The first month

February 24^th 2014

It has been about a month in good ol’ Turkey, and the days are beginning to feel like a routine, rather than an exotic vacation. Of course I still get amazed and charmed by my surroundings, but school has a way of killing fun. Classes are finally in full swing as we enter the forth week of the semester. There is this thing I did not realize was a thing here, its called Turkish time. Basically it’s the same as Murphy time but applies to everyone, everywhere and for all circumstances. Classes were suppose to begin on February 4^th, so I showed up to as many classes as I could find, only to be confused by the lack of other human life in the classrooms. Panicked I was, believing I had the wrong buildings. After the third time this happened I figured out that classes don’t actually start the first week of the semester as they are scheduled to, they start on both the second and the third week. Both of these weeks were intro weeks in all my classes for those students who practice severe Turkish time and end up being three weeks late for things. For most people Turkish time is annoying. I on the other hand just laugh and roll with it. Why worry about what I can’t control and what I only have five months to experience it.

Of course Turkish time is not the only strange thing I’ve run into. There are many aspects of Istanbul and Turkey that are not what I would call ‘organized’ or ‘logical.’ The metro for example has a very odd layout, logically a grid or circle kind of system would make sense. But of course I’m no engineer or demographic expert so I shouldn’t use that as an example, but I can help but questions the two lines on the map that have only two stops. 

The other thing that has been very strange has been the residence permit process. Not only did I require a student visa to enter Turkey, but I also have to get a residence permit or else I can’t leave the country and I could get fine. I guess coming from Canada we try to make these kind of things simple, by putting them online, or just not having them. Either way the process was confusing, time consuming and far away. It was basically as complicated as it could possibly be, on top of that the level of English in the foreign affairs office was minimal, they were using chaotic methods of filing, and they were using archaic looking typewriters. But all of this was forgivable because of how friendly these office policemen were. So friendly in fact my ‘friend,’ Andre, was joking with them in Turkish and pointing at me and laughing. He had told them all I was looking for a Turkish husband. Oh how the crowded office laughed. That gives me a total of 2 proposals since I’ve been here. Yay.

I have to admit the language barrier is frustrating. Of course I am taking Turkish classes, but my vocabulary is limited, my grammar in non-existent, and my application of the language is just embarrassing. But speaking English makes me feel ignorant, so I often just look silently as people talk to me, I may mumble ‘Ingilzce,’ or ‘merhaba’ with a stupid smile. People probably think I’m rude or mentally challenged. Either way I need to gain more confidence when I try to speak, and generally just talk more, even if I screw it all up. This experience has made me feel so stupid for never trying in French class. How many years did I study French and most of the French I know I only understand from reading the French labels on most of our Canadian products. So when I graduate with my Anthro degree, I’ll put it to excellent use and move to Quebec and try and get a job as a ski bum, solely to learn French. Although, it will probably be more difficult than learning Turkish, because French people are not as patient as Turkish people. Either way I stand out being in Europe, knowing only one language.

My courses right now consist of Turkish Language and culture, Anthropology of Pop Music and Communication, Sociology of Music, Urban Review; discovering Istanbul, Forensic Anthropology and Museology. Two of these classes have field trips every two classes and the rest are just really cool. My favourite being forensic Anthropology, only four students in the class and we get to look at 1500 year old bones. Museology we visit Museums, and get credit for it. Two of them we listen to music, and ‘Discovering Istanbul’ is exactly as it sounds. Sorry if I made any anthro friends back home a little jealous. And even if I get low marks in these classes I only have to pass for it to count, the grade wont be transferred back as a number, only as a pass or fail. So the pressure is off and I’m going to enjoy it. The only downside is you can’t skip class. You only have class once a week and you meet for three hours. So you miss one class, you miss a good portion of the course.

So yes I am still enjoying myself, I go to class, I nap, I explore, I drink beer, I eat food, I swim, I meet people, I observe, I learn and I sometimes sleep. In a nutshell.

This is Lily, She doesn't actually drink.

Backgammon or tavla. Every restaurant or cafe will have one. 

Yoros castle, the site dates to the pre-Byzantine era and is located on the Bosphorus and Black sea.

This is a wet burger, Its what you eat when you're drunk

These are mussels stuffed with rice and lemon. You also eat them drunk

Thats a barrel of beer.

The Black sea

Sochi

Hello world. I would like to apologize in advance because this post is strongly worded and it isn’t about Turkey.

 So if you are an internet user you have probably seen or heard about this event called the Olympics taking place in Sochi Russia right now. From the state of the mainstream media that filters through our social networks you might have noticed a few interesting articles regarding the currents events taking place there. Normally when the Olympics are held we celebrate the triumph and glories of our athletes. It is one of the few events in the world where all nations come together peacefully to celebrate human triumph. It is wonderful how the whole world watches anxiously and patriotically. Unfortunately this year I have been quite disappointed by the perspective that mainstream medias has taken. Not just since the games have started, but in the many months leading up to these games.

Living in Turkey right now has been difficult in regards to viewing the Olympics. There are only six Turkish athletes competing in Sochi, so no is aware or cares. As a Canadian I cannot help but feel only pride when it comes to the winter Olympics. Lets face we’re Canada and we are awesome winter athletes. So being in Turkey I was hoping I would see more pride from my fellow Canadians on my social media, heck maybe even some replays that I might be able to view in Turkey. I thought for sure I would see tremendous amounts of national pride. Sadly this has not been the case.

Streaming through is mostly just negativity regarding Russian Policies and Mismanagement. What with the history between Russia and the USA it is to be expected that there would be a little bit of hard feelings. But seriously WTF? Have we all completely forgotten what these games are about? As Hermione Granger once wisely said in the movie the Goblet of fire, “The games are about International Magical cooperation, to make friends.” Well in a nutshell that is what the Olympics are about. So please people before you post on facebook another article about how poorly managed or how poorly executed the Olympics are being managed, take your time to find a more legitimate article. Or find an article that is celebrating the achievements of the athletes. Every Olympics in history have not come without their own problems. But because it is Russia, and most of the mainstream media we view originates from the US, there is going to be a lot of bias in it. There is already enough hate in this world. So for the next two weeks instead of spreading Sochi sensationalized havocs and focusing on Russia’s bad policies, let us celebrate our athletes and their victories. The only hate I want to see regarding the Olympics should be towards the opposing side of Canadian Hockey matches.

So for anyone who reads this send some love and celebrate our athletes. I want Canada to do well so I can brag about us while I’m in a foreign country. Here it is Congrats to our Medal winners so far, the Dufour-Lapointe Sisters, The young McMorris and to Virtue and Moir. Keep the Medals coming Canada!

Merhaba

So it has only been a week since I’ve been here, but it feels like I’ve been here a month. I guess you could say I’ve settled in very easily. I haven’t started my classes yet so I have been able to take my time getting myself organized. I got my student transportation card – which gives me a 50% discount to take all public transport. The bus is only a lira or 49 cents Canadian right now, yea I know super cheap. I don’t understand how their transportation system is so cheap and they have some of the highest fuel rates in the world, almost 5 lira a liter.

I also got my Museum card – I especially love this one. It is only 15 lira with a student ID card (normally it would be 85 lira). This card allows to visit almost every museum in Istanbul for free for an entire year, and I can go to each museum as many times as I want! As a nerd it doesn’t get any better than that.

On Saturday the Erasmus students got an old city tour with our own private buses. We visited Topaki palace and Museum, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, the underground Cistern with Medusa and the Hippodrome. Considering we saw all those places in a few hours it was more of speed tour, with the intention of showing us how to get there so we could go back on our to appreciate it more. I most definitely want to return to Hagia Sophia. It was built as a Christian church in 537 AD and was later converted into a mosque, and it is now a Museum. All over the building there are still Christian motifs of angels, Mary and Jesus as well as Persian and Islamic motifs. I wish I had words to describe the way I felt in that building, but there isn’t. I was completely amazed to the point of dizziness that something so old, so big and beautiful could have existed so long ago.

I also want to mention my experience across the square in the Blue Mosque, an active mosque. I am not very knowledgeable about Islam but I was curious about the mosque. Everyday the minarets have their speakers go off with the call to pray, which is quite incredible to hear, but similar in nature to the cathedral bells going off. Before entering the mosque there are signs explaining appropriate attire within the mosque. I had to wear a scarf to cover my hair and dress, and no shoes. In the mosque I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with the separation between the tourists and those attending worship. Some tourists were even mimicking the motions of those who were worshipping for the sake of a picture. I thought how odd it would be for groups of tourists to go to the cathedral or the Bethany in Antigonish and take pictures of me with my family in the pew. I guess tourism can turn anything slightly exotic into something that can be consumed and commodified. Even though I didn’t find the experience educational, I did receive a book called “Clear your doubts about Islam,” so hopefully that will add to the experience. 

Most afternoons I have taken the bus 19 or 19F to Kadikoy, a district just south west of my university about 8 kilometers. By bus it takes about 30 minutes to 2 hours to get there depending on traffic. The Kadikoy market area is very cool, it is made up of small streets with vendors, bars, fresh produce, fish, meat and musicians. Everywhere you can smell cigarettes and sheesha and you can hear Turkish vendors trying to lure customers. Kadikoy is extremely busy no matter when you go. The streets are small, barely big enough to fit a car through, so the numbers of pedestrians is always very high. Because this area is on the Asian side the number of tourists remains very low – so the experience is more ‘authentic.’ The other day I purchased a bag of strawberries, they were unbelievable. Maybe I was just starved of some nutrients, but they tasted as if I had picked them right out of a field.

One evening in Kadikoy myself and other Erasmus students went to one of the sheesha cafes. Every restaurant you go to has the option to smoke sheesha and it is very popular to smoke after dinner. Well we must have looked like quite a site to all the Turkish people in the café. First of all we were all taking pictures of each other smoking and laughing. And we were also unable to start the hookah properly, one of the very young attendants had to start it for us. I wouldn’t be surprised if the people in the café were taking pictures of us and making fun of the foolish foreigners. Personally, I found the sheesha very enjoyable, it isn’t harsh like cigarettes or dope. Its like a smoky fruity flavour sitting in your mouth that makes you light headed for a split second. However unlike dope or cigarettes once you start the hookah there is a time commitment. We probably smoked for over an hour and that made the bus ride home a nauseous ride home.   

The people in Istanbul are extremely welcoming. Canadians tend to have the stereotype for being friendly and nice, I would say Turkish people are even friendlier. Even with language barriers you can see that they are doing all that they can to make you feel at home. You ask where something is, they will take you there. You will ask for something, they will get it for you. They can’t understand you, they will find someone who will. You sneeze, everyone around you will hand you a Kleenex. Luckily I have managed to learn thank you in Turkish – Tesekkurler. Even if my pronunciation is wrong they appreciate my effort.

I still cannot believe how far from home I am – someone even called me a lost beaver. I still haven’t had any classes yet, but everyday I am learning and meeting new people. I hate to admit it, but there isn’t any time to miss home or be homesick. Hopefully next week I will be able to tell you about my classes.