GEOLOGY AND CULTURE IN THE MUSLIM WORLD: SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY GEOLOGY FIELD CAMP, TAŞKESTI, TURKIYE: A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

For five weeks in the summer of 2014, 23 students worked to develop our field geology skills in the world-class Tethyan realm of the Middle East. The operating base was the small town of Taskesti, located approximately 200 kilometers east of Istanbul on the North Anatolian Fault. In addition, work was conducted in other areas near Cayirhan, Dokurcun and Sivrihisar. In the process we supplemented rigorous geological field work with nightly lectures, homework assignments, and other weekly geologic projects aimed at resolving real, current and unanswered geologic questions relevant to the areas of study.

Underlying the academic pursuit in geology is a rich backdrop of Turkish culture into which we were immersed daily. Over the duration of the field course we made friends with townspeople, became familiar with Muslim customs, learned a bit of the Turkish language, ate culturally unique and delicious food, and some of us attended a wedding party. We also took weekend field trips to historically significant sites such as the Black Sea as well as to cultural staples like Turkish baths, ornate mosques and churches, and the hometown of the idiosyncratic Nasreddin Hoca.

While the instructors drove us to become better scientists through systematic approaches to data collection, time management and the principals of geological analysis in the field, the underlying cultural pulse drove us to become more worldly, to leave our comfort zone and to alter our outlooks. Everyone we met for five weeks was a Turkish Muslim, and the welcome provided by these friendly people has created lasting and positive impressions for us of this part of the world. In this course, seeing geology abroad became an experience that allowed binding of two cultures to produce a truly enriching, one-of-a-kind geologic and cultural experience.