The New Zealand Ceremony

The Turkish Ceremony

The Australian Ceremony

Anzac Day

With an early start of 2am, I left my house with my host mother and together we met with the official New Zealand party at the Kolen Hotel. From there we took a boat ride to the Gallipoli Peninsular and then because we were with the Prime Minister's party, we were treated to a bus ride right to the entrance of the ceremony.

I can't start to explain the overwhelming emotions I felt, being at the site where so many of my ancestors fought. I have visited this wonderful place 3 other times since I arrived and each time my feelings have been different. Nothing could have prepared me for the way I felt today, the 25th April. The first service was at ANZAC Cove for the opening ceremony where leaders from the different countries spoke. John Keys message was both emotional and filled me with pride, I cried tears for all the lives lost and the ones who came back home different men.

Next we went to have breakfast in a cafe on the beachfront and then on to the Australian ceremony at Lone Pine. Another wonderful emotional speeches people who are no doubt ancestors of men who fought in battle on this site. The Turkish ceremony was next. Even though it was speeches delivered in Turkish and English, the emotions were the same and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the ones for NZ and Australia. Finally in the afternoon we went to Chunuk Bair for the New Zealand ceremony.

Never have I felt such a strong pride in both my country and family for their sacrifice at what is now a beautiful place but was a site of such death and sorrow. I can't explain in words my feelings, but just to say that I don't think I will ever feel this again and I take home with me a different respect for the men who fought at Gallipoli. Their courage and ability to forsake their families is something that became more real for me. My reason for wanting this award was to pay my respects to my Great Great Grandfather Edmund Bowler who fought there and I now can honestly say I think he would have been proud of me for learning and understanding a bit of what he went through.

A long day but one I will never forget and will always be grateful for.

The castle

Me and my friends in the flower fields

In the flowers at the castle

At the beach on the island

At our henna party, me having henna put on my hands

The manti we made

The manti before it was cooked

We had a fantastic time on Saturday afternoon learning how to make manti, it tasted delicious. Afterwards we were shown what the Turkish women do at a henna party before a women gets married. There is a lot of singing and dancing in a circle while the bride to be sits in the middle, when the singing is finished they put a circle on the palm of your hand in henna and a small dot on your little finger. It was a lot of fun and we learnt more about the turkish culture.

On Sunday we set off early for an hours drive before catching a ferry boat to the small island Bozcaada. The scenery of the coast was stunning as we left the mainland. On our arrival we made it to a cafe for a late breakfast before going to the seaside and a wind farm. We then toured around an old castle, it had fields of daisies and poppies which we all lay in and took loads of photos. The wine factory was in the middle of the small village on the island, there were lots of big machines that turned the grapes into wine, after the factory we went the shop where we got to taste some of the wine.

After a long but spectacular day we set of back to Canakkale to get ready for my last week in Turkey, I can't believe I have been here for five weeks.

Amber, Me, Shelby, Dani and the poor horse that had to take us to school

The carriage

Me in the traditional dress

All of us in the carriage on our way to school

Another amazing week has passed so quickly. On Thursday I had a fantastic day with Amber, Shelby and Dani at Troy, Assos and a few other villages along the way. Amber and I were fortunate enough to try on a traditional dress the women wear for henna nights and traditional dancing, it was made up of four different layers which made it very hot to wear. We also got to meet some of the villagers and have photos with them they were very sweet.

Yesterday we went to the market again to do some more shopping, I'm not sure how I'm going to fit everything in my bag to come home it's already half full with presents. Amber then took us out for lunch where we had a type of pizza but you roll it up to eat it, it's very delicious. We then took a very amusing horse and carriage ride to school which I think the whole school was waiting for the four foreigners to pull up at the school gates looking quite ridiculous. After school we were invited to a Turkish girls house for afternoon tea as she is going on an exchange to Shelby and Dani's school in Australia later on this year.

Today my friends are all coming over for a small party where our housekeeper is going to teach us how to make a Turkish dish called manti, it's a bit like tiny ravioli you eat it with garlic yoghurt and tomato puree sauce.

Tomorrow there is a big group of my friends and there host families going to a small Island called Bozada. We are visiting an old church, wine factory, a stunning beach some houses and eating at a restaurant for lunch. I can't wait so will be adding photos of it over the next few days.

Bay of Islands

Toby - Imogen Francis and me

Me and Imogen Francis

Toby (back) - Imogen Francis and me

A dolphin

Me and a Whaka

Imogen Francis and me at Frank's

My first weekend here, we drove up north to Paihia. We stayed in a hotel beside the sea which had a pool. For dinner, we went to a place called Frank's where we had pizza.

In the morning we went up to Waitangi which is where the treaty was signed. Then we came back to the hotel for lunch and in the afternoon we went on a boat out to an island called Urupukapuka. On the way, we saw people swimming with dolphins and i took some photos of them. We landed on the island and Imogen and I kayaked on the beautiful and clear water. We spent the afternoon just relaxing on the beach and reading magazines. We had a barbeque dinner beside the water and then got the boat back to the hotel.

The next morning we went to Russell which has New Zealand's oldest church. We had an ice-cream and then got the boat back over to Paihia. We drove back to Auckland and quickly called into the mall to get something for school.

Back row: Amber (American), Me (NZ)

Front Rrow: Danni and Shelby (Australian), Munevver (Turkish)

Me making baklava

The last few days have been so much fun. On Thursday a teacher from school took the four of us foreign girls and one of the Australians host sisters to the Gallipoli Peninsular where we had a guide take us round and show us some stunning sights. At lunch time we all tried Turkish coffee for the first time, I couldn't finish mine it was a bit bitter for my liking. After returning back to Canakkale we all decided to do a bit of shopping so we went to the local mall, we tried some new and interesting Turkish food which was just as delicious as everything else I have tried. Beside the mall they have six trampolines set up probably meant for little kids but we really wanted to have a go so after waiting our turn we finally got a go, who new that five foreign girls and one Turkish girl could draw so much attention to themselves.

Yesterday after school we went to the market which is held every Friday, it has everything from clothes and shoes to vegetables, fish and cheese. We all bought some traditional Turkish scarfs, bracelets and some funny little hand made slippers.

This morning my mother took me out for breakfast with her friends it was all very posh as one of her friends is the president of Canakkale's wife. There also happened to be a reporter and photographer there reporting another event going on next to us. One of my mothers friends decided to introduce me to them and tell them why I was in Canakkale they then decided to leave the interview they were doing to come interview me it was all very amusing. They said I would be in the local newspaper tomorrow. This afternoon my friends and I did some more shopping, eating and couldn't resist another go on the trampolines we then relaxed by the seaside to watch the amazing sunset behind Gallipoli.

Another fantastic week has almost come to an end, only two weeks to go now and I rally want to stay longer I am having such an amazing experience and have made so many great new friends leaving them is going to be hard.

Arriving

Lauren Tilson's leg, Courtenay Wagg, Hannah Lancaster, Ashley Herbert, Jo-hannah Jackson, Georgia James, Alex Franklin

I arrived on Sunday 21st March and Devon's family met me at the airport. It was midnight so we went straight home to my new house.

On Monday we went to Albany Senior High School to meet my new friends and get my school uniform for school on Tuesday. School was quite different from mine in Turkey, there was no classrooms and it was new and modern unlike mine!! The school uniform is also different from ours, you can choose one of a red, white or green T-shirt and a grey skirt. You can wear any shoes you want and have accessories. I chose my classes, I chose 5 subjects, they are: Travel and Tourism, Photography, English, Accounting and Business Studies, I like Photography best!!

My new friends met me on my first day and they were very welcoming. They took me to meet my new teachers, whom I like very much.

Troy, Assos, Kucukkuyu and Yesilyurt

Half way there already- time has gone so fast, I am in my fourth week of school which has been going really well I think I got excellence in English class not so to sure about the others though. Today was the first day of school for the Australian girls Danni and Shelby, the presedent of Canakkale also came for a celebration of all the foreign students attending our school at the moment. We were each presented with two badges, one of the Turkish flag and the other was a school one. Over the next few weeks I will be touring around Canakkale and other towns with Danni, Shelby and Amber (the American Girl) we will be visiting places like Gallipoli, Troy and Assos as the others haven't been there yet.

Yesterday my family took me to Troy, Assos, Kucukkuyu and Yesilyurt they are all stunning places I loved them all. Troy was so amazing the ruins of the old cities that used to be there are beautiful, Assos also has some old ruins of an ancient temple as well as a stunning seaside with restaurants and hotels along it. When we got to Kucukkuyu it was time for lunch so we sat at a seafood restaurant on the waterfront and had the most divine fish, squid and prawns. Yesilyurt is a small village not far from Kucukkuyu there are no apartments only pretty little stone houses and few shops and craft stalls. On our way home we saw the most stunning sunset behind Gallipoli, the sky was bright orange and pink colors the photo just doesn't do it justice.

Don't think I have told you about my drive to school each morning. Road rules in Turkey pretty much don't seem exist so it makes travel very interesting. To get to school I have to go from one side of a seven road intersection to the other, dodging people and cars - you honestly see your life flash before your eyes!!!

I'm looking forward to the next few weeks traveling around Turkey seeing more of the spectacular sights.

The sunset on our drive home

Me in Yesilyurt

Yesilyurt Village

A lighthouse in Kucukkuyu

The walkway along the waterfont in Kucukkuyu

The waterfront in Assos

The temple remains in Assos

Me in Assos

The remains of Troy

An ancient theater in Troy

The different levels of the city Troy

Me and my brother in the horse of Troy

Recent news articles from Turkish papers featuring Aytuna and Devon

18.03.10 / Hürriyet / Ataları savaştı onlar buluştu / Syf 6

18.03.10 / Hürriyet Ege / Onlar birer barış çiçeği / Syf 1-2 *Haber, gazetenin ana sayfasından duyurulmuştur.

18.03.10 / Vatan / ‘Dedem cehenneme gelmiş, ben cennet bir yerdeyim’ / Syf 7

18.03.10 / Posta / Destanın yıl dönümü / Syf 18

18.03.10 / Sözcü / Düşman dedelerin torunları dost oldu / Syf 9

Other online articles:

dha.com.tr / Atalarının savaştığı topraklarda buluştular

Hurriyet.com.tr / Ataları savaştı onlar buluştu

Hurriyet.com.tr / Dedeleri savaşan barış çiçekleri

Gazetevatan.com / ‘Dedem cehenneme gelmiş, ben cennet bir yerdeyim’

Haberler.com / Ataları savaştı onlar buluştu

Haberler.com / Atalarının savaştığı topraklarda buluştular

Anahaber.com / Ataları savaştı onlar buluştu

Tumhaberler.com / Atalarının savaştığı topraklarda buluştular

Guncel-haber.com / Ataları savaştı onlar buluştu

Mersinhaber.com / Ataları savaştı onlar buluştu

Walking by the seaside with my friends on Saturday.

And again.

Making dolmas with my mother.

The last two days have been freezing cold again, it's been raining and really windy but I still had a fun weekend. On Saturday I went to my friends house, we watched movies and went for a walk by the seaside it was stunning. On Sunday the weather was really horrible so we decided to stay at home and do some cooking.

I am looking forward to this week as there are two Australians who will be coming to my school. They are on five week exchange to Canakkale for Anzac Day, hopefully we will be doing some touring around the city together.

I have been learning how to cook some traditional Turkish dishes, my mother has taught me how to make dolmas and a variety of turkish pastas all of which are absolutely divine. Tomorrow she is taking me to a place where you can watch and learn how to make baklava, I can't wait baklava is my favorite Turkish desert although it is hard to decide they are all so delicious.

This weekend, if the weather is fine my family will be taking me to a place called Assos. It is a small fishing village about an hour out of Canakkale. It is also known as an ancient teaching centre, Assos was home to Aristotle who founded a school of philosophy. The pictures my mother has shown me of Assos are stunning I can't wait to see it for myself.

Pictures

The sunset from my balcony.

New Zealand Memorial, the inscription reads "In honour of the soldiers of the New Zealand expeditionary force 8th August 1915" and under that reads another "From the uttermost ends of the earth".

My school in Canakkale.

The spices in one of the markets in Istanbul

School in Canakkale

These are the remains of one of the ships that bought New Zealand Soldiers ashore Gallipoli.
Anzac Cove
Canakkale City from my balcony.

Today was my first proper day at school without Aytuna there to help thankfully most of the day we did english so I was helping my class with pronunciation, I wasn't so good at religion or mathematics. I am looking forward to next week as some students from Australia are coming for a five week exchange. There are also two students from America on a one year program that go to my school, they are helping me communicate with others and are teaching me some turkish words, I can now count to five and say yes, thank you, enter, hello and I'm full.

Yesterday my mother and brother took me to the movies to see Veda it was a new experience as it was in turkish with no subtitles although it was a very good movie about the Turkish war and Ataturk.

My family have been taking me all around Canakkale introducing me to turkish cuisine it is divine I am especially enjoying the baklava and yesterday I had turkish pizza which was very different to home but tasted just as good. They eat a lot of wild rice here it looks like white and brown rice mixed together it's really yummy. I have also started drinking tea which I have never done in my life but it is so cold here that it's the only way I can stay warm.

Enjoy the pics I will be adding more soon of my travels.