HOPE
Imagine a moment, you are alone on a bridge in a dark night, and have only one choice: Hope or Hopelessness
In a cold winter day, I was born in Turkey. After getting my Bachelor degree from English Language Teaching (ELT) Department, I started my Master program, and as a visitor researcher I have been in Nancy 2 (Lorraine) University, France for 6 months. While studying at that university about my Master topic, which is European Language Portfolio, I have also learnt French and passed DELF B1 exam. As of 2014, I have completed my Ph.D. thesis at Department of ELT at Gazi and Hacettepe University (Turkey). I have more than a decade of university teaching experience in Turkey. I have also authored a wide range of publications in major national and international refereed journals, book chapter, and conference papers on English as a foreign language teaching topics including corrective feedback, teaching foreign language to young learners, Focus-on-Form Instruction, classroom-based research, European Language Portfolio (ELP), CEFR, learner autonomy, Flipped Classroom. As a highly active researcher, I have held short-term academic visits in Canada, China and many Europe countries and attended to several international academic conferences, PCM (Project Cycle Management) seminars and various academic events. I have also strong and impressive experiences in producing and managing many European Commission (ERASMUS+) projects. I am also a multilingual scholar having English, French (B1 level) and Dutch (A2-B1 level) language proficiencies.
In spite of being highly active and productive scholar, I was unfortunately dismissed from my institution in 2016 because of terrible atmosphere in Turkey. My family and I have passed through heavy dark days and came across unbelievable and horrible situations, but we have never lost our hopes for the future. I have left from Turkey without my small baby, children and wife. I came to the Netherlands three months ago (July, 2021) and applied to Asylum here. As far as I came here, I started researching the possibilities and opportunities for my academic career because I have really loved my profession. At the end of July, I applied to ‘Sociolinguistics’ course declared by Incluusion Program within Utrecht University and was accepted. Although I have lived in Wageningen, I always attend to my course. While coming to Utrecht University, I have to ride my bike about 30 minutes from Wageningen to Ede, and then I use train from Ede to Utrecht. While riding my bike, the weather is sometimes too rainy, but this biking in rainy weather is worthy of my education and course. Public bus goes to Ede from Wageningen, but I couldn’t have enough money for the bus since I get so limited money from COA and have to reimburse my all travel expenses. I know that I can earn more money in one day, I can get in my expensive car in one day, I can go to my work without getting wet and so on, however, I may not get this course once again.
Therefore, this long and rainy travel without so much money encourage me to study hard.
In addition, I also got contact with English Academy for Newcomers (EAN) within Utrecht University, which provides English courses for highly educated refugees. I will start next week to lecture English to B1 class in EAN. Moreover, I also continue my Dutch courses by face to face
and online. As far as I came to the Netherlands, I also researched the possibilities regarding learning Dutch language, and found myself voluntarily teachers and Buddies who I can learn and practise in Dutch language. Right now, I can speak and understand easily in Dutch and practice with a Dutch person. Moreover, after coming here, I also attended two ERASMUS+ projects. One of the is youth project which is about Self-Caring when someone live Trauma, while other project is related to Professional Development of Teachers.
As a result, everyone can come across some difficulties in his/her life, however, it is important not to leave our hopes. After every winter, the spring comes or after every night, the sun rises up.
Finally, standing alone on a bridge in a heavy dark night, you should not lose your hope and go ahead.
Ali GOKSU
