"Day One Reflection: At YHS"

The most interesting part of Bugra's visit as of yet, is meeting Philip. The mall was very cheap in comparison to Turkish prices. It was also somewhat funny how in the food court, a buzzer signaled when the "fast food" was ready. Bugra thinks that people are having fun and learning. The classes seem less oriented to a test. The most surprising thing about YHS is how there are no cameras or security. To his own school, doing labs in science and open discussion classrooms are similar. The greatest difference is that students are more free in dress code, class times, etc. Overall, in school, we are very similar e.g. read the same books, acting for English plays. In Turkey, in a social setting, most people go out and meet rather than congregate at friends' houses.The favorite part of Bugra's day was meeting lots of different people and representing the life and culture of Turkey. From Bugra, Philip learned about the political system of Turkey, the academic differences, and the difference in daily life in a city like Istanbul. For example, the number of major parties in Turkey are four rather than two as in America. There are both advantages and disadvantages to a system that is more tetrapartisan. The most surprising thing about Istanbul is the amount of time it takes to commute from place to place. Robert College differs from Yarmouth the academic level as well as the size and also the sports orientation. For YHS, I would like perhaps more rigorous academics like those at Robert College.