This weekend was the end of Ramadan. In Turkey, it's celebrated by the three day Şeker Bayramı ("holiday of sweets"), in which people visit their loved ones and celebrate the end of the month of fasting. Most of the other exchange students took advantage of the 4 day weekend to go visit some other cities in Turkey. Jessi and I stayed in Istanbul, due to a lack of money. Kaan worked all weekend, so I didn't really have any desire to go anywhere else. It was a pretty low key weekend, highlighted only by my acquisition of a cold. I'm still feeling a little phelgmy, but otherwise alright. Kaan and I spend most of our free time blowing our noses and coughing like demons. It isn't pretty.
However, in light of being sick, I wrote out some tips to staying healthy while traveling. I don't think anyone should follow these as The Truth, but I think they've helped me recover rather quickly. I think they're good tips to help keep the body healthy and strong! You might still get sick, but these are good ways to minimize that risk.
Sara's Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling
1. Consult your doctor before your trip about any specific health concerns you may have. He or she might have some suggestions for things to take with you or short-term tricks for healthy travels. You might also want to ask about any necessary immunizations for the trip or just receive a basic check up before traveling. It might be good to check in with your doctor (or nutritionist, chiro, massage therapist, whatever!) well before your trip, to allow the most amount of time to deal with any hidden health issues he or she may uncover.
2. Pack a multi-vitamin. While it doesn't replace eating healthy meals, it's a good way to make sure your body can still function on a basic, cellular level.
3. Wash your hands. It's common sense! If you are concerned that you won't be able to find soap and water, bring some hand wipes. In Istanbul, nearly every cafe and restaurant has their own supply of wipes, so they're easy to come by here. It's also very easy to buy some from home and bring them along. Almost every drug store should have some kind of antibacterial wipe.
4. Bring vitamin C for the plane ride! I like Emergen C, but I think there are a couple other 'drink mix' type C packets that are available. Since Vitamin C is water soluble, the body will only absorb and use certain amounts at a time. By taking it in a drink mix, one is able to space out the intake of C, thus allowing the body to maximize its absorption. Since they often come in flavors, it's a nice alternative to water and soda. Also, vitamin C can help keep things flowing smoothly, which can be tough to do while traveling.
5. Eat your veggies. If you're noticing that you aren't getting your regular varied diet or are relying on high carb, high fat, high sugar type foods to get full, you might try grabbing a salad next time you're out. I'm going to guess that even in the farthest corners of the earth one can find a salad of some variety. Giving your body raw veggies will help keep you in balance and ensure that you're getting those 6-8 servings a day. Eating a lot of vegetables can help keep the immune system active, which is always helpful after enduring a 8+ hour plane/train/car ride. Be sure to wash your produce well, if you plan on cooking or snacking locally.
6. Bring food from home. This can be much easier to do on a car or train ride than on a plane trip, especially with the TSA restrictions. However, if you anticipate not being able to find a lot to eat at your destination, try to pack some protein bars or easily-accessible snacks. I find that Larabars are particularly great for this; they aren't too expensive, they're raw, and they tend to fill me up. Even better, they're not too bulky, so it's easy to pack a lot. I also find that I get pretty hungry on long plane rides, so I make sure to pack some extra bars in my carry-on just in case.
7. Pack appropriate clothing. Even if you're going to be staying in a hotel just down the street from the hottest club in Russia, don't forget to pack your jacket. Almost everything can be purchased at your destination, but it can get pricy. For wintertime travels, you might be smart to check out a nearby REI (or other similar outdoorsy store) before your trip. They might have some advice for layering; some fabrics will be very warm and bulky, while others will be lightweight. Summertime traveling is much easier to pack for, but do be sure to pack some light layers just in case. While staying warm won't necessarily prevent one from getting a cold, it certainly helps.
8. Be active. Some cities are very tourist friendly and will have buses and taxis readily available to whisk one away. Other cities will force tourists to walk to and from any destination. In many cities in the States, it's far easier to drive somewhere than to walk. Depending on where you visit, it can be tough to remember to stay active! Go for a walk through the nearby park or even just around the block. This is especially helpful in keeping your immune system strong and adjusting to a new time zone. Be reasonable, though; don't wander away from your hotel (or hostel, home, motel, whatever) without knowing how to get back. Be sure to tell a traveling companion or hotel worker where you're going and when you'll be back. If it's late in the day or early in the morning, try to take a buddy. Don't overexert yourself! The point isn't to train for a marathon, just to keep those colds at bay and keep the body healthy. That being said, however...
9. Don't be afraid to stay in. If you start to feel yucky, turn off the lights and sleep for a day. While it is a shame to not be able to see the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben, it's more important to take care of yourself. Let your body rest. If you suspect that you might have picked up something serious, let your host know, be it a friend, family member, or hotel worker. They'll help you find out what the best course of action is or where the nearest hospital is.
10. If need be, don't be afraid to cancel your trip. It's definitely a bummer to miss out on a cool trip (especially when you pay all that money!), but it would be an even bigger disappointment if you, say, died or spent the duration of your trip in the hospital. Make sure you're up-to-date on what's going on in your destination. The U.S. State Department asks international travelers to register their trip. In return, they supply travelers with updates on any security or health concerns that might pop up in their destination. Another good resource is the World Health Organization's website. In light of recent epidemics, it can be good to know what's going on and what you can do.
That's all I could think of! There are probably many other lists of tips to stay healthy while traveling, but this is mine.
Since we didn't have school on Monday or Tuesday, it's been a pretty slow start of school. Maybe next week I'll be able to really feel like I'm in college again. We don't seem to have any books for the classes, so I'll see how that works out. I think for one class, the teacher will put together a collection of readings which will be available in the copy center. For another class, we'll download PDFs off of the internet. There are also three recommended books, but one is 17 lira, one is 35 lira, one is 68 lira. I don't know if I'll be buying all or any of them!
I have no other news. We're slowly getting things together for the apartment. Photos are coming, I promise!
Showing posts with label classes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classes. Show all posts
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
the mysteries of college and a REALLY long entry
Classes "officially" started on Monday. My first class (Advanced Russian) was Monday morning at 10. Being the punctual American student that I am, I was up by 9 and out the door by 930. Since the school is only about a five minute walk from my house, leaving early is only slightly unnecessary. I arrived early enough to have some simit for breakfast and acquaint myself with the general layout of the building. At about 950 I found my classroom and waited outside. No other students were milling around, so I started to get a little concerned. The hour came and passed; no one showed up. I waited almost half an hour before leaving. Maybe the professor had sent out an email declaring class canceled for the day? I tried to check my email at the computer lab, only to find it locked up. Defeated, I returned home and was determined to try again on Tuesday. I spoke to an employee in the International Office who seemed to think this was normal; since it was the first day of school, maybe people were still coming back from holiday or were busy moving.
What a stark difference from the States! The first day of school isn't necessarily "important" as far as receiving information, but it is typically attended by all. We meet teachers on the first day and receive the syllabuses for all the classes. It's usually the earliest opportunity to determine whether or not you'll /like/ the class or the teacher. Apparently here, the first day of school isn't nearly as important! What a strange idea.
Since the campus wasn't very far from my house, I didn't feel particularly put off by the lack of class. I decided that the next day, Tuesday, would be far more successful. So, in a similar fashion, I woke up early on Tuesday morning. I ate my simit and sat outside my classroom waiting for any sign of life. Again, the hour came and went; still, no one showed up. I didn't wait half an hour this time! After about fifteen minutes had passed, I declared my class "empty" and left. I had intended to get some things done while still on the campus, but none of the teachers I needed to talk to were around, the computer lab was full, and the library wouldn't let me use the computers there. Again, defeated, I returned home.
Normally, a student would be rejoicing at having two extra days of summer! Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed my empty days. The only problem is this: I'm terrified that this Russian class will be far beyond my current language level. I was hoping to take a 'test drive' on the first two days. If it was too difficult, I'd be able to drop it and try to take a different level or a different class altogether. Next week is the add/drop week, but Monday and Tuesday are both holidays. So, I won't have the class at all before add/drop, and I won't know if I'll be successful in the class. Most likely I'll be fine, but I don't want to paint myself into a corner with no chance of escape!
Wednesday was a much more successful school day; I had two classes, and both were attended by the students AND the teachers! My morning class, Turkish language, will most likely be my easiest class. Most of the students have only had a little bit of Turkish. Apparently Erasmus provided a month-long intensive language course, so the majority of the class is too advanced for the beginning section but well below my own level. It will be a great chance to brush up on my grammar, so I'm very excited. I think the teacher might be a great resource if I run into trouble in my Russian class. Not only is she a language teacher, but she knows Turkish and English well enough to help me with both.
The majority of the class is from Germany. I shouldn't be surprised by that, I suppose. Turkey and Germany have a relationship similar to that of Mexico (or, I suppose, much of the Latin world) and the States. Just as many students in the States take Spanish and vacation in Mexico (at least in Colorado!), many Germans take Turkish and visit Turkey. I'm told that even in Germany, Turks are regarded in a similar light to Latino/a immigrants in the States. I can't say for sure whether that's the truth, but I hope it isn't. I think immigrants in all parts of the world are receiving an unfair knee-jerk reaction by nationalist populations. What do I know, though? It's just my impression.
But anyway, back to classes. My Turkish class is mostly German, with one Czech and one Dane and myself. The three of us mostly stick together; we were lucky enough to bump into each other a few times around school and around the city, so we're pretty well acquainted. It's nice to have some almost-friends!
Jessi, the other American student, has been really a great friend lately. We have two classes together. It's nice because I can bounce ideas off of her without having to think about what words I use and how quickly or slowly I speak. We have Balkan Politics and Turkish Politics and Foreign Policy together. Yesterday was the Balkan Politics class. At this point I'm so tired of writing about school, so I won't go into much detail about it. It will be a lot of reading, but we only have it once a week. The teacher is excellent, and while the class is mostly foreigners, I'm excited to have some Turks in it as well. Even after just the first day, my understanding of nationality versus ethnicity has really evolved. It's really a line of thought that I'm exploring on my own, but listening to some people discuss their ethnic background in relation to their current nationality was really interesting.
I can't believe I'm writing this much. It's absurd! But I haven't had my laptop with me for the last few days, and I apparently have a lot to say.
Yesterday, Kaan took the day off and moved us into the new house. I can't wait to get some pictures of it! It's so big. Something like it in the States would easily go for $600 or $700US. We're getting it for 550TL, which ends up being about $375US. Absolutely unbelievable. The street is pretty quiet, except at night, when the teenagers all come out to shout at our window. It's close enough to the main road that coming and going is easy, but far enough away that we don't have a lot of traffic noise. There is a mosque practically next door, which makes sleeping a little difficult (but at 5am, it's alright. 5am is one of those times that you practically can't NOT sleep, no matter what you wake up for). There's a beautiful old church right across the intersection. I don't know if it is 'working' exactly, but it's nice to look at. The building itself is pretty old. There's a tag near the door for an electric company with Arabic script/numbers, and an address for Constantinople. I'll take a picture of it; it's really neat. The apartment has these huge ceilings which will make changing the light bulbs very difficult. We had quite an adventure trying to hang the curtains. We ended up having to put a 5' ladder on the couch in order to reach the curtain track. I was terrified, but Kaan, being the little macho man he is, fearlessly scaled our creation and got our curtains hung. I'm not a big fan of curtains, but in a city like Istanbul, where everyone is living so close to each other, they are completely necessary.
Things with Kaan are going pretty well. He works a lot, so I spend a lot of my time sitting at his cafe. Generally it's quiet and relaxed, so I don't mind passing the day here. I often read or surf the net. Plus, I get all the tea I can drink for free! You can't beat that. I wish he worked a little less, but there isn't much I can do about that.
His day starts around 8 or 830, when he comes to open the cafe. He works alone until around 12, when the only female employee, Gül, shows up. At 1, another worker comes. The three of them work until around 5, when the next guy arrives. Kaan gets off at 8 or 830--a 12 hour day. He works for an abysmally small amount of money but seems to enjoy his work enough to not complain. I'm always concerned how we're going to make it on his small income, but I trust that things will work out. The fights we have are about his smoking and my wanting to pay for everything. I find it amusing that most couples fight about not having any money, while we have some money and fight about who gets to pay for things. I end up winning most of the time, but I know it pushes his buttons that I'm the one with extra money and he can't provide for me. It's another thing I don't really understand; I chalk it up to being not only an American, but an intelligent and independent woman. I don't feel pressure to adhere to the stereotypical gender roles of a relationship! But since Kaan and I are different people, living in different societies, and working off of different backgrounds and experiences, I don't expect that he will so easily shed the standards of society. Oh, intercultural romance.
Today, Thursday, I have absolutely no plans. I'm supposed to be settling things into the house, unpacking and so on. I really don't want to though! I'd rather sit around and type novels to my audience of 7. Perhaps later I'll be productive.
What a stark difference from the States! The first day of school isn't necessarily "important" as far as receiving information, but it is typically attended by all. We meet teachers on the first day and receive the syllabuses for all the classes. It's usually the earliest opportunity to determine whether or not you'll /like/ the class or the teacher. Apparently here, the first day of school isn't nearly as important! What a strange idea.
Since the campus wasn't very far from my house, I didn't feel particularly put off by the lack of class. I decided that the next day, Tuesday, would be far more successful. So, in a similar fashion, I woke up early on Tuesday morning. I ate my simit and sat outside my classroom waiting for any sign of life. Again, the hour came and went; still, no one showed up. I didn't wait half an hour this time! After about fifteen minutes had passed, I declared my class "empty" and left. I had intended to get some things done while still on the campus, but none of the teachers I needed to talk to were around, the computer lab was full, and the library wouldn't let me use the computers there. Again, defeated, I returned home.
Normally, a student would be rejoicing at having two extra days of summer! Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed my empty days. The only problem is this: I'm terrified that this Russian class will be far beyond my current language level. I was hoping to take a 'test drive' on the first two days. If it was too difficult, I'd be able to drop it and try to take a different level or a different class altogether. Next week is the add/drop week, but Monday and Tuesday are both holidays. So, I won't have the class at all before add/drop, and I won't know if I'll be successful in the class. Most likely I'll be fine, but I don't want to paint myself into a corner with no chance of escape!
Wednesday was a much more successful school day; I had two classes, and both were attended by the students AND the teachers! My morning class, Turkish language, will most likely be my easiest class. Most of the students have only had a little bit of Turkish. Apparently Erasmus provided a month-long intensive language course, so the majority of the class is too advanced for the beginning section but well below my own level. It will be a great chance to brush up on my grammar, so I'm very excited. I think the teacher might be a great resource if I run into trouble in my Russian class. Not only is she a language teacher, but she knows Turkish and English well enough to help me with both.
The majority of the class is from Germany. I shouldn't be surprised by that, I suppose. Turkey and Germany have a relationship similar to that of Mexico (or, I suppose, much of the Latin world) and the States. Just as many students in the States take Spanish and vacation in Mexico (at least in Colorado!), many Germans take Turkish and visit Turkey. I'm told that even in Germany, Turks are regarded in a similar light to Latino/a immigrants in the States. I can't say for sure whether that's the truth, but I hope it isn't. I think immigrants in all parts of the world are receiving an unfair knee-jerk reaction by nationalist populations. What do I know, though? It's just my impression.
But anyway, back to classes. My Turkish class is mostly German, with one Czech and one Dane and myself. The three of us mostly stick together; we were lucky enough to bump into each other a few times around school and around the city, so we're pretty well acquainted. It's nice to have some almost-friends!
Jessi, the other American student, has been really a great friend lately. We have two classes together. It's nice because I can bounce ideas off of her without having to think about what words I use and how quickly or slowly I speak. We have Balkan Politics and Turkish Politics and Foreign Policy together. Yesterday was the Balkan Politics class. At this point I'm so tired of writing about school, so I won't go into much detail about it. It will be a lot of reading, but we only have it once a week. The teacher is excellent, and while the class is mostly foreigners, I'm excited to have some Turks in it as well. Even after just the first day, my understanding of nationality versus ethnicity has really evolved. It's really a line of thought that I'm exploring on my own, but listening to some people discuss their ethnic background in relation to their current nationality was really interesting.
I can't believe I'm writing this much. It's absurd! But I haven't had my laptop with me for the last few days, and I apparently have a lot to say.
Yesterday, Kaan took the day off and moved us into the new house. I can't wait to get some pictures of it! It's so big. Something like it in the States would easily go for $600 or $700US. We're getting it for 550TL, which ends up being about $375US. Absolutely unbelievable. The street is pretty quiet, except at night, when the teenagers all come out to shout at our window. It's close enough to the main road that coming and going is easy, but far enough away that we don't have a lot of traffic noise. There is a mosque practically next door, which makes sleeping a little difficult (but at 5am, it's alright. 5am is one of those times that you practically can't NOT sleep, no matter what you wake up for). There's a beautiful old church right across the intersection. I don't know if it is 'working' exactly, but it's nice to look at. The building itself is pretty old. There's a tag near the door for an electric company with Arabic script/numbers, and an address for Constantinople. I'll take a picture of it; it's really neat. The apartment has these huge ceilings which will make changing the light bulbs very difficult. We had quite an adventure trying to hang the curtains. We ended up having to put a 5' ladder on the couch in order to reach the curtain track. I was terrified, but Kaan, being the little macho man he is, fearlessly scaled our creation and got our curtains hung. I'm not a big fan of curtains, but in a city like Istanbul, where everyone is living so close to each other, they are completely necessary.
Things with Kaan are going pretty well. He works a lot, so I spend a lot of my time sitting at his cafe. Generally it's quiet and relaxed, so I don't mind passing the day here. I often read or surf the net. Plus, I get all the tea I can drink for free! You can't beat that. I wish he worked a little less, but there isn't much I can do about that.
His day starts around 8 or 830, when he comes to open the cafe. He works alone until around 12, when the only female employee, Gül, shows up. At 1, another worker comes. The three of them work until around 5, when the next guy arrives. Kaan gets off at 8 or 830--a 12 hour day. He works for an abysmally small amount of money but seems to enjoy his work enough to not complain. I'm always concerned how we're going to make it on his small income, but I trust that things will work out. The fights we have are about his smoking and my wanting to pay for everything. I find it amusing that most couples fight about not having any money, while we have some money and fight about who gets to pay for things. I end up winning most of the time, but I know it pushes his buttons that I'm the one with extra money and he can't provide for me. It's another thing I don't really understand; I chalk it up to being not only an American, but an intelligent and independent woman. I don't feel pressure to adhere to the stereotypical gender roles of a relationship! But since Kaan and I are different people, living in different societies, and working off of different backgrounds and experiences, I don't expect that he will so easily shed the standards of society. Oh, intercultural romance.
Today, Thursday, I have absolutely no plans. I'm supposed to be settling things into the house, unpacking and so on. I really don't want to though! I'd rather sit around and type novels to my audience of 7. Perhaps later I'll be productive.
Friday, September 11, 2009
registration? check!
Well! After a good long day of bureaucracy, I'm a registered student at Bilgi University, AND I have classes.
My schedule is fairly light; I decided to only take four classes this term. I've never really taken a light course load. My excuse is I want to ease into the year. I /might/ consider adding another class next week, during the add/drop period. We'll see. So far, I'm taking Turkish for Foreigners 2, which might be way too easy for me; Advanced Russian, which might be way too hard for me, given that its taught in Turkish; Balkan Politics; and Turkish Politics and Foreign Policy (something like that). I was thinking of taking the History of Istanbul class. I might still: if Russian is too hard for me, I can take this class in its place.
Monday I have two hours of Russian in the morning, from 10-12. Tuesday I have Russian from 9-11. Wednesday I have Turkish from 10-12, then Balkan Politics from 2-5. Thursday is empty (hurrah!), but Friday I have Turkish from 10-12 and Turkish Politics/Foreign Policy from 1-4. There are a couple other classes I was looking at which I could add if I desired; however, I am really looking forward to having an empty schedule. We'll see how things work out.
Today I had to go to one of the other campuses. My school has three, two of which I've seen. My classes will be at the Dolapdere campus, which is excellent because my house is close to it. Kustepe isn't so far from us, but it does seem to be in the other direction. The third location, santralIstanbul, is a complete mystery to me. I hear it's most like a stereotypical American campus, with a lot of open areas and buildings. It is where there used to be a power plant, so they have a little museum dedicated to energy production and things. I would like to see that campus eventually. For the time being, however, I have no desire to go down there just to look around.
So I'll attend my Russian class on Monday. I sincerely hope it isn't too difficult for me. This weekend I think we're going to be moving. I hope so anyway! I've heard that there isn't any electricity in the apartment for the moment; it hasn't yet been opened. Kaan was supposed to go do that today, but I think there was a problem. We'll see. I'm mostly content for the time being, but I do hope we get a chance to move before school starts (not like I have a very busy schedule!). I still need to get a desk/table to do homework on.
Cameron sent me his address, so I'll probably begin to prepare letters and gifties. If any of you would like anything, feel free to comment below with an address or send them to my email address at kaptan_sara at hotmail dot com.
My schedule is fairly light; I decided to only take four classes this term. I've never really taken a light course load. My excuse is I want to ease into the year. I /might/ consider adding another class next week, during the add/drop period. We'll see. So far, I'm taking Turkish for Foreigners 2, which might be way too easy for me; Advanced Russian, which might be way too hard for me, given that its taught in Turkish; Balkan Politics; and Turkish Politics and Foreign Policy (something like that). I was thinking of taking the History of Istanbul class. I might still: if Russian is too hard for me, I can take this class in its place.
Monday I have two hours of Russian in the morning, from 10-12. Tuesday I have Russian from 9-11. Wednesday I have Turkish from 10-12, then Balkan Politics from 2-5. Thursday is empty (hurrah!), but Friday I have Turkish from 10-12 and Turkish Politics/Foreign Policy from 1-4. There are a couple other classes I was looking at which I could add if I desired; however, I am really looking forward to having an empty schedule. We'll see how things work out.
Today I had to go to one of the other campuses. My school has three, two of which I've seen. My classes will be at the Dolapdere campus, which is excellent because my house is close to it. Kustepe isn't so far from us, but it does seem to be in the other direction. The third location, santralIstanbul, is a complete mystery to me. I hear it's most like a stereotypical American campus, with a lot of open areas and buildings. It is where there used to be a power plant, so they have a little museum dedicated to energy production and things. I would like to see that campus eventually. For the time being, however, I have no desire to go down there just to look around.
So I'll attend my Russian class on Monday. I sincerely hope it isn't too difficult for me. This weekend I think we're going to be moving. I hope so anyway! I've heard that there isn't any electricity in the apartment for the moment; it hasn't yet been opened. Kaan was supposed to go do that today, but I think there was a problem. We'll see. I'm mostly content for the time being, but I do hope we get a chance to move before school starts (not like I have a very busy schedule!). I still need to get a desk/table to do homework on.
Cameron sent me his address, so I'll probably begin to prepare letters and gifties. If any of you would like anything, feel free to comment below with an address or send them to my email address at kaptan_sara at hotmail dot com.
Monday, August 3, 2009
here we go again
On September 2, 2009, I will be embarking on the second half of a grand adventure.
It all started in 2006 when I decided, as a junior in high school, to spend my senior year abroad. After a few unexpected turns of event, I ended up studying in Turkey for the ten month academic year. The year was full of adventure and education; upon return to the US in July of 2007, I had become a certified turkophile, gobbling up whatever opportunities I had to read about, talk about, think about, and revisit the country as often as they were presented.
Now as a junior in college, I've been given the chance to study abroad for a second time. For much of my final quarter of sophomore year I considered studying in Russia; after all, I am a Russian major and could really benefit from the time spent immersed in Russian language. As the application deadline drew near, I began to weigh my options. While spending my year in Russia would have been a wonderful opportunity to improve my language skills and confidence, my heart was set on studying again in Istanbul.
So here I am, a month away from my flight and from the beginning of another sort of college experience. I'll be staying with my long time on-again-off-again love interest Kaan (we're off-again, if anyone is interested) in an apartment near one of the campuses of Istanbul Bilgi University. I'll be taking a slew of international relations classes, Advanced Russian, and maybe even Kurdish. The plan is to learn as much as I can, without sacrificing my free time and energy.
Here's why you might find this blog entertaining:
You might be one of my friends or family members perplexed at my continuing travels to Turkey and eager to decode my fledgling curiosity with such a complex country and culture.
You might be a student considering a study abroad experience or one of my fellow travelers looking for a way to stay in touch.
You might find amusing the dynamics between kaan and myself, especially if I go more into depth about him.
You might enjoy my anecdotes of college life, of living in a small apartment with an even smaller Kurdish man in a shady part of town, of trying to maintain a shred of privacy and normalcy in a city of 15 million.
You might even be pleased to watch some youtube vlogs that I hope to film, illustrating not only some of the beauty of Istanbul, but some of the more mundane and ordinary sides of life in the city as well.
So now, who am I?
I'm a third year student at the University of Denver. I'm an International Studies major, Russian language major, and Religious Studies minor. I don't know what I want to do after college. I'm a vegan and intend to stay vegan as long as I can while abroad. I'm a dread head, a nappy girl, and a bit of a hippie. I'm a worrier; I'm currently worried about not having enough money to eat and getting stared at for growing a head of dreads. I'm sure when I get there, I'll start to worry about classes and getting around. I'm beginning to develop a concern about the campus situation; Bilgi has three campuses across the city. I'll be living close to one campus, but what if my classes are at another? Hopefully all will be well.
Some names you might see popping up in this blog:
Margaret, my sister at home in Colorado
Roy, one of my best friends in Colorado
Anthony, another friend in Colorado
Cameron, a friend from DU who will be studying in Russia and China, each for a semester
Kyle, another friend from DU who will be studying in Denmark for a year
Jenn, yet another friend from DU who will be studying in China for a semester
I can't fathom that I'll talk about these people much, but here they are just in case.
In my month remaining, I need to renew my scooter insurance, cancel Netflix, and pay tuition.
I'm leaving tomorrow for Seattle, which may be the birthplace of my new vlog. I'll be there for a week, visiting a friend with whom I went to Turkey in 2006/2007 and getting my dreads maintained by lish.
On that note, I should finish laundry and packing. Stay tuned for more updates as I prepare for my exodus to Turkey, as I battle incompetent airline companies and suitcases that refuse to zip shut, and, of course, the whole purpose of this blog, my impendingdoomschool year abroad.
It all started in 2006 when I decided, as a junior in high school, to spend my senior year abroad. After a few unexpected turns of event, I ended up studying in Turkey for the ten month academic year. The year was full of adventure and education; upon return to the US in July of 2007, I had become a certified turkophile, gobbling up whatever opportunities I had to read about, talk about, think about, and revisit the country as often as they were presented.
Now as a junior in college, I've been given the chance to study abroad for a second time. For much of my final quarter of sophomore year I considered studying in Russia; after all, I am a Russian major and could really benefit from the time spent immersed in Russian language. As the application deadline drew near, I began to weigh my options. While spending my year in Russia would have been a wonderful opportunity to improve my language skills and confidence, my heart was set on studying again in Istanbul.
So here I am, a month away from my flight and from the beginning of another sort of college experience. I'll be staying with my long time on-again-off-again love interest Kaan (we're off-again, if anyone is interested) in an apartment near one of the campuses of Istanbul Bilgi University. I'll be taking a slew of international relations classes, Advanced Russian, and maybe even Kurdish. The plan is to learn as much as I can, without sacrificing my free time and energy.
Here's why you might find this blog entertaining:
You might be one of my friends or family members perplexed at my continuing travels to Turkey and eager to decode my fledgling curiosity with such a complex country and culture.
You might be a student considering a study abroad experience or one of my fellow travelers looking for a way to stay in touch.
You might find amusing the dynamics between kaan and myself, especially if I go more into depth about him.
You might enjoy my anecdotes of college life, of living in a small apartment with an even smaller Kurdish man in a shady part of town, of trying to maintain a shred of privacy and normalcy in a city of 15 million.
You might even be pleased to watch some youtube vlogs that I hope to film, illustrating not only some of the beauty of Istanbul, but some of the more mundane and ordinary sides of life in the city as well.
So now, who am I?
I'm a third year student at the University of Denver. I'm an International Studies major, Russian language major, and Religious Studies minor. I don't know what I want to do after college. I'm a vegan and intend to stay vegan as long as I can while abroad. I'm a dread head, a nappy girl, and a bit of a hippie. I'm a worrier; I'm currently worried about not having enough money to eat and getting stared at for growing a head of dreads. I'm sure when I get there, I'll start to worry about classes and getting around. I'm beginning to develop a concern about the campus situation; Bilgi has three campuses across the city. I'll be living close to one campus, but what if my classes are at another? Hopefully all will be well.
Some names you might see popping up in this blog:
Margaret, my sister at home in Colorado
Roy, one of my best friends in Colorado
Anthony, another friend in Colorado
Cameron, a friend from DU who will be studying in Russia and China, each for a semester
Kyle, another friend from DU who will be studying in Denmark for a year
Jenn, yet another friend from DU who will be studying in China for a semester
I can't fathom that I'll talk about these people much, but here they are just in case.
In my month remaining, I need to renew my scooter insurance, cancel Netflix, and pay tuition.
I'm leaving tomorrow for Seattle, which may be the birthplace of my new vlog. I'll be there for a week, visiting a friend with whom I went to Turkey in 2006/2007 and getting my dreads maintained by lish.
On that note, I should finish laundry and packing. Stay tuned for more updates as I prepare for my exodus to Turkey, as I battle incompetent airline companies and suitcases that refuse to zip shut, and, of course, the whole purpose of this blog, my impending
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