TURKEY - a gateway to the East

And a journey into a long and rich history and how this has shaped modern-day society.

Key words: History, culture, World heritage, archaeology, architecture, old vs. new, West meets East, youth culture, pop culture, home-stay, modern-day Turkey.

Turkey is a country that has been home to some of the World's most powerful empires such as the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, which is still evident in the many archeological and cultural heritage sites you will find in Turkey today. Turkey's history is one of the many reasons why the country is such a popular tourist destination. The country is steeped in history and culture - shaped by many different civilisations - and it can be felt in its cuisine, architecture, and fashion. Additionally, Turkey is famous for its natural wonders and various tourist destinations, such as Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the Black Sea Coast.

But Turkey is also a country of mixed lifestyles, described by others as "a vivid mosaic, juxtaposing the West and the East, the modern and the ancient. Also life in Turkey is a rich variety of cultures and traditions, some dating back centuries and others or more recent heritage. Any visitor to Turkey will find a great deal that is exotic, and much that is reassuringly familiar. The surprising blend of East and West makes up the Turkish lifestyle." .

The culture subject "TURKEY - a gateway to the East" will introduce students to the history and culture in Turkey, focussing also on the eclectric mix of customs and traditions and how this 'West meets East' is present in everyday life and society in Turkey.

Ranum Efterskole College has been a member of UNESCO's Associated School's Network for many years and the trip will include a 3-day visit to our friendship school in Izmir, where we will follow the schedule of the students at this international school. Ranum Efterskole College have via both current and former students as well as volunteers quite strong connections to Turkey - and it is our hope we can add more school visits to our journey in other parts of Turkey.

Activities in Classes

• Research
• Planning of trip
• Prepare information to guide each other during the trip
• Preparations of presentations for friendship school
• Connect with other schools

The trip

The students will have influence on what we do/see/experience on the trip, however some main points will be planned in advance based on the subject aims. The trip proposal (subject to change) will start in Istanbul, continue to Izmir, where we will visit our friendship school and end in Antalya - with varying number of stops or day excursions from those cities or in-between.

The destinations are chosen as they play a part in both historical and modern-day story of Turkey - as well as representing elements of this vivid mosaic of lifestyles.

The idea is to fly to Istanbul and then use local coach or train until we reach Antalya - from here we will fly home to Denmark. During our visit to our friendship school in Izmir, we will also experience a 2-day homestay with the students and families of the school. In extension, we will host these students when they come to visit Ranum Efterskole College in June 2023.

UN's 17 Development Goals

• #3 Good Health and Well-being
• #4 Quality Education
• #10 Reduced inequalities

Vaccinations

Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A

Teachers

Terms and economy

Duration: 10-12 days

Self-payment: Approx. 6.000 DKK

Pocket money: Approx. 1000 DKK recommended

Visa: Depending on your citizenship, you may or may not need to buy a visa for Turkey.

The cost are included in the self-payment and teachers will assist in the application, but the school cannot be held responsible for the outcome of the application, as this is entirely a decision made by the Turkish authorities.