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Tales from Izmir 2

Mariet Simonyan writes from Izmir Space Camp.

I want to tell you about our friends Bushra and Qadri from Turkey, Vanand from Israel, Georgian Nana, Polish Karolina and Katazhina. You know, my opinion about nationality being artificially made up, has remained the same. People and human relationships are unconditional, uttermost values regardless of nationality. They have become dear and close to me people for a short period of time; does ethnicity matter here?      

Our Turkish friends differ from each other by their character: Qadri is quiet with balanced temperament and to my pleasant relief she speaks English very slowly and clearly, so we pleasantly talk to each other. She is pretty, polite and friendly. Bushra is vigorous and knows English awfully well. She lives in Istanbul but is getting her education in Izmir, moreover, she is getting her education in English. She is fast talking. While talking to her, I have to stop her and say, "Speak slower, güzel." Bushra is working with the students here. I don't know how other students bear Bushra, but, I think, our students are used to such a tempo.

Our Vanand is a very vivid woman. She is a Muslim woman from Israel; she covers her head shipshape. Out of her entire body one can only see her face. She is a cheerful woman with humour. Sister Karolina and Sister Katazhina, with their as closed habits and big crosses on their chests, are very well viewed next to our Muslim friend. They are tall, soft persons with Christian patience, reconciled to the noise of secular life. Our sisters give another sacrament to this Muslim environment.               

It is clear that we can't imagine our life without our Georgian friends. Nana is from Ajaria, a surprisingly consistent woman. If only you saw her efforts she makes to communicate in English. She is a good devoted friend, a careful person with Georgian vigor. We pleasantly communicate with each other. We don't have any problems with our English. Almost each of us has the same proficiency, and I might say that we know the language well enough. If we are able to communicate, talk for a long time, why should we have any doubt about our knowledge of English? Would the meaning of what we say change if our grammar were more accurate? Language is a means of commuication, isn't it? We do communicate and we speak more and more fluently dy by day. We also have plans connected with our future cooperation.            

In a word, everything is OK. We have made new friends and are having wonderful days with interesting people.