You may not realize what challenges expats face arranging adequate education for their children. Recently I wrote three consecutive articles dealing with the most frequently asked questions. Murat sent a comment about the article “Educating children while living cross-culturally” (Aug. 4, 2010).Dear Charlotte: I’m not living abroad, but if you achieve of answering all of these questions with just two articles I’ll applaud you. It was very interesting of being informed about this problem. I’ve never considered a foreign individual in Turkey before. Thanks for attracting my attention because its a very important matter indeed. From: Murat
Thanks for your note Murat. You are right, two or three articles aren’t enough. Books are written on this topic. There is much to consider and say!
This comment was sent as a response to the third part of the series, “School mom: part time or full time” (Aug. 7, 2010), where I write about the challenges that expat parents face educating their children abroad.
Dear Charlotte: The encouragement of creativity from an early age is vital. From: Hakan
Dear Hakan, well said! Being creative encourages individual thought. One of my favorite quotes is by William Durant who said, “Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.”
In my piece called “Beautiful Life” (Aug. 14, 2010), a number of letters came in to express people’s grief and condolences. This piece discussed two young ladies who each committed suicide on the same night within a few kilometers of each other but were of no relation in any way.
Perhaps you are familiar with the expression, “Is the glass half empty or half full?” This is a common expression, which is used in a rhetorical sense. It infers that a particular situation could be a cause for optimism (half full) or pessimism (half empty). As for these two young ladies who took their own lives recently things seemed ominous and desperate for them. The glass was looking half empty.
This idiom about the glass is used to explain how people perceive events and objects. When you live in another culture you need to be aware that perception is unique to every individual and is simply one’s interpretation of reality. Of course, where group-oriented societies exist variety is less. People are less comfortable to be seen as different.
I was pleased that most readers who wrote in seem to be people expressing the idea of the glass being half full.
Here are a couple of the comments:
Dear Charlotte: I want to thank you for your today writing… indeed you have written good point for our country and other… in fact reasons of suicide is known today… but no one care about treat this… again many thanks... best wishes with you. From: Fatih
Dear Charlotte: I think that there are not many avenues for people who are struggling with depression to go and receive help and counseling. There are private clinics but you need money to be able to afford to go. Not everybody who has problems with depression and other related illnesses has money. It is a vicious circle. From Lisa A. (İzmir)
I’d like to close with this fabulous thought from a regular Today’s Zaman reader: Annelie sent this comment to my Today’s Zaman Facebook page after reading a piece I posted about İstanbul as the capital of culture in Europe this year. What she shares expresses how many of us feel by living in such a “Legendary İstanbul” (Aug. 18, 2010). I asked the question on my Facebook page and I’d like to hear what you think.
The question is: Does İstanbul have a magnetic pull like well-known author Elif Şafak claims?
“I think it does,.” says Annelie. “When people ask me, ‘why İstanbul?’ I can only answer that after my first visit to this city, I felt I had to come back again and again until it became harder and harder to leave. Now İstanbul is my home but I still feel that ‘magnetic pull’ every time I leave the city for a short holiday.”
I know what you mean Annelie. What more can anybody say? Share your point of view.
Note: Charlotte McPherson is the author of “Culture Smart: Turkey, 2005.” Please keep your questions and observations coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com 
