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Students prepare to explore Turkey
By Stephanie Riebe
Collegian Reporter
Seventeen students
are preparing for a summer experience like none they have ever
had before. On May 9 students in the Hillsdale College Honors
Program will depart for a four-week trip to Turkey.
Assistant Professor of Religion Don Westblade
and Visiting Assistant Professor of Art Barbara Bushey will
lead the trip.
"We've been preparing for the trip in
an Honors seminar in which we're studying the history, art,
architecture and language of the country," Westblade said.
"This is the location in which our Greco-Roman heritage
first blended with our Judeo-Christian heritage. There may not
be a better place on earth to observe the foundry in which Hillsdale
College's mission statement was first forged."
The seminar focused on several aspects of
Turkey to help the students prepare for their journey.
"Professor Westblade is teaching on Anatolia, with assistance
from Professor Bushey on the cultural side of things, and Busra
Kurtuldu, who is teaching us basic Turkish, some verb structure,
basic constructions, necessary words and phrases to know,"
junior Charles New said.
For Kurtuldu, a senior, the trip will be particularly
special because Turkey is her home country.
"I am very excited to go home," Kurtuldu said. "It
has been one year since I have seen my family."
Kurtuldu said that even though she is a native
of Turkey, the Honors seminar has taught her a few things. In
return, she's sharing, too.
"I have tried to teach Turkish to the
participants of the trip as much as I can," she said.
While in Turkey the students will visit Istanbul,
Ankara, Kemer and several other cities throughout the country.
The trip concludes June 5.
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