by Espen Swanson
Last week, I sat down with the screen on my sister’s laptop propped open, ready to interview WSA student Aidan Moore, a good friend of mine. Aidan is spending the 2013-2014 school year as an international student in İzmir, Turkey. The Inkless Link thought Aidan might have some interesting stories and thoughts on his experience so far. He also was able to share some of his hopes for the rest of the year.
Aidan related how after flying for hours on end, a layover in Amsterdam, and a connecting flight from İstanbul to İzmir, the host family greeting him was not the same one he had been communicating with since August. Aidan explained that he “just walked out of baggage claim, and there was this person that I didn't recognize with a sign that said my name on it. And then there was a lady holding a baby, and other people, and I was really confused.”
He says that he really wants “to learn Turkish, to have somewhat of a personality to all of the people who don't speak English. I'm a person who only lives through my translator, sometimes I can't explain it all.” He is also hoping that his schedule will allow for more extensive travel, as he has greatly enjoyed what he has been able to do so far.
At school, he has to juggle the monumental task of learning a new language with a surprising number of classes, “I have like fifteen classes. Let's see, there's Geometry, Algebra II, Physics, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Turkish Literature, Turkish Language, German, Spanish, English, Music, a different music, I think that's it, it's a lot.”
Read more about his school, expectations, and more in the full transcript here.
Click here to visit Aidan’s blog, where he shares more stories about his experience on a (somewhat) regular basis.
Click here to visit Aidan’s Flickr page, which he updates with photographs of his most recent adventures.
Aidan related how after flying for hours on end, a layover in Amsterdam, and a connecting flight from İstanbul to İzmir, the host family greeting him was not the same one he had been communicating with since August. Aidan explained that he “just walked out of baggage claim, and there was this person that I didn't recognize with a sign that said my name on it. And then there was a lady holding a baby, and other people, and I was really confused.”
He says that he really wants “to learn Turkish, to have somewhat of a personality to all of the people who don't speak English. I'm a person who only lives through my translator, sometimes I can't explain it all.” He is also hoping that his schedule will allow for more extensive travel, as he has greatly enjoyed what he has been able to do so far.
At school, he has to juggle the monumental task of learning a new language with a surprising number of classes, “I have like fifteen classes. Let's see, there's Geometry, Algebra II, Physics, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Turkish Literature, Turkish Language, German, Spanish, English, Music, a different music, I think that's it, it's a lot.”
Read more about his school, expectations, and more in the full transcript here.
Click here to visit Aidan’s blog, where he shares more stories about his experience on a (somewhat) regular basis.
Click here to visit Aidan’s Flickr page, which he updates with photographs of his most recent adventures.