Friday, June 01, 2007

Top to Bottom

















I don’t notice a class system in SoCal, but I’m sure it’s there. In Turkey, however, I can see the lines drawn clearly. I’ll use my own faculty as an example:
Top: The Dean. He has his own toilet that he locks. It has toilet paper, not known here as a necessity-of-life. (Faculty/Staff have their own toilets too, and then there are the students’, enter at your own risk.)
Near the Top: Full Professors. There are just a few, quite powerful.
Then: Several other layers of professors, followed by Graduate Assistants and Graduate Students. The lower you are, the more you do for other people above you.
Next: Administrative Staff. They keep themselves apart.
Below that: The undergraduate students. They have it OK: their own canteen, their clubs, in fact this whole city basically exists for them.
Even lower: Security and workers. Several levels.
Somewhere in there: Tea service.
Bottom: Janitorial staff. Several levels. (Portrait above is of a janitor. Isn't she beautiful?)

On another subject:
Detailed article in the NYTimes about marriage and immigration among the Turks who live in Germany. They are not assimilating into German culture because they keep bringing young, illiterate wives, often their cousins, into the country. The article didn’t paint a great picture of Turks. A bit unfair, I think. Anyone else read it besides millions in NYC?

3 comments:

SexyNerdCo. said...

Darling, the NY Times isn't exactly the most impartial newspaper in the world. It constantly writes articles criticising the Turkish government, and, unlike most newspapers, doesn't refrain from using the term 'Armenian Genocide'. Besides, chances are this article was written by Nicholas D. Kristof, an Armenian columnist for the NY Times who constantly criticises the denial of the so-called 'Armenian Genocide' by the Turkish government.

Honey, if I were you, I wouldn't waste my money on this crap, which unfortunately happens to be read by millions of people a day. Read something more unbiased, instead.

kloeamongtheturks said...

Hi Turkophile,
You are so right. A Turkish friend asked me just how is Germany allowing all these "cousins" in... doesn't sound right.
Please make suggestions for my reading enlightenment.
love,
Darling Honey K

Anonymous said...

Racism, intolerance and prejudice are the unexpected results of the so-called "globalism" disease :)
I am a 40 year old Turkish person, and I am yet to ever read any kind of positive remark about Turks, Turkish history or Turkish culture in any American media outlet: TV, magazine or newspaper. SAD...
And, by the way, I spent 5 years in NewYork and Massachusetts through 1991-1996.