Culture and the Things We Share

I had a life-changing experience when I was 24 years old. I spent 6 months in the country of Turkey and my life has never been the same. Other experiences have influenced life choices, but this opportunity in 1974 opened my eyes to worlds different than my own.

I participated in IFYE—originally called the International Farm Youth Exchange, then the International 4-H Youth Exchange, and now just IFYE. The program began in the 1940s as a way for rural young people to participate in international exchange programs and cross-cultural education while promoting global awareness. The purpose is to promote peaceful understanding to affirm the value of all cultural perspectives.

I grew up on an Iowa farm. Although I had travelled a little in the US, I had limited association with other cultures. I was curious as a young adult and was aware of my cultural unawareness. University students now have opportunities for study abroad, but in the 1960’s, these programs were not the norm.

Two of us were assigned to Turkey. We took a crash course in the Turkish language for two weeks upon arriving. Hardly anyone spoke English with little written English. Ankara was a modernizing city but the rural areas where we spent our time promoted traditional lifestyles.

I lived with 20 different families during my 6 months ranging from sleeping accommodations that were in a single-room home connected to animal sheds, all the way to a mansion on the Aegean Sea where I had a personal servant during my stay.

Barak Obama stated “…we’re joined together by our pursuit of a life that’s productive and purposeful, and when that happens mistrust begins to fade and our smaller differences no longer overshadow the things that we share.” In my international experience, I learned about Turkish people and to appreciate my country more fully. The differences as well as the similarities among people became obvious.

I learned to speak with my hands along with my Tarzan style Turkish vocabulary. I recognized that the fancy camera that I purchased for $250 was equivalent to the average income of a Turkish farm family for a year. I concluded that happiness in life had little to do with material possessions.

I saw that Turkish people had the same range of emotions as I did. They loved their families and would do anything for them. They found joy in simple things. Islam gave them comfort and these teachings had similarities to my Christian beliefs. They wanted to learn about other cultures. Most of all, Turkish people wanted to be friends.

I am about to leave on a hiking trip to western Europe. The cultural experience is different from immersing myself in a developing country, but I look forward to appreciating the landscape, the local people, and the music and cuisine of an area that expands my thinking about my American roots.