Truth on trial

Eskişehir, Türkiye Thursday 13 February 2025 A hand, trembling, rests upon the worn leather of a Bible. A voice, heavy with authority, asks: “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?“ A moment of hesitation. A flicker of doubt. The weight of the words… Continue reading Truth on trial

Battle scars

Eskişehir, Türkiye Wednesday 12 February 2025 We tell ourselves war ends when the treaties are signed, when the guns fall silent. But for those who bear its scars, war is never truly over. The fight continues — not on the battlefield, but in the struggle to heal, to be seen, to be whole again. And… Continue reading Battle scars

Home?

Tuesday 11 February 2025 Eskişehir / Ankara, Türkiye The day begins in the embrace of motion — a train bound for Ankara, a city that has become familiar yet remains distant from the rhythms of my daily life. The capital of modern Türkiye has many roles to play. It is the conflicts between these roles… Continue reading Home?

The fog of battle: Town vs. gown

Monday 10 February 2025 Eskişehir, Türkiye The streets of Oxford ran red on 10 February 1355, in what became known as the St. Scholastica Day riot. A quarrel over ale — at least, that is how the story begins. Two university students, unsatisfied with their drinks, threw words like daggers at a tavern keeper. Words… Continue reading The fog of battle: Town vs. gown

Fearless?

Sunday 9 February 2025 Eskişehir, Türkiye “The thing I fear most is fear.“ Michel de Montaigne, Essais Above: French writer Michel de Montaigne (1533 – 1592) Picture him in a tunic, a linen or woolen garment that fell to his knees, dyed in earthy tones like brown, gray, or deep green, reflecting his philosophical practicality. Over… Continue reading Fearless?

The road to Nirvana

Saturday 8 February 2025 Eskişehir, Türkiye Time is a river. Its current carries us through moments of human striving — some triumphant, some tragic. Each event, each life born into history on this day, speaks to a quest: For truth, for escape, for justice, for a world beyond suffering. But where does that journey end?… Continue reading The road to Nirvana

The Academy of Joy

Thursday 6 February 2025 Eskişehir, Türkiye The former head teacher, dismissed and disillusioned, lay in his restless bed, his limbs heavy with exhaustion, his thoughts a storm of injustice and regret. Losing your job can be a hideous blow, both to the pocket and to the ego. The best way to deal with it is… Continue reading The Academy of Joy

The rebellion of time

Wednesday 5 February 2025 Eskişehir, Türkiye My bed chamber is small, yet vast. Shadows stretch long and gaunt, leaping at the walls like the emaciated fingers of a dying man. A single lamp, feeble yet defiant, cast its wan glow upon my desk strewn with papers, their edges curling like lips whispering forgotten verses. The… Continue reading The rebellion of time

A Tapestry of Poetic Resilience

Tuesday 4 February 2025 Eskişehir, Türkiye On this day, history whispers through words penned by poets, through voices that capture the beauty and ugliness of man’s common struggle against his own mortality. The air of February 4 is thick with reflections — on fleeting existence, on love and laughter, on the grit of survival and… Continue reading A Tapestry of Poetic Resilience

Ripples in Time

Monday 3 February 2025 Eskişehir, Türkiye What makes a life worth remembering? A long, long time ago (“American Pie” was written in 1971 and the time McLean is going to talk about is the 1950’s. This seemslike a long time ago ’cause of all the turmoil that occurred in the 60’s.)I can still remember how… Continue reading Ripples in Time