Summer Travels to China, Turkey and Japan
I was compelled to start this blog due to the unusual nature of my upcoming summer trips. This summer, I will be travelling to China, Turkey and Japan. All these experiences will enhance my passion towards diversity and art. Milestone experiences like this may also give a new direction to my artwork. To view my art, please visit Studio 230 Art Gallery and also my website.
China, May 6- May 21, 2017
On May 6, I will be traveling to Shangqiu, China to teach drawing classes at Shangqui Normal University in the Henan Province. This opportunity came about last fall, when I attended for a summer teaching workshop that was organized by Delta State University, where I currently teach. I was notified about the acceptance of my application on April 17 , 2017 . After deliberations about my visa application to Chinese embassy , finally, I will be on my way to China this Saturday . My trip will begin with an early departure from Memphis, Tennessee on May 6. The total duration of the trip will be close to 40 hours including the layovers in Los Angeles, CA, and Shanghai, China. I know that I will be brutally exhausted at the end of this trip, however, I am still looking forward to this journey. You can follow this blog during for the next two weeks as I make my way to the United States on May 21 .
Turkey, May 24-June 21, 2017
Three days after returning from China, I will be heading to my native country , Turkey. Trip to Turkey will be full of emotion as I will see my mother, brother, relatives and close friends . I will be taking my sons Cooper and Cruz to this trip as well . Hopefully, although my sons resist time to time of learning, their elementary Turkish language will come in handy. Preparing to this trip, we began watching Keloglan , a Turkish folk hero, on You Tube, to get more familiar with the Turkish language. We are excited that we will be able to visit my native land after four years. We will be in Turkey until June 21, 2017.
Japan, July 2-14, 2017
Another exciting trip that I will be taking will be to Japan. Through the initiative of Japan Studies Institute and Association of American Colleges and Universities, I was selected with eight other fellows from various American universities to attend to a seminar program between July 2–14, 2017. This program will take place in three cities in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto and Beppu. During my 12 days of stay, I will meet with administrators of education, colleagues and perhaps artists while learning about Japanese art, culture and history. I will also give a presentation at the end of the seminar program.