Language
Dil
Tongue
Locks us behind imaginary walls
that we blindly stay inside of
never knowing how much
smiles
or tears
can speak
geography divides us
and we stay satisfied
live in telephone talks
of comfortable slang
and dialects
never think twice
about what it could be
if we tried
Language - Dil
Can fly us over oceans into livingrooms
of connection
we were raised on different streets and sidewalks
but our homes are the same
mothers always take care of their children
and fathers love with hearts bigger than they ever knew
language locks us inside walls but
if we try
we'd realize
how much
smiles can say
and how language
can unlock doors to new families
and connection
Friday, July 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
GLBT in Turkey
Merhaba!
Today was yet another interesting day! We spent the afternoon looking at Turkey's 1st capitol building and the Ankara castle, then head to Kilizay for a meeting w/ GLBT organization KAOS. KOAS's organizer, Nevin talked to us about the situation in Turkey and some of the biggest issues GLBT ppl in Turkey face. It was an eye opening experience.
I was very impressed with the organization and they def seem to be making some moves in Turkey. She told us about a large conference they put on this May in many different cities around the country, and gave us copies of their bi-monthly magazine.
Compared to the US, however, Turkey has a long way to come. There seems to be limited to no public stages for ppl that identify at GLBTQ and in fact there is discrimination that is enforced(or not stopped) by the law.
She told us about this may 5 transexual women were beaten almost to death this may, and also the story of Ahmet Yildiz, who was a victim of murder arranged by his own father in 2008 in Istanbul. In this sense, ppl that identify at GLBTQ can definitely become a public target and there is not much social support from people. She told us also how people have lost jobs b/c of their sexuality, and also how many people in Turkey's govt have made ignorant statements claiming being gay must be cured and enforced law that makes it easier on people that have committed crimes against ppl that identify as GLBTQ.
I think its easy for us in the US to be very closed minded and only think about what we and our local/national community is going through. To hear of the some of the struggles and violence people are threatened w/ in Turkey reminded me that we have to think about ourselves as an international community and build as much as we can in this context. Be partners and allies in the struggle for equality. Because it is equality isn't just a one sided thing, we all have 2 put in our part.
---------
For the honor of your family I pray
pray that from my lips to God
He will rain down your story to your nation's people
and hearts will break
enough for us to hurt
but not enough for your death to have been in vain
Honor
bright eyes and future
your parents raised you to be their star
yıldız
but when you turned out
different
couldn't deny the love inside you
you were outcasted
by your parents
and a nation of people not ready
to accept the difference of loving
someone the same sex
fatherhood became twisted
darkened
inconceivable
to save the family's honor
the star of their life
was to be murdered
blood lines
thick enough to love
but who knew that hate could be stronger
and now you,
Ahmet Yıldız
are remembered among moonlight
in a night sky of your peers
people who because of their love became
other victims of hate
your star rests in the sky
and when we're not sure what direction to go
the night lights our eyes in your memory
there is no translation for hate crime in Turkey
my heart feels heavy in my chest
as I hear your story
in Ankara
a million miles away-I think of my friends
who don't fear death by the hands of their family
but are hardly free themselves
Nevin, the GLBT organizer's eyes fill with tears up as she tells it
yours and others whose names we will never learn
other stars
who share cool moonlight among you
I will say a prayer for the honor of your family
our family
that your death may not be in vain
and that as brothers and sisters
we will share our streets
peacefully
as you share the sky
and we will
keep moving
Today was yet another interesting day! We spent the afternoon looking at Turkey's 1st capitol building and the Ankara castle, then head to Kilizay for a meeting w/ GLBT organization KAOS. KOAS's organizer, Nevin talked to us about the situation in Turkey and some of the biggest issues GLBT ppl in Turkey face. It was an eye opening experience.
I was very impressed with the organization and they def seem to be making some moves in Turkey. She told us about a large conference they put on this May in many different cities around the country, and gave us copies of their bi-monthly magazine.
Compared to the US, however, Turkey has a long way to come. There seems to be limited to no public stages for ppl that identify at GLBTQ and in fact there is discrimination that is enforced(or not stopped) by the law.
She told us about this may 5 transexual women were beaten almost to death this may, and also the story of Ahmet Yildiz, who was a victim of murder arranged by his own father in 2008 in Istanbul. In this sense, ppl that identify at GLBTQ can definitely become a public target and there is not much social support from people. She told us also how people have lost jobs b/c of their sexuality, and also how many people in Turkey's govt have made ignorant statements claiming being gay must be cured and enforced law that makes it easier on people that have committed crimes against ppl that identify as GLBTQ.
I think its easy for us in the US to be very closed minded and only think about what we and our local/national community is going through. To hear of the some of the struggles and violence people are threatened w/ in Turkey reminded me that we have to think about ourselves as an international community and build as much as we can in this context. Be partners and allies in the struggle for equality. Because it is equality isn't just a one sided thing, we all have 2 put in our part.
---------
For the honor of your family I pray
pray that from my lips to God
He will rain down your story to your nation's people
and hearts will break
enough for us to hurt
but not enough for your death to have been in vain
Honor
bright eyes and future
your parents raised you to be their star
yıldız
but when you turned out
different
couldn't deny the love inside you
you were outcasted
by your parents
and a nation of people not ready
to accept the difference of loving
someone the same sex
fatherhood became twisted
darkened
inconceivable
to save the family's honor
the star of their life
was to be murdered
blood lines
thick enough to love
but who knew that hate could be stronger
and now you,
Ahmet Yıldız
are remembered among moonlight
in a night sky of your peers
people who because of their love became
other victims of hate
your star rests in the sky
and when we're not sure what direction to go
the night lights our eyes in your memory
there is no translation for hate crime in Turkey
my heart feels heavy in my chest
as I hear your story
in Ankara
a million miles away-I think of my friends
who don't fear death by the hands of their family
but are hardly free themselves
Nevin, the GLBT organizer's eyes fill with tears up as she tells it
yours and others whose names we will never learn
other stars
who share cool moonlight among you
I will say a prayer for the honor of your family
our family
that your death may not be in vain
and that as brothers and sisters
we will share our streets
peacefully
as you share the sky
and we will
keep moving
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Beauty
We are surrounded by artists
big and small
left and right
we are artists
some mix colors on canvases
or mold clay with their fingers
and some work and craft
the art of bringing smiles to children's faces
some master the inner workings of our minds
and use the entire toolbox
to give education
others keep their eyes up
but stay with their pens pressed to paper
fixing syllables and vowel sounds
to create beauty
or scribble mathematical precision
to turn ideas into the stone reality
of our shelters
others fill more than empty stomachs
use all of Gods land given ingredients
and put their hearts into mixing
love into cooking
to fill us with beauty of taste and smell
and satisfaction
we are surrounded by a world of
artists and their creations
some use the their hands
to heal and to clean
provide us with life's necessities
with grace
and style
and remind us
that we are already a product of such beauty
and to remember
we too have a place in creating this art
big and small
left and right
we are artists
some mix colors on canvases
or mold clay with their fingers
and some work and craft
the art of bringing smiles to children's faces
some master the inner workings of our minds
and use the entire toolbox
to give education
others keep their eyes up
but stay with their pens pressed to paper
fixing syllables and vowel sounds
to create beauty
or scribble mathematical precision
to turn ideas into the stone reality
of our shelters
others fill more than empty stomachs
use all of Gods land given ingredients
and put their hearts into mixing
love into cooking
to fill us with beauty of taste and smell
and satisfaction
we are surrounded by a world of
artists and their creations
some use the their hands
to heal and to clean
provide us with life's necessities
with grace
and style
and remind us
that we are already a product of such beauty
and to remember
we too have a place in creating this art
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Kalecik Şarap!
Yesterday we made it to the Wine festival in Kalecik, Turkey about an hour outside of Ankara.
We arrived and were ushered up a few flights of stairs to the mayor of the district's office. On leather couches with a few of the farm lands surrounding the building, they gave us çay and cherries from their fields. Also, since Kalecik is famous for their wine, they passed around a few glasses of the special kalecik karası wine for us to taste. İt was interesting, tried to understand bits and peices of the turkish speaking, and learned that Atatürk started the clothing reform(change to modern dress) in that town.
After the mayors office we went on to the şarap(wine) factory. There we went up to the roof and could look out on all the fields of grapes. Apparently they grown 10 different kinds there. İt was beautiful.
You never realize how much beauty is around u. Everyone talks about how Ankara is dry and dead, but the sky and mountains around here are really something to see.
The tour then took us to the wine room, and they make a million+ bottles of wine a year there. İt looked pretty new and they talked of plans to expand and produce more things than just wine there too. Upstairs from the factory was the wine tasting room!
Of course everyone tried at least one small glass of each of the 5 wines--and the noise level of the group definitely went up a notch. But it was fun...what everyone had been waiting for.
Then after the factory we went to a park next to kızıl ırmak and ate gözleme made by ladies from the village. They were so nice and let everyone that wanted to try to make some.(pics coming soon)
There were also a number of kids and families around and we played volleyball and then jumped rope with them and our classmates. Funny how games like that are universal.
Then we headed home-- after we got back my host father picked me up and brought me to the sünnet düğün (circumcision wedding for lil boys) that i was very late to. But it was cool. İn turkish culture parents spend as much as they would on their daughters weddings on their sons sunnets so it was in a beautiful wedding salon with a dj and live music. And of course everyone dancing up a storm!
Fun time--gotta keep beign thankful for this great opportunity!
We arrived and were ushered up a few flights of stairs to the mayor of the district's office. On leather couches with a few of the farm lands surrounding the building, they gave us çay and cherries from their fields. Also, since Kalecik is famous for their wine, they passed around a few glasses of the special kalecik karası wine for us to taste. İt was interesting, tried to understand bits and peices of the turkish speaking, and learned that Atatürk started the clothing reform(change to modern dress) in that town.
After the mayors office we went on to the şarap(wine) factory. There we went up to the roof and could look out on all the fields of grapes. Apparently they grown 10 different kinds there. İt was beautiful.
You never realize how much beauty is around u. Everyone talks about how Ankara is dry and dead, but the sky and mountains around here are really something to see.
The tour then took us to the wine room, and they make a million+ bottles of wine a year there. İt looked pretty new and they talked of plans to expand and produce more things than just wine there too. Upstairs from the factory was the wine tasting room!
Of course everyone tried at least one small glass of each of the 5 wines--and the noise level of the group definitely went up a notch. But it was fun...what everyone had been waiting for.
Then after the factory we went to a park next to kızıl ırmak and ate gözleme made by ladies from the village. They were so nice and let everyone that wanted to try to make some.(pics coming soon)
There were also a number of kids and families around and we played volleyball and then jumped rope with them and our classmates. Funny how games like that are universal.
Then we headed home-- after we got back my host father picked me up and brought me to the sünnet düğün (circumcision wedding for lil boys) that i was very late to. But it was cool. İn turkish culture parents spend as much as they would on their daughters weddings on their sons sunnets so it was in a beautiful wedding salon with a dj and live music. And of course everyone dancing up a storm!
Fun time--gotta keep beign thankful for this great opportunity!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Istanbul!!
Just made it home from Istanbul!
Shared some poems I've written along the way if you are interested--
Istanbul was amazing. Got there late Friday eve and went to the nargile cafe on the bosphorous' sea side which was beautiful. Then had a LONG day of touring the city with Bri, Elif, Sumeyye and Bahadir.
Made our way down Istiklal Caddesi and then to Eminonu and Kapali Carsi(Grand Bazaar). Picked up a few things for my host family and made our way to the vapur to head back home before Zuleyha Abla's bros wedding. However we were running late and had to make a mad-dash through the bazaar to get to the vapur terminal. Finally made it but missed the vapur! After a little more running we made it and found our way back to the house.
Then went on to the wedding. It was fun to see all of Elif's family and meet back up with Zuleyha abla again.
After the wedding we all headed up to Camlica(google it!) one of the highest points in IST and there is such an amazing view from it!
pics on fbook too!!
Then we got up this morning, went to a beautiful seaside spot for breakfast with Zuleyha, Elif, and Amine, and headed back to Ankara.
The bus was cok Luks with little TVs in the back of each seat!!
Glad to be back with the Ankarali fam now and back to Turkce dersi tomorrow!!
Hope all is well in the US. Happy fathers day to the fathers!
Shared some poems I've written along the way if you are interested--
Istanbul was amazing. Got there late Friday eve and went to the nargile cafe on the bosphorous' sea side which was beautiful. Then had a LONG day of touring the city with Bri, Elif, Sumeyye and Bahadir.
Made our way down Istiklal Caddesi and then to Eminonu and Kapali Carsi(Grand Bazaar). Picked up a few things for my host family and made our way to the vapur to head back home before Zuleyha Abla's bros wedding. However we were running late and had to make a mad-dash through the bazaar to get to the vapur terminal. Finally made it but missed the vapur! After a little more running we made it and found our way back to the house.
Then went on to the wedding. It was fun to see all of Elif's family and meet back up with Zuleyha abla again.
After the wedding we all headed up to Camlica(google it!) one of the highest points in IST and there is such an amazing view from it!
pics on fbook too!!
Then we got up this morning, went to a beautiful seaside spot for breakfast with Zuleyha, Elif, and Amine, and headed back to Ankara.
The bus was cok Luks with little TVs in the back of each seat!!
Glad to be back with the Ankarali fam now and back to Turkce dersi tomorrow!!
Hope all is well in the US. Happy fathers day to the fathers!
6-7-10 Rumi Quote
6-7-10
Rumi Quote
Life is a Guest House
"Be grateful for whoever comes
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond"
Rumi Quote
Life is a Guest House
"Be grateful for whoever comes
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond"
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