Jo Sanders Storyteller

In the fall of 1997, my husband and I traveled alone, to the far reaches of Turkey to the small town of Yalikavik.  There was little English spoken.  We managed to learn a few words and smiled a lot.  Smiles show friendship and that was our goal.  We spent two weeks in that small village and visited with the school children almost every day.  My husband showed the children how to whistle through their hands and they loved it.  I told them stories with lots of animation and expression and more smiles.  They enjoyed it so much and so did we.  A few of  the older ones could introduce themselves in English and that made them proud.  We in turn would introduce ourselves to each one and try to repeat their name.  That always brought a lot of giggles.

Often the children would bring their parents up to meet us when we saw them at the market or on the village playground or square.  The children seemed so proud to know us and we were honored when they came up to us to speak.  Each time the introductions were repeated.  We tried very hard to show respect for their customs and to show love and caring for their land.  

We certainly were happy to feel welcome in a place where there were no other Americans and we were traveling independently.  We rode local buses and public transportation and somehow managed to make our way around.  Sometimes it was a bit frightening.

Upon the first visit to the school, the headmaster invited us to "Che" or tea.  He did not speak English but graciously invited us to visit the classrooms.  While we drank the strong Turkish tea from the small, ornate cups, the headmaster showed us drawings and different pictures and charts of the school activities in his small office.  Although we did not know what he was saying or exactly what he was showing us each time, we bowed and smiled and said thank you many times with our limited Turkish words.