Ataturk's legacy

A full day of airports and airplanes brought us to a brief moments suspended in the clouds above the land we spent a semester reading about and discussing.  As I stared out the window, I found myself surprized by how far the land stretched with few houses or buildings.  For being a capital city, it seemed like barely a city at all.  But for Turkey, this city marks a new era.

Ataturk Kemal, the hero of Turkey who lead the Turkish War of Independence, established a provisional government in Ankara before defeating the forces sent by the Allies.  When he set up the democratic nation, he made Ankara the official capitol city of Turkey.

for Turkey, this city marks a new era

As we drove through the city, it seemed so familiar and yet distant.  Language would separate me from the people much like the glass window blocked me from moving from my bus seat into the lives of the people of Turkey.  I would watch.  From my seat, through the insight of guides, archaeologists, and a few new Turkish friends, I could come to see a glimps of the real turkey, though through tinted glass, I would at least see in part.