I would like to introduce you to Filiz, not her name, but one she would have liked to be called. Her grandparents came to Ayvalik from the Greek island of Lesvos, during one of the population exchanges between the two countries. Here in Ayvalik, her great grandfather worked in an olive oil factory, but in… [Read more…]
April 11, 2012
We would like to introduce you to Zeyno – not her real name but the name she would like to have been known by. Zeyno comes to our workshop most afternoons and despite plenty of issues from her home life that she carries with her, always has a great sense of humor and makes the… [Read more…]
March 20, 2012
Enough about me, for a while anyhow, it is high time for some of our ladies to tell a bit about themselves! I am proud to present Handan – not her real name, but a name that she likes. ‘I can’t make the wrapper bags that most of the other women make; I can’t crochet… [Read more…]
March 7, 2012
I happened upon the women’s movement rather by default. Years ago, a young Turkish colleague mentioned that she admired me as she learned so much from me. When I asked her just what she meant by that, she said, ‘you walk home in the evenings by yourself.’ I never thought that would be a reason to… [Read more…]
February 22, 2012
It wasn’t only that I like the idea of wintering in the tropics. I felt a need to be totally removed from life as I know it, for personal and professional reasons. It wasn’t an escape as much as a desire for completely different surroundings, wanting to lose myself in another culture. I wanted different… [Read more…]
January 11, 2012
Each and every winter I ask myself why, having made the decision to live abroad years ago, I did not choose to base myself in a tropical country. As much as I love my wood stove and warm quilts, I would be just happy never to have to wear a winter coat again. And yet, if the weather… [Read more…]
November 27, 2011
Even though I’ve never auditioned, often I feel my life is a bit role in a Fellini film. Then again, perhaps everyone feels they live on the edge between reality and the surreal. I get frustrated when others impose their values and expectations on me; and yet, I find that I too am guilty of… [Read more…]
November 17, 2011
We moved our workshop from one corner of the intersection to the other, in part because the new space is brighter, in part because it is right next door to the tea house, where Suat and Mustafa are so good to us, in part as it has a gorgeous entrance, in part because one of… [Read more…]
November 4, 2011
I’m going to let you in on a secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Here goes: you know those little pieces of paper that come with all our items, the ones with our philosophy and the name of the woman who made the piece? Well, if yours reads ‘Ajda K,’ that… [Read more…]
October 19, 2011
Ut-oh – very late on the blog… Here’s a video of my most recent talk – thanks to Melek for inviting me – and for posting this! http://turkishwin.com/public/videos.aspx?cid=2&vid=22
May 2, 2012
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