The 3rd project meeting, in Turkey

The Ethno treasure hunters have gone treasure hunting in Turkey at the beginning of May 2011.
It was an amazing experience for all of us: hosts and guests alike.
The teams gathered in Denizli on Sunday evening and the joy of the new meeting started.
The Turkish team have been excellent hosts, and we have to thank Mr. Tahir Ekelik, Mr. Özgür Yücesoy  and Mr. Özgür Boyaci, as well as the other teachers who made our stay as agreable as possible. They have shown us some of the most important and representative treasures of the Aegean region in Turkey. We had a very busy schedule, but we enjoyed all of it and learnt a lot of new things about the Turkish culture and traditions.
We were met at school by the headmasters Mr. Tahir Ekelik and Mr. Özgür Yücesoy, together with their team of teachers. The teachers in our Turkish partner school are all very young and professional, and very well appreciated by their students. We visited the school and met with teachers and students.
Some English teachers from the partner countries were invited to participate in English classes, and Joanna, from Poland, and Daniela, from Romania, also held some workshops with the teachers of English from the host school. From our discussions with the teachers and students who teach/study English, we understood their need for a change in the way language exams are organized in Turkey and we discussed about it with the local authorities (school headmasters, the Mayor of Sarayköy and other officials who can help make a change).
We were honored by the invitation of the Mayor of Sarayköy, Mr. Orhan Karaköse and the local Director of the Department of Education from the region of Denizli, Mr. Hamit Aytekin, who received us and talked to us about the Turkish system of education and the way it is implemented in the region. They also invited us to the picturesque village of Babadağ for a lunch where traditional kebap was served.
During the week spent in Denizli, our guests took us to discover the amazing cultural and historic treasures of the region. We were taken to Pamukkale, where we visited the archeological and history museums of the ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis, which was built on top of the white "castle"  and saw the astonishing natural "cotton castle", with its hot springs and travertine terraces. We also went to Umut, the thermal spa.
We visited some Camii (Turkish mosques), which are so beautiful, and talked about the similarities and differences between the Moslem and the Christian religions
We visited the ancient Greek and later Roman city of Efesus, where we saw the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world and the the place where Virgin Mary lived her last years of life.
We also want to thank Mr. Himmet Fenli, who invited to his house in Ada Köyü and introduced us to the Gözleme, the delicious traditional vegetable pie.
While visiting the sightsplanned in Denizli, we could notice some of the traditional Turkish trades: glass making, metal workshops, the chefs preparing the traditional pide, and also the "aliş-veriş" - the commerce specific to Turkey, which can be seen in all the bazaars.
When we returned home we missed the friendly atmosphere and the excellent food we shared in Denizli.
We want to thank our Turkish host for the wonderful treasure hunting opportunities they planned for us!