By Kyle DeHaven (at right)
Delaware '08
Senior Guard for 2007-08 Blue Hen Women's Basketball Team

Day Three Anatolia Tour 2007 (June 14)
Trip Preview / Day One Blog / Day Two Blog / Day Three Blog / Day Four Blog / Day Five Blog / Day Six Blog / Day Seven Blog / Day Eight Blog - Wrapup
Photos Gallery from Turkey
Photo at top right: Tina Martin makes a point during a clinic Thursday. Behind Martin from left are UD players Kyle DeHaven, Courtney Irving, and Alena Koshansky. At right is co-clinician and former UD assistant Tugba Karagulle
Photo at middle right: Kyle DeHaven and Alena Koshansky ride a camel
Photo at bottom right: Kyle DeHaven works on her pottery project

Merhaba (hello). Today was an eventful day. I came into this experience open minded and ready to try new things and that’s exactly what I have been doing, especially today.

We started off with a short travel to a local school, Altinyildiz Koleji, where we were welcomed by and along with the Governor of the village for a special science and technology festival the kids put on.

Coach (Tina) Martin and Dr. (Matt) Robinson were invited to cut the ribbon to open the festival. As we entered the classroom, it was science experiments galore! I have never seen so many interesting and brilliant works. I even inhaled helium and greeted the entire group in Turkish.

After the ribbon ceremony we put on another clinic with young kids of the school. We showed them dribbling drills, defense, inside pivot foot, and lay ups…and I will have you know that I demonstrated and yes I made my lay ups on both sides.

The young kids were very smart and picked everything up very quickly. I was very impressed. I think the best part about doing these clinics is the change in relationship we and the kids have from when we first get off the bus until the end of the session and we are leaving the site. When we arrive I feel like a rock star, greeted by the kids and adults of the school, everyone a little unsure of each other but excited to be there at the same time.

During the basketball session the barriers really start to break down and it is amazing to see how the relationships grow and how much we all understand each other. As we proceed to leave, the kids crowded around us ask for autographs, pictures, hugs and kisses and at that moment it really hits you that a difference is being made, not only for the kids but for us as well.

Just being able to teach the kids a game we love, interact with the kids and see the looks on their faces is worth the entire trip. Alena (Koshansky) and I even found two little “mini mes younger versions of ourselves and took pictures with them. One little girl named Damla even bought Alena and I a glass gift with our names and her name inside, it was so cute!! 

After the basketball session I would have never guessed I would experience some of the things I did today. We traveled to Cappadocia, an underground city. It was pretty cool. The underground city was built to keep the Turkish people safe during the war. It was all carved by hand, and it was amazing!

At one point we ventured through about a 50-foot tunnel and Courtney Irving was crawling on all fours in order to fit through the tunnel and Coach Marti was behind her yelling at Coach (Jeanine) Radice to push her since the line was stopped because little did everyone know, Alena and I were stopping to have our own photo shoot along the way. Oops!

After we left the caves we went to visit all of the Catholic Churches that were built in the caves with beautiful paintings. The scenery out there was absolutely amazing. Then I did something I always saw on TV but never thought I would ever get the chance to do…I rode a camel with Alena!!!

We were the only ones that got to ride because the camel freaked out a little bit and started yelling at us, which was pretty scary since we were trying to get off at same time of his tantrum.

After that we went to a famous underground pottery place in the village that had been in the family for over 200 years. Once again I had another new experience I won’t forget. After watching the master make an amazing sugar pot, I got to try my hands at the craft of pottery making, and let me tell you, it is not as easy as it looks. But with the help of the professional, I managed to make a nice bowl. The owner then took us all up to their store where Coach Martin bought a hand-made bowl. I think she wanted to buy mine but it wasn’t ready yet.

After we left we went back to the hotel for a short time to relax before heading to a dinner I will never forget. The restaurant was built in an underground cave with carved stadium seating. We walked in to find five gentlemen in the middle of the floor playing native instruments, and after we sat down the show began.

The waiters brought in all kinds of food throughout the night while cultural dancers showed off their talents. Before we got our main dish the dancers entered the audience and escorted people to the dance floor to try out what we just witnessed. Of course we had to try it!

Alena and I were the first to break the ice and show off our skills and the rest of the group began to trickle in, even Coach Martin and Coach Radice got down and groovy. By the time dinner was over it was almost 11 o’clock and everyone was ready to hit the sack for the night and dream of what and where tomorrow would bring.

This trip has opened my eyes to a whole new way of living and traditions, but at the end of the day its amazing how alike we actually are. I have never felt so welcomed and treated with so much respect by an entire population. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have been given to participate in this wonderful experience.

I will carry with me forever the memories I have made and lessons I have learned since I have been here, and I could not have picked a better group of people to share it with. This trip has planted a seed of new curiosities and desires to travel and participate in more programs like this one.

Until next time, this is Kyle DeHaven signing off.