When we planned our big trip, we debated our return date. Mike's classes were supposed to start the week after our reunion in Rome, but his first week of classes last semester left a lot to be desired. He had professors who didn't show up, classes that lasted 10 minutes and others that started a half an hour late. One of his friend's professors asked why they even came the first week. After this experience, we realized that coming to class the first week of school is more of a suggestion and less of a rule (kind of like everything in Turkey). Knowing all of this, we decided it wouldn't be terrible if Mike missed the first few days of the semester. We would be learning a lot as we traveled, right? ;)
Mike texted his friends from school to find out how the first week went and, to no surprise, found out that one of his classes he missed had been cancelled. The other two lasted a half an hour to go over the syllabus.
We arrived back in Izmir on Thursday and Mike had class on Friday. I got a text about a half an hour after Mike was supposed to start class that his professor didn't show up. We definitely made the right decision. Our only regret is that we didn't extend our trip even longer!
As the next few weeks of classes progressed. seven out of his fifteen classes were either cancelled or the professor didn't show up. So, it's been a slow start to the semester, but his courses sound really interesting and I wish I could participate in some of them.
Tuesday: EU/Turkey Relations and Small Wars & Insurgencies
Wednesday: Seminar
Thursday: Current Issues in International Relations
Friday: Migration in the EU
He seems to really like most of his classes and the professors, but it's definitely been frustrating to have so many classes cancel and even more frustrating to have professors not show up without warning.
As for me, I started back with Turkish the Monday after we returned. I was not looking forward to it, especially since I would be with a whole new class and teacher. My old class moved ahead of me when they were in class the month that I was gone and are now on Month Five, while I'm only on Month Four. I really enjoyed my old teacher and felt like I learned a lot with him, so I was disappointed to have to join a new class. That being said, my new classmates are great. My new teacher isn't as good as the old one, but not terrible. I'm definitely one of the lower level students in the class and I've found myself really frustrated with Turkish, but I'm learning.
Overall, we're transitioning back to the real world (or at least Turkey) and trying to do our best to stay focused on school while still reminiscing on our travels.
It's been a while since I did a Michael's Musing, but this is a good one that had me LOLing
As Mike put it the other day "I've had more professors cancel due to a family illness in Turkey than I've had in the rest of my academic career. I don't know if that says something about the Turks inability to develop good health care or a good excuse."
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