Teacher and Alum Meet Up in Turkiye

Math Department Co-Chair Steve Tyler met up with alum Eda Altunbas ’23 and her family as part of a trip to Turkiye this summer.

Tyler was Altunbas’ Calculus teacher when she attended Parker as an American Field Service exchange student and has been in close contact with her assisting with the college admissions process since she graduated in 2023.

In making arrangements for a cruise to see a number of places in Greece and Turkiye this summer, Tyler noticed that one of the scheduled stops was in Izmir and couldn’t pass up a chance to visit with Altunbas in her home country.

Altunbas and her family greeted Tyler on the docks at the break of dawn for a day full of fun. The goal was for Tyler to experience as many Turkish delicacies as possible. They shared a meal at Altunbas’ family’s favorite restaurant 20 minutes from the cruise docks, away from the touristy parts of town. Altunbas toured Tyler through the schools that she and her siblings attended, a place where Altunbas worked, a couple of bazaars, the clock tower and Tarihi Asansor, “the historical elevator.” Tyler shared, “Izmir is a beautiful city in Turkiye, and I hope to be able to return there very soon.”

Just another example of the special connections created in Parker’s classrooms that last after graduation.

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