I just wanted to tell you a little about my time in Turkey this past summer. I went in the summer of 2008 also but this time I stayed for two months instead of just one. I enjoyed myself even more this time which I had thought was literally impossible! I learned so much and, as I was able to communicate fairly well (I took both Survival Turkish courses here at the university last year), I could explore more of the country on my own without feeling hesitant about getting around and not knowing the language. My language skills really improved after spending just two months fully immersed in the culture, especially my listening skills. It was amazing to see how much I improved from the beginning of the trip to the end. I was so surprised at how quickly one could pick up a language in just a short period of time! I spoke as much Turkish as I could, picking up on new words and phrases and incorporating them into my language use. I believe that to be able to truly learn a language and truly know it you must go to the country (or countries) where it is spoken as the main language and use it, speak it, read it, and listen to it each and every day. There is only so much practice you can get by a book or course before you have to dive right in and fully immerse yourself in the language. You must have passion and patience, for learning a language in a comprehensive manner is not the easiest thing to do. But for me, language learning is just as much about learning new words, phrases, and grammatical points as it is learning about another’s culture and way of life, which is always fun and fascinating! Next time, I’ll tell you about the many adventures I had while in Turkey See you then!
-Sam-