JOURNAL 7

                                                        

   

                              MAMMA’S BOY

In these years there is a problem among the men. They don’t want to stay alone and they prefer to live with their mother. Of course, mothers love this situation a lot and they insist on their children staying with them. Greg Burke Rome reflects this situation in his essay. He says that, it is a common problem in Italy. He argues that both adult children and mothers stay together and they make excuses for this situation.

            In Italy, staying with mother is a bit different from Turkey. In Turkey, mother asks everything about their sons, where they go, whom they go with, etc... In Italy, they live more comfortable so they don’t have any problem while they are staying with their mothers. An Italian man who stays with his mother says that he is an adult man and he can act however he wants. He can go his home in late hours and his mother doesn’t care about it. Also, his mother makes delicious food for him, brings his coffee to his bed every morning. Apart from these, both sides have economic advantages. They share the expenses, fees. Thus both adult children and mothers are happy about this situation. Also there are university students who have to go another city for their education. Author says that even that time they can’t separate from their mothers and they eat the meals which they mother sends. He reflects this situation as unusual but in Turkey it is very normal. Almost every student eats the meals sent from his/her mother like me. Lucca Rocca , an Italian man who eats his mothers meal at university, says that this situation also makes my mother happy so I ask for food from her.

            Deep intimacy with mother causes some problems especially in marriage. When a man marries with a woman, man feel confuse. Sometimes his wife feels herself in the second plan sometimes his mother, too. Problems occur in that time and man can’t decide how to act. Author thinks that this situation resembles Oedipus complex and I think he is right.

            This is a very interesting essay that reflects almost all men’s problems actually. It is very important to make this balance very well. Otherwise problems occur and everyone suffers from this situation including mothers, men and their wife.

JOURNAL 6

                                                   HOME OR DORMITORY

Each university student encounters a problem when they attend a university. Where do they stay while studying? This is not a problem for those who study in their homeland. They probably continue with stay their families. They live in a comfortable house, their mothers cook the meal, wash their cloths, etc... However the students who have to go another city for studying don’t have these opportunities and they have to live on their own. The question raises here. Whether they will stay at dormitory or stay at home.

            When I attend the university, this was a big problem for me. I and my parent quarrel with many times. They wanted me to stay at dormitory but I wanted to stay at home. We think about this issue very much. As I know this is a hard decision, I want to help you decide by explaining both types of accommodation.

Both families and students have different opinions about this controversial subject. One side says that staying at home is better than staying at dormitory. According to families their children can learn making housework because at university they don’t find anyone who makes their housework instead of them. They have to wash their clothes, clean their houses, pay the bills. With the help of these, they learn having responsibilities which will be very helpful in their later life. When we look at children’s aspect, they think staying at home can be enjoyable. They live alone. They have no one to explain their behaviour. They feel free. In addition to these, they don’t have any limitation so that they can go their home whenever they want. While some parents and students support home, there is another parents and students who support staying at dormitory. This type of families says that staying at dormitory is safer than home. They think their children behave in a good manner and take care of their timing at dormitory. Since they stay in dormitory they can’t go outside in late hours. Also parents think that while staying at dormitory, their children learn living with another people in a peaceful way and sharing. According to students, staying at dormitory can be beneficial, because they don’t have to make housework like laundry, cooking , etc... They also don’t have to think about bills or other frustrating things about home. They pay dormitory’s payment every months and don’t think money again.

I explained to you both types. After that time it is your choice. I know that wherever you stay you will be happy because both of them are very comfortable. By the way if you wonder what I chose, I say. I accepted by parent’s choice and I stay in dormitory.

JOURNAL 5

                                

  STUDENTS IN ANKARA

Today I want to talk about an interesting topic that interests all of us, being a student in Ankara. I am a student in Ankara like you, and I want to talk about being a student in this city. Ankara is the capital city of our country and it has a lot of facilities.

            When I learned that I would attend METU, I was shocked. Ankara wasn’t the city that I want to come and study. I remember that I was very upset and I didn’t talk with anyone for one or two hours. Actually the university that I wanted to attend was Bosphorus University. Thus I was willing to go Istanbul rather than Ankara. I didn’t want to come Ankara and I came METU reluctantly. Istanbul is the biggest city of Turkey and it has a lot of facility. It has a lot of touristic places, cultural activities,etc...Because of these reasons, Istanbul was very attractive for me. There isn’t sea in Ankara even, but Istanbul has beautiful bosphorus which is very famous all around the world. I grew up in Giresun where is near the sea and I thought that I can’t live without sea.

            When time passes, I get used to live in Ankara. At first I like my school very much. I think METU is the greatest school in the world. I know that I’m not objective. Also Ankara is like a combination of a big city and a little country. It has as many facilities as Istanbul. There is theatres, cultural centers, cinemas, clubs in Ankara. Also Ankara is a safe city that we can live without worry. Transportation is very easy and we can go anywhere without difficulty. I think transportation is very important and the people who live in Ankara are very lucky for this aspect. Ankara is a quiet and peaceful city. It is not tiring. In addition, Ankara is in the middle of the Anatolia. Thanks to its location, it is very easy to travel other cities, especially Konya, Eskişehir, İzmir, Kırşehir.

            On the other hand, it is a little bit boring. Sometimes I want to enjoy but there isn’t enough place to go. Some political issues can be dangerous especially in our campus. Also there isn’t sea and I guess it is the most important one for me.

            As I told you before, I came to this city very reluctantly. However in two years I got used to live here and now I love this city very much, even if it hasn’t seaJ

 

JOURNAL 4

                                                   GOING BACK TO HOME

This week I read an article about living with parents after teenage age. Writer talks about the people who live with their parents. I have some differences of opinion because writer thinks this situation as a problem but I think it’s not abnormal. I think the reason of this difference of opinion is culture differences.

            In Turkey, we love being with our families. We tend to live crowded families with grandmother, grandfather, son, daughter, etc. Even if our son or daughter marry we continue live together. In U.S.A this situation is a bit different. When children become 18 they go out from home and stay away from their families. They attend a university or find a job and they start to live alone. Thus when their children go back their home for a lot of reasons they become shock and find this situation strange. However when time passes they like this situation and they get used to live with their children. However in Turkey even if the child wants to stay away from home, families don’t let.

            We can look at this situation from two perspective. The first one is living with families is beneficial for both parents and children. If children have job and they earn money, they can support their families economically. Also the intimacy between children and parents makes them feel better. They live in a safe atmosphere. The second one is living with families is harmful for both parents and children. If children don’t have a job and they don’t earn money, they get used to live like an parasitical with their parents. They addict their parents and they aren’t be able to do their own works. They become a coach potato. They make their parents tired also they make themselves useless.

            To some up, living with families can be beneficial or harmful. Balance is very important in this situation. When you lose this balance it can be worse. On the other hand when you arrange everything correctly it can become perfect.

 

JOURNAL 3

                                                             THE TRUMAN SHOW

                                          

 

              Last semester I was very bored and I didn’t know what to do. Then I started watching a film whose name is ‘ The Truman Show’. It’s star is Jim Carrey who I admire so much. Also there is another performer whose names are Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, and Natascha McElhone.It was made in 1998. Although it is very old movie , I think it is very good and still very popular.

                I want to talk about its plot. There is a man whose name is Truman Burbank. He lives in a small town with his wife. He has a ordinary life and he is happy with it. Every morning he goes his work, comes back his home and has time with his wife or friends. He wants to discover the world from his childhood but every time he starts to do this he encounters with blocks. Thus he lives in this small town and can’t go anywhere. Almost every day he does same things, he lives a repetitive life. While he lives in this town, he realizes some different occasions. One day he sees his dead father at the street and he becomes shocked. When he starts to thinking he realizes that his wife, his friends even his mother act weird and Truman can’t understand the reason of it. Actually Truman is a part of a Tv show and he doesn’t know this. The town he lives is actually a studio and the people who live with him actually are actors with small headphones on their ears. They are directed by the director of the program. Truman doesn’t know these but he realizes that there is something different and he decides to learn what’s going on. He remember his old girlfriend who met his college years. In a strange way everyone wants them to break up and while they stay alone the girl’s father comes suddenly and takes the girl. The girl says to Truman reality about this Tv show  but Truman can’t understand what she means. These occasions become tip for Truman and he starts to discover truths.

                After that point I won’t talk about the film because I don’t want to give spoil to people who haven’t watched yet. I can say that If you haven’ seen that movie yet you should watch it because it makes you query your own life. Also this film raises that question to people’s mind: If I learned that my whole life is a lie like Truman’s life, what would I do? I think you should watch this movie immediately because I think you will enjoy it.

               

JOURNAL 1

                                                          THE CHARITY TEAM

                In this journal I want to talk about Ankara Volunteer Team. This is a group which helps students who can’t find sufficient chance for their education and its members are METU students.I chose this subject because I am one of the member of this team for 2 years and every sunday I meet my children.

            In 2009 Ankara Volunteer Team founded and since 2009 helps a lot of children.When I came METU I heard this name and I wanted to be a part of this team.I think it is very useful because everyone can’t have same chance and somebody should help them and I am happy for helping these children.Ankara Volunteer Team works in two ways.In first way volunteers go these children’s school and make some activities with these children at their schools on weekend.For example volunteers teach acting abilities for theatre also they teach how to read more fast the passage.They study together whole weekend and both volunteers and children have fun.In second way volunteers go children’s home every weekend and study there.I am in the group who go children’s home.I think it’s very good to go children’s home becaus you try to communicate with them and it’s better to see their own home and how to live there. Also we can observe their parent’s behaviour and it gives us clue about children’s behaviour.We can talk about not only children but also parents deeply and doing this we try to help both of them.

I talked a lot about the children’s benefit but now I want to talk about my benefits which I gain from Ankara Volunteer Team.First of all I will become a teacher and from now on I have a chance to learn how to communicate with children.I want learn not only teaching a lesson but also how to touch their life because I think a good teacher should do both of them.In Ankara Volunteer Team I can learn this.Also there is another benefit for me. In university we are living alone and we aren’t together with our families.Thus when I go my children’s home I can feel the intimacy of family in that house because their mother acts as if she is also my mother.She prepares delicious food for me and they are waiting me eagerly.

You can see that I am very happy to be a member of this team and I strongly recommend join us. I am sure that while you learn so many things ,you enjoy. Also you feel better because you like taste of helping somebody.

JOURNAL 2

                              

                                      FRIENDSHIP OR ROMANCE?

Men are from Mars and women are from Venus. We all know that this expression. According to the this expression, women and men are different from each others. They like different things, they do different activities, they even eat different meals but do you think this opinion is changing nowadays?

In ancient times the role of women and men are very different and their place in society are strictly determined. The only relationship between them was romance because they have no other things to share. Women used to come together and do something, men also used to come together and do something else. However traditions are changing nowadays so women and men are becoming closer each other in social life. Women are at work life now, they are working, they are interested in men’s interest. Also men are becoming more interested in women issues when we compare the previous years’ men. They are cooking, cleaning, helping their wife even they are waxing. This is the situation and a question rises here: Can  women and men who can’t be friends in ancient times be friends now? There are speculations about this and everyone can support their thesis about this situation. Some people say that this is difficult because there is always confusion whether they are lovers or friends. Also between these friend , sexual attraction may occur and this may hurt their friendship. We know that men have been more powerful from ancient times. Thus in this type of friendship, predominance problems may occur so this friendship may have difficulties for this inequality. Also there is social effect that we shouldn’t forget. In a society people always come and ask ‘Are you really just friends?’ to these people. This is very annoying and can affect friendship’s quality.    

There is a media effect on the other hand. In movies, tv serials there are a man and a woman  trying to be good friend and they can achieve this but at the end of the movie they become lovers. In all movies this situation occurs and approximately no man and woman can stay as friends. The people watching these movies starts to thinking that this friendship will become a romance relationship eventually.

I think man-woman relationship is a difficult issue. There is a lot of thing to think but I think true love ,don’t think as romance love, true friendship love can achieve this.