Something We Were Thrilled To Attend By Chance

This website (you can find the link at the end of this write-up) represents an incredible and amazing alumni netwok... They are people who lived in Ankara, Turkey, mostly they were in their teen ages, as a result of their parents official assignments in Turkey... They are gattering every year to remember those years in Ankara which was a small town at the time even though it is the capital of Turkey... Even though living in Ankara in those years sounds like not a big deal for me, it was for them... I've never seen people who talk enthusiastically as they do about a country... They simply love Turks, Turkey, Ankara and everything about Turkey... They were happy to see and talk someone from Turkey... They were asking lots of questions, "what happened to this to that", just to get to know nowadays Turkey and Ankara... Most of them said that they went back to see Ankara and other parts of Turkey...

Well, we were there on behalf of Tulumba.com... But they embraced us as if we were their old pals... I was a bit in a shock to see all those people in the middle of the U.S. (Dallas, TX) talking about their times in Turkey, but Cem was already enjoying them... Of course, I joined them after all... It is something that I will always remember...

And look whose names are at the end of the list... :) (Cem recently find out about this page...)

http://www.ankaraalumni.net/reunion.html


Update: I am so pleased to see that our interaction is continuing... Lyn Viles, who is the person that gave us a chance to meet herself and all those wonderful people, and who is the person I forgot to thank in my first blog, find my blog and write about it on their website, AnkaraAlumni.net... Lyn, we love all of you... Once again thank you soooo much for having us... :)

http://ankaraalumni.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7020066582/m/7450095174

Nezih Demirkent - My Idol

Dearest Nezih Demirkent was my first boss... My idol, every journalist's idol, every businessman's idol... He is one phenomenon... He was a respected human being, journalist, and businessman... He could open every door... His door was open to anyone... His articles and books considered reference... His ethics was the defition of it... He was a pioneer in every aspects of business world and media... He had numerous prizes form various institutions... His approach to business was based on prestige, yet was very successful... He protected honest journalists from being jobless and their rights... He supported every action on freedom for media in Turkey...

Mr. Demirkent gave an opportunity to show my abilities and what can be done in digital world with our newspapers products... He provided me with necessary conditions as possible and let me do my job... When I heard that he mentoined my name and my works at a very important meeting, to very important people and my supervisor who delivered me this anecdote, that "even though he is not familiar with the Internet and its capabilities, he believed in me, appreciated my efforts and its results" I was the happiest person in the world...

He was like a father to me as he was to many... When I had problems in my personal life, he supported me and gave me advice... When he heard that I am planning to leave my job and improve my English and get my master's degree outside of Turkey, he offered me a scholarship and wanted me to work with him after my education is completed... I couldn't be honored more...

When I was informed that he passed away, I simply was in shock... I couldn't believe it... I was crying for weeks... I am not good with dates, I cannot even remember my husbands birthday or our wedding anniversary... But, I have never forgotten the day he left us... 11 February 2001... He was just 71... His funeral was the most crowded one I've ever seen...

Thanks to him I am who I am, I am where I am...
God bless him.