10th Proud Year of International ICT Seagulls Project

(Photos were taken during the Certificate Distribution in Nepal by Prod.David Hutchins, Prof.Dr. Dinesh Chapagain and Dr. Lekhnath Pathak.)

 

Dear All,

This year we are going to start the 10th year of the International ICT Seagulls Project. Here is the initial announcement of it.

YOU ARE INVITED!

© “10th PROUD YEAR” of the “INTERNATIONAL ICT SEAGULLS PROJECT’13”

We have been prideful of announcing the 10th year of the International ICT Seagulls which aims at continuous improving, effective ICT using and collaboratively problem solving based upon the SQC Philosophy to train TQPs for the future peaceful world.

The project started in 2004 and has been able to come to the present day vividly including the project teams from the kindergartens to college students. It was conducted not only in Turkey but also in USA, India, UK, South Africa and Nepal and produced 260 projects. Now, it is the 10th proud year and we would like to invite you to register.

According to the philosophy of the Project; all the teams which complete their projects properly are accepted “Successful” and they get their Certificates. The Project starts on the 1st of December and ends on the 1st day of June with a Blog and/or a web page design hugging all the steps of the project. It is expected that after the assessment phase the teams do not close the Blogs/Web Pages.
For the 10th Proud Year of the Project, we determined 5 main themes.
Main Themes:
1. THINKING LIKE A LEADER: The team members look at a problem issue with the glasses of the greatest leader of their own country, such as Ataturk, Gandhi, Mandela, etc. and they try to find solutions as if they were him/her. To do that, team members should be well aware of the principles of their leader.
2. ACTING AS AN ENVIRO-LOVER: The team members work on an environmental problem and try to find solutions. Their main question must be: “How can we make the life of our planet longer?”

3. LOOKING ETHICALLY:  Teams might focus on Information Technologies (IT), Ethics and Safety.
4. LOOKING/ACTING WITH LOVE: We witness many conflicts, violence, humiliation and terrorism around us. How can we look at them with dignity, peace, love and tolerance and find solutions accordingly?

5. EMPHATIC LOOK: Projects for the disabled people conducted with empathy. Target Groups:
1. SQCs starting from kindergarten classes to college classes,
2. SQCs with and for the disabled and/or gifted adults and/or students,
3. SQCs formed and  guided by NGOs, companies and families.

Participation/Registration Rules: In order to participate in the ICT Seagulls Project, the “ETHICAL PPROTOCOL” must be signed by the School Principal and Leading Teachers. Volunteerism, Commitment, Obeying rules and using the needed Technology are the main expectations. There is NO FINANCIAL AWARD of the Project. Learning collaboration, developing team spirit, and applying the problem solving skills are the main profits for the teachers and students. The most precious award of this Project is NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION.
Partners & Supporters:  “CMS, Lucknow, India” and “Tria Bilişim, Istanbul, Turkey” are the main partners and supporters of the Project. If you also want to be a partner or a supporter, keep in touch.
For More Information, please contact Dr. Hayal KÖKSAL who is the Designer & the General Coordinator of the Project.     hayal@hayalkoksal.com     koksalhayal@gmail.com

THANK YOU!!!!

Turkish Republic & 89th Anniversary

The Turkish Republic was founded by Ataturk and his friends on 29th October 1923. Tomorrow we are going to celebrate the 89th anniversary of it.

I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY.

A Conference Announcement

Dear All,
I want to share the Broshure of a conference about Psychology. I believe it will attract your attention. I am one of the speakers of it.
Sincerely yours,
Hayal KÖKSAL, Ph.D.

A National Convention with the Support of WCTQEE a School in India

Dearest Dosts,

I got the following e-mail from Kalarav school in India yesterday. The school principal, who was our one of our honorary guests during the 11th ICSQCC in 2008, has been inviting me, volunteer academicians and also some school teams from Turkey to the National Convention they are going to organize with the support of WCTQEE in December. I want to share her letter with you. If there exists any school leaders who want to participate in the event, they must call me to register and get more information.
I wish Mrs. Kalpana Joshipura good luck in her hard work and also I would like to congratulate her and her school for the commitment to quality. 

TO,

Dr. Hayal Koksal
Director General (Turkey), WCTQEEDirector, Eurasia Center for Schools of Quality,
Istanbul / Turkey.

Respected  Ms. Hayal koksal
NAMASKAR  AND  JAI  JAGAT
With  regards  and  pleasure  we heartily invite  you  to the   2^nd  National  Convention  on  Students  Quality  Control  Circles – 2012 at  Kalarav  School,  Halol GUJARAT  during  2^nd  to  4^th  December  2012.
Gujarat is the most developed state in all aspects. It is an incredible land of great freedom fighters, saints, poets etc. It is also a pious birth place of great leaders like “Mahatma Gandhi” and “Sardar Patel”. It is also famous for its various monuments and pilgrimage places. One of the most famous pilgrim is “Pavagadh” hill which is included
in “World Heritage Site”. We are lucky to host the convention in lap of this hill.
It  is  a  proud  privilege  for  KALARAV  SCHOOL  to  host  the  2^nd  NCSQCC  -  2012  first  time.
KALARAV  SCHOOL  is  situated  in  Halol  and  run  by  Kalarav  Nursery  Trust  having  2300  students  on  roll.  The  school  has  achieved  a  great  height  of  success  in  academics  and  co-academics.  It  is  the  proud  recipient  of  5^th  Computer  Literacy  Excellence  Award  by  Department  of  Information  and  Technology,  Govt.  of  India.  Our  Principal  MRS.  KALPANA  P.  JOSHIPURA
is  accoladed with  President  Award  for  Best  Teacher  by  Dr.  A. P. J. Abdulkalam  and  Mahatama  Gandhi  Education  Award  for  Best  Principal  of  Gujarat  State  by  Smt.  Anandiben  Patel.  School  has  also  won  many  International  Awards  in  the  field  of  Quality  i.e.  Deming  Award,  Juran  Award,  Ishikawa  Award  and  many  more  for  Best  Case  Study  Presentation.
We  are  expecting  Global  participation  of  students,  academicians,  quality  experts,  professionals  and  managers  in  the  convention.  Nearly  2000  students,  teachers  and  principals  will  participate  in  the  Convention  for  around  5  days. The  stalwart  of  Quality  Experts  like  Dr.  A.  P.  J.  Abdulkalam  (Former  President  of  India),  Dr.  Jagdish  Gandhi  (UNESCO  Peace  Prize  winner),  Dr.  Vineeta  Kamran  (Director  General,  WCTQEE & Quality  Expert  in  Education),  Dr.  M. H. Mehta  (Padmashree  in  the  field  of  Agriculture  and  Science),  Mr.  Harshad  Shah  (Vice  Chancellor,  Children  University) , Dr. Kasturi Ranaganan (Member of  Planning Commission India) and  many  other  eminent  speakers  from  leading  industries  and  education  will  lead  this  mega  event  a  grand  success.
Being a member of  WCTQEE I  humbly  invite  you  to  be  as  one  of  the most  honorable guest  during  all three days.                                                                                                             
I  also  heartily  request  you  to  send  some delegates. We  also  need  your  valuable  suggestions  for “NCSQCC I”  also  enclose  the  appeal  letter  for  reference.  We  will  be  highly  obliged  if  you  can  send  your suggestions. I am also attaching the brochure and registration form please check out this as well. Kindly please send us yours Passport size photograph & Message for seminaries.
This  is  only  possible  due  to  your  kind  blessings.  Once  again  we  heartily  request  you  to  be  with  us  for  all  3  days.  Kindly  consent  and  oblige  us.
Thanking  you.
Mrs. Kalpana Joshipura,
Convenor

 

 

Summer School Ended, Now It is Holiday Time!

Dear Colleagues,

The Summer School, which forms the 3rd Academic Term of  universities in general, ended in my university, and thus the Summer Holiday has started for me. I had many dreams, but unfortunately, it has started with a terrible flu. I have been in bed for the last three days. I hope, from then on, I will recover fast and go on my Summer days in a healthy and joyful manner, for I NEED IT! I believe I DESERVED IT. I worked hard since the last October. I gave my courses and also I coordinated 2012 International ICT Seagulls Project (www.bilisimcimartilar.com). To manage the Award Ceremony in an active spirit, I need a good rest. I am planning to organize it in late September or early October days.

This year I traveled abroad three times. The first one was in December and it was to Lucknow, ındia to participate in the 13th ICSQCC. We were there as an eight-person-Turkish Delegate including our dearest Dean, some colleagues from Bahçeşehir, Kadir Has Universities and from St.Benoit High School, and some students from our university. In February, as a result of an unexpected invitation, I went to Brussels to participate in an EU- NGO meeting, namely P2P. The last one was in June to Amsterdam to participate in the wedding ceremony of a lovely sister of mine from USA. Leslie Janoe with her wonderful family members and friends made my days I spent there. I hope until the end of year, I might be able to visit some interesting places as well. You know, I love travelling and making new friends. Taking photograph is my another hobby with whom all my students are familiar. :)

My Summer School days were very fruitful and joyful with my 40 lovely students. They learned how to apply İmece Circles and they produced 50 İmece Projects through SQC methodology. Tomorrow, I will start my holiday. I will be in Aegean Region for two weeks. BYE! 

                                                                                             

Summer School Begins

Dear All,
Tomorrow the Summer School of B.U. will start. I will be giving a compulsary course titled; "Introduction to Educational sciences" there. In my list there are 40 registered teacher trainees. They must be thinking of me and the course, just like I am thinking of them. A new course, new faces and new sharings. You might ask why I am in such an effort in such a hot season. Why do not I rest? Why do not I set some time for my personal hobbies? I must admit that I have been feeling sick since the exam days are over on 9th June. I could not realize the plan of a short holiday in Datça due to a sudden attack of Vertigo. Perhaps you will not believe in me but I am feeling much better now thinking that tomorrow school starts.  I am afraid I am a kind of workhaolic. Or meeting new people, making new dosts, sharing and caring must be my mission and I cannot give up such a life style. This is me! I am happy for being such a person. I do not want to cahnge it and I want to pass away while I am teaching and/or learning. I have been feeling like this for 37 years. I always think that wasting even five minutes is a big crime. Our lives are limited and adding value to life and to the lives of others is the biggest responsibility of a human being.
During the past two weeks, I realized two important things:
1. I gave a lecture and I was a panelist for the disabled people and,
2. I read three books.  I liked "Water" written by Buket Uzuner. I could not leave the book aside until I read the last line. It was wonderful. Hoerr's  "The Art of School leadership" was another favourite one and I have decided to use some chapters in my lessons. The thoughts of Beki Erikli in her last book titled "Living with Angels" was another interesting source for me. Now I am trying to finish the historical novel of Ahmet Ümit which is about the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet. It is also interesting. I love reading. You?
Tomorrow I will share my first impressions about my first lesson. I hope the week starts in a positive atmosphere not only for us but for all the worl humanity. I think my country has been approaching to the edge of war very often recently. It is odd in a country which was founded under the motto of Atatürk: "Peace at home, Peace in the world.". Conflicts, violence and/or war are not good for us, not good for others or for the environment. I hope wisdom wins.  

Best regards,

Hayal KÖKSAL

Another Reflection

Dear All,

On 9th June, the final exams ended. The students of "Non-Violence in Education" handed in their project CDs and we said good-bye to each other. Final days always craete a feeling of loneliness in me. This time it was the same. I will never forget the ones whose hearts shared the same feelings with me. Here is another reflection from İ. Akgül. He assisted me a lot during the term concerning the time management. I wish him good luck for the future days.

Loves to all...

Hayal Köksal

First of all, I am so happy to become a member of this course. Because it was very nice semester for me.Moreover, it is so nice to meet dear Hayal KÖKSAL. I have learned many things from her.She is an excellent instructor. I have met many new friends, too. It  has become very beneficial for me to learn many presentation formats, I did not know them before.
My group friends and I have studied on verbal violence.While doing this, we did many researches and I am sure that they are very effective and instructive. In this course, we also watched approximately twelve different presentations about the types of violence. There is some new information for me that I could not hear before. Many of those presentations were very successful. We all have had knowlegde about violence and its types and solutions to overcome it. Individual presentations were again very successful.
I also want to explain about our guests:Aylin Vartanyan, Maggie Pınar and Dolunay Obruk. Those lessons were very different for me and  I enjoyed a lot, for each guest talked about their profession and did some  kind of workshop with us. For instance, Mrs. Vartanyan and we played a game and it was both funny and instructive. Again Mrs. Obruk mentioned about art, history and  jazz and we listened some of her favorite musics. But the most enjoyable lesson for me was the Mrs. Meggie’s one. She had a strong energy and it effected me a lot.
I want to thank to dear Hayal KÖKSAL because of her guests. We have had a good semestr with Mrs. Köksal. And she shared her experiences with us and I think that she is a very very professional person in education and teaching.I am so lucky that I am a student of dear Hayal Köksal.
                                                                                                                                            İ.Akgül

                                                                 

Feedback from the Students

Dear All,
The academic year ended and most of the instructors must be busy with the evaluation of the whole term. Each term of any course is a new gate for me: I meet new teacher trainees and I know that they are the architectures of the future world. Therefore they gain more importance for me. After 14 weeks of collaborative work, we learn many things from each other. As an instructor this is also valid for me. I learn about my teaching methodology, the materials I used, my assessment style and others. The last days of the term is the real learning time for me. Their feedback and their suggestions are very important for me. This term more than 100 students have shared their feelings and comments with me again. I am thankful to them. I hope they also learned from my experiences which have been accumulated in 36 years.

I would like to share one of the feedback coming from my first year students. G. Başer wrote it. Thanks a lot and good luck to you my dearest colleague. Loves,

Hayal KÖKSAL

FEEDBACK

This course was one of the most enjoyable lectures that I have taken this semester.  Instead of the teacher-centered or student- centered education learning method, there was a method involving both students actively including the teacher: İmece Circles!  It enabled us to have an active role during lectures by presentations that we made. Importantly, class discussions following the presentation helped the internalization of the presented subject and by this way, not just individuals who made presentation dominated over that lecture, also other students in class found the opportunity to express their ideas about the subject. In addition, teacher’s contribution to class discussions with her experience of academic work was really interesting and helpful.
     When it comes to assessment style of the course, I can say that it is not assessment style like overpowering with mid-terms and memorizing things just the purpose of a good grade. Instead with the absence of anxiety, I think that students wanted to learn just because they wanted it. Moreover, by the system of taking the register, participation in courses was provided during the semester.  In addition, using power point to make presentations helped a better understanding due to including both seeing subject and hearing what is talking about.
    During the semester, I tried to come all lectures but there are some absences of mine. I tried to make additional homework that instructor gave us in order to meet the course needs. Finally, I would like to emphasize that I am really glad to be one of part of this course.
G.Başer
Guidance & Counseling Dept.

From DREAM to REALITY: A lovely day with Joy & Angie

From DREAM to REALITY: A lovely day with Joy & Angie: We had a wonderful day with Joy and Angie. Thanks alot my dear sisters. To reach at the photos of today you can click that link: http...

A lovely day with Joy & Angie

We had a wonderful day with Joy and Angie. Thanks alot my dear sisters.

To reach at the photos of today you can click that link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150880257948108.400266.703658107&type=1&l=bc55d5fe1b

Sincerely yours,

Hayal Köksal

From DREAM to REALITY: INVITATION TO THE TALK OF JOY & ANGIE

From DREAM to REALITY: INVITATION TO THE TALK OF JOY & ANGIE: YOU ARE INVITED To the Talk By Joy E. Stocke & Angie Brenner  The writers of; "Anatolian Days & Nights: A Love Affair with Turke...

INVITATION TO THE TALK OF JOY & ANGIE

YOU ARE INVITED

To the Talk By

Joy E. Stocke & Angie Brenner

 The writers of;
"Anatolian Days & Nights: A Love Affair with Turkey, Land of Dervishes, Goddesses and Saints"
 (Anatoliandaysandnights.com​)

22nd May 2012, 13.15-15.30

Boğaziçi University, North Campus, YD 106, Bebek, Istanbul/TURKEY

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.

                                                                                        Hayal KÖKSAL

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY

DEAR ALL,
I WISH A VERY HAPPY "MOTHERS' DAY" TO YOU.
THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR WITHOUT HER. I MISS HER SMILING FACE, HER WARMTH AND HER LOVE SO MUCH.
THIS IS THE LIFE!
IT CONSISTS OF A CIRCLE: BIRTH, GROWING UP, MATURITY, PRODUCTIVITY, GETTING OLD AND DEATH...
HOWEVER, THE EXISTENCE OF OUR CHILDREN, OUR DOSTS AND OUR STUDENTS KEEP US STRONGER BEFORE THE SAD EVENTS OF LIFE.

PLEASE HUG AND KISS YOUR MUM WHEN YOU STILL HAVE HER.
LOVES,

HAYAL KÖKSAL

Plans for this Month

Dear all,
This month is so important for the Turkish schools and also for parents. The schools will close in the middle of June and these days are very busy for all students and teachers. They are taking exams, presenting projects and entering very important national exams for their future years. On the other hand, the lovely weather of the spring time puts some kind of obstacles in front of them. Their minds and eyes are in the parks and at the seaside. In fact, this is same for all age groups. The awakening nature is also a sign of the awakening minds. Most of our National Festival days take place in April and in May. Last month we celebrated the Children's Festival Day on 23rd April. The 1st day of the May was important not for all the workers but also for all as the Spring Festival Day. Now we have the Youth and Sports Festival Day on 19th May. It is the starting day of the Independence War of Turks. All those days remind of us all our duties and responsibilities as the children of our great leader Atatürk.
Let me share my plans for the month with you...
My lessons at boğaziçi University will go on until the end of May. The final exams will take place between the 1st and 9th of June. This summer I will have two courses at the Summer School of my university. One is elective and its name is: "Teachers of the Future".  It was designed for the junior and senior students of the Faculty of Education. We will share the characteristics of the schools of the future and then learn the responsibilities and characteristics of the future teachers. We will conduct the course by remembering the old sdystems and projecting  to the future. 

This week the specil week for the Disabled People. That is why I invited a challenged friend to my classroom to share his difficulties and expectations concerning the disabled from the future leaders. I am thankful to Mr. Ahmet Bağbekleyen who is the director of a Rehabilitation Center and also an ex TV programmer and Journalist.  My students have gained awareness concerning the above mentioned problems. They learned that feeling pity and sadness is not the solution but accepting as a human being equal to the abled ones. We also stressed the importance of the training of the abled ones before the disabled. I present my good wishes to all challenged dosts in the world.

On 11th may, there is the Peace Culture and Education Workshop at the Rectorate Hall of Boğaziçi University. BUPERC, YEKÜV & HumanIst co-ordinate the event. It will take place between  9.45-17.45 and it is free.
13th May is ther special day for our mothers. We always love and respect our mothers but that day is a symbolic one and sometimes it is needed to realize the warm communication between mums and children. Remembering must come from the heart not from the purse! :)
Two precious American writers will participate and give a talk on their recent book, titled: "Anatolian Days and Nights" in my classroom on 22th May. You are all invited!
We are within the last month of the International ICT Seagulls Project. All the circles will deliver their web pages/Blogs within the first week of June. Most of the teams are finalizing their projects and organizing their last performances. I wish good luck to all teams.
I wish you a very happy, fruitful and healthy May to you. Sincerely yours,
Hayal KÖKSAL

Anatolian Days & Nights

Peacebuilding through the Art of Storytelling 

Joy E. Stocke &  Angie Brenner wrote a wonderful book about Anatolia:

Anatolian Days & Nights: A Love Affair with Turkey,
Land of Dervishes, Goddesses, and Saintswww.anatoliandaysandnights.com

They will be in Istanbul in May and...

They will honour me with their existence in my classroom.
I would like to thank them on behalf of my student at boğaziçi University

Interview with Joy E. Stocke/Wild River Review:

http://www.wildriverreview.com/Interview/Memoir/Joy-E.-Stocke/Anatolian-Days-and-Nights/Leesha-Lentz

Interview with Angie Brenner/San Diego Union Tribune:

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/mar/31/talking-turkey-the-country/

Courses start with SQC/İmece Training

Dear All,

The year 2012 has started with lots of seminars and travels for me. Even though Turkey has had a snowy winter, we have continued sharing our experiences and excitements with our colleagues and students. First of all, we were in Trabzon to give a "Project management and ICT Seagull Seminar" to teachers working there. Then, I was one of the speakers of the Association for the Graduates of Yıldız Technical University. I shared my WCTQEE and CMS experiences with the audience. yesterday there was a meeting at sabancı university concerning "University-Industry Partnership" held by ARTEV. I will be in Brussels to participate an EU project named "People 2 People". Thus the first two months of the year will be ended with a busy agenda. 

Today and on Friday I will be starting my SQC and TQE Seminars to the students who elected my courses. In my courses I always use the project-based training to teach the future teachers the most helpful and fruitful methodology. They learn it, they try it and finally they like it. Mostly it happened like this. My seminars of this week are open to all participants. Today, it will take place on the North Campus of Boğaziçi university (YD 106) and on Friday at YD 116.

The registration period of ICT seagulls Project will end on the first week of March. ıf you are interested in it (www.bilisimcimartilar.com), please hurry.

Have a happy week.

Hayal KÖKSAL

New Term will Start Tomorrow

Dear All,
A new term is going to start tomorrow at Boğaziçi University. I have been looking forward to meeting  100 teacher trainees. This excites me because I believe that teachers are the essential elements of a community since they have been holding the forming power of future generations.

For the last four days I was in Trabzon to give a seminar to the teachers concerning ICT Seagulls seminar. The interest and participation of them made me very happy and hopeful for the future. My visit there was the result of great efforts of one of my ex-students_ Aygül Aydın Öztürk. I had taught English to her and her classmates in Göle High School between the years of 1978 and 1981. After ages, she found me through Facebook and we made plans to come together. Technology assists people to find their past friends and it did the same for us. I have been very happy to see my ex-student and her family. They provided us with a great opportunity of meeting new friends and learning more about that Black Sea Region city and its culture. My thanks go to Öztürk Family.

The registration time will end on 1st March for the ICT Seagulls Project. I hope more international teams take part in it. The picture below is from the Long Lake of Trabzon. Loves,

Hayal KÖKSAL

Happy St. Velentine's Day!

PEACE AND LOVE ARE THE BASIC NEEDS OF ALL.

HAPPY ST. VALENTINE'S DAY TO YOU.

TURKISH SCHOOLS & TERM HOLIDAY

Turkish schools started their fifteen-day-holiday yesterday. I wish a peaceful and fruitful holiday to all students, teachers, administrators and also parents. Universities also ended their final exams and students have started their one-month holiday. If you ask about the instructors; we will rest after checking the final papers and projects, make the necessary preparations for the next term and most probably we will also set aside some days to rest.

I am planning to rets for some time during the first week of February. I will also take some exercice to feel healthier for the coming days. For, I will give two courses and most probably I will have 90 more very precious students like the previous ones. One is an elective course named; "Non-violence in education". It is for the junior and senior students of all faculties. It will be the second time to be instructed. I know it will be a very useful one for the future teachers. They will produce many projects to be ornamented with SQC philosophy. The other is a compulsory course for the freshman students: "Introduction to education". Being an experienced teacher does not mean to stay without doing anything about the new term. It necessitates harder work to renew ourselves. that is why I will be reading many books during the holiday. I will also finalize editing a book about "Village Institutions". It contains 35 projects concerning that wonderful philosophy.

I will go on lecturing about ICT seagulls Project after the holiday. On 11th February I am one of the speakers of the Monthly Seminars of the Alumni Center of Yıldız Technical University. On 15th I will be in Trabzon to inform all the educators working there including the Black Sea Technical University. This year, the interest of the universities seems to be more intensive then the previous years. Yalova University will also ve with us soon.

I would like to share a photo from the ICT Seagulls Award ceremony in CMS, Lucknow, India on 3rd December 2011. Prof.Richard Ennals is getting the awards of Kingston university teams.I hope this year we will be organize one in Turkey and one in Nepal. Sincerely yours,
Hayal KOKSAL

EURASIAN CENTER FOR SCHOOLS OF QUALITY

We opened a new Chapter within Quality Studies:

EURASIAN CENTER for SCHOOLS of QUALITY

Please wait for the recent developments!

Hayal Köksal & John Jay Bonstingl

Photo Source: http://www.istanbul.com/istanbul-resimleri/kopruler/bogaz-koprüsü--982/

NEW YEAR WISHES

May this New Year 2012 bring
 H ours of happy times with all your friends, colleagues and family
Abundant time for relaxation
Prosperity
Plenty of love from your dear & near
Youthful excitement at life’s simple pleasures

Nectar in your thoughts
Everything you need
Wishing you love and happiness through out the year

Years and years of happiness & good health
Enjoyment and excitement throughout the Year
Angel to watch over you
Rattling speed to grow!

Wish you a happy and prosperous New year to you and your family.

Regards

                                             

 I LIKED THE ABOVE LINES CAME FROM S.B.PUROHİT AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU. 
                                                                                                                 HAYAL KÖKSAL                                                
                                                   

A New Start to A New Year

I WISH A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND WEALTHY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY DOSTS.

I want to share an e- mail coming from dearest Yönter family living in USA. I had met Yeşim through a lovely friend from Adana and I had read her poems and also followed her activities with a great admiration on the way of assisting Cancer patients who were university students. Then, she also lost her life due to that terrible disease and her lovely husband Akın went on directing the Cancer Survivors Fund. I am very happy to know both of them. Now, such a mail guided me to share it will the whole dosts to make a good start just on the first day of the year. Love and peace...
Hayal Köksal

A new year lies ahead. We all possess the capacity to feel and to touch, to be happy, to have friends, to receive love, to realize the demands of a world that needs our encouragement, our participation, our beliefs. All of us are one -- the rich, the poor, the educated, the illiterate, the student, businessperson, the professional, the person with spouse and children, the person who is alone. So much is new in our world -- new people, new directions, new opportunities, and new purpose. Every day is a new day bringing into our lives friendship, promise, and love.

Let us ask ourselves hard questions…

How much time did we waste in the year that is now gone?

Did we fill our days with life, or were they dull and empty?

Was there love inside our home, or was the affectionate word left unsaid?

Was there a real companionship with our children, our parents or was there a living together and a growing apart?

Were we a help to our mates, or did we take them for granted?

With our friends - Were we there when they needed us?

The kind deed: Did we perform it or postpone it? The unnecessary gibe: did we say it or hold it back?

Did we live by false values? Did we deceive others? Did we deceive ourselves?

Were we sensitive to the rights and feelings of those who worked with us?

Did we acquire only possessions, or did we acquire new insights as well?

Did we fear what the crowd would say and keep quiet when we should have spoken out?

Did we mind only our own business, or did we feel the heartbreak of others?

And…

Did we live right, and if not, then have we learned and will we change?

Yeshim & Mike Yonter

Founders

Cancer Survivors Fund