Hello, dear readers! Now, before you point out how long it’s been since I wrote here, let me say that I know and I’m sorry. I don’t have any excuses, really, other than the fact that ever since I moved out of my old apartment it’s harder to get internet access.
Much has changed since I last wrote here. The weather is the most obvious example: after about two months of absolutely lovely, sunny, dry spring days we are entering the reign of soup, which apparently doesn’t abate until around mid- to late-September. I wish I could say that my time at home (from July 5 to August 19!) will be a relief from the heat and humidity but sadly I know that will not be the case.
Yes, you read that correctly – I’m coming home soon! Despite all the good things going on here, and there are many of them, I can’t wait. I look forward to eating lots of different foods (Thai, Vietnamese, Salvadoran, Mexican, Ethiopian, Indian, Pakistani, mom’s…), seeing everyone, and having some snobby microbrew at Galaxy Hut or Paradiso. And yes, I will be coming back here, perhaps with a sidekick…all will be revealed in good time!
But back to Istanbul. As you have probably read in any publication that cares about countries other than America, a lot is going on in Turkey. I am not the person to give you in-depth analysis, but essentially Turkey’s supporters of secularism are rallying against the Islamic government, run by PM Tayyip Erdoğan, As much as I am in favor of a secular government in theory, I cannot help but be taken aback at the attitude of the pro-secularism supporters here. The sentiment seems to be that anyone who is Muslim is somehow anti-secularism, and if Muslims are allowed to be leaders in the government then Turkey is certain to turn into another Iran. I can’t think of any Turk here, Muslim or not, who wants Turkey to turn into Iran. I think religious people here, especially women, value their (relative) freedom (which includes unrestricted abortion, by the way), and rightly want to be able to be covered in public universities and government offices (at the moment this is illegal). A letter-writer to the Economist this week expressed this better than I ever could:
The AK Party [Islamic ruling party] has not promoted a single law that directly challenges Turkey’s secular system. Turkey’s problem is that any form of religious piety is considered to be fundamentalist. That not all Muslims desire sharia law is unfathomable to radical secularists. The irony is that they resemble radical Islamists: each wants to control state and society to the exclusion of everyone else. The real divide is between liberal-minded secularists and Muslims who want Turkey to blossom into a more plural, liberal democracy, and illiberal secularists and Islamists whose intolerance is inimical to democracy. – Melinda Negron
As I write this there is news that there was a bomb in Ankara; I don’t know how this will affect the political situation here. I don’t even know who set off the bomb, so I don’t have an opinion yet.
It is really interesting being in a place that both literally and figuratively straddles the East and West. As much as that is a cliché, it’s so true. There is so much talk of Turkey joining the EU, especially in the Economist (the school has a subscription, leave me alone), but now that I am here I believe that it will never happen. Not because Turkey is too “backwards,” or not developed enough, or lacking the necessary infrastructure/education/human rights, though some of that may be true, but because Europe could never handle it. I think white, Christian Europeans are terrified of Turkey. It’s a shame, too, because I think there is so much potential here.
I have a lot more to write, so I'll be back soon. I promise!
