The Kramers had me over for dinner last night. I didn't know what was going on until I actually went into their kitchen and saw the food being prepared. This is basically what my life is like here - someone tells me something in Turkish and I don't understand until ages later. They taught me how to make börek, a sinful combination of cheese, lamb pastrami (delicious!) and tomatoes, all wrapped up in a thin pastry and deep fried. The ingredients vary but the result is always amazing. I was the deep fryer, so of course we're all lucky I didn't set the place on fire. We also ate more cheese, fresh spinach with just lemon juice squirted on top (soooooo wonderful), olives, pickles, and afterwards bread with honey and cream (a popular simple dessert) and tea. Türkiye seviyorum! Another discovery I've made is fresh squeezed orange & pomegranate juice (both fruits are in season right now), which I can get at school. It tastes like sunshine.
One of my fellow teachers is married to a Turkish woman and today he was describing some of the colorful swear words/phrases that are common here. Many of them involved donkeys, midwives and cement. I'll leave this to your imagination until I get a list of the exact phrases and their translations (stay tuned). I wish I'd had these at my disposal for the would-be purse snatcher.
Sean will be here tomorrow and I can't wait. I bought another set of sheets today, in the typically Turkish combination of bright orange and lime green. Excellent! I also can't wait to explain 800 more times that in North America it is not so scandalous to have men and women live together during university. This subject has earned a lot of raised eyebrows around these parts.
Finally, unfortunately I did not get a chance to see the funeral procession or protest for Hrant Dink. I live far away from where that was happening and the city literally shut down that day. I haven't brought it up with any Turks, either, because it is a very contentious issue. The fact that Armenia is blacked out with a marker on one of the maps at school tells me all I really need to know. Everything you've read in the newspapers or seen on TV is as much as I know, too.
Oh yeah, also, the cat is out of the bag about a certain person being on the Ali G Show.
more later!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
thieves/internet
I have one piece of fantastic news - my neighbors and I jerry-rigged an ethernet cable from their apartment to mine (through the window - it's awesome), so now I have internet at home. I don't have the Turkish to be able to express to them how much this means to me. Now you can bother me at any hour, day or night!
My other news is more sobering, perhaps. First, the backstory - my first week here, I met two nice Americans: Anil and Emily. They were stopping in Istanbul before touring more of Turkey. We had some drinks, and talked a lot. Anil wrote me this week saying he was back in Istanbul (though Emily had to go home, unfortunately). We met this evening for dinner and more drinks. We went to a cozy little bar in Beyoglu that was full of normal looking young people (all Turks). I put my purse and jacket on the seat next to me, as I always do, but at some point I think my purse fell on the floor (in a corner) and I was straining to hear Anil over the music so perhaps I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have. At one point, Anil said, "are you missing anything? I think that girl just walked by and took something." I looked, and lo and behold, no purse.
Without thinking, and with adrenaline surging through me like a mother protecting her children, I stormed out of the bar onto the street, which was filled with people sitting outside having beer and cigarettes. They were all watching. I looked for my purse and saw it in the hands of this girl who was walking with her friends. I guess she saw me, because she walked over to the corner, dropped the purse, and continued along as if nothing had happened! I ran to my bag, checked it to make sure my wallet was there (it was, nothing taken) and then ran up to her and pulled on her shoulder, yelling HEY! (the only thing I could come up with to say - I need to learn some swear words in Turkish). I've never fought anyone before, but believe me I was ready to, pardon my French, kick the living shit out of that bitch. I was ready to pull her hair and punch her, if necessary. I could have, too - she was probably half my size, and her stupid friends looked pretty tame. They were definitely not professionals. Plus the whole street was watching at this point, and I had a feeling Anil had followed me outside (he had). The group of girls looked at me with their stupid pouty expressions like I was the one who'd done something bad, and I huffed at them in disgust and walked back to the bar, shaking.
So that was my adventure. I was lucky. I am always careful, but clearly tonight I wasn't careful enough. I'm so glad I had an extra pair of eyes there. When I got home, Kramer opened the door as soon as I walked in the building (as always) and helped me get the cable through the window. What a place!
My other news is more sobering, perhaps. First, the backstory - my first week here, I met two nice Americans: Anil and Emily. They were stopping in Istanbul before touring more of Turkey. We had some drinks, and talked a lot. Anil wrote me this week saying he was back in Istanbul (though Emily had to go home, unfortunately). We met this evening for dinner and more drinks. We went to a cozy little bar in Beyoglu that was full of normal looking young people (all Turks). I put my purse and jacket on the seat next to me, as I always do, but at some point I think my purse fell on the floor (in a corner) and I was straining to hear Anil over the music so perhaps I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have. At one point, Anil said, "are you missing anything? I think that girl just walked by and took something." I looked, and lo and behold, no purse.
Without thinking, and with adrenaline surging through me like a mother protecting her children, I stormed out of the bar onto the street, which was filled with people sitting outside having beer and cigarettes. They were all watching. I looked for my purse and saw it in the hands of this girl who was walking with her friends. I guess she saw me, because she walked over to the corner, dropped the purse, and continued along as if nothing had happened! I ran to my bag, checked it to make sure my wallet was there (it was, nothing taken) and then ran up to her and pulled on her shoulder, yelling HEY! (the only thing I could come up with to say - I need to learn some swear words in Turkish). I've never fought anyone before, but believe me I was ready to, pardon my French, kick the living shit out of that bitch. I was ready to pull her hair and punch her, if necessary. I could have, too - she was probably half my size, and her stupid friends looked pretty tame. They were definitely not professionals. Plus the whole street was watching at this point, and I had a feeling Anil had followed me outside (he had). The group of girls looked at me with their stupid pouty expressions like I was the one who'd done something bad, and I huffed at them in disgust and walked back to the bar, shaking.
So that was my adventure. I was lucky. I am always careful, but clearly tonight I wasn't careful enough. I'm so glad I had an extra pair of eyes there. When I got home, Kramer opened the door as soon as I walked in the building (as always) and helped me get the cable through the window. What a place!
femininity
Plane ticket - $400
Salary - not much
Eyebrows - 6YTL (fouuuurrrrr dollars US)
Sitting around in a Turkish salon gossiping - priceless.
So, yeah, I got my eyebrows done yesterday. I went with my fellow teacher Kezi, who is from Cyprus/the UK and speaks Turkish, and we had a great time. Ladies here really know how to do things like eyebrows. My camera is suddenly out of batteries (not sure how, definitely not from overuse, unfortunately) or I would post a photo. Maybe next time.
I'm also learning how to be a hostess - making the tea/coffee, bringing out the tray, etc., except for the ashtray part. I'm still appalled at the prospect of buying an ashtray. I'm putting it off for now, and saucers will have to do.
One of the perks of having business English one-to-ones is that your students are often too busy for class, and have to cancel. I got the call this morning while I was still eating breakfast (and I was waiting for it, too - we haven't had a lesson together in a week) and now I'm free for the rest of the day, and tomorrow as well. I think I'll do some more sightseeing. My meteorologist student tells me it's going to FINALLY get cold this weekend, which will be nice. It's too mild right now.
My first real multi-student class was thrust on me this week with a cheerful,
"oh, they're learning past modals, you'll be fine," but despite all that it's going well. I think I've won them over, especially after I brought chocolate last night. Bribery is a good thing.
Mostly I'm looking forward to a visit by my highly-esteemed fellow blogger and former flatmate Sean, of Said the Gramophone fame. We'll paint Bakırköy red, and then post about it!
love to all.
Salary - not much
Eyebrows - 6YTL (fouuuurrrrr dollars US)
Sitting around in a Turkish salon gossiping - priceless.
So, yeah, I got my eyebrows done yesterday. I went with my fellow teacher Kezi, who is from Cyprus/the UK and speaks Turkish, and we had a great time. Ladies here really know how to do things like eyebrows. My camera is suddenly out of batteries (not sure how, definitely not from overuse, unfortunately) or I would post a photo. Maybe next time.
I'm also learning how to be a hostess - making the tea/coffee, bringing out the tray, etc., except for the ashtray part. I'm still appalled at the prospect of buying an ashtray. I'm putting it off for now, and saucers will have to do.
One of the perks of having business English one-to-ones is that your students are often too busy for class, and have to cancel. I got the call this morning while I was still eating breakfast (and I was waiting for it, too - we haven't had a lesson together in a week) and now I'm free for the rest of the day, and tomorrow as well. I think I'll do some more sightseeing. My meteorologist student tells me it's going to FINALLY get cold this weekend, which will be nice. It's too mild right now.
My first real multi-student class was thrust on me this week with a cheerful,
"oh, they're learning past modals, you'll be fine," but despite all that it's going well. I think I've won them over, especially after I brought chocolate last night. Bribery is a good thing.
Mostly I'm looking forward to a visit by my highly-esteemed fellow blogger and former flatmate Sean, of Said the Gramophone fame. We'll paint Bakırköy red, and then post about it!
love to all.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
house and home
I met my upstairs neighbors. My first contact with them was when, like a moron, I was having trouble opening both the front door and my own door. I imagine I made a lot of noise, and eventually the husband (Murat) came to help me open my apartment door (I'd at least made it into the building by then). He introduced me to his wife, whose name I cannot figure out, said a long string of things to me in rapid Turkish, and quickly realized that I had no idea what he was saying (was it perhaps my blank expression that gave me away?). Later on he came back and expressed his dismay at my water damage (it's not the Ritz, I'll admit, but it works for me). The next time he came over, Gökhan (not my friend from the bar but a guy who works at the school by helping us teachers cope with Turkish life) was there helping me fix the kombi. They had a long conversation which I was left out of, as usual, but I knew it wasn't the last I'd see of the neighbors.
Two nights ago, Murat came over again (they are a bit like Kramer, I'm realizing) and said something about the internet in his house, and gestured for me to follow him upstairs. I was there for about an hour speaking haltingly to him and his wife, and downloading some antivirus programs for them. Often I got the gist of what they were saying but couldn't respond, so there was lots of scribbling and gesturing, which is what most of my conversations are like here anyway. I thought that was the end of things for a while, but last night around 11 I was settled on my couch watching Rushmore by myself when, bing-bong, the doorbell rang and it was Murat's wife with a plate of steaming grape leaves stuffed with delicious things, as well as salad and yogurt. I was so excited! I spoke to Turks at my school and they said this is normal, but still I was thrilled. Then this evening before I left to use the internet, I heard another bing-bong and this time it was Murat with a plate of banana bread for me. What the hell will I do for these kind people? I need to figure out how to say, "my mother will be happy that you are keeping me fed." Maybe I will get them some flowers. It is good to have people's pity while in a foreign land.
In other news, my newest student in the weather guy for CNN Turkey. He's pretty funny. I will try to find video of him online.
In other apartment news, I finally have the heat working and am sleeping in a bed. Hooray! Tomorrow (my day off) I am going to clear all the rubble (like I said, not the Ritz, not totally squalid either) out of my back "patio" so it can be a nice sitting area.
There are zillions of cats here, for whatever reason. They yowl all night. My coworker, who used to be a vet nurse, (haha, sounds like "wet nurse" with a German accent) said that the cats are "in season" and this is why they're making such a racket. It needs to end.
hope you're all well!
Two nights ago, Murat came over again (they are a bit like Kramer, I'm realizing) and said something about the internet in his house, and gestured for me to follow him upstairs. I was there for about an hour speaking haltingly to him and his wife, and downloading some antivirus programs for them. Often I got the gist of what they were saying but couldn't respond, so there was lots of scribbling and gesturing, which is what most of my conversations are like here anyway. I thought that was the end of things for a while, but last night around 11 I was settled on my couch watching Rushmore by myself when, bing-bong, the doorbell rang and it was Murat's wife with a plate of steaming grape leaves stuffed with delicious things, as well as salad and yogurt. I was so excited! I spoke to Turks at my school and they said this is normal, but still I was thrilled. Then this evening before I left to use the internet, I heard another bing-bong and this time it was Murat with a plate of banana bread for me. What the hell will I do for these kind people? I need to figure out how to say, "my mother will be happy that you are keeping me fed." Maybe I will get them some flowers. It is good to have people's pity while in a foreign land.
In other news, my newest student in the weather guy for CNN Turkey. He's pretty funny. I will try to find video of him online.
In other apartment news, I finally have the heat working and am sleeping in a bed. Hooray! Tomorrow (my day off) I am going to clear all the rubble (like I said, not the Ritz, not totally squalid either) out of my back "patio" so it can be a nice sitting area.
There are zillions of cats here, for whatever reason. They yowl all night. My coworker, who used to be a vet nurse, (haha, sounds like "wet nurse" with a German accent) said that the cats are "in season" and this is why they're making such a racket. It needs to end.
hope you're all well!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
I'm back!
Merhaba!
I know it's been a while. I've had a busy week. I started work, got an apartment, learned how to work a kombi (hot water/heating system), and met some new friends. Today I had my first hot shower in four days - that in itself is an accomplishment.
After a lot of thought, I decided to live in Bakırköy, where my school is located, even though it's a bit on the boring side and a bus ride away from the places I'd come to enjoy in Beyoğlu/Taksim. I looked at some unfurnished places but decided that it was better to get a furnished place and pay a little more. I found a basement apartment with a sliver of a view of the Sea of Marmara. When I look out my back window I can see cargo ships going by. Not bad! I'm still working on getting the heat to work, so for now I'm sleeping in the living room, but that's alright. At first I felt lonely living by myself, but as work gets busier I'm beginning to enjoy having a place nearby where I can escape.
While I was still living in the hotel in Beyoğlu, I went to the same bar every night because it had wireless internet and also the people there were kind and welcoming. After several nights I met a couple Turkish guys, Aslan and Gökhan, doing their PhDs (one at Istanbul University, the other at a university in Sweden) who were looking for someone to edit their papers before they submitted them to journals. We quickly became friends and though now I won't let them pay me for editing, they have colleagues who need help with writing academic English (who doesn't, really), so I might have some extra work lined up. More importantly, I have some new friends who care about me, speak great English, and will teach me how to cook. Yesterday I had an appointment with Pelin's (my Turkish teacher's) sister in a neighborhood very far from my own, and Gökhan and his girlfriend invited me to stay at their house, which was much closer. We sat up late into the night talking and listing to music and I realized that I'm going to have a great time here.
Work is going pretty well. I was nervous about starting in a new school but I've been impressed with my students so far. I only have one-to-ones at the moment, a few of which take place at a company about 30 minutes from the school. The company, Vodaphone, has a deal with my school where a car comes to get us and whisks us away to their high-security office building. As a novice at international teaching, I was surprised at all this hoopla, but apparently it's quite common. I hope my schedule doesn't change much - at the moment it's light and that's the way I want it until I really settle in.
That's the news so far...I miss everyone and promise to take more photos.
Also, I have a cell phone (cep telefonu!) - email me if you want the number.
I know it's been a while. I've had a busy week. I started work, got an apartment, learned how to work a kombi (hot water/heating system), and met some new friends. Today I had my first hot shower in four days - that in itself is an accomplishment.
After a lot of thought, I decided to live in Bakırköy, where my school is located, even though it's a bit on the boring side and a bus ride away from the places I'd come to enjoy in Beyoğlu/Taksim. I looked at some unfurnished places but decided that it was better to get a furnished place and pay a little more. I found a basement apartment with a sliver of a view of the Sea of Marmara. When I look out my back window I can see cargo ships going by. Not bad! I'm still working on getting the heat to work, so for now I'm sleeping in the living room, but that's alright. At first I felt lonely living by myself, but as work gets busier I'm beginning to enjoy having a place nearby where I can escape.
While I was still living in the hotel in Beyoğlu, I went to the same bar every night because it had wireless internet and also the people there were kind and welcoming. After several nights I met a couple Turkish guys, Aslan and Gökhan, doing their PhDs (one at Istanbul University, the other at a university in Sweden) who were looking for someone to edit their papers before they submitted them to journals. We quickly became friends and though now I won't let them pay me for editing, they have colleagues who need help with writing academic English (who doesn't, really), so I might have some extra work lined up. More importantly, I have some new friends who care about me, speak great English, and will teach me how to cook. Yesterday I had an appointment with Pelin's (my Turkish teacher's) sister in a neighborhood very far from my own, and Gökhan and his girlfriend invited me to stay at their house, which was much closer. We sat up late into the night talking and listing to music and I realized that I'm going to have a great time here.
Work is going pretty well. I was nervous about starting in a new school but I've been impressed with my students so far. I only have one-to-ones at the moment, a few of which take place at a company about 30 minutes from the school. The company, Vodaphone, has a deal with my school where a car comes to get us and whisks us away to their high-security office building. As a novice at international teaching, I was surprised at all this hoopla, but apparently it's quite common. I hope my schedule doesn't change much - at the moment it's light and that's the way I want it until I really settle in.
That's the news so far...I miss everyone and promise to take more photos.
Also, I have a cell phone (cep telefonu!) - email me if you want the number.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
some photos
Today I went back to Sultanahmet, but it seemed like all the carpet sellers and tourist hustlers were out to get me and it just wasn't quite as much fun. I need a big burly gay male bodyguard.
I went to the Blue Mosque but didn't take any photos because I was so distracted by trying not to offend anyone. Also I just felt awkward having a camera inside. I didn't go back inside the Basilica or palace, but I took some photos outside:
Perhaps the work of one of my future students? (click to see the whole thing, it's worth it)
I walked part of the way home - this is a view of the Galata bridge, and my neighborhood is buried in there somewhere. I guess it's not SO bad living here:
Fishermen on the bridge:
Touristy shot of the Suleymanye Mosque (I think......)
The main drag of Beyoğlu, Istiklal Caddesi:
Finally, the face I had to wear all day - my No-I-Don't-Want-To-Buy-A-Carpet-Or-Be-Your-Girlfriend Face:
I went to the Blue Mosque but didn't take any photos because I was so distracted by trying not to offend anyone. Also I just felt awkward having a camera inside. I didn't go back inside the Basilica or palace, but I took some photos outside:
Perhaps the work of one of my future students? (click to see the whole thing, it's worth it)
I walked part of the way home - this is a view of the Galata bridge, and my neighborhood is buried in there somewhere. I guess it's not SO bad living here:
Fishermen on the bridge:
Touristy shot of the Suleymanye Mosque (I think......)
The main drag of Beyoğlu, Istiklal Caddesi:
Finally, the face I had to wear all day - my No-I-Don't-Want-To-Buy-A-Carpet-Or-Be-Your-Girlfriend Face:
Saturday, January 6, 2007
being a tourist
Today was my first truly good day. But let me start with yesterday. I’d wanted to go to the historical district yesterday and see the major Istanbul sites, but I had so much trouble sleeping the night before that I let myself sleep in, and by the time I woke up (horrifically late), it wasn’t worth it to go all the way there. I spent most of the day feeling sorry for myself and having tearful conversations with my mom and Jonathan, wailing about why I decided to come here. Later on I pulled myself together, saw a bad American movie (“The Holiday” - not even my 10% rule [bad Hollywood films are 10% better if you see them overseas] could save this one), and tried to stay up late so I could sleep better.
I still had trouble sleeping, but I set my alarm for 11AM and stuck to it. After having breakfast and getting several confusing sets of directions for how to get to Sultanahmet (the neighborhood), I finally just winged it. First I took the Tünel (literally a tunnel tram) to Kadiköy (another neighborhood that I could have walked to but the tunnel was fun) and then an above-ground tram to Sultanahmet. I only made one mistake by taking the tram the wrong direction, but everything was clearly marked so I was fine.
My first stop was the Aya Sofya, a great choice for a first activity. The Aya Sofya started out as an Orthodox Church built by the Byzantines. Later on when the Ottomans conquered
My next stop was the Basilica Cistern, a cavernous underground room built in the 6th century filled with columns and shallow water. There were also two eerie carved Medusa heads.
My third stop was the
After having some tea and patlıcan dolma (stuffed eggplant), where I was complimented on my Turkish, I wandered around some more and called it a day. I will probably go back tomorrow (with a camera, I forgot mine today) and see the Blue Mosque.
Oh yeah, also, I had my first 100% Turkish conversation, wherein I bought a hair dryer in a shop nowhere near as expensive as the other one I saw in Beyoğlu . I was very proud of myself.
Finally, I wish Joanna Newsom would come to
Thursday, January 4, 2007
better
Okay, you all indulged my little rant. I’m done (for now). After I had my little typing tirade, I took a walk around my neighborhood (the very bohemian Beyoğlu) and tried to solve my power adapter problem. You see, I blew a fuse last night when I was experimenting with my various power adapters (a long story, fortunately the only thing busted is my American surge protector which wouldn’t have helped me here anyway). It took a while to explain the fuse thing to Ali, the guy who mans the front desk of my little hotel. His English is actually very good but I had to literally show him the plugs that weren’t working. So that’s been fixed now and everything is okay.
But anyway, I still needed to buy an adapter that would take my three-prong computer plug. What to do? The guys in the internet café didn’t really speak English but they assured me that there was an electrician’s shop (elektrikçi!) nearby. I have no idea if I found the store they were talking about (I am still trying to successfully interpret directions here, and having been brought up without the metric system doesn’t help) but eventually I found one and had a hilarious gesturing conversation with the guys that worked there. I ended up with what I needed, though I wish I’d known to buy a EuroSurge while I was still in the States because it would be a little bit safer for my electronics. But anyway, for now I am up and running, and there are lots of places around the neighborhood with wireless internet.
And speaking of little places around the neighborhood, Beyoğlu really knows how to do cafes. It reminds me of
This afternoon’s project was to find a hair dryer (saç kurutma makinesi – I kept having to look it up over and over again). I was successful but I didn’t buy it because it was kind of expensive. I’m sure dry hair will win out over frugality very soon.
Some bullet points:
- I cannot seem to remember the words for yes/no (evet/hayır), and under pressure can only remember “ice cream” (dondurma)
- Overhearing French tourists in a café, and understanding what they were saying, filled my heart with joy
- Tomorrow I am actually going to explore the main tourist district that has all the big sites. It's time to just get out there and look around.
here
I'm going to try to make this post sound positive. I got here in one piece and my hotel is fine. I can order food pretty successfully. That's about where the positivity ends. I haven't really slept since I was back in the United States, so I am barely functioning at this point. I learned that I am free until Monday, which is actually a terrifying thought. Once I get some sleep I would like to see some of the big tourist sites, but that probably won't be until tomorrow.
Most importantly, I really miss everyone at home. Terribly. I hate to say it but my first reaction was to want to run away screaming. Sadly that is not an option. I know I'll be fine but I don't think I anticipated how difficult these first few days would be.
Most importantly, I really miss everyone at home. Terribly. I hate to say it but my first reaction was to want to run away screaming. Sadly that is not an option. I know I'll be fine but I don't think I anticipated how difficult these first few days would be.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
farewell!
If you want to talk to me on Skype, my username is luckysoandso. Also, does anyone use Skype's pay features? I'm thinking about getting Skype-in.
Okay, I'm off! See you on the other side.
Okay, I'm off! See you on the other side.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Happy New Year!
I purposely booked my flight for January 2 because I knew I'd want to rest on New Year's Day. I didn't have a particularly wild New Year's Eve, but as it happens I do have a bad cold and one more day of coddled, blissful rest in my house is doing me good. I am packed but I still need to give my room a final straightening to make it the kind of place where guests would actually want to stay. I also still need to make important decisions like, should I take my huge headphones in my backpack or in my checked luggage? Will I actually read anything on the plane? We'll see.
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