Things that I will forever and always remember about my trip to Istanbul:* "Yes please, yes please, yes please"
* "Hello Angels, my name is Charlie, let me help you spend your money"
* dozens of stray cats and dogs
* roasted chestnut carts
* corn on the cob carts
* 11.25 TKL Big Mac meals
* 1 TKL ice cream cones
* "Hello beautiful"
* the Titantic song
* Turkish breakfasts
* "Umbrella, umbrella, umbrella"
* Turkish nationalism
* "Food?" No. "Drink?" No. "Me?" NO!
* Baklava
* Turkish Coffee
* Apple Tea
* Kebaps for 3 TKL or less!
* Pashminas
* Grand Baazar
* Spice Baazar
* Evil Eye
* fake purses
* Turkish socks
* "Where do you come from?"
* Turkish toilet
* Bosphorous River
* St. Sophia Mosque
* Blue tiles
* the 5 AM prayer call
* seeing El Torito
* dancing to Turkish hip hop
* "Ladies, you too sexy for your shoes."
Istanbul was a trip that I will hardly ever forget. If it hadn't been for this educational excursion opportunity, I hardly doubt that I would have ever visited Turkey on my own. Will I ever return? It's hard to say...
...one of the greatest strengths of Turkey is the food. I don't think I'll ever be able to go to another city and survive comfortably on 10 USD or less to feed myself at least three meals. I will miss the days of kebap pitas, baklava, and apple tea. Breakfast, though a little out of the ordinary for an American's palette is still right up my alley: crusty bread alongside feta cheese, slices of tomato and cucumber, cured olives, and hard boiled eggs. Option 2 is thick, plain yogurt drizzled with honey and slices of fresh melon served with your choice of cherry juice, orange juice, or Turkish coffee. Baklava Patisseries line the streets and the pans of this honey drizzled, pistachio dusted confectionery make you drool just thinking about it. They make up by the panful and serve them fresh all day long. Turkish delights are pleasant to have alongside hot, bitter Turkish coffee or tea and is so much better in Istanbul than the stuff they sell packaged in the States. I'm still not a fan of the Rose flavor...but the ones with pistachio, coconut, or hazelnuts are little bits of heaven. Over the course of the three full days, the group of us - varying in religion, ethnicity, and home university, visited several mosques including the famous St. Sophia's and Blue Mosque, in addition to the home palace of a past Sultan, a quarter of a dozen museums, the Grand Baazar (which has been up and running since the 15th century....), the Egyptian Spice Baazar, and a boat tour of the Bosporus River that literally splits Turkey between Europe and Asia. So much history!
Turkey was a great place to visit - it truly was a trip of cultural immersion, varying drastically from everything that I've seen and have been used to. It put me out of my comfort zone and I loved every minute of it and it delivered the perfect amount of culture shock that London was not providing - making me appreciate London, Los Angeles, and Mountain View so much more than I have in the past. With that sad, I probably would visit again if it was convenient or part of another composite trip, but I probably wouldn't make it the star of any future vacations.
Istanbul was interesting and eye opening for several reasons...
Istanbul was interesting and eye opening for several reasons...
1. the idea of women as second class citizens
I had a really hard time with this one, particularly because I didn't really know where I was supposed to metaphorically stand. There were, what I felt, an equal proportion of women covered in black, wearing the veil; while others wore traditional clothing, and then there were women who did a fusion of the two. We had a speaker that discussed the political state of Turkey, and even she wasn't sure what to say except that women are indeed treated as second class citizens. This result is influenced by the religion (and its interpretation from all angles), men, and the women themselves. Some believe that wearing the veil is like a badge of an honor, while others feel that its self destructing, some women may feel pressured to wear the veil, while others who may wear the veil look down upon women who don't wear it.
What also made it confusing was given what I knew about the attitude toward women and the options she had to dress herself, Turkey was still filled with ads featuring women in provocative clothing, which seemed to be such a paradox....
I had a really hard time with this one, particularly because I didn't really know where I was supposed to metaphorically stand. There were, what I felt, an equal proportion of women covered in black, wearing the veil; while others wore traditional clothing, and then there were women who did a fusion of the two. We had a speaker that discussed the political state of Turkey, and even she wasn't sure what to say except that women are indeed treated as second class citizens. This result is influenced by the religion (and its interpretation from all angles), men, and the women themselves. Some believe that wearing the veil is like a badge of an honor, while others feel that its self destructing, some women may feel pressured to wear the veil, while others who may wear the veil look down upon women who don't wear it.
What also made it confusing was given what I knew about the attitude toward women and the options she had to dress herself, Turkey was still filled with ads featuring women in provocative clothing, which seemed to be such a paradox....
2. the men
Turkish people are extremely friendly and hospitable. However, it was hard to decipher who was being genuinely kind and who had intentions to take you to "a special place." The Turks are big on not giving directions, replying "I'll show you, follow me." As a result, in order to be safe, it was easier to say NO and walk away rather quickly. In addition, Turkish men are very forward and don't waste time on getting their point across - and they're persistent. Walking one city block and you'll hear a new comment or greeting ever 10 feet.
"Hello beautiful"
"Hello Angel"
"Hello doll"
"I love you"
"I've been waiting for you"
"Can I buy you?"
Seriously, if you ever need a self esteem booster, go to Turkey. You could have just rolled out of bed with really bad bed had and a face full of acne and they'll still tell you you're beautiful. One of my vivid memories of Turkey will include:
the second morning - it was howling, pouring rain, with intense winds and freezing cold temperatures. My roommates and I are walking back to the meeting spot after lunch a little frazzled looking. We're bundled up with at least three layers a piece, shoes wet, hands freezing, and feeling everything but cute. We all woke up late and had no time for make - up, let alone brush our hair. We've got our hoods on, bags under our eyes, and pale cheeks from lack of sun. We walk by an umbrella man, a roasting chestnut man, and a corn man. Then a lone fellow passes us in the opposite direction and says, "Ladies, you too sexy for your shoes," and leaves. I'm not sure if it was because we were obviously not from the country or just the novelty of it, but I had never laughed so hard in my life!
Upon my return to London, I had never been so relieved to walk down a street without having to refuse an umbrella or give a stern "NO" to Turkish caller.
Turkish people are extremely friendly and hospitable. However, it was hard to decipher who was being genuinely kind and who had intentions to take you to "a special place." The Turks are big on not giving directions, replying "I'll show you, follow me." As a result, in order to be safe, it was easier to say NO and walk away rather quickly. In addition, Turkish men are very forward and don't waste time on getting their point across - and they're persistent. Walking one city block and you'll hear a new comment or greeting ever 10 feet."Hello beautiful"
"Hello Angel"
"Hello doll"
"I love you"
"I've been waiting for you"
"Can I buy you?"
Seriously, if you ever need a self esteem booster, go to Turkey. You could have just rolled out of bed with really bad bed had and a face full of acne and they'll still tell you you're beautiful. One of my vivid memories of Turkey will include:
the second morning - it was howling, pouring rain, with intense winds and freezing cold temperatures. My roommates and I are walking back to the meeting spot after lunch a little frazzled looking. We're bundled up with at least three layers a piece, shoes wet, hands freezing, and feeling everything but cute. We all woke up late and had no time for make - up, let alone brush our hair. We've got our hoods on, bags under our eyes, and pale cheeks from lack of sun. We walk by an umbrella man, a roasting chestnut man, and a corn man. Then a lone fellow passes us in the opposite direction and says, "Ladies, you too sexy for your shoes," and leaves. I'm not sure if it was because we were obviously not from the country or just the novelty of it, but I had never laughed so hard in my life!
Upon my return to London, I had never been so relieved to walk down a street without having to refuse an umbrella or give a stern "NO" to Turkish caller.
3. not being considered an American
We frequented the baazars almost daily and each time I walked up to a booth or was greeted by the vendor, I was always asked: "Where are you from?" Instead of making conversation or out of curiosity, I eventually realized that they asked in order to gauge what kind of customer I was; whether I would be the hassling or the sticker-price buyer. My roommates were always taken as British, American, Australian, or Dutch. I always got Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, Cambodian, etc. When I didn't tell them where I was from, they would refuse to sell to me. It came to the point where I would be walking down the street and they would call out to me, "Konichiwa!", "Moshi moshi!" and "Ni Hao Ma!" I grew so tired of it that I would ask them to guess where I was from and then just go with it. If I was honest and told them I was from the States, they would say I was lying. To hear me speak in an American accent was already difficult enough to comprehend without the sight of blond hair or blue eyes.
The vendors would never associate me with my roommates and upon inquiry, would always quote them a higher price than if I had asked pre bargaining. With that being said, little did the vendors know that we were friends and to our advantaged, tag teamed during the haggling process. By the time we reached the point of purchase, the vendor absolutely detested me. For instance: My flatmate Michelle was looking at this bracelet for her younger sister quoted at 250 TKL, she haggled him down to 225 TKL and he wouldn't settle for less. At that point, we would collectively meet at the end of the aisle after wandering from booth to booth independently and we would then conduct our experiment. I would return to the same vendor and act in the manner of a very interested customer. I would answer questions about my ethnicity (maybe even fib a little=P) and then was successful in bringing the price down an additional 25 TKL, ask for a further reduction - which he wouldn't dare budge, complain in response and then walk away. Ten minutes later, Michelle would return, pleading for a lower price. The vendor would drop an additional 5 TKL from their pre agreed 225 TKL, I would then pop in and remind me that he quoted me 200 TKL and that my friend should get the same.
This whole shenanigan continued throughout the entire Baazar for an additional 5 hours. By the time we found our way back out the way we came, the vendors were so irritated with me that all the cat calls of "Hey Baby," "My Name is Charlie," and "Moshi Moshi" would come to an end.
Ethnicity in relation to appearance has always been a topic of discussion and contemplation in my high school and university career. However, it's become one of those topics that I've discussed and been talked at about for so long that the effects of its message and its impact on society has sadly become numb. So though I've "known" and discussed the impacts of racism, discrimination, and stereotypes from my first days on the playground in kindergarten, it took me twenty years and trip to a completely foreign place that's not glamorized by magazines (London, Paris, Rome) to really feel the effects of it. I've never been so aware and conscious of my appearance and to be pre-judged, assessed and looked over before I've ever said a word. It's one of those things that you've always known, but it takes an out of water experience to really feel and understand.
Nonetheless, despite the culture shock, I was able to enjoy my time in Istanbul. Why? Because...
4. it reminded me of home
No joke ladies and gentleman! Beyoğlu, the European side across the Golden Horn reminded me of 3rd Street Promenade and walking along the streets nearby our hotels (sans the corn vendors and male callers) with its electric rail and its location along a body of water (the Bosphorus River) reminded me of San Francisco. Also, on the final day on our boat tour along the Bosphorus, there were all these houses varying in colors sitting up on hills along the riverbank that was very reminiscent of driving to SF on 280 N from Mountain View.
In conclusion...
Turkey was a great experience in that it provided with the cultural immersion and rough transition that London didn't seem to offer. It gave me insight into a world that was so dramatically different from what I was used to in all aspects of life - from walking down the street to how I saw myself in the mirror.
I can't say that I'll miss the daily 5 am Arabic prayer call (they have loudspeakers covering the entire city that call all Muslims to prayer toward Mecca.) P.S. Muslims are serious about their religion. Even as an agnostic, my jaw would drop to the ground ever time I entered a mosque, they are lavishly decorated from floor to ceiling in ceramic tile and hand painted designs at captivating heights. It's funny to think that there are so many branches of religion that essentially believe in the same place/concept/people....but that's a whole 'nother can of worms that I won't get into....
So here's to Turkey and all things associated with it: the good, the bad, the ugly, the unspeakable.
We frequented the baazars almost daily and each time I walked up to a booth or was greeted by the vendor, I was always asked: "Where are you from?" Instead of making conversation or out of curiosity, I eventually realized that they asked in order to gauge what kind of customer I was; whether I would be the hassling or the sticker-price buyer. My roommates were always taken as British, American, Australian, or Dutch. I always got Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, Cambodian, etc. When I didn't tell them where I was from, they would refuse to sell to me. It came to the point where I would be walking down the street and they would call out to me, "Konichiwa!", "Moshi moshi!" and "Ni Hao Ma!" I grew so tired of it that I would ask them to guess where I was from and then just go with it. If I was honest and told them I was from the States, they would say I was lying. To hear me speak in an American accent was already difficult enough to comprehend without the sight of blond hair or blue eyes.
The vendors would never associate me with my roommates and upon inquiry, would always quote them a higher price than if I had asked pre bargaining. With that being said, little did the vendors know that we were friends and to our advantaged, tag teamed during the haggling process. By the time we reached the point of purchase, the vendor absolutely detested me. For instance: My flatmate Michelle was looking at this bracelet for her younger sister quoted at 250 TKL, she haggled him down to 225 TKL and he wouldn't settle for less. At that point, we would collectively meet at the end of the aisle after wandering from booth to booth independently and we would then conduct our experiment. I would return to the same vendor and act in the manner of a very interested customer. I would answer questions about my ethnicity (maybe even fib a little=P) and then was successful in bringing the price down an additional 25 TKL, ask for a further reduction - which he wouldn't dare budge, complain in response and then walk away. Ten minutes later, Michelle would return, pleading for a lower price. The vendor would drop an additional 5 TKL from their pre agreed 225 TKL, I would then pop in and remind me that he quoted me 200 TKL and that my friend should get the same.
This whole shenanigan continued throughout the entire Baazar for an additional 5 hours. By the time we found our way back out the way we came, the vendors were so irritated with me that all the cat calls of "Hey Baby," "My Name is Charlie," and "Moshi Moshi" would come to an end.
Ethnicity in relation to appearance has always been a topic of discussion and contemplation in my high school and university career. However, it's become one of those topics that I've discussed and been talked at about for so long that the effects of its message and its impact on society has sadly become numb. So though I've "known" and discussed the impacts of racism, discrimination, and stereotypes from my first days on the playground in kindergarten, it took me twenty years and trip to a completely foreign place that's not glamorized by magazines (London, Paris, Rome) to really feel the effects of it. I've never been so aware and conscious of my appearance and to be pre-judged, assessed and looked over before I've ever said a word. It's one of those things that you've always known, but it takes an out of water experience to really feel and understand.
Nonetheless, despite the culture shock, I was able to enjoy my time in Istanbul. Why? Because...
4. it reminded me of home
No joke ladies and gentleman! Beyoğlu, the European side across the Golden Horn reminded me of 3rd Street Promenade and walking along the streets nearby our hotels (sans the corn vendors and male callers) with its electric rail and its location along a body of water (the Bosphorus River) reminded me of San Francisco. Also, on the final day on our boat tour along the Bosphorus, there were all these houses varying in colors sitting up on hills along the riverbank that was very reminiscent of driving to SF on 280 N from Mountain View.In conclusion...
Turkey was a great experience in that it provided with the cultural immersion and rough transition that London didn't seem to offer. It gave me insight into a world that was so dramatically different from what I was used to in all aspects of life - from walking down the street to how I saw myself in the mirror.
I can't say that I'll miss the daily 5 am Arabic prayer call (they have loudspeakers covering the entire city that call all Muslims to prayer toward Mecca.) P.S. Muslims are serious about their religion. Even as an agnostic, my jaw would drop to the ground ever time I entered a mosque, they are lavishly decorated from floor to ceiling in ceramic tile and hand painted designs at captivating heights. It's funny to think that there are so many branches of religion that essentially believe in the same place/concept/people....but that's a whole 'nother can of worms that I won't get into....So here's to Turkey and all things associated with it: the good, the bad, the ugly, the unspeakable.
This weekend I will heading to Prague of the Czech Republic. Shoutout to Drew Moxon for the recommendations, I'm looking forward to my first bite of Kolache! Also, II'llbe staying in my first hostel this weekend, wish me luck!!!
Avec joie de vivre,
Kimmie
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