Update from Istanbul

"When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable."
- Clifton Fadiman


   I've experienced my first stomach virus of the trip.. no fun.  It snuck up on me quickly and I didn't realize what exactly was going on until the fever set it.  Luckily this happened in the evening when I was already at home - and for that I was very thankful.  I didn't get much (and by that I mean, any) sleep but I was fortunate it was only a 24-hour bug and though extremely intense, it was quick. With the wonders and amazement of a new country and culture, also comes the acclimation process - which isn't always the easiest.

   So by the grace of god, I didn't have to take a classroom full of students on a field trip - I really don't think I would've survived that one.  It was rescheduled to a later date - of which I was not told - so I'm hoping to just get out of that one all together.  Of all the students I am working with right now, the kids are my favorite.  They are so excited to learn and are very good students, I wish I was working solely with children - but that can come in time I suppose.

I guess it's time to introduce them - there is Ahmet, Ramazon, and Şeyda (included in the photo above and to the left is Ahmet's little sister who will sometimes join our lessons).  Ahmet and Ramazon are in 6th grade and Şeyda is in 7th, although their English skills are not at all linked to their grades.  For their lessons I go to their homes out in Seyrantepe, and each week we go to a different one's flat.  This is very cool for me, getting the opportunity to meet their families and see all sorts of different sub-cultures along the way.  The children's families are all so welcoming, kind and just excited to see their children learning.  These lessons are my favorite part of this job, because even when I get bummed about how much time I spend riding buses or being stuck in traffic, I remember how great I feel after spending time with them and it makes it so very much worth it.

Sunset from Serkan's rooftop in Çapa

   In addition to them, I am working with Necati (the nightclub owner),  Serkan (a nice family man with a 4 year-old daughter and very good English skills, who just wants to work on speaking and improving his vocabulary) and Gigdem (a woman in her mid 30's who works very hard and has a bunch of energy, always fun to be around).  Throughout the week, I will meet with them in various places and either have a lesson or just hang out and practice their English.

   Serkan invited me to his home last night for an authentic Arabian dinner.  Although I was extremely tired and feeling a bit sick, I decided to agree and man, I'm so glad that I did.  His (amazingly adorable) wife, his daughter, and him all took me on a tour of Istanbul, by car - which was so so neat because I got to see much more of the city then I normally do on the buses and trams.   Then we got back to their flat in Çapa and his wife prepared the meal - her family is from Ankara, where the food is quite different than what you typically see in Istanbul.  She served a traditional Arabic dinner of bulghur (a kind of wheat that is cooked in a specific oven stuffed with meat), lahmacun (which is Arabic directly translated to bread with meat) with maydanoz (parsley), lemon, and yogurt with a nice bottle of cabernet sauvignon.  Now, for those of you who know me at all, you know that this wasn't easy for me.  I can hardly eat a normal sized portion of meat, let alone a meal made entirely of meat - and she brought out plate after plate after plate piled high with more bulghur and lahmacun.  But I did it, and although I was worried my stomach wouldn't be able to handle it - I made it out alive and well!

Mosque in Seyrantepe

   I had my first Kabob Shop/House experience as well! Kabob Shops are a type of restaurant (there are TONS of them here) and I've always been nervous to go by myself, due to my completely incompetent Turkish language skills, but luckily Umit invited me... so he did all the ordering.  I decided to be brave and get a lamb and tomato kabob.  We were first brought a huge basket of knaan-like bread, with a tomato and greens salsa-like mixture, and a plate of cheese and butter. Then the kabob came out which was served with greens, carrots, beets, and rice.  It was so much delicious food, I couldn't believe what I had been missing out on.  I wish I had taken a photo but... I was enjoying the food too much I guess...




   Istanbul is a huge city, and living so far away from city center means I spend much more of the day on a bus or tram than I'd really like.  Although this can be exhausting, I can't express enough how much I love the family that I am living with.  Building a relationship with people without using words is such an interesting phenomenon.  It teaches you to be resourceful and creative - and through trying, you learn how possible it really is.  They make my commuting completely worth it - especially when, after having a long day, I come home to new bedding, freshly cleaned and folded laundry, a delicious meal, and of course, çay (Turkish tea)... I am so lucky.