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| Da Refresh – Ankara Kickoff Meeting |
Kickoff meeting (Comenius Regio Project: Refreshments Policies for Teaching Staff) just finished with the pleasure of a sumptous dinner from the Ankara Milli Eitim Müdürlügü. We are going now to Kapadokia: the wheater is not fine, a little fog, a little rain while the little bus safely runs along the dualcarriageway.
It last from yesterday night I would like to write something about this experience. I’ll start with a feeling ( probably it’s only my own): the embarassement. Embarassement to not be able to early understand the depth of the project, the quality of our partner organization, the clearness of statements. They are working hard, it’s immediatly evident. In the weeks we tried only to solve logistic problems: how to buy the tickets, how to not exceed the budget, the turkish partners went deeper in the project. They already know “who” will do “what”, the deadlines. Schedules are ready.
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Turkish hospitality. As always hot and generous. Sometimes till touching, as during the Hasanoglan Ataturk Anadolu Ogretmen Lisesi visit: they gave us a warm welcome, they showed the school, the classrooms, the labs. They told us the history of that school. They offered us a snack ( it would be better to name it “dinner”) while pupils and teachers was playing and singing turkish standards. Each of us receveid a wonderful present: an “Ebru” art! It has been a time with a great feeling.
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Very interesting, in Ankara, the Anitkabir (Ataturk Mausoleum) visit. For sure, the rhetoric is perceptible, the personality cult is strong. Yet there is something really “live” in that place. “I love this man” said Özlem and Yildirim while watching the wax statue of Kemal Atatürk. They said it simply and with genuinenness. I cannot skip some thougths: Turkish Constitution was made in 1924, the Italian Constitution was made in 1947. Not so far, in the history of the two countries, still in Turkey I have a feeling: the forces from the foundation of the state are strong and vital and are the basement of the nation unity till now. Completely different, in Italy that forces are drained. Actually “Lega Nord” party is threaten the secession. Everywhere people get bored and disillusioned.
Last observation: they are young! The average age in the turkish staff is really lower then ours. In the turkish school, teachers are usually young: the greater freshness, the greater energy are evident.
Next meeting on may, in Palermo.
[Started writing in Turkey, finished in Italy]