my schedule: I teach daytime and nighttime classes. WACKY!

M: Speaking (10:00-12:00), American Cul. and Lit. (1:00-3:00), American Cul. and Lit. (7:00-9:00)
T: Speaking (3:00-5:00), Speaking (5:00-7:00), Speaking (7:00-9:00)
W: Speaking (10:00-12:00)
Th: Speaking (10:00-12:00), Speaking (5:00-7:00), Speaking (7:00-9:00)
F: No Classes

So it's kind of a weird schedule, at least to my Sweet Briar sensibilities, but it's how things get done around here, so I'm on board! And the office really is a great space...even had my first meeting with a  student in it! Worked very nicely, and I am quite pleased.

That first night was pretty nervewracking/slightly awkward since I was also rushing off to the Trabzonspor v. Lille match for their Champions League group, but I made it through in one piece, and as of now I've had at least one class with each section I teach except for the American Culture and Lit kids, who I'll see on Monday. I'm majorly breaking the "don't smile until the third week" rule, but the students seem to respond to my intense energy, over-the-top body language and examples (how else will they understand me?), and well-balanced seriousness. If you've ever heard me talk about my thesis, with the occasional ridiculous joke and/or face thrown in, then you can guess at the tone/persona that I assume.

So, the other big item of business this week, besides quite abruptly beginning my job for the year (I'm still working on the Syllabus project x2...so wish me luck in getting seriously academic! This is my chosen life path, post-graduate school!), was this crazy Trabzonspor match. Jimmy Fryar wasn't kidding: the atmosphere was so worth it. The game itself, unfortunately, was just pretty scrappy and full of players making terrible decisions, particularly with regards to holding onto the ball too long. But overall the experience was just one crazy fun ride. We got free flags walking in, and we waved them with the rest of the hooligans, doing our best to sing along with the chants by imitating vowel sounds and jumping up and down like we knew what we were doing. Turkish football culture is so great and intense! Though, there is the obvious downside that that culture associates football with what it means to be masculine (according to my colleague, Mustafa, with whom I have great philosophical discussions about literature and academia), so you don't have the same involvement on the part of women. But, as I said in my previous post, I am on the hunt for the Trabzonspor women's club! They're out there somewhere, just waiting to be found by me, and then I'm going to be their biggest fan and beg them to let me play with them.

This is what I daydream about...besides tacos and barbeque.

Speaking of tacos and barbeque...well, really food in general...Ali and I have made the decision to just go ahead and get a hot plate. We're still waiting on permanent housing (one day, this dream, too, shall come true), and without kitchens in our rooms at the guest house (which is like a hotel), eating out is becoming both tiresome and expensive. So tomorrow we shall purchase a hot plate that we have already scoped out (hellllooo Arzum, supermarket extraordinaire on a nearby street) and suddenly become incredibly resourceful and just like Iron Chefs...who make quesadillas and omelettes and little toasty sandwiches. Wish us luck in our culinary endeavors! And in finding a long-term place to stay.

Sorry that there aren't any pictures this week...as I obtain a few from the Trabzonspor game (Ali and John had their cameras, but I left mine at home), I'll try to put them up. Cheers for now!