I have looked at a wide array of cultural topics throughout my Turkish learning experience. I started off last semester by learning some of the features of the collective Turkish culture and its different attributes. I also learnt a lot of interesting cultural phrases and expressions that are used only in Turkey and cannot be directly translated. I learnt about the time culture of Turkey and about how confusing it can be for Western people. I also learnt about the Turkish writing system and how it switched from Arabic to latin alphabet. I also looked at tea and coffee culture in Turkey since it has some unique rituals surrounding it. I reflected upon what sort of cultural shock one can experience while traveling and living in Turkey. I went over the most common expressions used in Turkey and tried to come up with English equivalents, which by the way, in some cases do not exist at all. As I got more familiar with Turkish culture, traditions and habits, I moved on to learning more about Turkish history and politics and learnt more about Ottoman empire, its history, Armenian Genocide, transition to the new Turkish republic and vast changes brought by Ataturk(Father of the Turks). I also continued with looking at some aspects of modern Turkish politics as well as identifying most popular touristic attractions and archeological sites in Turkey. Having had the goal of being able to communicate in the country as a tourist, I also paid a close attention to Turkish shopping culture and possible haggling.
I think, during this period of time, I have acquainted myself with the most common attributes of Turkish culture and traditions. I finished the semester with a cultural presentation about Turkish archeology and tourism, which was extremely useful in terms of understanding more of the Turkish history.
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