Friends, I have less than fifty days left here in Turkey. What an upsetting thought! I feel like I have so much to do in school and so many things I haven't done, people I haven't seen!
I did have a terrible experience today. After a lovely dinner, Kaan decided to buy what looked like prickly aloe vera leaves. "Here, you'll like this," he said, handing me a piece. It was terrible. I took one small bite and could hardly finish chewing. He's eaten six or seven leaves of this thing; I don't know how he does it! I also don't know what this thing is. He doesn't know the Turkish name for it, so I think I'll forever be wondering. (Apparently the Kurdish is ribis?)
I find that I often forget that Turkish is Kaan's second language. It's difficult to imagine your partner's past, especially when it's so different from what he or she is living today. Hopefully we can go visit his parents soon, and I'll be able to have a better understanding of what his childhood was like.
Also, today is Mother's Day! I sent my momma a nice email; I'll probably buy her some nice earrings to give to her when I come home. I hope everyone has hugged their momma or at least called her to say hello. Kaan and I tried to call his mom, but we had some trouble reaching her. Perhaps we can try again a little later. Anyhow, to all the mommas out there, happy mother's day!
I want to thank all of my foreign commenters for regularly leaving such pleasant comments. I do wish to ask that future commenters refrain from linking to other websites; I will from now on moderate all comments and delete any that contain links I deem inappropriate. I would like to think this won't deter anyone from reading or commenting, but I'd prefer the be an unread blogger than be a place for advertisements.
Showing posts with label kaan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kaan. Show all posts
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
another small post
"The Turks consider it unlucky to step on a piece of bread." [link]
Whenever Kaan and I are walking around, he always makes sure to pick up and move any bread that's found on the ground. He says it's a sin to step on, to walk on food. I've only done a few brief, basic searches on Google, but I haven't found anything specifically forbidding it. Verifiability isn't really what I'm concerned out; rather, I'm curious about from where this belief/understanding comes from. While stumbling around today, I came across a trivia list with the above 'fact'. Again, I'm not interested really in whether or not it's the truth (but Evrim, if you are familiar with this, please let me know!). What's interesting to me is that this superstition/belief/whatever has made its way into the practice of Islam in Kaan's family.
That's really the whole purpose to this post; I discovered something cultural that I didn't know before.
Also, some big German person has come to the Germanchurchhigh school on our street. There are tons of police standing around, soldiers patrolling, and camera crews running around. It's very exciting. I'll try to find something on the news, as I actually have no idea who is here or why.
[edit]
It turns out that the visitor wasn't just ANY big German person.. it was Chancellor Merkel herself. She apparently visited a few sites in Istanbul, including our neighborhood German high school. I took a few photos and didn't see much else. I let a cameraman into the apartment to take some footage (probably not the best idea, but I was excited to help someone get a good shot!). If I can find the clip, I'll be sure to post it. I'll try to post some of the pictures I took too. It was really interesting to see just how many people were actually involved in the street security process. I think there were about 15 cars in the whole procession! I'll be sure to update with news articles as I find them.
Whenever Kaan and I are walking around, he always makes sure to pick up and move any bread that's found on the ground. He says it's a sin to step on, to walk on food. I've only done a few brief, basic searches on Google, but I haven't found anything specifically forbidding it. Verifiability isn't really what I'm concerned out; rather, I'm curious about from where this belief/understanding comes from. While stumbling around today, I came across a trivia list with the above 'fact'. Again, I'm not interested really in whether or not it's the truth (but Evrim, if you are familiar with this, please let me know!). What's interesting to me is that this superstition/belief/whatever has made its way into the practice of Islam in Kaan's family.
That's really the whole purpose to this post; I discovered something cultural that I didn't know before.
Also, some big German person has come to the German
[edit]
It turns out that the visitor wasn't just ANY big German person.. it was Chancellor Merkel herself. She apparently visited a few sites in Istanbul, including our neighborhood German high school. I took a few photos and didn't see much else. I let a cameraman into the apartment to take some footage (probably not the best idea, but I was excited to help someone get a good shot!). If I can find the clip, I'll be sure to post it. I'll try to post some of the pictures I took too. It was really interesting to see just how many people were actually involved in the street security process. I think there were about 15 cars in the whole procession! I'll be sure to update with news articles as I find them.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
releasing expectations
My friend Ellie wrote this on her facebook page the other day: “release expectations”. I “liked” it, because I always find her status updates to be particularly thought-provoking. As it turns out, her post would come to fit my day exactly.
Yesterday, Kaan and I had a crossing of expectations. He expected that I would act the part of a Turkish housewife and serve food and drink to his visiting friend and him. I expected that he would understand how humiliating it feels to be told to bring tea from room to room. Maybe it’s just being unaccustomed to having to serve people and a general anxiety about houseguests, but I find the expectation to be carrying food and drink around—doing so because I am the woman in the house—rather outdated and sexist. Somehow, the two of us couldn’t communicate the personal significance of this particular act of hospitality and ended up having a very uncomfortable evening. He felt emasculated when I refused to bring the tea; I, in turn, felt angry and almost degraded when he asked me to without lifting a finger of his own. Definitely a superficial situation! However, with our incompatible expectations and lack of good communication, something as simple as making, carrying, and serving tea became a spot of contention in our relationship.
Not all expectations are bad, however. Some expectations can be motivating; for instance, the expectation that you will get all A’s one semester or find new friends in college can be a reason to work hard for your goal. On the flip side, negative expectations—like not making any friends—can hold you back from even trying. Many expectations relate to another’s actions; you might expect a co-worker to do his or her share of the work on a project, or expect that your family will give you a gift on your birthday. These are cultural or societal expectations, which I think are most often acceptable and fulfilling. Without communication, as in the example of the tea-serving above, even cultural expectations can be frustrating.
Other expectations can be harmless and surprising; most first time tourists in Turkey expect to find an Arab, Islamic society. After arriving here and seeing the diversity and truly unique culture, I imagine many of them are pleasantly surprised. What I find, however, is that most expectations end up with disappointing results. When I came to Turkey with AFS in 2006, one of the things that the volunteers stressed to us was to abandon our expectations and assumptions. Since I didn’t know squat about Turkey when I first came, I didn’t have many expectations about the country. What I did come to expect was a certain treatment by my host family, a certain lifestyle with them, and even certain standards in school. I was hoping to spend my time practicing my French and Russian, speaking French in school and Russian with the maid, even learning some Turkish with my friends and family. I expected a family which would spend time together, be active with AFS, and be intellectual, exploring the differences in our cultures and trying to grow. I was disappointed when those things didn’t happen. Expectations can really limit you; if you come into a new situation with rigid expectations like that, not only can you be disappointed, but you can also miss a chance to learn something new.
It’s not easy to walk into a situation without expectations. I think that humans naturally make assumptions and categorize what we see; that’s really all an expectation is. We see (or foresee) a situation which is similar to another situation, and we make assumptions about what that new situation will be like. But when daydreams and ponderances turn into situational expectations, I think we are opening ourselves up for disappointment. Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell when a daydream turns into an expectation, so I can’t offer any advice about that. I don’t think it’s harmful to daydream. What can be harmful is the process of building expectations; to this, my advice is that of Ellie’s…
Let go of your expectations! Being open to new experiences and adventures is what makes a good trip. It’s okay to be wrong in your daydreams; it’s a lot harder to repair damage caused by an under- or over-estimated expectation. Let life flow over you like currents in the bath tub (or lake/river/ocean, if you’re braver than me). Be a sponge; take in everything you see and figure out where it fits in your puzzle. But don’t limit yourself by expecting everything to be easy, beautiful, safe, or fun. Try to abandon your personal, self, cultural, and/or societal expectations and see things for what they are. That alone is a challenge, but I promise you will learn more by trying to be open than struggling to amend your expectations.
I hate to be corny or cliché, but this talk of expectations made me think of one of my favorite songs. The beauty of music, like any art, is that the observer can find his or her own message in it. Incubus’ ‘Earth to Bella Pt. 2’ inspires me to let go of my fears and expectations, allowing me to try and be spongier. Here is a short excerpt from that song:
“Earth to Bella, you’re treading water successfully
Are you really? Don’t you want to see the deep?
It’s not so hard, just forgive yourself and feel the water open”
Yesterday, Kaan and I had a crossing of expectations. He expected that I would act the part of a Turkish housewife and serve food and drink to his visiting friend and him. I expected that he would understand how humiliating it feels to be told to bring tea from room to room. Maybe it’s just being unaccustomed to having to serve people and a general anxiety about houseguests, but I find the expectation to be carrying food and drink around—doing so because I am the woman in the house—rather outdated and sexist. Somehow, the two of us couldn’t communicate the personal significance of this particular act of hospitality and ended up having a very uncomfortable evening. He felt emasculated when I refused to bring the tea; I, in turn, felt angry and almost degraded when he asked me to without lifting a finger of his own. Definitely a superficial situation! However, with our incompatible expectations and lack of good communication, something as simple as making, carrying, and serving tea became a spot of contention in our relationship.
Not all expectations are bad, however. Some expectations can be motivating; for instance, the expectation that you will get all A’s one semester or find new friends in college can be a reason to work hard for your goal. On the flip side, negative expectations—like not making any friends—can hold you back from even trying. Many expectations relate to another’s actions; you might expect a co-worker to do his or her share of the work on a project, or expect that your family will give you a gift on your birthday. These are cultural or societal expectations, which I think are most often acceptable and fulfilling. Without communication, as in the example of the tea-serving above, even cultural expectations can be frustrating.
Other expectations can be harmless and surprising; most first time tourists in Turkey expect to find an Arab, Islamic society. After arriving here and seeing the diversity and truly unique culture, I imagine many of them are pleasantly surprised. What I find, however, is that most expectations end up with disappointing results. When I came to Turkey with AFS in 2006, one of the things that the volunteers stressed to us was to abandon our expectations and assumptions. Since I didn’t know squat about Turkey when I first came, I didn’t have many expectations about the country. What I did come to expect was a certain treatment by my host family, a certain lifestyle with them, and even certain standards in school. I was hoping to spend my time practicing my French and Russian, speaking French in school and Russian with the maid, even learning some Turkish with my friends and family. I expected a family which would spend time together, be active with AFS, and be intellectual, exploring the differences in our cultures and trying to grow. I was disappointed when those things didn’t happen. Expectations can really limit you; if you come into a new situation with rigid expectations like that, not only can you be disappointed, but you can also miss a chance to learn something new.
It’s not easy to walk into a situation without expectations. I think that humans naturally make assumptions and categorize what we see; that’s really all an expectation is. We see (or foresee) a situation which is similar to another situation, and we make assumptions about what that new situation will be like. But when daydreams and ponderances turn into situational expectations, I think we are opening ourselves up for disappointment. Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell when a daydream turns into an expectation, so I can’t offer any advice about that. I don’t think it’s harmful to daydream. What can be harmful is the process of building expectations; to this, my advice is that of Ellie’s…
Let go of your expectations! Being open to new experiences and adventures is what makes a good trip. It’s okay to be wrong in your daydreams; it’s a lot harder to repair damage caused by an under- or over-estimated expectation. Let life flow over you like currents in the bath tub (or lake/river/ocean, if you’re braver than me). Be a sponge; take in everything you see and figure out where it fits in your puzzle. But don’t limit yourself by expecting everything to be easy, beautiful, safe, or fun. Try to abandon your personal, self, cultural, and/or societal expectations and see things for what they are. That alone is a challenge, but I promise you will learn more by trying to be open than struggling to amend your expectations.
I hate to be corny or cliché, but this talk of expectations made me think of one of my favorite songs. The beauty of music, like any art, is that the observer can find his or her own message in it. Incubus’ ‘Earth to Bella Pt. 2’ inspires me to let go of my fears and expectations, allowing me to try and be spongier. Here is a short excerpt from that song:
“Earth to Bella, you’re treading water successfully
Are you really? Don’t you want to see the deep?
It’s not so hard, just forgive yourself and feel the water open”
Friday, December 18, 2009
It hardly seems fair that I've neglected this blog for almost a month. I can't really chalk it up to the traditional post-Thanksgiving time crunch. I can't even really say it's been a heavy workload at schoo. Part of the reason I've been absent is that Kaan is no longer working at Cafe Nero, thus my semi-regular internet access has been interrupted. This happened about two weeks ago, which can account for two of the last three weeks. I suppose it isn't really tremendously important to give an excuse for every day left un-narrated, but I'll at least try to summarize my absence in the last three weeks.
Kaan and I have been enjoying tremendously this increase in time together. We've applied for and received his first passport, which is a really neat thing for him. We were hoping to fly to South Africa over the winter break, but I don't think that will be working out. My mother has this great idea that if Kaan is able to spend some time in an English-speaking country, he might have a better understanding of life in the States (or at least the lonliness that comes from not speaking the native language). Plus, South Africa in January would be a nice break from the cold, rainy Istanbul. As the whole trip ended up being quite a bit more than I had expected, we've back-burnered the plan for the time being. He does, however, now have a passport, which is a step in the right direction. We recently acquired a tavla (backgammon) set, so much of our free time has been consumed by almost endless backgammon tournaments. Otherwise we've been wandering around rather aimlessly, sleeping in until 9am on some days, and generally wasting time and money. It's been a good couple of weeks. I believe Kaan's been feeling rather fidgety lately, so there is the possibility of his upcoming return to the work force. I'm doing my best to not pressure him in either direction, but truly, either way works for me.
His reasons for leaving Cafe Nero include a rather unfair insurance scandal. Apparently in Turkey, employers are required by law to provide their employees with some sort of health insurance almost immediately after being hired. I was previously unaware of this; when Kaan was talking about asking his work for insurance several months ago, I thought he was just being paranoid. However, it turns out that not supplying one's workers with appropriate insurance is ground for a rather hefty fine. Apparently there are public servants who randomly check the insurance status of workers around the city. One day a couple of weeks ago, they came to Cafe Nero. Kaan did his best to avoid any punishment but was still the reason for a fine. His bosses decided to ask him to pay it, which is not really his duty. In protest, he left.
Frankly, I think this situation was absolutely absurd. He had requested insurance from his bosses; they refused to give it to him. When they incurred a fine, they tried to make him pay it, despite his obvious desire to follow the law. What a bunch of bullies.
So those are the most recent newsworthy snippets from the world of Kaan.
School is finishing in one week. I've just completed a rather lengthy final paper for one class. I have a slightly shorter paper and presentation to prepare for another, as well as a test to prepare for next week. Neither are really very serious, so I haven't had as much stress as my Turkish companions, I'm sure. I have one final test in January. Really, it's been a nice way to wrap up the first semester. I hope everything goes as planned, though... I ought not to take it too easy!
I believe classes end officially on Christmas. I don't have any particular Christmas plans. It's more traditional to have a Christmas-type celebration on New Years Eve. Most likely we will exchange a few small gifts then, rather than try to falsy create Christmas. I did have a dream about constructing a paper tree, hanging it on the wall, and decorating it. If this comes to fruitation, I will post photos!
I apologize for the rather disjointed and incoherent update. As I expressed in the past, my English skills decrease as my length of stay increases. On top of this quick deterioration of the native tongue, I'm quite tired (undoubtedly from churning out a ten page paper just before its due date). I hope that my dear readers can understand.
As I will very likely not be updating again until the new year, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season. Be healthy and wealthy and wise. I hope the quickly approaching new year will offer you many opportunities to expand your comfort zone and modify your approach to the world, as this trip to Turkey has done with mine. Peace on earth and all of that.
Kaan and I have been enjoying tremendously this increase in time together. We've applied for and received his first passport, which is a really neat thing for him. We were hoping to fly to South Africa over the winter break, but I don't think that will be working out. My mother has this great idea that if Kaan is able to spend some time in an English-speaking country, he might have a better understanding of life in the States (or at least the lonliness that comes from not speaking the native language). Plus, South Africa in January would be a nice break from the cold, rainy Istanbul. As the whole trip ended up being quite a bit more than I had expected, we've back-burnered the plan for the time being. He does, however, now have a passport, which is a step in the right direction. We recently acquired a tavla (backgammon) set, so much of our free time has been consumed by almost endless backgammon tournaments. Otherwise we've been wandering around rather aimlessly, sleeping in until 9am on some days, and generally wasting time and money. It's been a good couple of weeks. I believe Kaan's been feeling rather fidgety lately, so there is the possibility of his upcoming return to the work force. I'm doing my best to not pressure him in either direction, but truly, either way works for me.
His reasons for leaving Cafe Nero include a rather unfair insurance scandal. Apparently in Turkey, employers are required by law to provide their employees with some sort of health insurance almost immediately after being hired. I was previously unaware of this; when Kaan was talking about asking his work for insurance several months ago, I thought he was just being paranoid. However, it turns out that not supplying one's workers with appropriate insurance is ground for a rather hefty fine. Apparently there are public servants who randomly check the insurance status of workers around the city. One day a couple of weeks ago, they came to Cafe Nero. Kaan did his best to avoid any punishment but was still the reason for a fine. His bosses decided to ask him to pay it, which is not really his duty. In protest, he left.
Frankly, I think this situation was absolutely absurd. He had requested insurance from his bosses; they refused to give it to him. When they incurred a fine, they tried to make him pay it, despite his obvious desire to follow the law. What a bunch of bullies.
So those are the most recent newsworthy snippets from the world of Kaan.
School is finishing in one week. I've just completed a rather lengthy final paper for one class. I have a slightly shorter paper and presentation to prepare for another, as well as a test to prepare for next week. Neither are really very serious, so I haven't had as much stress as my Turkish companions, I'm sure. I have one final test in January. Really, it's been a nice way to wrap up the first semester. I hope everything goes as planned, though... I ought not to take it too easy!
I believe classes end officially on Christmas. I don't have any particular Christmas plans. It's more traditional to have a Christmas-type celebration on New Years Eve. Most likely we will exchange a few small gifts then, rather than try to falsy create Christmas. I did have a dream about constructing a paper tree, hanging it on the wall, and decorating it. If this comes to fruitation, I will post photos!
I apologize for the rather disjointed and incoherent update. As I expressed in the past, my English skills decrease as my length of stay increases. On top of this quick deterioration of the native tongue, I'm quite tired (undoubtedly from churning out a ten page paper just before its due date). I hope that my dear readers can understand.
As I will very likely not be updating again until the new year, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season. Be healthy and wealthy and wise. I hope the quickly approaching new year will offer you many opportunities to expand your comfort zone and modify your approach to the world, as this trip to Turkey has done with mine. Peace on earth and all of that.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
quick correction
Several weeks ago I wrote complaining about the possibility of Kaan being fired. As it turns out, he wasn't. The boss people were concerned that my presence at the cafe was keeping him from working. They had apparently asked another worker to come early and watch us. She reported that Kaan was working and I was putzing around on the computer. This apparently was enough for them; despite Kaan's complete assurance that he would be fired, he was misled. He's still here at Cafe Nero--and so am I! In case anyone was concerned about his being fired, there's the truth.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
no title today
oh what a stupid thing. I came to the cafe today to find Kaan in quite low spirits. Wondering what was the matter, I asked him. He thinks they're going to fire him. I don't get it.
The cafe has two owners. The second one has only been coming for a couple of weeks, and he will apparently leave around the end of November. The owner whom I know is quite nice and, I believe, likes Kaan quite a lot. I'm not so sure about this "new" guy, however. He doesn't seem to talk much. But anyway, I don't think he likes Kaan 'cause Kaan seems to think they're going to fire him.
It makes me quite mad. This 'new' guy comes for a month and out of nowhere decides to fire Kaan? It's absurd. If he isn't here and doesn't see Kaan working, why should he have the authority to fire him?
Whatever. It just means a lot of worry for me. If he finds another job that requires he works nights, I don't know what I'll do. I'll probably die. It makes me so mad that these fuckers are possibly going to take away the little time we have together. Whatever. I can't do anything about it; I just hope things work out for the best. I hope Kaan's wrong about this. I will be quite upset if he has to find a new job.
[edit]
okay, I won't really die. But since work here involves often a 10 or 12 hour shift, if he has to work nights, I don't know when I'll see him. That will be very tough. But things will be okay.
The cafe has two owners. The second one has only been coming for a couple of weeks, and he will apparently leave around the end of November. The owner whom I know is quite nice and, I believe, likes Kaan quite a lot. I'm not so sure about this "new" guy, however. He doesn't seem to talk much. But anyway, I don't think he likes Kaan 'cause Kaan seems to think they're going to fire him.
It makes me quite mad. This 'new' guy comes for a month and out of nowhere decides to fire Kaan? It's absurd. If he isn't here and doesn't see Kaan working, why should he have the authority to fire him?
Whatever. It just means a lot of worry for me. If he finds another job that requires he works nights, I don't know what I'll do. I'll probably die. It makes me so mad that these fuckers are possibly going to take away the little time we have together. Whatever. I can't do anything about it; I just hope things work out for the best. I hope Kaan's wrong about this. I will be quite upset if he has to find a new job.
[edit]
okay, I won't really die. But since work here involves often a 10 or 12 hour shift, if he has to work nights, I don't know when I'll see him. That will be very tough. But things will be okay.
Monday, October 26, 2009
oh, by the way, it's daylight savings
I wish someone had mentioned that to me on Saturday night. I suppose I just should have known, as some people do “just know”. Apparently it was in the paper on Saturday (which, of course, I don’t have much occasion to read). Kaan said he knew but forgot to tell me (which he often does). He also forgot to change his clock, so we were both rather surprised we realized it. I was supposed to meet some friends to go to the market at 11. As none of the clocks in the house had been changed, I got up and made ready for the day. I strolled into the café, sat down for some tea, and then realized I was running late. I hurriedly drank my tea and stood to leave, when I noticed the clock was only showing 5 till 10 (9:55). I called Kaan over, and we took turns looking between the clock, our cell phones, and each other. We finally determined it was, indeed, almost ten.
At this point, since I was supposed to meet some friends—perhaps they were just as clueless as I was—I decided to mosey on down the street toward our meeting point. I would wait for ten or fifteen minutes and, if they didn’t show, declare they were far more aware of the world than I was and return to the café. Luckily, my friend Niels came meandering by at exactly that time (especially fortunate as he was one of those whom I was going to meet!). We had a good chuckle at being so confused by the clocks and, with our newly discovered extra hour, decided to have breakfast. We did meet up with the other two friends at 11 and had a lovely jaunt through the market.
I like the market. There are lots of vegetables. I’m going to start cooking more as soon as I get some spices. Most of the spices that are readily available are things like mint and red pepper flakes. While I enjoy both of those tastes quite a lot, when a recipe calls for cumin, I don’t think either would be a proper substitute. So I’m tentatively scheduling a trip to the spice bazaar. I ought to make a list of what spices to buy. So far I’ve got cumin and cinnamon. Maybe also something like curry powder (or whatever makes up curry powder, since it itself is not a spice, but rather a mixture of spices. I didn’t know this previously.).
Apparently I’m feeling rather parenthetical today. I haven’t been sleeping very well because Kaan is sort of a bed-hog. For many years I slept on a twin mattress, so I don’t need that much space. However, he’s a pro at finding the prefect spot in just exactly the middle of the bed, so I get rather squished. My vocabulary doesn’t include things like “squished”, so I’m not sure how properly to tell him to pick a side and stick to it. As it happens, I get the house to myself during the day, so I have plenty of opportunities to nap. Perhaps soon I’ll become the newest siesta convert. We shall see.
The newest trend chez nous is Spider Solitaire. I could play this game for literally hours. When Kaan gets home from work, it’s among the first things he does. He’s gotten quite good. And since I didn’t actually –play- the game for the first year I used the application—the hint button can solve the entire puzzle for you—I was really impressed that he picked it up so quickly. He still doesn’t get one or two ideas (like wanting to win the game with the lowest number of moves), but he’s having fun and that’s enough for me.
Also, we’re both feeling the beginnings of a(nother) cold. Let’s hope it isn’t the flu formerly known as swine!
At this point, since I was supposed to meet some friends—perhaps they were just as clueless as I was—I decided to mosey on down the street toward our meeting point. I would wait for ten or fifteen minutes and, if they didn’t show, declare they were far more aware of the world than I was and return to the café. Luckily, my friend Niels came meandering by at exactly that time (especially fortunate as he was one of those whom I was going to meet!). We had a good chuckle at being so confused by the clocks and, with our newly discovered extra hour, decided to have breakfast. We did meet up with the other two friends at 11 and had a lovely jaunt through the market.
I like the market. There are lots of vegetables. I’m going to start cooking more as soon as I get some spices. Most of the spices that are readily available are things like mint and red pepper flakes. While I enjoy both of those tastes quite a lot, when a recipe calls for cumin, I don’t think either would be a proper substitute. So I’m tentatively scheduling a trip to the spice bazaar. I ought to make a list of what spices to buy. So far I’ve got cumin and cinnamon. Maybe also something like curry powder (or whatever makes up curry powder, since it itself is not a spice, but rather a mixture of spices. I didn’t know this previously.).
Apparently I’m feeling rather parenthetical today. I haven’t been sleeping very well because Kaan is sort of a bed-hog. For many years I slept on a twin mattress, so I don’t need that much space. However, he’s a pro at finding the prefect spot in just exactly the middle of the bed, so I get rather squished. My vocabulary doesn’t include things like “squished”, so I’m not sure how properly to tell him to pick a side and stick to it. As it happens, I get the house to myself during the day, so I have plenty of opportunities to nap. Perhaps soon I’ll become the newest siesta convert. We shall see.
The newest trend chez nous is Spider Solitaire. I could play this game for literally hours. When Kaan gets home from work, it’s among the first things he does. He’s gotten quite good. And since I didn’t actually –play- the game for the first year I used the application—the hint button can solve the entire puzzle for you—I was really impressed that he picked it up so quickly. He still doesn’t get one or two ideas (like wanting to win the game with the lowest number of moves), but he’s having fun and that’s enough for me.
Also, we’re both feeling the beginnings of a(nother) cold. Let’s hope it isn’t the flu formerly known as swine!
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.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
So I arrived safely in Istanbul a number of days ago. Kaan picked me up from the airport with my two HUGE suitcases (I think both were around 50lbs each (close to 22 or 23 kilos. The scale at the airport wasn't properly zeroed so I got away with being just over the weight limit on one bag). Together we made our way back to the apartment. I was shocked when I first walked in--it's tiny! I'll try to get some pictures later. We might be moving, so I don't want to get ahead of myself. I'll try to describe it.
We have three main rooms--a bedroom and two salon type rooms. The room in the center of the apartment has access to the bathroom and kitchen. Neither are very big; the kitchen could fit four people standing front-to-back. There is hardly any counter space. I would say one could maybe fit a microwave on the open counter. We have a sink that doesn't have much water pressure and a refrigerator in the living room. It isn't so bad, because I don't need much room. Now that we've purchased a single gas powered stove top (the gas container is about a two-gallon jug size and the burner is standard sized), I feel more comfortable with the kitchen. It's certainly workable.. but the bathroom? We have a six foot wide, 2.5 foot deep bathroom. It's absolutely tiny! And there isn't an actual toilet, just a hole in the ground. Our shower head is between the sink (approx. the size of my laptop's keyboard) and the toilet, and it points almost directly toward the door. Also, I'm pretty sure there are baby cockroaches living in the bathroom. It's pretty awful!
We do have access to a small communal courtyard. It's very cute! But unfortunately, I think the neighbors use it as a workplace during the day, so it's very noisy in the morning. I'm really very satisfied with the place except for the bathroom/bugs. The neighborhood seems to be a bit poorer, which doesn't bother me. We live with a mix of poorer Turks and Kurds, which is interesting. Lots of different things to hear walking down the street! I haven't met anyone yet, but I'm sure I'm quite a sight in that part of town. Some of the children shout "hi" to me as I pass. A foreigner in their neighborhood is bound to cause a stir. Add in my extremely pale skin and long dreadlocks, I stick out like a sore thumb.
As I said, Kaan and I have been thinking about moving. We've been halfheartedly searching for a nearby, inexpensive, slightly nicer apartment. I'm set on having an actual toilet, and he's set on having multiple rooms. This presents a slight problem, as most of the inexpensive multi-roomed rentals nearby are either out of our price range, don't have a Western toilet, or won't rent to an unmarried couple. I'm content to help pay rent to have my damned toilet, but he seems reluctant to do that (oh, masculinity!). Apparently, if we find a place through a rental office, we have to pay a month's worth of rent to the agent as commission. This is making things a little difficult on top of it all.. Coming up with three months of rent on a limited salary will certainly be a pitfall to moving.
My friend from Denver has safely arrived in Istanbul and has settled into the dorms. I haven't yet met up with her. We could have met up today, but I am only able to check my email at Kaan's cafe and didn't get her message in time. We might be able to meet up tomorrow; otherwise, I'll see her at the Erasmus orientation on Tuesday.
Mostly I've been sitting around at Kaan's cafe during the day. I don't have much desire to do any shopping; since he works all day, I'm left alone for the majority of the week. As a result, I tend to just hang around his cafe. I really hate doing that, but until I make friends/meet up with some of my old friends, I'd rather be around people than not.
So, things have been sort of slow getting started. Kaan works all the time, and our apartment leaves a lot to be desired. My goals in the next week are as follows:
-buy a better outlet adapter so that I can use my computer at home
-locate a better place to live!
-meet up with my friends so I don't feel like such a burden at the cafe
-learn more about my classes and school situation.
I hope these are reasonable goals.
My sister and I did a lot of filming before I left. I'll try to edit and upload it soon! For my Turkish readers, how do I bypass the youtube block?!
I haven't been fasting here. I was traveling for two days, and the remaining 3 we haven't had enough food at home to be able to safely fast. I hope to soon, however!
Kaan only has half an hour left at work, so I suppose I'll pack up. I'm eager to leave.
More soon!
We have three main rooms--a bedroom and two salon type rooms. The room in the center of the apartment has access to the bathroom and kitchen. Neither are very big; the kitchen could fit four people standing front-to-back. There is hardly any counter space. I would say one could maybe fit a microwave on the open counter. We have a sink that doesn't have much water pressure and a refrigerator in the living room. It isn't so bad, because I don't need much room. Now that we've purchased a single gas powered stove top (the gas container is about a two-gallon jug size and the burner is standard sized), I feel more comfortable with the kitchen. It's certainly workable.. but the bathroom? We have a six foot wide, 2.5 foot deep bathroom. It's absolutely tiny! And there isn't an actual toilet, just a hole in the ground. Our shower head is between the sink (approx. the size of my laptop's keyboard) and the toilet, and it points almost directly toward the door. Also, I'm pretty sure there are baby cockroaches living in the bathroom. It's pretty awful!
We do have access to a small communal courtyard. It's very cute! But unfortunately, I think the neighbors use it as a workplace during the day, so it's very noisy in the morning. I'm really very satisfied with the place except for the bathroom/bugs. The neighborhood seems to be a bit poorer, which doesn't bother me. We live with a mix of poorer Turks and Kurds, which is interesting. Lots of different things to hear walking down the street! I haven't met anyone yet, but I'm sure I'm quite a sight in that part of town. Some of the children shout "hi" to me as I pass. A foreigner in their neighborhood is bound to cause a stir. Add in my extremely pale skin and long dreadlocks, I stick out like a sore thumb.
As I said, Kaan and I have been thinking about moving. We've been halfheartedly searching for a nearby, inexpensive, slightly nicer apartment. I'm set on having an actual toilet, and he's set on having multiple rooms. This presents a slight problem, as most of the inexpensive multi-roomed rentals nearby are either out of our price range, don't have a Western toilet, or won't rent to an unmarried couple. I'm content to help pay rent to have my damned toilet, but he seems reluctant to do that (oh, masculinity!). Apparently, if we find a place through a rental office, we have to pay a month's worth of rent to the agent as commission. This is making things a little difficult on top of it all.. Coming up with three months of rent on a limited salary will certainly be a pitfall to moving.
My friend from Denver has safely arrived in Istanbul and has settled into the dorms. I haven't yet met up with her. We could have met up today, but I am only able to check my email at Kaan's cafe and didn't get her message in time. We might be able to meet up tomorrow; otherwise, I'll see her at the Erasmus orientation on Tuesday.
Mostly I've been sitting around at Kaan's cafe during the day. I don't have much desire to do any shopping; since he works all day, I'm left alone for the majority of the week. As a result, I tend to just hang around his cafe. I really hate doing that, but until I make friends/meet up with some of my old friends, I'd rather be around people than not.
So, things have been sort of slow getting started. Kaan works all the time, and our apartment leaves a lot to be desired. My goals in the next week are as follows:
-buy a better outlet adapter so that I can use my computer at home
-locate a better place to live!
-meet up with my friends so I don't feel like such a burden at the cafe
-learn more about my classes and school situation.
I hope these are reasonable goals.
My sister and I did a lot of filming before I left. I'll try to edit and upload it soon! For my Turkish readers, how do I bypass the youtube block?!
I haven't been fasting here. I was traveling for two days, and the remaining 3 we haven't had enough food at home to be able to safely fast. I hope to soon, however!
Kaan only has half an hour left at work, so I suppose I'll pack up. I'm eager to leave.
More soon!
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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