Phillip and Rebecca Mefford

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Sevgi bestesinin tınılarını yüreğinizde hissedeceğiniz, ümitlerinizin dostluklarla pekişeceği, gülücüklerinizin hiç bitmeyeceği, sevgi, huzur ve barış dolu bir yıl dileğiyle. May your heart feel love’s melodic timbre, your hope become stronger through the bond of friendship, your smile never fade, and your year be filled with love's affection, tranquility of mind, and the peace of reconciliation.

Schools often organize special presentations for the kids to display their songs, dances, and Turkish pride. In the first apartment we lived in, in Turkey, there was a bright and rambunctious little four-year-old named Zeynep. She talked circles around us, and we marveled at the effortlessness of her speech as we struggled to learn her language. As she grew and started going to school she loved to perform the songs she learned for us. Now my children are learning those same songs. There is such a sweet simplicity to children’s songs, and it is fun diving into a world of animals, fruits, shapes, colors, and customs with songs that are newer to us than the knee-high children just starting school. Here are a few, with our rough translation: Çal Kapını Çal kapıyı Bak pencereden Cevir mandalı Gir içeri Al bir sandalye Otur şura Nasılsın Ayşe? Nasılsın Fatma? Knock on the door Look through the window Turn the latch Come inside Get a chair Sit here