Atatürk

Yesterday I woke up at 7:00 like everyday, caught the train and the boat to the european side, like everyday, and caught the bus to the school, like everyday. In the bus I standed in between the crowd, then the bus stopped, I thought traffik light was red... Feeling unconfortable with the bag on my back and thinking "Why is the #%&/ bus taking so much time to move, I'm late!" I put the bag on the floor and looked through the window, cars weren't moving "Oh no, another accident!", a woman came out of the car and was standing straight looking ahead, then I noticed no one was speaking in the bus! Ah! No one was moving! Then I looked to the watch, 9:05. Hmm, That's the time of Atatürk death, I remembered that when I visited Dolma Bahçe Palace they told us clocks in the palace were stopped in the 9:05 position because he died in that minute.

So, for 1 minute Turkey stops (except ignorant foreigners who think they got in the twilight zone), they tell me that even cars on the highways stop at this time! Atatürk is probably the most important person in this country. If you ever come to Turkey it's impossible not notice him. In every office, shops, restaurants, parks, hotels, schools you see either a picture or statue of him. From him I hear only good things "he saved our country", "Turkey could be just like Iran!", I think I only heard bad comments about him when I went to Greece! He's not a popular guy over there.

So, I guess I owe to him the fact that I can be here and feel so much at home. Long live Atatürk!