Turkish: Zeynep Gur Smith, M.A.

Zeynep Gur-Smith, originally from Izmir, Turkey, is very passionate about teaching languages and meeting others from different cultures. After graduating and getting her international baccalaureate at the Lycée Saint Joseph d’Izmir in French, she earned her BA degree in Turkish Language and Literature from Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey. She also holds an MA in American Studies from Ege University. In 1997 she started her career as a Turkish language teacher in both public and private schools. She also worked as a professional tour guide in English, French and her native language Turkish. In 2001 following her marriage and relocation to the United States, she continued teaching Turkish language and culture to adult learners. Upon gaining her teaching license in Virginia, she worked in K-12 as an ESOL and French teacher. Zeynep enjoys traveling, hiking with her son, watching international movies with her husband, reading books, and learning more languages.