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Letter from the Director
Dear Students,
I have worked as a field archaeologist in Turkey for the past 17 years. The experiences I have had in this lovely country have been among the finest in my life, the richest, the most varied and beautiful. It is because I am confident that students at UCSB, and in the University of California in general, can have similarly excellent and enjoyable experiences in Turkey, my second home, that I have arranged to teach some of my regular university classes there each year. I simply can't think of anything better than being able to show ancient culture by walking up and down the streets of Ephesos and discussing the beautiful artefacts in its museum.
The program is located on the west coast of Turkey, south of Izmir, in Selçuk, the modern town of Ephesos, one of the great cities of antiquity. It is also one of the great archaeological projects in the world, having been excavated and restored for more than a century by the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Vienna.
Since the Austrians have invested considerable resources in restoring the ruins, they are a primary destination for tourists from all over Europe. Because of this long history of foreign research and tourism, Selçuk is a comfortably cosmopolitan small town, with an excellent selection of restaurants and small hotels.
The students and I all had a wonderful time last year on this program. Although we had plenty of activities and learned a lot in our classes and field trips, it was a comfortable, relaxing stay in a very Mediterranean environment. We were delighted at how hospitable the town of Selçuk was to us during our stay there. We all felt very welcome, like we had become part of the town for three weeks.
A special feature of the program is the complex that houses the lecture hall and the research library we will be using, the Crisler Library in Ephesos. It opened in September 2006, and was built by my dear friend Janet Crisler. It is located across the street from the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the world, around the corner from the museum and walking distance from the ancient site. The library has a large reading room furnished with computer terminals with broadband internet connections, wireless internet for laptops, and a cafe in the patio.
This is a fantastic opportunity. You can make Ephesos your classroom! You could be doing your reading in the Library, or at a pleasant outdoor cafe, and then walk a few steps to the museum or ancient Ephesos to check out what you're reading about, to see it, touch it, walk around in it. And all this in a lovely sunny village by the ocean.
See you there!
Sincerely,
Christine M. Thomas
Program Director
Summer Program in Turkey
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