The Return

I am back in Ohio after two incredible months in Turkey. My last week was an absolute whirlwind of American culture night fun, a goodybe party with my friends from around the world, packing and moving out of my host family's house, enjoying a last meal at the Turkish McDonald's that always tasted so good, going to have a Turkish bath at the hamam, and finally, catching my overnight bus at 3:30 am Friday morning to go to Istanbul.
I'm not going to get into the craziness that ensued between my arrival at the Istanbul Airport and finally reaching home, but it involved sleeping on the floor of JFK Airport in NYC. Two nights with no sleep and I am still feeling the effects.
I just want to say thank you for all the support and interest I was granted. I was so afraid and upset about leaving Ohio to go by myself to some distant land where I was unsure of what awaited me. But, I found that in pushing myself, I was rewarded with a new outlook on life and what is possible for me to accomplish. Turkey was the perfect place for me to go; I felt alive there and it felt like a second home after a short time. Every once in awhile, while I was in Turkey, I would stop, and a wave of disbelief would rush over me..."I am in Turkey." So far from home, in such a different land. Now, sitting in my backyard, I can't believe I'm not in Turkey. I can't believe that I don't know when I will be going back. I miss the Turkish breakfast, the sight of minarets breaking the horizon, the call to prayer, my trainee and AIESEC friends, tea in little tulip glasses, Turkish music, old Ottoman buildings. I miss almost everything about my experience. Now is the start of my senior year at Miami, but also the beginning of a countdown until I can return to Turkey again!
Hope to see all of you soon!
Love,
Natalie

Ephesus and Marmaris

Sorry for the lapse in time between my last post and now, but since my time remaining in Turkey is short, I have been trying to stay as busy as possible. Elysia and I were also planning a lot for American culture night, but more about that later. Two weekends ago, we all went on our last AIESEC tour to Ephesus and Marmaris. Our overnight bus ride took 5 hours, but that was nothing compared with our past bus ride of 13 hours to Antalya! We were immediately put into smaller charter buses for the ride to Ephesus. We always have fun on the bus, making AIESECers from each country sing a "traditional song" at the front of the bus (Elysia and I represented the U.S.A. with a rendition of "L-O-V-E") and then we all get up and dance in the aisles. It makes long bus trips much more fun.
Before going to the Ephesus site, we went to the Selcuk Museum to see artifacts found around Ephesus and learn a little bit about the history of the area. We next went to the ruins of St. John's Basilica, where you can also see the tomb of St. John in the center of a jumble of collapsed columns and half-standing archways. We then had lunch (gozleme) sitting on cushions in the shade and took a little nap. We got back in the buses and wound our way up the hillside so that we were overlooking the town of Selcuk, and then headed back off the main road to the house of the Virgin Mary. It is a stone house that has a one large room that is now a shrine and a side room. We passed quietly through the house and shrine, bedecked with flowers and rosaries, and back out into the sunlight.
Ephesus was a short drive from the Virgin Mary's house. People know of Ephesus from such sources as the Evangelist Paul's letters to the Ephesians, and the Ephesus site is known archaeologically for its completeness. The park entrance and the first glance at city is not impressive, just a small theater and lines of columns, but as you move further down the main road, the incredible intactness of Ephesus is overwhelming. There is a main roadway running through the agora of the city that once was flanked by columns and covered walkways on either side. There are squares with temples and fountains, relatively intact, off the main roadway. The mosaic tiles found on the floors of houses are exposed. As you cross through the main gate of the city, you get a glimpse of the Library of Celsus, an incredible structure several stories high, of which the facade is still intact. There are archways and doorways that stare at you as they tower above the columns of lesser buildings.Crossing through archways to the right of the Library you reach the amphitheater that seats 20,000. It's a massive construction, and it's hard to imagine the ancient performances that took place in the setting. Ephesus is a must-see because of how intricate and complete the city is for its age.
After Ephesus, we went on our way to Marmaris, arriving late at night, but just in time for a moonlight cruise around the harbor in Marmaris, lounging on deck chairs and looking at the town from the sea. The next morning we woke up early in order to get on boats to go to Dalyan to go swimming in the Aegean Sea. We took the boats through a swampy area with tall reeds that opened up into the sea. We docked and found a place on the beach and then jumped in! We spent most of the day there in the sun and sea. That evening we explored the nightlife of Marmaris, mostly consisting of several nightclubs along a wide alley blaring music very loudly.
The next day we got up to go out on another boat for our remaining time in Marmaris. We watched the mountains and the sea pass us by as we cruised around, stopping at places like "Paradise" to go swimming. The water is so blue and clear in the shallow sections. Marmaris was incredibly relaxing, and I know all that attended the tour were sad to leave! Look at the pictures of my excursion to the Aegean!

Last Excursion

I will be going to Izmir, Ephesus, and Marmaris this weekend, but it will be the last weekend trip of my stay here in Turkey. I have only 15 days left, but I can't think of a better way to spend them than with my AIESEC friends from around the globe! Can't wait to see you in 15 days :)

Falling in Love with Istanbul

As soon as I could see the line of Istanbul's buildings along the Sea of Marmara, I knew I was about to disembark in an incredible city. I'd like to think it was love at first sight when I saw the domes and minarets surrounding the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofya and the blueness of the water.
Elysia and I went to Istanbul by ferry, leaving from Mudanya just outside of Bursa. It only takes about 80 minutes, so it was an improvement over the four hours it takes by bus. We arrived at noon on Saturday, and our adventure in a city of 12 million began. We found our hotel in Sultanahmet on the Golden Horn and immediately set out with no real direction or plan in order to roam freely. We were located five minutes from the Aya Sofya and Topkapi Palace, but we headed in the opposite direction, toward the Bosporous. We made our way to Eminonu Point, passing incredible streets that combined old with new. We passed the beautiful Eminonu Yeni Cami (Eminonu New Mosque) and moved toward the Galata Bridge. The Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn between Eminonu and Karakoy. We walked over the bridge, admiring our surroundings and taking in the sights and smells of fishermen casting lines from the sides of the bridge. On the bottom level of the bridge are plenty of of restaurants offering seafood, so the fishy smell is overwhelming. We made our way to the other side and immediately sought out the Galata Tower by looking upwards for its pinnacle. We took the elevator to the top of the nine-story structure built in 1348. The 360 degree view from the top is incredible and I was able to take some incredible pictures of Istanbul, especially the Golden Horn.
After the Galata Tower and lunch, Elysia and I made the decision to try and make the push to reach Taksim, the heart of modern Istanbul, that afternoon. We found the beginning of Istiklal Street and began our mile-long walk to Taksim Square. Istiklal Caddesi is a pedestrian street lined with cafes, stores, embassies, schools, churches, pubs and mosques. 3 million people visit it daily during weekends. The street was so alive with music and conversation that we strolled and took our time in reaching Taksim Square. We found Taksim Square and Taksim park and rested for a little while in the shade. Taksim is also the center of business, so we noted the highrises that housed major companies. We stopped and had some dessert on Istiklal street on our way back. We stopped at the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, an establishment at Eminonu Point completed 1660 and currently used as a covered area for small shops. Back at our hotel, we napped and then went a few streets over to enjoy smoking nargile (waterpipe) at an outdoor cafe, watching as tourists passed by.

Sunday morning we got up early to meet Aydan, a contact through P&G, and a group of girls that she was hosting from the East of Turkey. We met at the German fountain and proceeded to the Sultan Ahmed, or the Blue Mosque. It is a historical mosque, built in the early 1600's. Its interior is very beautiful with its 20,000 tiles made in Iznik (Nicaea). The lights hang low on chained fixtures as the electric bulbs were once candles that needed to be lit. Over 200 windows let light into the vast interior. Look to my pictures to get a better idea of the intricacy of design found in the Blue Mosque.
Our next stop was the Yerebatan Sarayi, the Basilica Cistern, found under the city streets. The Yerebatan Sarayi was built during the 6th century and contains over 300 marble columns and two carved Medusa heads in its dark expanse, taken from pre-Christian sites. It held reserve water for the royals in case of a shortage. It was eerily lit and still holds a shallow pool of water. We left the Yerebatan Sarayi for lunch where we had Sultanahmet Kofte. Apparently, it is famous among tourists but it was really good regardless.
We were off to the landmark Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia), the epitome of Byzantine architecture and famous for its immense dome. The current church dates to 537, so the Aya Sofya contains 1,500 years of history including a transition from Eastern Orthodox church to mosque to its present-day role as a museum. I have always wanted to visit the Hagia Sophia, so standing in the shade of its domes and stepping inside its cool, vast interior was a dream come true. I wish I could describe how it felt to stand in a structure with such a deep and significant history, but I want to let the pictures I took do most of the talking. From the incredible mosaics of the Virgin Mary, Justinian, and Constantine from the 9th and 10th centuries to its impossibly large central dome to the large Islamic imagery and glowing mihrab, the Hagia Sophia has been a graceful place of worship for several religious traditions through its history. The tiles on the ceiling cast a golden glimmer on the worn marble floors. I have never been in such awe of a place in my entire life.

We left the Hagia Sophia to spend some time at Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman Emperors for 400 years beginning in 1465. We got to see the treasury in which the 5th largest diamond in the world can be found (sparkles...a lot) and the rooms that house Islamic treasures like relics of the Prophet Muhammad. The view from Topkapi is wonderful; you can see the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara shining sapphire blue in every direction. After Topkapi, we went with Aydan and her two daughters to Ortakoy, a neighborhood right on the water, for dinner. I enjoyed every minute of sitting and chatting and looking out at boats passing on the Bosporus.
Elysia and I were so tired from our long day that we took at taxi to the Galata bridge, watched the sunset, had some Turkish coffee and tea, and then went to bed.

Monday we woke up exhausted from two days of intensive walking. After breakfast, we strolled out to take one more look at the Hagia Sophia in the daylight before making our way to the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world. There are 58 streets and 6,000 shops, so needless to day, Elysia and I could barely scratch the surface of what the Grand Bazaar had to offer. I really hate the pushiness of shopkeepers looking to "give you a deal", so we kept our time in the Grand Bazaar to a minimum. We instead enjoyed a long lunch (pasta!) in a cafe along another pedestrian street near the Grand Bazaar. With rainclouds looming, we picked up our luggage from the hotel and headed to catch our ferry, only to find out that we were 4 hours early. I was so upset to leave Istanbul, and I hope to be able to go back and see it again one day! A special thanks goes to Aydan and her daughters for making our visit to Istanbul so memorable!

Safe and Sound

Hi Everyone,
I just got back to Bursa, and I wanted to make a quick post to let everyone know that I am fine despite the recent violence in Istanbul. I was over 4 miles from the site and was in no danger; it was not tourist area. It is an amazing city and this isolated incident does not reflect daily life and does not change the incredible experience I had in the city. I will try and post tomorrow pictures and descriptions of all the sites I visited in the best city in the world!

Ankara and Cappadocia

I saw so many amazing things this past weekend! We left Thursday night at 1am to arrive in Ankara at 7am. I was so tired and wanted to sleep on the bus, but the landscape was so incredibly different than anything I had ever seen before, so I fought to stay awake. We went directly to the dormitory and had a quick nap before heading back out on the buses to go to Ataturk's mausoleum, Anitkabir. Anitkabir is this monumental structure with great columns and almost Egyptian motifs with a large courtyard in the center. We filed into the main building to see the sarcophagus of Ataturk in its intricately mosaic-tiled hall. The ceilings were covered in reflective gold tiles several stories high. We then went through an Ataturk museum and saw his car collection along with a history of the struggles of the Turkish republic. After Anitkabir, we headed to Ankara castle which is really nothing more than an old stone fortress, but it offered great 360 degree views of the city and its terra cotta roofed houses. Kocatepe Mosque was next on our list of destinations. It was really a very pretty mosque with painted domes and arches and people say it resembles the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. There is a large reflective gold chandelier in the center that is really stunning when you view the length of the mosque. From Kocatepe Mosque we went to a global village set up at a public shopping center, so the people living in Ankara could browse the tables with representatives from over 30 countries. We headed back to the dormitory to get ready for the barbecue we had that night. Elysia and I overslept from the little nap we decided to take, but because we are on "Turkish time" (meaning nothing starts when they say it will), we were actually early. We had fun eating kofte and tomatoes on bread and dancing up a storm.

Saturday morning we got back on the buses and headed to TurkSat, a center that controls the satellites that operate Turkish television channels. They were a sponsor of the tour and they gave us lunch. Other than that, TurkSat was the definite low point of the tour, mostly because we were all so anxious to get to Cappadocia. Hours later, we get to Durinkuyu underground city, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. We had so much fun exploring these low ceiling passageways and narrow stairways. There were so many small rooms with ceilings no higher than 5 or 6 feet. The complex descended 8 stories in complicated tunnels that opened up into a church, food storage areas, and rooms with no discernible purpose. We were also amazed to know the city had been used for 4,000 years. Incredible. We then went to get a panoramic view of Cappadocia as we watched the sunset. I can't really describe Cappadocia because it is unlike anything that I have seen before. It is a landscape created by a ancient volcanic eruption that left these formations of volcanic ash. Because the ash is soft, it was easy for the peoples that inhabited Cappadocia to hollow out homes in the rock. Please look to my pictures to get a better idea of the eerie terrain that is Cappadocia. Saturday night we went to a touristy restaurant to see some traditional dances and had dinner by sharing food on platters at long tables. Of course, in true AIESEC style, everyone participated in the dancing.

Sunday was our last day in Cappadocia, so we went to Goreme outdoor museum to look into some houses and churches carved out of the rock. In this one little valley there are hundreds of openings in the rock and dozens of small rock chapels to explore. The early Christians, persecuted for their faith, fled to the rough landscape of Cappadocia and made it their home. We saw chapels at Goreme dating from the 4th century to the 13th century. It really gives you chills to walk into these dimly lit caverns only to look up and see arches and domes carved out of the rock and elaborate paintings decorating all the walls. It was difficult to capture, but my pictures show some of the kinds of paintings, ranging from simple red on white to detailed paintings of the life of Christ. Cappadocia is really a treasure. We headed back to Ankara, but stopped first at the Salt Lake, the second largest lake in Turkey. However, due to heavy use in irrigation, huge expanses of the lake have dried up, leaving a moist, salt bed to walk on. We watched the sun set over a sea of white salt (and took some pretty cool pictures, too). I wish I could describe better the experiences that I had in Cappadocia and Ankara, but I hope this gives you some idea.

Questions...Answered

I know that writing a question or comment on the blog is kind of difficult, so I wanted to answer some questions that some people have posed to my mom. If there are any other questions that you have, feel free to email me at the Google address listed on the sidebar. Questions really do help me to look at my experience here more closely.

1. What are you eating?
I am eating a combination of traditional Turkish food, American food, and dessert. We will let dessert be a separate food category. Turkish breakfast in my host family, as I have described before, consists of a cucumber-tomato salad, fresh bread, olives, soft cheese, eggs, and apricot or strawberry preserves. While I say "breakfast", breakfast usually is eaten in my house at 11:30 or 12. Other meals can be a lot of different kinds of food, some of which I like, and some that I refuse to eat anymore. Doner (dough-nair) is sliced chicken, tomato, onion, parsley, ketchup, and mayonnaise on hard-crust bread. Sounds good but it has given me a stomachache 3 different times, so no more for me this trip. Iskender kebab is another famous Turkish food that is absolutely amazing. It is cooked beef on top of peppers and tomatoes on bread that is like a doughy-er pita. You pour oil and butter over the top of it and have yogurt on the side. Plain yogurt is used in a lot of things including pasta. I have had some hamburgers made in Turkey, and they just don't taste the same as back home (and they put mayonnaise on the hamburgers as well as potatoes so it is a little strange). I have had kebabs with squash and beef and those were really good. They eat soup with a yogurt base that I like a lot as well as a lot of stews. I have had stews with chicken, beef, eggplant, potatoes, and other vegetables served with a side of rice. I have also had lamb since I have been here. The one thing I really do not like is the sucuk, or sausage, and the sandwiches it is served in. The fabulous thing about living in Bursa is the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables. I have been eating more fruit, like grapes with seeds, watermelon, apricots, and plums than ever before. Bursa is known for its produce. And, a Turkish meal would not be complete without bread. I am eating so much bread, but it is the real, fresh bread bought daily not a pre-packaged loaf, so I figure it has less preservatives and is better for me! Dessert is a separate food group because there's so much to choose from: walnut baklava, pistachio baklava, Turkish ice cream, little cakes soaked in honey, and pastries. Kafkas is a shop started in Bursa that has these little chocolate bars with mashed chestnut in the middle. I hope this gives you a better idea of the kind of food available in Turkey.

2. What is the weather like?
Hot. And, if you couldn't tell from previous posts, there is no rain. Apparently, it is very rare for it to rain during the summer months. I did go a month without seeing rain which is especially odd considering the amount of rain and all the storms at home. So it has rained one day since I have been here and it was welcome relief from the heat. The temperature here is in Celsius, so I never really know how hot it is unless I check MSN weather. I know 40 degrees Celsius is really hot, but here in Bursa it is usually in the mid- to upper-thirties. It is not usually humid, although it has been the last couple of days.

3. What are the gas prices in Turkey?
Ok, no one has really asked that question as far as I know, but I think the answer will make everyone happy to live in the United States. Gas here is nearly $4...for one liter! Turkey has some of the most expensive gas in the world, so now i know why most people take the bus or drive really small cars.

Ok, there are a few answers, so please send me questions at natalie.ruhe@gmail.com. I'm going to start uploading pictures from my Ankara/Cappadocia trip and I am working on a post for that, too!

Mediterranean! Mediterranean!

I had a fantastic weekend in Antalya/Olympos on the southern Mediterranean shore of Turkey. We left Friday night at 10:30 p.m. (after a crazy search for a beach towel and stocking up on snacks for the road) and drove the 9-10 hours overnight stopping a couple of times. We arrived in Antalya about 7am and jumped on the minibus to head to a waterfall nearby. We had a Turkish breakfast outside near the water and then walked behind and around the waterfall and had a lot of fun exploring, as you can see in my pictures that I posted. There was so many of us wandering around and enjoying a sunny morning. We got to cool down through an unexpected spray from a hose which left me thoroughly drenched on one half of my body. Back into the minibus for the drive to Antalya where the celebration began. We listened to all kinds of music and danced on the bus as we wound along the edge of the mountains that border the sea. The combination of forest, mountain, beach and sea is so unique.

We arrived at Olympos around midday and emptied out of our minibus into the treehouse compound where we would stay. Instead of moving into the rooms, we changed and headed to the beach straightaway so we could swim in the Mediterranean. To get to the beach, it is necessary to walk through the ancient ruins of the city of Olympos. You walk uneven paths and over small bridges that span little streams while passing by crumbling arches and doorways and buildings that have stood on the spot for a thousand years. Near to the beach are these monumental tombs in stone niches. When you reach the beach, it is divided by a freshwater stream that also divides Olympos and empties into the sea. The beach is surrounded by high stony cliffs upon which are perched more fortress ruins and those of a castle. It is such an odd scene, modern boats and sunbathers in such a historically-rich locale. It is hard to explain, so look at the pictures to better understand the unique feeling of the place. The beaches are all stones (that cut up our feet pretty badly) and trapped all the heat from the sun. We just baked and napped and swam until it got overcast and a little rainy. We had dinner at our treehouse place and then made our way to an outdoor bar where we all shared our traditional cultural dances. Elysia and I made sure to teach our international friends such American classics as "the sprinkler", "the shopping cart", and the "lawnmower".

The next morning we set off to the beach again to make the most of our time in Olympos. It was intensely hot and we spent more time in the water than on the hot rocks. When the afternoon became unbearably hot, Elysia, Monika, and I decided to wander through the ruins of Olympos a little more. We took a side path that led us to an old church from the 5th-6th century and then to a temple dedicated to Marcus Aurelius. All that remains is a large doorway with intricate carving and part of the wall. It was a wonderful sight for us as we meandered along this path and came across it. I think Elysia and I were especially overwhelmed with the history because of the relative newness of everything in America. Anyway, Olympos was a wonderful place to explore and I can still picture its streets. We left to catch our 9pm bus in Antalya, exhausted from the heat and arrived in Bursa again at 7am.

The week has started again with a Taiwanese culture night last night and I gave English lessons to the AIESECers in the office. And, more heat and no rain. I will go to the Amerikan Kultur language school in just a little bit to give a presentation about American culture, so wish me luck :)

A Month Without Rain

It's very hard for me to believe that I have been here for a month and that my traineeship is half over! And, in that time, I have seen no rain. I have learned so much about myself since I have been here and I have enjoyed the freedom. The past week has been spent preparing and teaching English courses for the AIESECers here in the office. It may seem simple because English is my native language, but trying to explain why a term is used in English has been incredibly challenging. Add to the situation the fact that the students are at different English levels and a simple task becomes more difficult. I go in again today to talk about American culture at a language school which is usually really fun.

I want everyone to know that I am completely fine and safe despite what has happened at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul. People do not automatically know that I am not Turkish/American (unless I start talking) so I am safe in my anonymity. Hopefully, an event like this will not happen again while I am in Turkey or after I leave.

At night, I usually run around with AIESEC friends and trainees until I have to catch the bus home. Elysia and I have made it a point to return to a particular cafe for their baklava. At the suggestion of her host father, we went back to the cafe to get baklava with ice cream and pistachio baklava. Yummy. A lot of the time we just wander around trying to get lost (not really lost, just to where we have to think about where we are) and taking in all the sights and sounds of the city. Yesterday we went up to Topane (which means arsenal) and tried Iskender kebab at a little restaurant. We both agreed it was delicious. I will pretty much try any kind of food here and I just cross my fingers that it doesn't make me really sick!

Most importantly, this weekend I am heading off for Antalya on the Mediterranean coast! We are actually staying in Olympos in tree houses so this should really be an experience. Apparently the beach is one of the longest pebble beaches in the world and it looks beautiful. The only catch - a 9 hour bus ride overnight tonight and Sunday night, but we will make the most of our few days at the sea! I'll try to post and put up pictures as soon as I get back on Monday! For now, look at the pictures I put up from Mudanya and a couple of city walks. :)

Fortune-telling Bunnies

Soooo another good weekend. On Friday, Derya's grandparents and aunt arrived from Konya in the morning. I hung around and had breakfast and lunch with them and was lazy for much of the day. I finally made myself go into the AIESEC office because I had to double check about the time I am to teach English on Monday in the AIESEC office. I met up with some trainees after a brief office stay and went to a goodbye party for a trainee that has been in Bursa for 10 months (and I thought 2 months was a long time)! I headed home early because I was soooo sleepy.

Saturday I met Elysia, the other American trainee, to show her around the city. Because I have had a lot of free time, I know the city relatively well and can show other people the main sights without getting lost. We wandered around and saw Ulu Camii, Yesil Camii, the Silk Bazaar, and stopped for tea and baclava at a cafe. We then headed out on the Metro to where a trainee from Poland is living to go swimming. Alas, girls need swimming caps to get in the pool so we just enjoyed soaking up the sun poolside and talking to the other trainees. Afterward, I went with Elysia back to her host family's house. They were so nice and funny and I really enjoyed talking with them. And her host mother made us a really good dinner. After eating, around 9:00, we headed off to Mudanya to walk around by the Sea of Marmara in the evening hours. It was crowded in the restaurants that are clustered in the seaside town. We stopped to have our fortunes told by a man with several bunnies on a box. The rabbit would pick a piece of colored paper off a board with its mouth, and that would be the fortune you would receive. Elysia's host mother translated our fortunes for us, and we were both kind of surprised at how dead-on they were. Verrrrry interesting! We met her host family's friends and children and had tea by the sea. It was a good night and I got to experience how other Turkish families live.

Today, Sunday, was another busy day. I met the trainees for lunch at noon and we set off to walk around the city. You would expect me to to be sick of seeing the same places multiple times, but the sights are so different for me, I really enjoy being able to return to the places that I have seen before. There are so many narrow winding streets and alleys to explore. We went to Topane and Kultur Park and saw all the people out enjoying such a nice day. Walking around the city is very enjoyable, and it is even better with new friends. I went back to the trainee apartment and several of us sat down for dinner together. After I returned to Erikli, the neighborhood in which my host family lives, I went with Derya to a park just up the street where her family was out talking and having barbecue. It really was a nice night outside and they obviously enjoyed the company. As we walked home, Derya explained that the music I heard drifting down from up the street was from the celebration of a Kurdish wedding. The sights and sounds here never fail to amaze me.

Week Three

Going to the sea on Sunday was wonderful! We went on a boat tour on the Sea of Marmara for the entire afternoon, beating the city heat once again. There were so many AIESECers and trainees on the boat so we managed to have a great time. We sat on the shaded deck and listened to Turkish popular music and watched people dance (and occaisionally joined in). Honestly, to me, all Turkish music sounds the same and I can't figure out the traditional dancing. We stopped at two different beaches to swim for a couple of hours. The beaches were sandy AND rocky and the water was a little chilly at first, but I can't remember the last time I really went swimming in the sea. Spending time out on a boat, talking to new people from all over the world, and swimming in the sea - I can't imagine a much better day.

I also went back to the language school this week as part of my official project (called Shape the Future) and had a great discussion in an intermediate level class yesterday. I gave a short intro to the United States, culture, and who Americans are before being invited by the teacher to sit and talk with the class. They asked me some tough questions, but I think I made a good impression! Imagine a dozen students asking my thoughts on politics, unemployment, gas prices, the war in Iraq, protesting the government, and cultural differences between the U.S. and Turkey. And then we had some more lighthearted discussion about American TV shows, and they were apalled that I don't watch "Lost" or "Prison Break". The class thought it was funny that they knew more about certain American TV than I did. After yesterday, I can better understand the aim of the project and I hope the students in the language course have a different impression of Americans after grilling me on every imaginable topic.

I'm off to the office soon to do some work and then back to the language school to talk to another class!

A Break from the Heat

I haven't posted in a week, I apologize, but there hasn't been as much culture shock/new things this week. I started my job on Friday, but I only went to one school and gave a half-hour presentation about the United States. This was the most basic English class you could have and the teacher translated just about everything that I said or what she thought that I said. So, we will see how it goes in the upcoming week since it looks like I will have to change my presentations to fit an advanced class and a beginning class.

Yesterday (Saturday) the trainees went to Teleferik and rode the cable car up to Uludag National Park. It was completely spontaneous, but somehow 10 people were able to go. The ride up the cable car was nice, although a little scary, but the best part was the coolness and the breeze once we went higher. Everyday here is about 95 (lacking the humidity of Cincinnati) and you just bake in the intense sunlight. At the top of the lift, we walked around and saw places to have picnics at the foot of this large mountain. We just sat in the shade by a creek and enjoyed the greenery. It was a nice change of pace (and temperature) from the city. Check out the pictures link and see how pretty it is!

We are going to Mudanya by the sea in just a little bit, so I'm off to get ready!

Tea Under the Branches of a 600-Year Old Tree

Yes, it's true...I had tea under the branches of a tree that is 600 years old. I have to post pictures of it because it was incredibly beautiful, like some kind of fairyland. I went with Derya and Sarkan outside of Bursa to a small village named Inkaya with steep narrow streets. Toward the upper part of the village, this enormous tree grows in the center of this paved area with dozens of tables underneath its thick branches where people shared an afternoon meal or a pot of tea. It was so cool and calm in this little paradise, and a stream corralled by stones ran through the center. I have never seen anything like it, and I doubt I ever will again. Looking down from this village high up on the hill, you see how Mediterranean the landscape of Turkey appears, even inland from the sea.
After we got back into Bursa, Derya and I walked around to parts of the city that I had not seen before. Because of all the walking I have done around the city, I think I many know Bursa better than downtown Cincinnati. I saw Yesil Camii, the Green Mosque with its carved marble facade and turquoise tiles around the windows. It dates from 1419. Columbus hadn't even discovered America. Sometimes it's hard for me to wrap my head around the age of this city, and I keep having to remind myself, that I'm in such an ancient place, part of the Silk Road and the Ottoman Empire. I can't wait to see more of Turkey!
P.S.: An extra thank you to Jake for getting me through a tough patch yesterday :)

More Football

I sat in on AIESEC Bursa's chapter meeting - in Turkish which Enis kindly translated for me. They all work so hard, bringing in nearly 80 trainees for internships around Bursa during the span of a year while continuing to raise funds and network with businessmen in the city. I was approached about doing some English lessons, and I accepted. I have no idea how to teach English, but I'm going to give it my best shot!
Last night, Turkey played Croatia in a quarterfinal match in the EuroCup 2008. I've always told people I hate soccer ("football"), but watching it with the other trainees and AIESECers in an outdoor cafe is so much fun. It was 0-0 after 120 minutes of play when Croatia scored with a minute or two left in overtime. By this time, I was home and watching the match with my host family and their friends, and everyone was so disappointed. However, less than a minute later, Turkey scored with little time to spare! Everyone in the room jumped up and shared hugs and kisses while dancing around. The game finally went into penalty kicks, and Turkey won. The celebration in the streets (car horns, cheering, singing, guns firing) lasted an hour. Can't wait for the next match!
I woke up early this morning intending to use my computer, but I soon discovered that my adapter that allows me to plug my computer into the European-style sockets was missing. I hopped on the bus for an hour-long ride to the AIESEC office where I found it sitting on the desk where I left it. I don't know what I would have done if it was truly gone...I need my computer!
Because I was already down on the main street in Bursa, I walked to the Kultur Parki because I read there was an archaeology museum there. It was so nice being able to walk around this cool, quiet musuem and just look at the Roman-era artifacts, coins, pottery, and marble statues. The museum did frustrate me a little bit because, in addition to lacking descriptions of many of the artifacts, nearly everything was in Turkish or broken English. I couldn't really put together a coherent picture of life in such a historical region, but I enjoyed looking at marble busts of Zeus and Roman grave markers (stele) with intricate scenes. Sitting behind the museum, there were dozens of stele, sarcophagi, and the capitals of columns mounted on brick bases, a random array of artifacts exposed to the elements.

Culture and Such

It's about 96 degrees today with no air conditioning. I walked about 25 minutes from my host family's house to the Metro station, just to see how far it was. There mountains that surround the city are green, but down on the central avenues, its all concrete, brick, and stucco. I had breakfast at the apartment of a woman who lives upstairs from my host family with my host mother. I am just not used to eating a lot for breakfast, but it's rude in Turkey not to finish the food that has been given to you. There is a little girl that learned a few English words from the last AIESECer that stayed in the building. She is very sweet and learned my name quickly, and will call out to me when I pass on the sidewalk. I am at the AIESEC office now working on revising the reception booklets that they give to trainees, especially since I found my way from Istanbul to Bursa by myself following the directions in the old reception booklet.

Before I left, a lot of people asked me if the women wore veils in Turkey. The answer is, many do. A lot of women cover their entire bodies with loose pants, long jackets, and headscarves. However, these silk scarves are colorful prints and patterns: geometric shapes, flowers, animal prints. These women wearing the scarves are not oppressed in the way that the Western world envisions them. It is out of respect for their faith and themselves that they choose to cover their bodies so as not to be objectified. There are women here that choose to cover themselves in long black veils and loose cloaks that reveal only their eyes and hands. It is their choice to wear such clothing in a culture that freely permits tank tops, skirts, t-shirts, etc. to be worn on the city streets. I think sometimes the purpose of wearing a veil needs to be clarified, and its negative connotation is rarely deserved.

Bursa <3

The past two days have been a blur! Yesterday, I went to the AIESEC office early and stayed all day. I had the traditional office breakfast of bread, cheese, yogurt, tomatoes, and peppers. And tea of course. I sat up on the fifth-floor terrace with the AIESECers and talked about hometowns, our studies, English grammar, and just about any topic you can think of. The Turkish students all speak relatively good English, and I have learned to slow down my speech to make sure that I am understood. A group of us went to dinner and had hamsi, a small fish that you eat cooked and whole. After that, we went back up to Topane to view the city again.

I have had trouble sleeping because my schedule has been off, but I finally had a chance to really rest last night. I had a good breakfast of bread, olives, strawberry preserves, and a tomato-ey mix. Today it was very hot by the time I headed off to the AIESEC office, and I sat in the shade on the terrace. I had a chance to see Ulu Camii, the large mosque in Bursa with 20 domes, built in the 14th century. This was my first time entering a mosque, and it was beautiful: arched ceilings, Arabic calligraphy, and half-sphere windows capping the domes. Since my independent study had partially been about mosques, finally seeing the features that I had researched so much about was particularly rewarding. I also saw the silk bazaar, an Ottoman building with a mosque in the center, used by those who would come to the bazaar to trade. Bursa was one end of the Silk Road, and silk can be found there in great quantities. I am learning so much about Turkish history and culture, and I am finding my way around parts of the city with ease. I haven't taken that many pictures, and I apologize, but I don't want to feel like too much of a tourist since this lovely city will be my home for the next two months!

Turkey plays Croatia in the EuroCup on Friday, and you can be sure that I will be watching this "football" match :)

My First Days in Bursa

My first few days in Bursa have been a blur. I haven't been sleeping well because I am wide awake until 3 am because I still am on Ohio time, 7 hours behind. Reaching Bursa was an adventure. There was no one waiting for me at the Istanbul Airport, so I took the Istanbul Metro with my luggage to Istanbul Otogar, the main bus station. I bought a ticket to Bursa on a coach bus. Part of the bus trip was on a ferry over the Sea of Marmara. I wish I wasn't so tired at this point to have watched from the top deck because the scenery was so beautiful. Once I was in Bursa, I saw that traffic does not stop for pedestrians in Turkey. A man from a small flower shop helped me drag my luggage across the street to the AIESEC office. I was picked up by an AIESEC trainee from Columbia that had lived in Bursa for over a year. I went with her and another trainee from Kazakhstan to the home of several trainees for dinner. A Moroccan AIESECer made us a wonderful dinner with rice and tomatoes and we played cards until it was time to meet my host sister, Derya, and go to her home.

My next day in Bursa I had breakfast with my host family and went with Derya to the hair salon, just trying to take it all in. We met Erhan at a cafe where we had tea with lots and lots of sugar. I love the tea in Turkey, and I plan on drinking it as often as possible! With Erhan, I had a chance to see Topane, a fortress of the Ottoman Empire, and walked around the city a great deal. I learned about Ataturk and saw the AIESEC office in Bursa. It overlooks busy Altiparmak street, a main artery of the city, and you can see the clock tower on Topane right across the sreet and up a steep hill. Bursa is an incredibly unique city, as it grows and curls up the mountainside. There are no skyscrapers that interrupt the view. Clusters of colorful buildings with terra cotta roofs encircle countless numbers of mosques. The call to prayer for the majority Muslim population is heard 5 times daily from the delicate minarets that appear over the rooftops. That evening, I went to watch the Eurocup soccer match between Turkey and the Czech Republic at a large outdoor cafe. I now understand the soccer phenomenon in the rest of the world. Turkey was losing 2-0, but came back to win 3-2 in the last 20 minutes of the game! There were celebrations in the street with people yelling "Turkiye! Turkiye!" throughout the night.

Arrival in Turkey!

I finally made it to Turkey after hours upon hours on planes and buses carrying 70 pounds of luggage behind me. It was a miracle that I made it to the AIESEC office in downtown Bursa with everything intact (you should see the traffic). I will write more later, but I am tired and have to get up early tomorrow to go back to the AIESEC office.

One More Day...

I leave for Turkey tomorrow morning at 10:45. I spent a lot of time the past couple of months thinking about this day, but I still can't believe it has arrived. I feel a lot of things right now...anxious, nervous, unsure...but excited really doesn't have a place. There are too many legs of my journey that have to fall in place just right for me to arrive in Bursa without complication. My bags are nearly packed and I've said goodbye to a good number of people so physically, I'm ready to go. It's the right time for me to undertake such an experience.

One More Month

I'm leaving for Turkey in only a month!