Travellin' to the Ice Age

One of the greatest joys of studying abroad is being able to travel to the near countries surrounding your (already) foreign country. If you study in Europe you can take trains, ferries, and/or planes to go to the other numerous European Union countries. Same goes for studying anywhere in the world. It gives you a chance to expand your experience and compare even more places and learn even more about your very own culture and 'home-territory.'

Well I am having that very kind of experience, I chose to see a close friend in Helsinki, Finland. May I say first, the airplane tickets were next to nothing, a big selling point in my eyes! My friend is Turkish, and he has really shown his culture abroad in Finland by offering his home, his food, and his transportation. Something that I noticed about culture and social behaviors, is that no matter where you go, you will always be/show your roots from where you grew up. Its also amazing thinking about the people that want to completely and fully immerse themselves into a culture and try to change themselves. What these individuals don't know is that they will become more open-minded and diverse in thinking, but they will never fully change. Culture and behaviors are ingrained in people, and it could take 10's of years to chisel/change them, and yet still never fully.

Anyways, I left my house at 4:30AM to catch the Havas(an airport shuttle bus) at 5AM. My flight was at 7AM, so I arrived at the airport at 6AM with plenty of time to spare, given that the Izmir airport is fast and has a very organized layout. I arrived in Helsinki at 1PM after having a layover in Istanbul. My first thought, and you can laugh if you want, but I thought, "Why can't I land somewhere, where everyone speaks English." I feel sometimes like I will never be in a country where I can understand everyone.

Luckily though, Finnish people are one of the most intelligent individuals around the globe. They all know english, very well! From what I have learned from talking to friends and touring, Finnish people are safe, friendly, read A LOT, and know how to be prepared for snow! :P After walking around, I realized WOW, this place is creepily safe, for instance, I passed the "white house" of the Finnish president(woman), and there were no guards to be seen, anywhere! I asked my friend why there were no guards, I mean this is their president we are talking about, and he said 'this is Finland, its safe, there are no worries of that sort.'

Another fact that could cause this 'no worry' philosophy, is that in Finland there are no social classes. While walking around at a restaurant, a super market, an office building, a bus driver; they all make an average of 2,500 euros ($3,500) a month. There are no homeless, because the government will pay anyone without jobs or homes 900 euros until the individual can pick themselves back up.On top of this, universal healthcare, something America is currently aiming for, at least the progressive ones.

Helsinki has one of the best transportation systems in the E.U. which provides for reliable and fast moving between spots. In fact outside the house I'm living is next to a train station, so in the morning I can just walk out get on the train within 9 minutes and be off to my adventures. In comparison to Turkey, the traffic in Finland and America is much more quieter and planned. For instance, as a past experiment, I sat in a few cafes and counted the seconds between car horns; average being, 14-16 seconds. In Helsinki, like America, I hardly, if ever, hear car horns.

A few things I have seen was a huge "white church," it is absolutely gorgeous, and peaceful to sit inside. I also took note of Helsinki University, a university I was interested in when selecting a study abroad program. There was also the Russian Catholic church, built in 1854. It looks a little mysterious from the outside. It was also the first and only church in the world that doubled as a religious building and a lighthouse for the bay of Helsinki. I also found out that below the ground is like another city of shops, cafes, metros, and walking paths all over. This proves and shows how well and organized the city planning was carried out.

Over all I have enjoyed my first week here, I plan on writing more on this winter wonderland. In the mean time, I just bought tickets to travel to Estonia, where the architecture is lively and the population is 1.5 million. After a couple of days there, we will be in Finland on Sunday, and possibly think about going to Sweden! Oh the joys and wonders of discovering the new places in this place we call "Our World."

Motivation Held up at Gun Point

Heyy, this will be a short blog; however, I just wanted to share with you that I have a hard time with motivation. Now is not the time to have no motivation either!! I have 3 of my hardest exams coming up this week and I still yet to have an internal drive to sit down with my Tea and open a book or lecture notes. This is not a cultural thing, its the "I'm at the end of the semester and I do not want these classes to go on ANY LONGER!"

So the reason I am writing this is:
1) So YOU, comment on how you become motivated when motivation ceases to exist.
2) Share my desires to become internally driven
3) Share my deep-hearted discomfort for finals and the end of a semester!

P.S. When doing a spell check on this entry, it comes up with every word being misspelled HAHAHA ... how useful, Right?! time to check some settings and prolong studying even further! :P

My Ship is Sailing to Turkey (Past)

Here is a journal entry that I had to write before coming to Turkey for my school. I had to collaborate my ideas and write about my thoughts, worry's, and hope while studying abroad.

After hearing the country name, Turkey, what is it that you are thinking? In the process of talking about travelling abroad with family, friends, and strangers, I have had many answers: beaches, oriental, sheep, music, dirt roads, turban-covered women, Muslims, conservatives, no electric, packed cities and so many more guesses. I do not blame individuals; when first hearing of Turkey from my Turkish friend, I thought, desert filled land with conservatives drinking tea.

How the times have changed in my eyes as well as the many individuals I have explained Turkey’s culture and lifestyles. Last year, college was a constant, eye-opening adventure. I was faced with new friendships, many of which were with the international students. I have gained knowledge – knowledge of customs, policies, culture, and life outside the American borders, to name a few. Last year I decided to embark on an adventure, an adventure I would submerge myself into a completely different culture and a language completely foreign to me. I travelled to Turkey for two months; I stayed with a close friend and began to pick up and formalize the language, the lifestyle, the warm hospitality that the Turkish people are well known for having.

Since then I have made it my goal to go back for a longer time frame. Studying abroad is my chance to do so in a semi-structured manner. I plan on studying at Yasar University, which is surrounded by Aegean-Mediterranean Sea in the city of Izmir Turkey.

In the midst of travelling I have so many plans. Firstly I would like to gain further cultural awareness, that from which I will grow and spread to individuals in America; especially my hometown which contains many untraveled, racist and conservative-minded individuals. I feel it is partly my duty to show that there are many opportunities outside of America, chances for growth and well-rounded education, both socially and intellectually. Furthermore, I will use this knowledge to spread to individuals so that many others like I will be moved, inspired, and have a different type of appreciation for abroad issues. My passion for international relations does not stop there. While abroad last year and the more recent months I have been studying the language, using Turkish-American friends, as well as Turkish language books listed at the end. My skill and appreciation for the Turkish language, and language barriers in general, makes this difficult language easy to learn and grasp. I see myself utilizing the language to bridge gaps later in my career, either through medicine, business salesmanship, or in an everyday grocery store.
           
The history dates back to thousands of years before Christ. Turkey is known as the bridge between two worlds, where the East and West connect. With a rich culture building through the Byzantine, Pontus, Ottomans, and the current Republic of Turkey, fighting and intermixing Persians, Arabs, Mongolians, Armenians, and Balkans; one can see the history and the many steps and processes it had to go through to get to present day Turkey. To fully understand the history and full cultural aspects I have been reading two novels: The Turks Today and Crescent and Star.
           
Through the times things such as the language, cuisine, extracurricular activities, and transportation have changed, but still held true to their roots. While there I expect to learn the style of cooking that the native Turks use, participate in the café scene, take walks along the bayside and practicing Turkish with friends. The café scene alone will be a prime spot for friend-making, culture observing, and language forming. This daily activity will be chiseled into me and will become like a second home I feel.
           
A few apprehensions that I have is being gone during the holidays. Being family oriented through the holidays, I must learn to cope while abroad. I am also fearful of my return; I have actually warned friends of the possible things that will be going through my mind while back: depression, apathy, dreadfulness, a sense of fulfillment that others will not have or understand, and a number of other things I could feel or do while back.
           
I am also fearful of not having enough money. I have been working non-stop since the age of 14, therefore always being independent and structured. Not that my life will not be structured or such, I am just fearful that I will be stressed and concerned constantly about money situations. Given that I work and save money all the time, money will not be an issue, and I must learn to get over this factor. I am just a “tight-wad” when I see that I am not working. I am also fearful of my return and how my financial situation will affect my psychology. It seems like such a simple thing that I should get over; however, being so independent this makes me more concerned on a student lifestyle and student salary, in a foreign country.
           
With the many apprehensions and hopes, I still look forward to a very good, safe, relaxing, eye-opening adventure. I look forward to look back on my journals, conversations, and my own thoughts/expectations, and seeing how far and how much I mature and develop into a more educated and compassionate individual.

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you cannot do" ~Eleanor Roosevelt 

Soul's Venture

Here is a poem that I decided to write. Just my feelings put into words. Read, Enjoy, and comment. =)

Soul's Venture
By: Dustin Sherman

Stand up in praise
for Nineteen hundred hours.
Sanity found and captured from the heavens,
brought down to a new world.

Some have rescued,
few found;
Taken is what one wants,
to a beginning that shall too perish.

Endings of a single platform,
to a grand theatre.
Filling the emptiness,
with lights that one has been longing for.

Wants wanted,
Wishes ungranted,
Promises unkept,
Desires unfulfilled.

Bam! It has
changed?!
A grain of diamond found,
a sweet release.

Societies grasp is slipping,
They are breaking.
Yesterday soon to be
tomorrow, no longer false and deficient.

You shall know the truth,
of course, the sanity was found.
Want to know?
Explore.

New worlds and philosophies
explored and adopted.
Ill cover my eyes,
Boo! Surprise!

Never lost and only found.
Irresistible devotion,
unsure life
promise my future.

Come Prepared with Pencils and Erasers!

Today I had my first final exam, and I have to say, the Turkish examination system is much different than that of the American style. For example, an exam in America is typically 50 - 100 questions, majority being multiple choice, and some short answer responses. In Turkey, speaking for myself at least, I feel like the exams are like quizzes. I mean that, an exam for me was 2 extended response questions; and before for my midterm it was 15 multiple choice and one short answer response. I can see pros and cons in this method. Firstly, I noticed that it took me about 1/4 of the time to finish a final exam, where in America it could take forever. So there is not much to worry about time constraints, which is quite relieving. However, if you miss 4 questions you are up for debate on your grade, which can be risky. Even though this is the case, the majority of professors tend to curve your grade, or raise the majority of the class’s average above passing. But a word of advice: unlike in America where you can negotiate a curve, do not try it with Turkish professors. If you mention it, that option will completely go out the door. So keep your mouth closed and roll with the punches. ;)

I also noticed that in America, on a short answer response question, we are taught, at least in my business school, to be clear precise and to the point; meaning write 3-4 very strong convincing sentences to answer the question. They teach us this way so that you learn how to be concise in business speeches or “elevator speeches”(a proposal, pitch, or status update to a manager in an elevator). HOWEVER, in Turkey, I tried this same technique, but I got marked off for having such a short answer. I have since then learned that they expect at least over half a page of explanation, whether it is wordy or not.

Overall, for it being my first final, I feel very confident that I passed my first class in Turkey, which is always a good and relieving feeling. My goal is to press onward; I now have a few more days to finish my take-home final for Business finance, and then the rest of the week to study for my last 3 exams. Exams, for at least Yasar, last 2 weeks, and then we have a 3 week break. The one and only thing pressing me forward through exams is a break. Given that I’m used to the quarter system of ten weeks, my mind kind of shut off after week ten in this semester; however, I think I am slowly learning and fully prepared to start another semester at Yasar. Time can go as slow as possible though, I want to continue enjoying the Izmir life outside of school, and leave the books on the bookshelf. ;)

"Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity." ~Aristotle