By Christopher Daniel
Statesboro, Ga. – Wendy L. Turturro, 41, is a versatile local homemaker whose life experiences may captivate anybody-- from her stories about her rise from living in a tent in New York to becoming a homemaker and collecting antiques.

Turturro’s story suggests that with hard work and determination, things can be possible. As a teenager, Turturro sold her car to pay for a bus ticket to New York and used the rest of her money to buy a tent to live in. She landed a job at a restaurant as a waitress.

After working at the restaurant for some time, the owner noticed her hard work. He eventually opened up another restaurant and offered Turturro the job as a manager of the new place. Turturro was then able to save up enough money to rent a three-bedroom house on a large piece of land.

Turturro says there are other important things in life besides book smarts. She believes life experiences play a very important role in the development of a person.

However, Turturro did not downplay the importance of education. “Pay is minimal for less education—you will get a minimal job,” said Turturro. She also urged students to never stop learning. Learn from school and from people you meet throughout your life, she said.

As with most people, Turturro says her views on education changed as she got older. She now says that she will not live long enough to learn all of the things she would like to learn. She encouraged the students of Journalism 2231C to adopt this philosophy.

Some of Turturro’s hobbies include collecting all sorts of antiques, traveling, and caring for animals. “I collect everything from teapots to books,” said Turturro. Some of the books she has collected are titled “Statesboro A Century in Progress," "Compton's Pictures Encyclopedia," and "Memories of Georgia." One of the oldest books she has in her collection dates all the way back to 1825.

Turturro’s views are similar to the majority of Americans. She is anti-Bush and believes the war has lasted too long. Turturro also has an ancestry that includes Cherokee Indians and a relative who signed the Declaration of Independence.

When asked how much time and money she has invested in collecting antiques, Turturro laughed and said, “A lot.” However, Turturro says she does not usually pay money for the antiques she collects. “Most people don’t realize what they have,” she said. For example, Turturro found a bevare teapot (from Germany) in a relative’s trash.

Now residing in Southern Living Estates in Statesboro, Ga., which is located about 15 minutes from Georgia Southern’s campus, Turturro enjoys the slower pace of life that a rural town like Statesboro has to offer. “I enjoy my nine year old being a nine year old,” she said.

In addition to the slower pace, says Turturro, the cost of living in rural towns is much cheaper than in urban cities and that it played a big part in her choosing where to raise her children.

Although Turturro is happy living in Statesboro, she travels whenever she gets the chance. Vacations are always planned around her son’s school schedule. She has traveled all over America but does not yet have any plans to travel outside of the country.

Another one of Turturro’s many passions is caring for animals. She said, “I spend a lot of my time taking care of animals.” A handful of local veterinarians also help take care of her numerous pets. Her neighbors also help out with the pets; they sometimes buy food for the pets.

Turturro says that there are not enough animal shelters in Statesboro and the surrounding communities. She complained that the few shelters that are operating in the area are quick to put an animal to sleep. She says some shelters refuse to treat diseases and infections that can be easily cured with antibiotics.

Turturro takes her job as a homemaker very serious. She says it is much more difficult to provide for a family now than it was when she was growing up in the seventies. The cost of living is a lot higher than it used to be plus women are now expected to work and take care of the children.

She also said women in America do not get paid as much as men. According to www.libraryjournal.com, men get paid on average $2,000 more than women.

As if Turturro does not have enough on her plate to keep her busy, she is currently working on a novel. Her novel is about the life of a lady in the 19th century.