Every Monday morning and Friday afternoon, the entire school gathers in the garden near the flag and a huge bust of Atatürk to stand at attention while they play the national anthem and raise or lower the flag. It is actually an amazing assembly. We also work in a school with Atatürk propaganda in every classroom. Children can recite poems in tribute to him and many of his reforms dictate how we must do our teaching.
None of this prepared us for the million-strong horde of Türks who gathered beneath our balcony for the Republic Day parade on October 29. They marched up Bağdat Caddesi, the Rodeo Drive of Istanbul, with motorcycles, drum corps, schools, and families waving Turkish flags and singing at the top of their lungs. Türks of all ages were out all night long, wearing red and white, eating roasted chestnuts, and stopping along the way for endless cups of chai.
Welcome to Turkey.
