Campus, Istanbul Modern, and "Fish Bread"

I snapped a few pictures of Bogazici University, or Bosphorus University as I'd recommend calling it. It's a really pretty campus, dating from the mid 1800s. During the school year, on nice days, the grass is covered with people (and cats). It's a nice place to hang out.



Last year Sinan lived in the dorm which is the building in the middle.



While I attended Bosphorus University for all of one month last year, I had a history class on the top floor of this building which had a great view of the Bosphorus Strait, which is behind my back in this picture, and down a hill.



There are these benches at the edge of the hill that also have a view of the Bosphorus. They are always crowded with students drinking tea, reading the paper, talking, sleeping - anything. You can see on the left side of the picture the castle, which is a really fun (but slightly dangerous) place to romp around - no limitations, you can climb over everything. I'll try to visit it sometime soon and get some pictures.

I also visited the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art. I'm really really really not a fan of modern art, but I wanted to try the museum, especially since it is free on Thursdays. It's in a cool building - it used to be a warehouse, and it has a nice view of the Bosphorus, but still, I just don't like modern art. The gift shop is pretty good.



The sculpture garden and entrance with an mosque just behind them - old vs. new?




A pretty building walking to the museum from the tram stop.



Pretty!

The other night Sinan and I finally broke out of our normal routine and we went to a different part of Istanbul - gasp! Underneath of the Galata Bridge, the bridge that crosses the Golden Horn that has all the fishermen on it, there are tons of overpriced restaurants. He wanted balik ekmek which means, Fish bread, and I wanted to try it but not really loving fish I didn't want to get my own. First we had a normal dinner - an overpriced meal with not enough food (but the view was nice, as was the people watching and change-of-location), and because that wasn't enough, Sinan went and got the balik ekmek to actually fill up.





The balik ekmek is actually only 4 lira, like 3 dollars, so after Sinan and I had our unfullfilling (but fun) dinner, he went and got this.

Drums and Dolmabahce Palace

I had a cool experience this morning - I feel asleep at Sinan's house, which looks out onto a road, so there are a lot of different noises compared to my garden view. Ramadhan started last Thursday or Friday, which is when people fast during the day (obviously there is more to Ramadhan but that's all I'll go into here), so people need to wake up pretty early to eat a meal, before the day starts. They start fasting at about 5, and they can break the fast at about 8pm. Anyway, most people wake up, eat, then go back to sleep. This morning, I heard someone walking through the streets beating a drum at about 4am! I just finished this book about Turkey, and I remember reading about someone doing this to wake people up so they will eat before the fasting started. I read about it happening in central Turkey, I didn't imagine it would happen in the cosmopolitan Istanbul, but sure enough, someone was beating away at this drum. I was too groggy to remember if it sounded good, but I think it did.
I'd say only about 1/3 of my students are fasting, but that figure is no where near scientifically based. The sort of people who come to Wall Street are more forward-thinking and liberal, but I know in other parts of Istanbul and definitely Turkey many more people are fasting etc. I really don't notice much of a difference while walking around, but again, the places I live and work are not as traditional as other parts.

I decided to be a tourist today on my day off and I went to Dolmabahce Palace. It was built in the mid-1800s (quite new compared to other things in Istanbul) and it was used by sultans (they abandoned residing in Topkapi palace to live here) and Ataturk also used it until he died there in 1938. It it is so opulent, magnificent, and over-the-top - it's worth visiting, but I probably wouldn't go again for another time. If I was shown a picture of the interior, I never would guess it was a palace in Istanbul, it has so many European architectural influences. The major giveaway were the numerous hamams throughout the palace. I got a deal with the ticket- for most people it's about $17 but I showed the ticket salesperson my residence permit and I told him in Turkish I'm an English teacher (ok, I actually said mine English teacher but oh well) and I got in for about $.60! Excellent. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures inside but I snapped a few outside.




View of the palace off in the distance. It's MUCH bigger than what you see in the picture.




They have a cafe with a nice view.



The gate you enter through.



The gardens before entering the actual palace.

A walk in Taksim

I went to Taksim a couple weeks ago to check out some bookstores that sell English books. I would recommend Pandora, which is near the beginning of Istiklal Caddesi in Taksim on a little side street, and Homer, which is near the Galatasaray High School. Both have a great assortment of books, and I can't wait to get reading! Anyway, Taksim is a really modern and bustling part of Istanbul - there are ALWAYS people, and it is so crowded and quite a pain trying to walk around. I snapped a few pictures, though they are definitely not artistic or pleasing to the eye.



A shot down Istiklal Street, the pedestrian street in Taksim that is lined with modern shops and some good restaurants.



For example, a Gloria Jeans Coffee next to a Lacoste next to a Swatch next to a Diesel store.







Some of the vendors along the street - selling simit (sort of like a bagel), ice cream in silly costumes, or even corn.



They like pickled things too.



And of course, Turkish Delight. I really wish this photograph turned out decent, but if you look past the glare you can see two counters filled with the sweet dessert.



People drinking tea and playing backgammon.

There is also really nice architecture along Istiklal Caddesi, but it was too sunny for me to really get any good pictures. Sinan took some a few months ago, so I'll upload those another time. Time for work!

Have a good week!

Whiny Entry Alert!

Whoa! Two entries in a day! Crazy. Just need to do the stereotypical blog thing and complain some. First, I will be confident. I think I'm pretty awesome for doing what I'm doing. Not many 22 year old girls move to a foreign country just after graduating from college and teach English. Some, definitely, but not a lot. Ok, so that's how I should feel. Right now? Sick and tired of it. I just had a Turkish lesson with Sinan and I realized how hopeless I am in the language. Sure, I probably know more than most people reading this blog, but I've been in Turkey for 7 months and all I can do in a supermarket is point to something and mumble a vocabulary word? Hmmmm. Same with teaching, I'm so frustrated to not be able some of the simple questions students ask. Yesterday a student asked the difference in "other" and "else" (why do we say What else etc) and I had no answer. I think the thing that is bothering me so much is that I used to use the excuse, oh, I'm new in Turkey, I'm new to teaching etc. But now, I'm not new. Counting my studying abroad last year, I've been in Turkey for almost a year! My Turkish is so pathetic I JUST made a flashcard for "I am American" - I should have learned that Week 1 in Turkey, last year. Regarding my inability to identify student's speaking problems and answer some students' questions, that was okay to mess up the first 1 or 2 months, but by 4 months, I really should be more on top of my stuff. Now, I won't even get started on my lack of a social circle.

Ok, that's it. My plan? Feel sorry for myself for a few more minutes, then snap out of it and make the most of things. I don't expect to become fluent in Turkish or be a world class teacher. I need to have these struggles to put things in perspective and realize I am lucky to be having this opportunity. Wow my biggest complaint is that I'm having trouble speaking the native language in the awesome foreign country I live in? Poor me. I'll go drown my sorrows in a kepab and some tea.

Anyway, thanks for reading! I'm fine (Mom, no need to worry or be sad), just needed to complain for a bit! Take care!

I'm back!

Hi there,

No excuses for not writing - sorry! Actually my pictures were on Sinan's camera but I also haven't been doing much to report on. On Saturday night it was Basak and Cagdas's wedding - my roommates from my first 4 months here - it was really nice and in a beautiful location at Bogazici University, where they met each other. It was really nice of them to let Sinan and I come, because there weren't even that many people there, and I was clearly the only native English speaker. It started at 7 with cocktails, then the ceremony was at 7:30, and it took place outside. It was quite short - Basak and Cagdas walk out of the house (there's a historic house on the property) together, go sit at a table, and a woman with a microphone asked them questions, I think asking about family names. Then I heard them say yes and yes and then they were married! Pretty quick and easy. Then they have to go kiss and say hi to everyone! You don't bring wedding presents, but instead just give money or gold. I think that's a pretty good idea actually. You can only use so many vases and flour jars. She was carrying around a very tasteful little lacy basket that people drop things into. After they greeted everyone, we went to go eat and there was an enormous amount of food, it was pretty good. At about 9:30, dancing started, and I think that was the plan until midnight. Sinan and I left at 9:40 - he to watch a soccer game and me to unwind because I had work, and also conveniently when the dancing started...
Sinan has been to several weddings but in his hometown, and this was his first "modern" wedding. The more traditional weddings he has been to, there is no alcohol, only things like Coke and Fanta. After the ceremony, people make a line to go greet the newly-weds, and there they put money or gold on the bride's dress. There isn't food - you eat before you come. Also, the setting is in a big wedding hall, not so much the outdoor settings. I must say, I really liked Basak and Cagdas's wedding, it was so tasteful and minimal, yet still memorable and lovely. There were a few tables with snacks on them, a few chairs for the elderly, the table for them to sit at, and some tiki tiki torches creating a path for them to walk out in. There was a lot of food but nothing overly fancy, and the tables nicely decorated. It was really nice, and now I'll show you some pictures.



Basak, the bride, and I.






I like Cagdas's face here, although it's a little difficult to see. He's letting out a big breath of air, you can see his pursed (?) lips. I know they weren't nervous about marrying each other, they've been together for 5 years, but I think they were just overwhelmed and exhausted.



Pretty nice setting for a wedding I think...





Table decorations



Burcu and Basak dancing. Burcu is Basak's sister, and she's a kind of famous actress in Turkey. She's very glamorous looking, and I gave her an English lesson! Then she finally decided to go to the US for 2 months, and she just got back.

Remaining pictures of Antalya

Hi everyone,

Sorry I disappeared - the day I got back from Antalya I had to work 10 days straight, actually, I'm on day 10 now. Things have been so busy because the whole system at Wall Street is being updated, which is a good thing, but we've had a lot of training. While I grumbled about it (12 hour days? ugh) I realized I'm lucky to be working at a place that gives the employees training. Sure, making practice lessons and teaching them is a pain and embarrassing and listening to things I've already heard or aren't quite relevant, but it's good that they want to make sure their teachers are qualified. Anyway, here are the pictures from the last day in Antalya:



A delicious final dinner. I love Sinan's mother's barbequed chicken, she puts such a good sauce or seasoning or something on it - it's simple but so good.



A pretty fruit but I don't know the name in Turkish or English. Do we have it in the States? I didn't really like the taste or texture, it's a little sweet.



Turkish breakfast



Another kind of borek, I think this just had cheese, parsley, and peppers in it.



Helva, a really difficult-to-describe thing to eat. It's sort of like a meringue texture? But a little harder? Really sweet, but a little bit is kind of good.