Travelling Teacher

Originally printed in Good Teacher Magazine: Term 3, 2008, pages 28 – 30

Well it took LOMLF* and I some days to get over the fact that our visas had been revoked but all the while we had to work out a way to say goodbye to the kids.

We discussed various options.

The normal way:- having a get together of the parents and the kids and the usual speeches where everyone wishes you all the best etc.

The New Zealand approach:- where we all get together over a few bottles of wine and everybody gets totally plastered. (At least here in Goreme when we send a person to the liquor store for more supplies they don’t take along a “22” rifle.)

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Originally printed in Good Teacher Magazine: Term 2, 2008, pages 28 – 30

“For gods sake turn the light off!” I hiss to Lomlf*. She hurriedly turns the light off in our decrepit garret of a flat in the middle of Goreme. We’re on the second floor and I’m hiding behind the curtain watching a man across the road who seems to be doing nothing. But he has been there for over an hour now. He’s dressed in a long raincoat and dark glasses for goodness sake, even though its night. It looks like the same guy who has been there for 4 days. He seems to be just hanging about there waiting. What for, we don’t know, but it’s getting right up our collective noses. Lomlf seems to think that he‘s also been following her to school. There has been a rumour going around the neighbourhood of a stranger in the area and we have come to the decision that he is a stalker and has targeted Lomlf.

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Originally printed in Good Teacher Magazine: Term 1, 2008, pages 28 – 30

Xmas was fast approaching, as was the end of year xmas concert.

Now you may be wondering why I am using the word xmas rather than the other word that denotes that it is a religious festival. As you probably know Turkey is not necessarily a Christian country although there are a lot of Christians in the country.

Not wanting to annoy anybody who’s name starts with Osama or some such who may be lurking in the caves that surround Goreme I decided to use the more usual version which denotes that it is just a shopping festival.

Now the Turks can understand that, as their whole lives revolve around the fact that shopping is a good, if not a sacred, pastime. This is as long as you’re buying my or my brothers or cousins or cousins-cousins carpet, Turkish coffee set or backgammon board or whatever. (more…)