For the 5th edition of the Yunus Emre Institute in Washington D.C.’s virtual Turkish coffee happy hour program on March 5th, over a dozen guests enthusiastically wanted to learn about Turkish coffee. This program would normally be held in the Washington D.C. office of the Yunus Emre Institute but due to the ongoing pandemic, it has been reformatted for Zoom. The inspiring tradition of Turkish coffee and the complex history behind it was brought straight to the homes of our wonderful guests.
Virtual Turkish coffee happy hour commenced with a diverse group of attendees who were all filled with curiosity. The program began with introductions from the Yunus Emre Institute in Washington D.C.’s Public Relations Assistant, Matt and Harper. Once everyone was settled in, the program began in the virtual misafir odası, which means guest room. This is where guests were able to learn about the rich history of Turkish coffee dating back to the 16th century. To get a better idea of the brewing process, guests entered the virtual mutfak, meaning kitchen. In the mutfak they got a better idea of how the coffee is brewed and what to brew it with. Guests were able to ask questions in the following sohbet session and chat about what it is that they love about coffee so much. In the final stage, guests competed in a head to head quiz game to be the proud winner of a brand new Turkish coffee set.
Many of the guests who attended the virtual Turkish coffee happy hour program had curious minds with many questions for the hosts. For instance, one guest asked about the tradition of fortune telling and Turkish coffee in the modern day. After a brief discussion, it was explained that fortune telling has become more of a social tradition amongst friends as well as a tradition by professional and experienced fortune tellers. After a few more questions from the incredibly friendly and inquisitive guests, virtual Turkish coffee happy hour was wrapped up with a group picture and some heartfelt goodbyes in Turkish, which translates to “Görüşürüz!”
The Yunus Emre Foundation is a public foundation designed to educate the public about Turkey and its language, history, culture, and art. The Foundation makes such related information and documents available for use in the world. Facilitating cultural exchange between Turkey and other countries is a central objective of the Foundation. If you are interested in receiving more information, please email washingtondc@yee.org.tr.