‘I am Turkish. I am learning Greek’: Students on what drew them to the language

An unusual event took place in Istanbul a few days ago. Turkish students were awarded diplomas for learning Greek after taking a Greek language course at the Sismanoglio Megaro. There are now dozens of Turks who want to learn Greek, and the Hellenic Study Center at the Sismanoglio Megaro, which operates under the auspices of the Consulate General of Greece in Istanbul, gives them the opportunity to do so, free of charge. Evidence of the course’s popularity is that there are up to 10 times more applicants each year than the 20 spots available.

“Every September we get between 150 and 200 applications. It is difficult to choose. There are special criteria. Every year we accept only 20 students,” Eva Achladi, coordinator of the program and in charge of the Sismanoglio’s Sakkoulidis Library, told Kathimerini. “We give priority to students’ academic profiles. For example, those who are doing doctoral and master’s degrees which concern Greece, in the fields of Byzantine or modern Greek studies. We also prioritize those who have a connection with the publishing industry, such as translators in publishing houses. Then we have further special criteria that are taken into consideration, like if someone is married to a Greek citizen or is a member of the Greek community but did not attend a Greek school. We also had morning programs for Orthodox Arabic-speaking mothers so they can support their children. We’ve had students that were journalists, artists etc.”

“This is a cultural center. All the students come to our cultural events. We also promote Greek-Turkish friendship by debunking stereotypes. At any of our events, you’ll find Greeks and Turks all mixed together,” says Konstantinos Koutras, consul general of Greece in Istanbul.

Strict rules

“We consider our students to be scholars because the courses are free, but we have certain requirements,” says Achladi. “In fact, students must have self-discipline because they cannot exceed a certain number of absences and the schedule is demanding at six hours twice a week, with exams for the Greek language diploma taking place in May. Since 2013, the Sismanoglio has been an exam center for the whole of Turkey in cooperation with the Greek Language Center.”

“On average, we have 60-70 students taking the exams every year. With this diploma you can study and find a job in Europe. This diploma has helped our students get into PhD programs,” says Achladi.

At the Sismanoglio Megaro, in addition to courses and the library, there are seminars for teachers. Many former students now also teach Greek.

Vassilis Danellis is a teacher in the Sismanoglio’s Greek language learning program. “We are not a cramming school. We choose the students here. We do this to be a cultural center. To produce different activities. The Sismanoglio Megaro plays a coordinating role for all the Greek language centers. Those who do not qualify for our program go and learn Greek at other places with which we cooperate. We hold online seminars every month,” he says.

“We encourage our students to present their own culture as well, and we respect everyone. The library works as an online research library. We are popular because Turkish society loves Greek culture. We used to have academic lecture series. Elsewhere they would gather 10 people, we would gather 100 people. There are cases of our students finding old Greek books in bookstores and buying them with their own money to bring them to us. Anyone who has come here to learn Greek knows how the language is connected to the culture of this city. They want the language to continue to exist in Istanbul,” says Achladi.

Six students from the program spoke to Kathimerini about why they decided to learn Greek, their experiences and their plans for the future.

Zeynep Duru Erdem

“I am studying to be a translator at Yeditepe University in Istanbul and I considered studying Greek. I was interested in the Greek language. I like this language and I thought that if I learn it, it will be an advantage for me compared to other students who will go on to study English or French. My friends were surprised by my decision, but my family supported me and continues to support me in my endeavor.”

Mehmet Ali Yetim

“I am a retired banker. I wanted to learn Greek. My family, both on my father’s and mother’s side, are from Greece – from Didymoteicho. I grew up listening to their stories. When I was young, I always wondered what Greeks and Greece were like. And when I had the opportunity to learn Greek, I did. I have studied Greek in the past by taking private lessons and reading newspapers. I like Greek culture.”

Tulay Ayvatoglu

“I am a nurse. I married a Greek doctor and felt the need to learn Greek both for my husband and for our two children, who are currently attending the Zappeion Greek school here in Istanbul. I am trying to learn to read and write Greek to help them. It is a difficult language, but I like it and I will continue my studies here at the Sismanoglio Megaro. I can already see the positive results.”

Buket Bayri

“I’m a historian-Byzantinologist, that’s why I want to learn Greek, to read in Greek, to be able to speak this language with my colleagues. I can read ancient Greek. I’ve been taking classes here at the Sismanoglio Megaro for two years. I have two more years. I am a member of a Byzantine studies society. I like this language. I am from Smyrna, and when I was a little girl, we watched television in Greek. And my family came from Greece, from Crete and Neapolis in the Peloponnese. My friends and colleagues tell me that what I do is interesting. I feel like I’m at home. As if we are finding something here that we have lost.” 

Basak Gumusel

“I studied history and now I am pursuing my master’s degree. I was thinking of going to Crete to learn Greek because some of my friends already knew ancient Greek, and my professors were pushing me in that direction. Then I heard about the program at the consulate. I applied and was accepted, so I came here and I’m learning Greek. I like reading and understanding Greek. It can open new horizons for you.”

Evrim Caglar

“I am studying political science and now I am working on my PhD thesis about the early years of the Turkish Republic and the relations between the state and the Orthodox Church. I want to be able to use the Greek archives. I have three children. I had heard people speaking the Greek language growing up in Trabzon, where I come from, but it is a different dialect there. I was thinking of going to the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki to study Greek, but I found this program at the Sismanoglio Megaro, where I was accepted, and so I am continuing my studies of the Greek language here.”

The library

The book collection named after the late cleric Meletios Sakkoulidis preserves rare documents about Hellenism in Istanbul. After his death, his daughter Ivi Sakkoulidou donated the collection to the Greek state on the condition that it remain in Istanbul and be accessible to researchers. Since 2009, the Sakkoulidis Collection has been operating as a research library, serving researchers from all over the world.

The collection is a valuable resource from which a researcher can draw information on every aspect of the life and organization of the Roman community in Istanbul and of Hellenism in Asia Minor in general. It contains approximately 12,000 titles and covers the period from the beginning of the 17th century to the beginning of the 21st century, with a greater density of titles in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Many of the publications are rare and are a valuable resource for those studying the history of the Greeks of Istanbul. 

The second part of the Sismanoglio Megaro library is the lending library. It has more than 6,000 volumes, with an emphasis on contemporary Greek literature, books for children and adolescents, but also historical studies, scrapbooks etc. It serves the needs of the Greek community, students of the Modern Greek language and literature departments in Turkey, but also anyone interested, as it is open and accessible to everyone.