San Francisco Bay Area : Photoshoot for the Four Book Covers

San Francisco Bay Area
Photoshoot for the Four Book Covers
Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, California

Sivas and the Turkish War of Independence

Sivas and the Turkish War of Independence
Author of Turkish American Wedding
Book by Jasmine Soylu
Translated into English and Turkish

Sivas ili, Turkiye'nin uc bolgesi arasinda yer alir ve buyuklugu bakimindan Turkiye'nin ikinci buyuk ilidir. Kizilirmak, Yesilirmak ve Firat'in onemli kollarindan biri olan Karasu nehri Sivas ili sinirlari icinde dogar. Sivasin tarihi cok eskiye dayanir. Ilk yerlesim donemi M.O.1600 ile Hititler ile baslayip, Frigler, Lidyalilar, Persler,Makedonyalilar, Romalilar, Bizanslilar ile Selcuklular kadar uzanir. Eskiden Mezopotomya ve arasinda kervanlarin gectigi bolgede oldugu icin, Selcuklular zamaninda tuccarlarin ziyaret ettigi bir merkez haline gelmistir. Sehrin ismi Sebastia iken Turkcelesmesiyle bugunku haline almistir. Sebastia , Yunancada saygideger, yuce anlamindadir. Bu ismi ,Pontuslar kurduklari sehre, Roma Imparatoru Augustus onuruna onun ismini vermislerdir. Bir baska rivayette de Sivs kurulmadan once ulu agaclar altinda kaynayan uc pinar varmis. Bu pinar Allaha sukur, anne ve babaya minnet ve kucuklere sefkat duygularini ifade edermis.Bu uc pinara Sipas suyu denirmis.Zamanla bu uc pinarin etrafinda kurulan yerlesim merkezine Sipas denmis. Sivas tarihi acidan cok zengin bir ilimizdir.Milli Mucadelede Sivas'in onemli bir yeri olmus; Sivas Kongresinde , ulkenin birinci dunya savasindan sonraki icinde bulundugu durum yuzunden bagimisizlik ve butunlugu icin onemli kararlar alinmistir. Tarihi eserler,mimari anitlar,kaplicalar, icmeler bakimindan zengindir. Abideler sehri diye de anilirki Selcuklu eserlerinin buyuk bir kismi burdadir.Ulu Cami, Meydan Cami, Kale Cami, Aliaga Cami, Imaret Cami,Merkez Cami,Gok Mederese, Cifte Minareli Medrese ve Buruciye Medresesi, Sifahiye Medresesi gorulmeye degecek yerlerdir. Turbeleri ve hanlari da unludur. Semseddin Sivsi turbesi, Guduk Minare, Behrampasa Hani, tashan bunlarin arsindadir. Sivas'in turbe ve camileri kardar kalesi ; Selcuklu ve Osmanli donemine ait eserlerin bulundugu Eski Eserler Muzesi ve Mesire yerleri de gorulmeye degerdir. Hafik ve Todurge Golleri baliklari ile unlu olup guzel dinlenme yerleridir. Halkin cermik diye adlandirdigi sicak su kaynaklari vardir. Bunlardan Balikli Cermik; dolasim sistemi hastaliklarina , kalp yetmezliklerine, yuksek tansiyona, damar sertliklerine, solunum sistemi hastaliklarina, romatizma hastaliklarina ,kadin hastaliklarina iyi gelmesiyle unludur. Havuzda bulunan baliklar, vucudun hastalikli bolgesine salgilari ile iyi geliyor ve cesitli cilt hastaliklarinin iyilesmesini sagliyorlar. Sicak cermik ise hercesit romatizma, nefrit, nevralji ve kadin hastaliklarina; Soguk cermik de romatizma, asabi hastaliklar ve deri hastaliklarina iyi geliyor. Bu uc yerde de konaklama tesisleri mevcuttur. Sivasin Mutfagindan da bahsetmeden gecmek olmaz. Sivas Kebabi ile unlu olup ; Sivas Kebabi, Sac Kebabi ve Patlicanli Kebap cok lezzetlidir.Divrigi Pilavi, Hurma tatlisi, Madimak yemegi, Firin katmeri, peksimeti, Icli koftesi ve ekmek asi ve daha bir cok yemegi ile unludur. Tarihi guzelligi ve mutfagi kadar el sanatlari da Sivasta cok meshurdur. Sivas halilari, Selcuklu devrinden gelen bir gelenek olup dunyaca unludur. Gumusculuk, Sivas bicagi, Sivas Kilimi, Sivas Corabi, Sivas Kemik Taragi ve Sivas Carigi hala sanat geleneklerini gecmisten bugune surdurmektedir. Amerikalilar dugunlerde el sikisirlar, Italyanlar, Ruslar ve Fransizlar ise opusmeyi yeglerler. Koreliler abartilmis kostumler giyerler. Bazen damat da gelinde kaslarini catarlar ki bu ailelerini terkettikleri icin uzuntulerinin simgesidir. Bati dugunlerinde ise daha cok nese, eglence ve gelecege bakis acisi onemlidir. Turk dugununde, davetliler gelin ve damati kutlmak icin siraya girerler ve yanaklarindan operler. Altin takmak onemli bir gelenektir. Bilezik, kolye takilir ya da gelinin kirmizi kuagina kucuk altin takilir. Damada da kucuk altin ya da yabanci , yerli paralar takimina ignelenir. Turk evliligi , dogu ile batinin birlestigi yerdedir. Tarihe askim beni alip uzaklara goturuyor annenle dugun gunumuzu yazarken.

Turkish Marriage : Weddings, Customs and Traditions in Turkey

Turkish Marriage
Weddings, Customs and Traditions in Turkey
Book by Jasmine Soylu
Translated into English and Turkish

Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey
Turkish

Turk dugununde, davetliler gelin ve damati kutlmak icin siraya girerler ve yanaklarindan operler. Altin takmak onemli bir gelenektir. Bilezik, kolye takilir ya da gelinin kirmizi kuagina kucuk altin takilir. Damada da kucuk altin ya da yabanci , yerli paralar takimina ignelenir. Turk evliligi , dogu ile batinin birlestigi yerdedir.Tarihe askim beni alip uzaklara goturuyor annenle dugun gunumuzu yazarken... Annen, o gun demir cagindan daha da eski bir toren sergiledi. Kina gecesi ile dugunu birlestirdi. Davetlilere icecek ve yas pasta ikram edildi. Kinalar yakildi ve mumlar esliginde sarkilar soylendi. Kina, annenin ellerinde kurumaya birakildi.

San Francisco, California
English

In the traditional Turkish setting, marriage ceremonies generally start on Tuesday and end on Thursday. Some marriages start on Friday and end on Sunday. Wedding expenses are met by the bridegroom’s family. Regional variances aside, traditional weddings are marked by the following passages: Planting of a wedding flag. There is the entertainment at the gathering for the women of the couple’s families on the night before the wedding day. These Turkish rituals are characterized by the coloring of parts of the hands and feet with Henna. The henna tradition is known as Kına Gecesi. Fetching the bride is as important as the bride’s veil ceremony.

http://www.amazon.com/Turkish-Marriage-Weddings-Customs-Traditions/dp/1463735901

Jasmine Soylu Vacation

Jasmine Soylu Vacation
Colorado, California, and Nevada
Book by Jasmine Soylu
Translated into English and Turkish

http://www.amazon.com/Jasmine-Soylu-Vacation-Colorado-California/dp/1463784600

Turkiye'ye ilk ziyaretimizde Batuhan bir bucuk yasindaydi. Bilmiyorum o zaman etrafinda olan bitenlerin farkindamiydi? Tek gozlemledigim gordugu ilgi ve sevgiden cok mutluydu. Ikinci ziyaretimizde, ucakla Istanbul'a indigimizde farkli bir yerde oldugunu , insanlarin baska bir dil konustugunu duyunca anladi. Gozlerini kocaman acip insanlari dinlemeye basladi. Annem ve kardeslerimi de ayni ilgi ile dinlemeye basladi. Batuhan ismine ilk iki ziyarette pek tepki vermedi. Ikinci ziyaretmizin sonuna dogru ismi soylenince kafa cevirmeye basladi. Bu seneki ucuncu ziyaretimizde herseyin farkindaydi. Annem "Batuhan" dedigi zaman "No Batuhan" " Chase" diye israr etti bir sure. Hatta annemin arkadaslarinin yaninda "Ismin ne?" diye soruldugunda kafasi yerde" Chase" diye cevap verdi. Annem tekrar sorunca " Ba du han" dedi. Turkiye'de uc ay kalmamizin faydasi cok oldu. Chase, Amerika'da babasi ve annesi ile bir hayati oldugunu, isminin Chase, annesinin Gigi ve Mom oldugunu; Turkiyede ise Anneannesi ,teyzeleri , kuzenleri oldugunu ve isminin Batuhan, annesinin de Anne ve Guzin oldugunu ogrendi. Turkiye'ye ilk ziyaretimizden sonra Batuhan, havaalaninda babasini gorunce tanimayip kafasini cevirdi. Bir bucuk yasindaki bir cocugun iki aylik Turkiye ziyareti sonrasi babsini hatirlamamasi normal olsa gerek. Ankara'da her gununu teyzeleri ve anneanesi ile dolu dolu gecirdi. Parklar, gezmeler, alisverisler, arkadaslarla dolu oyle bir ortama girdi ki gordugu ilgi ve sevgi o'na cok seyler katti. Benim icin onemli olan ve burada fazla goremiyecegi aile sevgisini gormesi idi. Batuhan yemek konusunda cok secici. Onune konan yemeklerin goruntusune gore yiyip yemiyecegine karar veriryor. Ankara'ya ilk ziyaretimizde yemekten cok annemin muzlu,unlu, tereyagli, sekerli mamasina agirlik verdik ki biraz kilo alsin diye. Ikinci ziyaretimizde annemin pisirdigi butun yemekleri yedi. En cok hosuna giden babasinin da favorisi olan manti ve yogurtlu corba idi. Son ziyaretimizde ise ilgimi ceken teyzesinin yaptigi enginar dolmasini buyuk bir istahla yemesiydi. Turk yemeklerinin Amerika yemeklerinden farki taze sebzelerden ve etlerden yapilmis olmasi. Amerika'da ise taze yemeklerin yanisira dondurulmus yemek seceneklerinin cok olmasi ve calisan nufusun fazlaligi nedeni ile dondurulmus gida ve konserve tarzi yemeklere ragbet gosterilmesi. Batu'yu mumkun oldugunce konserve yemeklerden uzak tutmaya calisiyorum. Dondurulmus gidalari vermekte pek sakinca oldugunu sanmiyorum. Bana gore lezzetli oldugu surece Batuhan , Turk ya da Amerikan yemeklerini ayirt etmiyor.

Jasmine Soylu U.S.A. Vacation

Jasmine Soylu U.S.A. Vacation
Pacific Coast to Atlantic Coast
Book by Jasmine Soylu
Translated into English and Turkish

Jasmine Soylu U.S.A. Vacation "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu "For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." -- Robert Louis Stevenson "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain "Traveling is almost like talking with men of other centuries." -- René Descartes "Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." -- Miriam Beard

http://www.amazon.com/Jasmine-Soylu-U-S-Vacation-Atlantic/dp/146378466X

Learn about Turkey with the Toddler from Turkey

Turkish Toddler's First Visit to Ankara Turkey
Learn about Turkey with the Toddler from Turkey

http://www.amazon.com/Turkish-Toddlers-First-Ankara-Turkey/dp/1463791429

Turkish Toddler's First Visit to Ankara Turkey Ataturk Famous Quotes Happy is he who says, "I am a Turk". As they have come, so they will go. One day my mortal body will turn to dust, but the Turkish Republic will stand forever. There are two Mustafa Kemal's. One is the flesh-and-bone Mustafa Kemal who now stands before you and who will pass away. The other is you, all of you here who will go to the far corners of our land to spread the ideals which must be defended with your lives if necessary. I stand for the nation's dreams, and my life's work is to make them come true. To see me does not necessarily mean to see my face. To understand my thoughts is to have seen me. I have been able to teach many things to this nation, but I haven't been able to teach how to be lackeys. Peace at home, peace in the world. I am not ordering you to attack, I am ordering you to die. This nation has not lived without her independence. She will not and cannot live without it. Liberty or death! Turkey's true master is the peasant. Do not be afraid of telling the truth. To see me does not necessarily mean to see my face. To understand my thoughts is to have seen me. The Turkish Republic will be happy, prosperous and victorious. A healthy mind in a healthy body. Armies, your first goal is the Mediterranean. Forward ! Our great ideal is to raise our nation to the highest standard of civilization and prosperity. Culture is the foundation of the Turkish Republic. Following the military triumph we accomplished by bayonets, weapons and blood, we shall strive to win victories in such fields as culture, scholarship, science and economics. You will see my children, in the future everything will be done from the sky. All wars and civilizations will be in the skies above. That's why we must give great importance to the air force. The future is in the sky. Liberty and independence are my character. Victory is for those who can say "Victory is mine". Success is for those who can begin saying "I will succeed" and say "I have succeeded" in the end. Sovereignty is not given, it is taken. Authority, without any condition and reservation, belongs to the nation. Every nation as the right to demand proper treatment and no country should violate the territory of any other country. Teachers are the one and only people who save nations. Teachers: the new generation will be your devotion. The cornerstone of education is an easy system of reading and writing. The key to this is the new Turkish alphabet based on the latin script. Everything we see in the world is the creative work of women. Our true mentor in life is science. The Turkish Nation consists of the valiant descendants of a people that has lived independently and has considered independence the sole condition of existence. This nation has never lived without freedom, cannot and never will. We Turks are a people who, throughout our history, have been the very embodiment of freedom and independence. Our nation has succeeded owing to the unshakable unity it has shown in its actions and endeavors. Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives (at Gallipoli battles).. You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours.. You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now living in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

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