DORSET - On Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m., Sherrie's Cafe will be transformed into a Turkish salon as Kim Rizio, English Chair, delivers a presentation about her summer travels to Turkey, where she traversed 2,000 miles of the country in the company of 23 other American teachers. Sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America and the Turkish Cultural Foundation, Rizio's study tour included lectures on Turkish history, briefings on Turkish foreign policy and economy, site visits to excavations and schools, and city stays.

Rizio will present a slideshow with commentary on her travels.

"I am very eager to share my impressions of the Turkish people with our community," Rizio said. "I learned so much on this trip - from scholarly knowledge about sultans, art and politics to personal attitudes about people, communities and customs. This tour changed my perception of Turkey. It taught me a lot about getting to know others, from the American teachers I traveled with to the women we met in the silk bazaar in Bursa."

When Rizio returned to the US in mid-July, she was ready for the school year to begin.

"I came home with such a passion to spread my newly garnered knowledge!" she said.

Last year was the first year that Vermont teachers were included in this opportunity for which Rizio had to apply.

The event, which is part of LTS's Community Classroom Series, is free and open to the public. For those who wish, Sherrie's is offering a Turkish dinner buffet

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starting at 5:30 for a fixed price. Turkish desserts and coffee will be served during the presentation.

For reservations or more information, contact Courtney Callo at ccallo@longtrailschool.org.