Spring means renewal. For the girls in Be the Voice of Girls, it also meant a journey through Easter traditions, tornados, tulips, and tornado sirens—all thanks to the ever-insightful Andrew McCrea.
In his latest session with our BVG students, Andrew didn’t just talk about the weather. He painted a vivid picture of life in the American Midwest, from the joyful celebrations of Easter to the ominous hum of tornado sirens that slice through the skies each spring. As always, he brought his storytelling A-game—complete with maps, photos, and memories of growing up in farm country.
But first, he started where any American might in April: baseball. The girls got a glimpse into his hometown team (the Kansas City Royals), his son’s high school games, and even a quick side conversation about fantasy sports and “torpedo bats.” It was classic Andrew—warming up the conversation with something personal before launching into the big themes.
Then came the heart of the lesson: a walk through Easter, both as a religious holiday and a cultural tradition. From Palm Sunday to pastel-colored eggs, Andrew shared the many ways American families—his own included—mark the occasion. He explained how some families attend church services while others take part in lighthearted Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets, and springtime photo ops with the Easter Bunny. “It’s colorful,” one student wrote in the chat—and it truly was. The traditions came to life in vibrant detail.
But it wasn’t just celebrations we learned about. In the second half of the session, Andrew shifted gears to discuss tornadoes—those sudden, swirling forces of nature that are both feared and deeply understood in the Midwest. With gripping photos and firsthand stories, he showed how tornadoes form, how communities prepare, and how science is helping people stay safe. The girls heard about underground shelters, emergency sirens, and even storm chasers who risk their lives to gather data. It was powerful and at times haunting—but it was also deeply educational.
One moment that stood out came from a BVG student in Iskenderun who shared a local legend about strong winds splitting a mountain in two. Andrew immediately connected the story to what he had just taught, validating the experience and drawing a thread between two cultures half a world apart. That’s the heart of BVG: shared stories, mutual respect, and new ways of seeing the world.
By the end of the session, we weren’t just talking about spring in the U.S.—we were reflecting on how we each experience change, growth, and renewal in our own corners of the world.
And the best news? Andrew is coming to Turkey this summer. As he shared with a big smile at the end of class, “The flight is booked.” If his visit is anything like his virtual sessions, we’re in for something special.
