A Day in My Host Family's Village

I’ve been here long enough to notice the many small, one mosque villages set back in the huge valley’s that I’ve driven through. But to actually go into one, to meet the average people living there is a different story. I traveled to Baklan a rural village about an hour outside of Denizli with my host mom, sister, two cousins and uncle. My uncle grew up here and was really excited to share his village with me. 

He picked us up bright an early and we headed out. In small villages like this one of course everyone knows each other and many people in the village gathered to greet us as we arrived. The first thing my uncle did was head straight for the poppy seed and sesame seed shop. I followed him into this hand built wooden shack and was greeted by two old women hand grinding poppy seeds and sesame seeds. They even let me mix the seeds roasting in a large pot over an open fire. This was my first real look at some of the traditional living in rural Turkey. Stocked up with fresh ground sesame and poppy seeds we headed over to home where my uncle grew up. His house is a two story complex housing most of the extended family and there was a small plot of farm land behind the house where my uncle’s father made living. 

After meeting my extended family and many hugs, kisses, and cheek squeezes all the men headed down to the village café. It was filled with old men sitting on old plastic chairs, drinking tea and thumbing prayer beads. I really enjoyed watching these old men discuss topics from politics to farming, just as if I was sitting at a diner in Loveland, Nebraska. The village was set right up against a mountain front and some of the older parts of the village reach up into the mountains. We hiked up toward the old mosque which was built by the Ottomans in the 1700’s. Here we looked at the old mosque and explored the old Ottoman cemeteries nearby. 

Our appetites began to grow as we hiked through these steep stone roads so we retreated to the family bread-baking building behind the house. I walk in to find seven old Turkish women covered in traditional village clothing, a head scarf and huge pants usually covered in flower patterns. They were all sitting down and rolling dough and baking it on the large circular iron stove. They would sometimes fill this dough with seasoned zucchini or spinach. I sat in there for a while listening to the old women chatter about the gossip in the village while they fed me all of the fresh pastries they were making. 

 

This trip had a very profound effect on me considering that my family comes from villages just like this one. Throughout the day I felt that I had some sort connection or bond with these villagers and made this a day I will never forget.

The welcoming atmosphere from everyone in the village and their desire to share their customs and their ways with a foreigner like me is something I am very grateful for. Many of the villagers asked me when I will come back to see them. I certainly will never forget some of the people I met and I can’t wait to visit again.