First Few Weeks

My name is Kierstin Bolton and I am a senior at IUP.  My courses in Turkey and Cyprus provided me with unbelievable experiences that have inspired me to learn more about these two countries.  By far the most educational and best parts of the trip were in Hattusa, Gallipoli, and the boat ride around Turkey's western coast. Hattusa, the Hittite capital, was amazing. We walked in the sanctruary,storage houses, and saw the famous sphinx gates up close. Th Hittites were like many other civilizations of the same period and even ones today becuase it revered telve warriors, as there were twelve tribes of Israel and twelve Imams. Also, the Hittites borrowed gods from other cultures, such as Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt. The Hittites aksi worhsipped the bull god (connected to fertility) as almost all other peoples did as well.  Gallipoli, which is near the Dardanelles, was very eye-opning because there are original bunkers from the First World War and the Turkish and British colonials who fought acted as brothers to one another.  The boat ride around Turkey's western coast allowed us to visit ancient sites, such as Ephesus, Troy, and Pergamun.