Reply #23: Living there was a very formative event as I was growing up...

[cascadiance]

It is a very interesting and unappreciated place. It is a place that you need to understand before you can judge, but many hasten to judge Turkey and Turks before fully understanding it. I'm thankful for the chance to live there and know what it was like then. There are many things there I really criticize, and that's why one of my better friends from San Diego I used to work with is Armenian. But there are also many things about Turks to value a lot too, and I always value studying history like their times with Ataturk, etc. I think he can appreciate my way of trying to look at Turkey and its history more in depth, but not trying to take sides in controversies like those of the Armenians and Turkey, and appreciate individuals for their own worth, not just the country/culture they are from.

I've not been to Turkey for many years, but would like to travel back there again when I get more time and am employed again. I'm hoping to be at a reunion of other classmates of mine from there then soon...

I really like Turkish food and try to track it down wherever I go. Make sure and get Iskender Doner kebab if you like gyros... It's a real decent variant of that sort of dish...