From the archives:  Article about some of Murray Rosenbaum's work as a PCV, probably from Yeni Asir.  Thanks to Ginger Taylor-Saclioglu (T-16) for the translations.

Headline:  Be part of the ‘Let’s Get to Know the Turks’ program!

Photo caption:
The fundamental aim of the ‘Let’s Get to Know the Turks Program’ is to give tourists who visit Turkey an up-close experience of all the country’s myriad aspects. The Regional Office of Tourism has been carrying out test runs of the program for two months with extremely positive results. The girls in the photograph were guests in the home of a Turkish family.

Blurbs at side of page:  
In the first test run of the program, five young American girls were awed by the voice of Zeki Müren.
"This will bring about an international rapprochement,” says Tourism Director ...

Photo caption:
The Gökkocabaş family, who live in Izmir’s Alsancak district, filling in the application to take part in the ‘Let’s Get to Know the Turks’ program, organized by of the Regional Office of Tourism.

Headline:
TOURISTS COMING THIS YEAR WILL BE INTRODUCED TO TURKISH HOSPITALITY

Tourists who come to our fair city this season are going to get a closer view of Turkish hospitality. Why? Because the Regional Office of Tourism has put together a program that will enable tourists to be the guests, albeit it for only a few hours, of Turkish families.

Dubbed ‘Let’s Get to Know the Turks’, the program will give tourists an opportunity to taste our food, observe our way of life, learn our habits and customs, and listen to our music as guests of Turkish families in their homes. Families hosting tourists in their homes are expected to be fluent in English, French or German.

100 FAMILIES SO FAR

Around a hundred families have already applied to the Regional Office of Tourism to take part in the program, which has awakened broad interest in Izmir. If the participation of 300 families can be enlisted, the program will go ahead and the tourists entertained as guests in Turkish homes.

A recent test run of the ‘Let’s Get to Know the Turks’ program appears to have been a success. Five American girls who were guests in the home of Assistant Regional Director of Tourism Ertuğ Erten had a wonderful time and greatly enjoyed Turkish food. The young girls, who also listened to Turkish music on their visit, admired the voice of Zeki Müren and could not resist commenting, “Your way of life is extremely vibrant... A person is hardly aware of the passing of time...”

INTERNATIONAL RAPPROCHEMENT

In a recent announcement about the program, Regional Director of Tourism Güman Kızıltan said it would engender an international rapprochement and added, “Given that our purpose is to acquaint tourists with Turkish hospitality, we expect people to take an interest in this effort.”

Americans living in Izmir have characterized the ‘Let’s Get to Know the Turks’ program as ‘an appropriate gesture’ and say they will be be happy to be of assistance.

Thanks to the program, tourists of different nationalities who come to Izmir this season are going to get to know the Turks very well indeed!

Photo captions:

An American Peace Corps Volunteer teaching an English course for Izmir taxi drivers.

English-speaking taxi drivers in Izmir will affix a medallion to the front of their cars saying ‘This driver speaks English’.

Izmir’s taxi drivers have started learning English and are already addressing each other as ‘Mister’!

Izmir - The taxi drivers of Izmir have banded together to learn English in an effort to understand the concerns of foreign tourists in the city and assist them. Officials from the Drivers’ Association and the Ministry of Tourism and Promotion, who have spearheaded the effort, say that the course, run by an American Peace Corps Volunteer, has attracted broad interest.

From now on the drivers of Izmir will be addressing each other as ‘Mister Osman’ and  ‘Mister Bayram’, and will speak fluent English with the foreigners who take their cabs. To further boost interest in the course, Drivers’ Association officials have also introduced an unusual award. Drivers who pass the exam at the end of the 45-day course will receive a certificate and a medallion, and their names will be entered in a draw for a free pair of automobile tires.

©Arkadaslar
02/25/10