As Professor Dan Garrity points out, the opportunity to study abroad in an exotic locale like Turkey is the “best homework assignment ever.”
Indeed, traipsing around one of the most historic and oldest continuously inhabited regions in the world may seem like all fun and games, but this is foremost an educational venture. It is also “the most ambitious thing I’ve ever undertaken in my TV career,” Garrity said.
Garrity, an assistant professor at Gonzaga and the school’s broadcast program director, is taking on the task of generating a digital media production called The Turkish Zag Travel Show. The online travel series, which airs on YouTube channel gonzagatv15, follows a group of GU students as they journey through Turkey on month-long bus trip.
“It’s an experiment,” said Garrity, who, in addition to teaching, has 14 years of varied experience in broadcast television. “My hope is that it’s something watchable and makes you smarter about the world.”
Besides Garrity, the group of Zags currently trekking through Turkey — they left July 3 and do not return until Aug. 1 — include 17 students, three professors and one alum, Aydin Aygun (’04), the group’s tour guide and series host. Aygun, who has a master’s degree in religious studies, has spent the last 20 years giving tours of his home country.
The study abroad program examines myriad facets of Turkey, such as history, culture and cuisine. Through the online series, Garrity hopes to share some of the country’s unique qualities as well as the experiences of the students.
“Our show has the Gonzaga mission at its core,” Garrity said. “Every academic program at GU teaches students how they can make a difference with their God-given gifts; in our discipline that means using digital storytelling to bring the world a little closer together.”
The series will consist of a dozen 5-minute episodes from various locations across Turkey. Viewers can even vote on where they want the show to go next. Garrity and his crew, which includes four students, have already produced shows from Istanbul and Assos. Other yet-to-be-determined recordings during the month-long excursion include Priene, Didyma, Myra, Chimera, Cappadocia, Ayvali, Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace.
Garrity admits the most demanding aspect of producing this travel log, besides maintaining high-production value while using a minimal amount of equipment, is the quick turnaround.
“Since relevance and speed are inextricably linked in messages delivered via social media,” he says, “we’ll upload each of our shows the day after they’re shot.”
The final episode of the series, set to air July 31, might be the most challenging to produce — but not for Garrity. For this installment, he is turning complete control over to one of his students, Andrew Opila, a senior-to-be from Scottsdale, Ariz.
“The goal is to show him the template, then the final show is all his,” Garrity said. “I’m going to get out of his way and really see what he can do.”
Garrity, who is making his fourth trip to Turkey, ultimately hopes the series uncovers some of the myths and stereotypes about the Middle East.
“I want to challenge my students to create a show that is entertaining,” he said, “but also one that allows you to get a much better understanding of a really mysterious culture.”
In addition to following the work of Garrity and Opila on YouTube, you can also stay updated on their Turkish adventures by liking GUTV on Facebook or following the Gonzaga-in-Turkey blog, which includes daily updates, photos and reflections from the other students in the summer program.