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This is Jorge Luis Borges. I put this picture up because I read one of his poems today for poetry week. But...I read the poem in Turkish! This was by far the most Turkish I have spoken at one time. It was a bit intimidating to read it in front of Turkish students and a Turkish teacher. But everyone was so supportive as I read (and they even understood what I was saying!). They clapped after every 5 lines to reassure me I was doing well. I am thankful that I did it. I am thankful that the students and teacher were supportive and I am thankful that my Turkish is getting a little better.

I also saw another side of my students today. Hearing them speak in their native language is a wonderful thing. Quiet students were speaking so confidently and students who struggle in English are leading discussions. It was amazing. I was so proud to be a part of it.

I then read that same poem to my class. It was even more nerve wracking because I know them really well ( I know that does not make sense) but they were even more supportive than the original group. They all scooted closer to hear me read it. No one clapped as I read because they were listening so carefully. I would look up and they would smile and shoot me the thumbs up. When I finished the poem they clapped. One student thanked me for reading it in Turkish. I am very fortunate to have these students.

Here is the poem I read to them:

ANLAR

E?er, yeniden ba?layabilseydim ya?amaya,
?kincisinde, daha çok hata yapard?m.
Kusursuz olmaya çal??maz, s?rtüstü yatard?m.
Ne?eli olurdum, ilkinde olmad???m kadar,
Çok az ?eyi
Ciddiyetle yapard?m.
Temizlik sorun bile olmazd? asla.
Daha çok riske girerdim.
Seyahat ederdim daha fazla.
Daha çok güne? do?u?u izler,
Daha çok da?a t?rman?r, daha çok nehirde yüzerdim.
Görmedi?im bir çok yere giderdim.
Dondurma yerdim doyas?ya ve daha az bezelye.
Gerçek sorunlar?m olurdu hayali olanlar?n yerine.
Ya?am?n her an?n? gerçek ve verimli k?lan insanlardand?m ben.
Yeniden ba?layabilseydim e?er, yaln?z mutlu anlar?m olurdu.
Fark?nda m?s?n?z bilmem. Ya?am budur zaten.
Anlar, sadece anlar. Siz de an? ya?ay?n.
Hiçbir yere yan?nda termometre, su, ?emsiye ve para?üt almadan,
Gitmeyen insanlardand?m ben.
Yeniden ba?layabilseydim e?er, hiçbir ?ey ta??mazd?m.
E?er yeniden ba?layabilseydim,
?lkbaharda pabuçlar?m? f?rlat?r atard?m.
Ve sonbahar bitene kadar yürürdüm ç?plak ayaklarla.
Bilinmeyen yollar ke?feder, güne?in tad?na var?r,
Çocuklarla oynard?m, bir ?ans?m olsayd? e?er.
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