Feedback for ANZAC study tour to Turkey 2014 Name: Praise Fa’amasino Ah Chong The ANZAC study tour to Turkey is coordinated by the Education Platform of Pearl of the Islands Foundation. This intense study-tour program involves a range of educational and cultural activities including visits to Gallipoli and participation in Anzac Day Dawn Services at Gallipoli as well as visits to major cities Istanbul, Izmir and Bursa, historical locations, museums, schools and dinner with local Turkish families and other significant buildings and places. Turkey is a country rich in history and with some truly wondrous sights to discover. This beautiful country has always attracted visitors who wish to venture into ancient history and experience the past and the present for themselves.
What are some of the things you learned about Turkey’s history? I know that the first Bosphorus Bridge that crosses from Europe to Asia was completed in 1973 and the second one in 1988. I also learned that in the 6th century B.C the Persian Empire occupied the area, giving way to the Roman Empire, and later the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Turks appeared in the 13 century conquering the Turkish and Mongols, pushing them out. They captured Constantinople (current Istanbul) in 1453. The Ottoman Empire then stretched from the Persian Gulf to western Algeria. The Ottoman Empire lasted for 600 years and was not only the most powerful empire, but it created a culture of Islamic art, architecture and literature.
What did you enjoy most about some of the sights/historical locations you visited while on this study tour? I really enjoyed the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. The architecture of both of these sights was truly mesmerizing. I found out that the Hagia Sophia was one of the first churches in the world, but then Turkey became a Muslim country and they turned it into a mosque. But now it’s just used as a museum. My other favourite sight was Ephesus. It was just unbelievable how huge it was! I also learnt that the apostle Paul actually preached in Ephesus. As a Christian and a lover of God this was a true blessing knowing that I walked where Paul walked. This showed me just how great God is and that he can take people to places we wouldn’t even dream of. This tour has been designed and planned to strengthen existing relations with tour participants, build bridges between communities, schools and cultures.
Tell me about some of the ways you built relationships with the other students on this tour – both from Manurewa Intermediate School and Papatoetoe Intermediate: I guess after talking and getting to know each other it became easier to understand one another. Then we started to hang out, talk, joke and have fun together and that lead to becoming official friends.
Tell me about some of the ways you built relationships with the Turkish people you met and interacted with:
Just like we built a friendship with the other students (each other), we just tried our best to talk to them and get to each other. After that we started to relax around one another and form a little family. These study tour aims to enable young people to develop greater appreciation and understanding of different cultures, beliefs and a newfound respect for the ANZACs as well as the Turkish soldiers.
What did you learn about the Turkish culture and beliefs? Apparently the Muslim culture does believe in Jesus, but they don’t think of him as God but more of a prophet. Also, after the time we spent with our dear Turkish friends (Taner, Yasir, Aysha, etc) I learnt that the reason why the women wear a hijab is not only because their religion, but also because they see true beauty in hiding their hair and want to save it for their husbands. Turkey is not like New Zealand In Turkey, young people don’t have lots of different boyfriends/girlfriends or break-ups, etc. In Turkey (or the Muslim culture) they believe that they should save themselves for the right man/women and the women will only show their hair with their husband. That’s why when they get into a relationship they have to either be serious or have no relationship at all. I remember all of this because we went over to a family’s house and they had only met once and they then decided to get married.
Why is it important to appreciate and understand different cultures? It builds bridges and relationships between people, and it expands our own knowledge and understanding about different cultures, religions, beliefs and ways of life.
How did this trip help you do this? After getting to know each other, we could actually see the similarities between us and that our differences only helped us understand more about one another and the world we live in. It will support students to explore the history of Anzac Day and the continuing importance of New Zealand’s involvement in various conflicts and peacekeeping missions. It will provide an exciting opportunity for students to visit a World War I battlefield of significance to ANZACs and Turkish people to coincide with 2014 Anzac Day commemorations.
What do you know about the history of ANZAC Day? ANZAC Day is there to commemorate and show respect to those who fought and died in Gallipoli and also those who did, and did not return. It also marks the day the New Zealand and Australian troops- the Anzac’s-landed on Anzac Cove.
What did it mean to you to attend the ANZAC Day ceremonies at Gallipoli? Well, people say time travel is impossible, but when I was at the ANZAC Day ceremony, it felt as if I was there in Gallipoli, on Anzac cove on the morning of April 25th 1915. It was an emotional experience because I could feel the death of the Anzac troops and I could somehow relate to those who lost someone they loved there. I felt so proud to be able to represent those families in New Zealand, who lost a loved one!
Please provide any feedback that would help the Pearl of the Islands Foundation make this a better trip for students: I did not like that... -Our packing list weren’t specific and our teachers had to make one. -The van was too small. -We could only take one bag to Bursa and onwards...that was very disorganized. -We didn’t get to stop at the outside stores of the Grand Bazaar. -The Grand Bazaar was a rush because we only got 3hrs there. It would have been better if we had the whole day to shop. -We didn’t get lunch sometimes. -We got back to the dorm late (which was partly the traffic’s fault). -We didn’t get to socialize more with children our age. -We could have just stayed for the whole last week instead of coming back on a Tuesday, e.g. we could have come back on Friday or Saturday so we would have that whole week to properly shop and explore more of Istanbul. -It was hard to get time to write in our journals because when we’d get back to the dorms it would be late and we were too tired, and in the morning we would be getting ready for the day’s activities.