Work update

Thought I'd share what's going on with my august employer. As I think I've written already, I signed my contract, so until next August 31 I have a paying job. Not quite paying enough for what I go through, but hey, it's a start. Irritatingly, the Human Resources people are still hanging on to my passport and residence permit, so I intend to go ask when I can have them back today or tomorrow.

The latest fun is that I was actually hired as a lecturer, not an assistant professor. To be an assistant professor (Yardim Doçent, or Yard. Doç. as we like to say), I have to be promoted. The promotion committee, whoever they are, need to pore over my CV and all my publications including my Ph.D. thesis – in four copies. So I have been having a grand old time at the local photocopy places. I'm sure the guys at Yunus Copy really loved me when I asked for four copies of my 500-page thesis, which they basically have to do page by page. Well, it will be a fat wad of money for them, so I shouldn't pity them. I'll pick it up today and give it to the Dean's secretary so that she can give it to the committee members and they can (not) read it. Ha, and the best part is that I apparently have to take a language proficiency exam, which the secretary said would consist of translating a text in a language of my choice (I took French) into Turkish. Yep, into Turkish. I seriously doubt she remembered it correctly, but it will be a real hoot if I actually do have to translate French into Turkish. I'd probably do an OK job, but it seems a bit illogical. Also, I'm annoyed enough with this farcical university that if I fail the stupid thing I can say fine, don't promote me, I'll work as a lecturer for a year and then bail. Surely there's work to be found in Istanbul as a virtuoso banjo player or something.

I have met a few members of the History Department, which will be my home. One is a recent Harvard graduate (I didn't know her there) who's quite nice. I met with her a week or two ago and she was very helpful in telling me about the department, the workload, etc. She says for all the crap, working here is actually OK because everybody in the department is friendly and supportive. So I hold on to a narrow thread of hope. (Oh, I'm just so grouchy!)

In the meantime, I continue teaching History of Civilizations. This week I've been doing Islamic history until 1258, which is the end of the classical age. The irony of a non-Muslim standing up there and teaching Turkish students about Islamic history is not lost on my students. A couple have indeed pointed out to me that in the fiercely secular Turkish Republic, you don't get taught much Islamic anything in school. Yours truly is also fiercely secular, but I think it's possible to convey the interest and value of classical Islamic civilization without sounding like you're trying to convert people. I did have one kid come up to me in the break to tell me about the scientific knowledge hidden in the Qur'an – guess he appreciated the outlet for his piety. Interesting place.