TAAA and TSA have organized 29th October, Republic Day celebration, 86th Birthday of Turkish Republic. A presentation is shown. Ozancan Yuguran played wonderful "Klarnet". We danced, have Turkish dishes and as usual enjoyed each others companies. That was a wonderful day , a day to celebrate wonderfully.
The first official meeting for the TAAA took place on Sunday, January 10, 2009 to kick off the organization’s beginning. The informational meeting, open to everyone, was a big hit. Visitors from all over Alabama came to the meeting and often signed up to become members and even participated in events to introduce the younger generation to Turkish culture and promote Turkish culture in the US. The organization’s board members were introduced to everyone and they all gave a PowerPoint presentation on Turkey consisting of the agenda for the year and a bit of Turkish history. Of course Turkish music filled the Smolian International House at UAB, the building that housed the meeting. |
For the 8th annual International Bazaar at the UAB campus, the TAAA was invited to set up tables along with many other countries, to represent the customs and traditions of Turkey. On Wednesday, January 29, 2009, the organization brought Turkish artifacts, spanning from jewelry and porcelain masterpieces to hand woven carpets and other home décor to the event. The TAAA also offered two delicious treats to visitors: locum and Turkish delight. The International Student Organization from UAB organizes the event each year. |
On May 22, the TAAA came together for a relaxing day in the sun to celebrate the Commemoration of Ataturk and the Youth & Sports Day. The organization decided to take a trip to the Oak Mountain Park in Birmingham, where many pet owners brought along their dogs for a hike up to a beautiful waterfall in the park. The TAAA also had a picnic; some enjoyed their lunch in the cool shade of the trees while others dined by the water, watching the kids and dogs play. They even had the pleasure of drinking Turkish tea that two members (thank you, Ayse and Ferhat!) of the organization brought! Overall, it was a wonderful day for unwinding and just hanging out with friends of the TAAA.
To celebrate the National Sovereignty of Turkey and Children’s Day, the TAAA came together on Sunday, April 25, at the Park Trace Clubhouse in Hoover for a day of fun and games for the children and barbequing for the adults. More than 70 people came to the event, including several families and students from Tuscaloosa. From potatoes to köfte and brownies to baklava, every TAAA member and guest contributed something to the feast, and of course, a TAAA get-together would not be complete without Turkish coffee and tea. The kids played games and even had a quiz on facts about Turkey, with questions like what the country flower of Turkey is; throughout the event, the kids received gifts from the organization and also had the opportunity to take a swim in the clubhouse pool! Instead of swimming, some of the boys and (even some adults!) played soccer on a field in the area, only a few minutes away. As the event came to a close, several members and guests came together for a Turkish folk dance before everyone said their goodbyes for the night. |
