Angelica's Travels

For the first time being out of the country, the Study Abroad to Turkey and Cyprus was all that I could have asked for. In a short five weeks, I crossed countless things off of my Bucket List. I was on a plane and a boat. I rode a kayak and a hot air balloon. I climbed up cliffs and inside cave dwellings (that apparently were used until the 1950s). I swam in the Mediteranean, which was a lot colder than I imagined. These things were only scratching the surface of my overall experience on this trip.

It was first and foremost a learning experience. We visited many acheological sites ranging from early Neolithic and Chalcolithic times until modern times. At these places, our fantastic tours guides told of the history of the sites, as well as the general history of that time period. This taught us to visualize the life of these people and the difficultiesthey may be facing. Looking at the architecture and artifacts after knowing this information gave me a better idea of the site's layout. I pieced together which walls were there for protection, and why certain places may need stronger defense. I also dscovered the dfference in city buildings, such as theaters; I was able to learn which buildings were remodeled from the original, which stayed the same, or which were built from scratch at a later date.

I never would have expected that I could have done all of these things!

My experience was also a cultural one. This extended far beyond the water culture versus paper culture. I was completely unaccustomed to seeing a country that is primarily non-Christian. It was fascinating to me, as well as uncomfortable at first. We toured many mosques, and learned the basics of the Islam religion, including its founding principals. Though the people of Turkey were shy, and more conservative than the average American tourist, everyone that we met was extremely friendly. They were more than willing to show that we are not that different, and we are welcome in their country. I became friends with our guides and the crew of our boat; I miss all of them.

In closing, this was the experience of a lifetime. I had no idea the amount of history contained in these sites. Most of this I would have never known if I did not attend this trip. It is truly amazing the wealth of information that is out there. I am extremely grateful to Drs. Goebel and Moore, and to the Enhancement Fund, for giving me the opportunity to learn about the countries of Turkey and Cyprus. I have also learned a lot about myself and my abilities. I never would have expected that I could have done all of these things!