Izmir

Izmir is a beautiful city on the Aegean coast in Turkey. It is the third biggest city in Turkey after Istanbul and capital Ankara. It is my hometown not my birthplace, though. I have been living here for a long time. The Bay, where it is located around, gives it gorgeous beauty especially at nights with lots of city lights looking like a pearl necklace. I have seen a lot of beautiful places around the world but I must say that Izmir is by far the most beautiful city in the world in my opinion.

The residents are also very warmhearted people and I believe I am lucky as I live in the best part of the city which is called Karsiyaka. It is for sure that the other parts of the city are also very nice, Bornova, Guzelyali, Hatay, Alsancak, Konak, Bostanli… The ferryboats that carry the passengers from a pier to another are like swimming swans in the bay.

I think all people like their hometowns as they earn their living, challenge and enjoy the life. Izmir is a place where you never think to move from but want to live for ever and wherever you go, you miss it.

They say ‘Never die without seeing Venice or Barcelona or Los Angeles or Las Vegas…’

I would like to add my city to this list:

Never die if you don’t see Izmir, Karşıyaka. It is a city worthseeing with its historical tissue, as well as its modern looking. You can find whatever you look for there.

A Story of Success

I like all my students and they are always so precious to me and Kaan is one of them. Today, I chose Kaan Bulakeri as a hero in my true life story of success. Let me introduce him to you.

Kaan Bulakeri is studying his Msc, Business Administration, in the areas covered “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” at Twente University in Holland. He is the graduate of Bilkent University, Business Administration, Marketing and Advertising. He was my student at high school. When he was invited to do his high school education in a private school I was working for, he was a promising young boy to be a very successful student except for his lack of English as a foreign language. Mostly in life, the matters we are lacking in or some negative events cause to open new pages in our lives and result in better conditions which lead to new successes. If he had known English well those times, we might not have met and known each other that much.

While we were studying English in one to one tuition, I realised that Kaan was a very smart boy and very good at learning a foreign language so this was only a beginning for him and later on, he succeeded in learning three foreign languages. As many smart people, he is good at not only some subjects such as Maths and Science, but also sports such as basketball and tennis and music. I am very glad to hear that he has taken up innovation and entrepreneurship as I believe he is likely to have opportunities to show his great creativity.

I am very proud of him and wish him luck all his life long. 

The Van Earthquake, Turkey

On Sunday, 23 October 2011 at 13.41 local time, a destructive earthquake struck the city Van and its town Ercis, magnitude 7.2, in the eastern part of Turkey. The earthquake and its aftershocks demolished hundreds of buildings and buried hundreds of people under the rubble. According to AFAD on October 30, 2011, the earthquake killed 604 and 4,152 people were injured  and at least 60,000 people were left homeless as 6,017 out of 11,232 damaged buildings in the Van earthquake  region were uninhabitable.

Erzurum, the neighbouring city was stated to be a hub for the int’l aid sent by plane by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and a center for assistance coming overland was established in Van. 
According to Wikipedia, as of October 27, aid from other countries are as follows: Azerbaijan sent search and rescue team of 145 people, 1,250 tents, 700 beds, 40 generators, 5,000 blankets, 40 pieces of kitchen equipment. 490 tents by France, 200 tents by Italy, 284 tents by Russia, 60 tents, 300 blankets, 300 bed, and 60 stoves by Kazakhstan, 4 general purpose tents by Ukraine, 7 prefabricated houses by Israel and tents for 2000 by Belgium sent. Also Armenian government sent 40 tons of cargo to Turkey, including tents, sleeping bags, blankets and bedding. On 31 October Bulgaria provided 100 tents for winter conditions and will provide 50 more tents, 1,000 blankets and 300 mats. Saudi Arabia sent $50 Million to spend in relief efforts. Also European Union announces that they will release TRY10 million fund for the cause.