Goodbye Istanbul; Turkey is Calling!

 I will start out by apologizing for being a day late but I think you will understand when you read about all the amazing things I have been doing! Needless to say I started writing this blog last night but reached a point where words and sentences were just NOT formulating properly.  

At 6:30 AM on Saturday the gang headed out of Istanbul towards Safranbolu.  This was the first stop on our 10 day adventure!  Safranbolu is famous for the Ottoman style houses that remain in the old city today and the fact that it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Arriving in the town we immediately went and had a good old Turkish Brunch and then hopped out of our bus and onto Golf Carts!  (That's right ladies and gentlemen Turkey has golf carts too)  There are so many houses, fountains, mosques, and other buildings that we had to see that doing it on foot would have been very difficult, so why not take golf carts.  The Old town is situated in a deep ravine and from several different points on our tour we got some awesome views of the entire town.  This was the start of me constantly thinking, "How has all of this survived so long?"  The houses that we were seeing had been there since the Ottoman era and that era lasted for over 600 years starting in 1453.  So you see these houses were old but amazingly well preserved.  After the golf cart trip we had the chance to explore the old town's market.  Safranbolu is also famous for Saffron and their Lokum (Turkish delight).  After sampling many pieces of Lokum and enjoying a nice cup of Saffron tea we headed out of Safranbolu and on towards Ankara.

Ankara is the capital of Turkey and if you talk to any of the natives that is about the only reason people know it.  We began our morning by learning about the different periods and civilizations who were living in Turkey or then Anatolia by visiting the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.  This gave us some excellent background before we delved into seeing the actual capitals of many of the civilizations.  The most fascinating thing I think that we saw in the museum were statues of Mother Goddess.  The most impressive statue shows her taming two leopards while giving birth.  For the Hittites a major civilization living in Anatolia she was a major religious figure but then again they are also known for being the civilization with 1,000 Gods and Goddesses. 
Leaving the museum we headed to Ataturk's memorial that was built several years after his death.  Many people consider him a dictator and in looking at the definition of a dictator he kind of was, but the turkish people look to this memorial and do not look at him as one.  It was a really impressive complex filled with a lot of symbolism and nationalist pride.  It was kind of overwhelming how much many of the turks loved him and their love carries over to today. 
For those who do not know Ataturk was the creator of the Turkish Republic after the Turkish War for Independence at the end of World War II.  He created their government, their laws, everything that is Turkey today.  While many do love him still, there is a huge movement of conservatives to return Turkey to what it was like before the Republic and Ataturk.  Because of this there are many Turks who fear that within ten years the Turkey they know and love today will no longer exist.  I also walked away from the memorial with an unsettling feeling in terms of the power we allow leaders and our government.  Yea Ataturk was a great leader and loved by his people, but what if this wasn't the case.  All anybody needs to do is look at the upheavals in Syria and see the negative effects of allowing one person complete control. 

The rest of the day we traveled to the capital of the Hittites and had the opportunity to see the foundation of their city, center for worship, and the gates to the city.  Walking around the area I did my best to use my imagination and see what life must have been like for them.  It is crazy to think that the foundations still exist.  So many times throughout this trip I have been so overwhelmed by the history and artifacts that we still have today.  It makes me realize how young of a country America really is and makes me wonder what will be left from our day and age for people to see in the future.  We ended the day in Capadoccia exhausted from the long day of traveling but so excited for the day ahead. 
On Monday we woke up at 5 am, I know you must be thinking these people are wearing us out and while yes I am exhausted we were getting up so early to go HOT AIR BALLOONING!!! So needless to say getting up at 5 am was a small price to pay for the amazing adventure we had.  It truly was like a dream (especially since I am pretty sure we were all half asleep still).  Fitting all 22 of us into a basket our balloon took off and we sailed up into the clouds.  But it wasn't just us in the sky, there were about a hundred other balloons taking off and floating around the sky too.  It was amazing getting to see the sun rise above the most mystical landscape I have ever seen.
You see, the fairy chimneys and landscape that Capadoccia is famous for was created as a Volcano erupted spilling lava onto the Earth.  As the lava cooled into rock it was covered over the years by softer rock and earth but then as rain fell the softer rock was eroded away leaving the amazing rock formations that we see today.  The erosion remains a problem and is something historians and archeologists are constantly fighting against but just like the other historical sites we've seen there is an amazing amount of structures that they have been able to restore and protect.  Some of those are the churches and monasteries that ancient Christians built as they were fleeing Roman persecution.  Not only were the artwork incredible but the structures themselves and the time it must have taken to carve out the areas was astounding.  Walking around the area and seeing the fairy chimneys felt like we were on another planet uncovering an unknown civilization.  It was a really cool experience and all of that happened before lunch! 
After lunch, we headed to an old family run ceramics studio. It turns out that Capadoccia is famous for many things other than the fairy chimneys- their pottery and wine being just a few.  It was really cool to see the studio and then watch one of their masters work on the wheel.  After this we headed to watch Whirling Dervishes perform in an old Caravansary (trading post built by a sultan).  The whole performance was really fascinating and mesmerizing.  We were not allowed to take pictures or video as the Dervishes were performing for us but what they were actually doing was a very spiritual connection with Allah and prayer.  While they are spinning they are entering another mental state and transcending the worldly and enter a spiritual place.  After their performance they return to their own rooms and meditate.  For me the experience was really amazing but I also felt sad that they had taken this very personal and spiritual experience and made it into a tourist attraction.  I feel that religions pride themselves on being very traditional and personal but when it comes to making money religious institutes just like anybody else will do whatever it takes.  Every day I find myself sadden by how much our world and lives is run by money and the need to make and spend it.

Look forward to more exciting adventures as we continue our 10 day journey around Turkey/Anatolia.  Some major places coming up include Ephesus, Troy, Pamukkale, and Gallipoli!!

Sending you All my Love from Turkey <3  
  

A Week of Many Sensations

Another week has come and passed, but this one was filled with many sensations.  The first was disappointment as I journeyed to the Turkish police department for the fifth time (yes FIVE TIMES) and was turned away without my residence permit.  You see when an individual is studying in Turkey they must obtain a residence permit to leave and re-enter the country and that same individual must travel to the farthest and most out of the way police department to obtain that permit.  Granted I can only blame myself for why I had to go five times BUT I was really hoping the fifth times the charm... sadly the sixth will have to be.  On the plus side of being turned away disappointed I was determined not to let this get me down so I went on an adventure to cross of some things on my Istanbul bucket list. 
The first stop was the Archeological Museum!  For those of you who didn't know I am kind of a history nerd and when I was younger I really wanted to be an archeologist (this may help you better understand why this museum was the first I ventured to).  It was really impressive and after passing through a number of sarcophagi I stumbled upon Alexander the Greats.  It also had a number of greek and roman statutes and a very cool exhibit on Istanbul through the ages, as well as the oldest peace treaty.  Next I took on the Egyptian Spice Bazaar in Eminönö. Meeting up with two of my friends here we took on the hustling and bustling bazaar. Each stall was filled with dried fruits, spices, and different nick knacks.  So I love strawberries, and really anything strawberry flavored BUT finding dried strawberries was possibly the most amazing discovery.  If you've never had them DO IT, it will possible be the best decision of... your day.  After all the excitement we headed to the Galata Bridge and had a great fish dinner overlooking the Bosphorus Strait and Istanbul. In all it was a pretty great day!

The next day I took on the Grand Bazaar and well lets just say I couldn't shake the sensation of being watched.  A. I went with one of my roommates and a friend from my program-an all girl group. B. We all are very attractive young women, if I say so myself.  C.  All the merchants we passed were men, turkish men.  We were angels... Charlie's Angels, we were the Spice Girls (even though there were only 3 of us), and then we were beautiful ladies, etc.  While all comments were very flattering, we only had a little bit of time to spend before the bazaar was to close so we couldn't stop for them all.  But really the bazaar was amazing- huge, beautiful, and extraordinary.  There isn't anything like it or at least not that I've seen.  I will definitely be going back multiple times throughout this semester!

On Friday I had the strong sense of finally belonging in Istanbul.  There's no doubt that I am not originally Turkish- My light hair and eyes are a dead give away and well my Turkish or the lack there of is also a pretty big give away.  But just feeling comfortable getting around, and being in a place is a pretty big step when you think about how far away from home I am.  I feel it a lot when I'm in the more touristy parts of the City and seeing the way the tourist act makes me realize that I'm not one of them.  I am a student here and am truly trying to learn the culture, the language, and the city.  I may never physically fit in but emotionally I'm starting to sense at home here.  Part of this was going to Ortaköy with one of my roommates and as we walked among the jewelry vendors I found myself feeling excited to use my Turkish and in return the vendors were pleasantly surprised with it.  They could tell I was learning but that didn't matter to them- they still thought it was pretty cool.  Then when I split from my roommate and had to get back on my own I wasn't nervous or scared because I knew I could do it. 

 Saturday is the reason for the title of this post really because I went to Sensation and well I definitely felt a number of sensations while I was there!  For those who don't know Sensation is "an indoor electronic dance music event" (Wikipedia) that began in the Netherlands but now is a global event. 
You have to wear all white, they bring a couple of really famous house DJs, and then decorate the arena according to the theme (Turkey's was 'Wicked Wonderland')/do a light show in rhythm with the beat of the music. 
It was a night and a morning that I'll remember forever because A. I've never experienced anything like it B. We were right up in front of the stage and C. It was AWESOME!!

What wasn't so awesome was having to wake up at 8:00AM that morning and only getting maybe an hour of sleep.  You see on Sunday I was sensing major sleep deprivation as I ventured out on our programs Sunday excursion to Princes' Islands.  Luckily this was possibly the best excursion for having little to no sleep because all we had to do was sit on a boat and listen to our tour guide as she talked about the surrounding sites of Istanbul.  Then when we got to the Island we had a short hike up to the top (after getting to ride a horse drawn carriage to the midway point) and see an old Greek Orthodox Church.  Plus the day was beautiful and the absolute perfect weather for a boat trip.  While I did do a good bit of napping, I did take a way a few things from the trip I promise.  First Istanbul is HUGE, like it's really big and that really didn't hit me until we were about two hours from the city center and the area on the land was still considered within the city limits.  Over time it seems that as Istanbul has grown in population size it has just overtaken the outlying towns and villages adding them to the city.  Second, I have grown so accustomed to the art and architecture of Mosques that I was not really that impressed with the church and felt overwhelmed by all of the depictions of people on the walls and ceiling. 

Well there you go! My week of many sensations ended with exhaustion but a happy exhaustion as I had a busy and adventurous week.  Look forward to more exciting stories from Istanbul and other places around Turkey as our program begins our big fall break trip this coming Saturday.

Sending you All my Love from Turkey <3

Two Worlds Collide

This past weeks was one where several times my two worlds collided: America and Turkey.  While you may be thinking, "DUH, Caroline you're an American in Turkey of course this will happen."  I would respond, "Well yes, BUT did you ever expect me to go see the Celtics play Fenerbahçe in Istanbul... even better did you ever expect me to see the Celtics get there butt handed to them by Fenerbahçe in Istanbul in Asia?"  My guess is this probably wasn't what you expected.  
My weekend began on Friday as I traveled over to Asia to Ülker Sports Arena to watch the Boston Celtics play the Fenerbahçe Sports club (one of many sports clubs in Istanbul).  Walking into the arena I immediately felt at home as I pretty much grew up in the old Charlotte Hornets Arena and still enjoy going to see the Charlotte Bobcats.  But lets be real, my recent home arena is Cameron Indoor and there really is no other place like it!  While going to see a basketball game in Istanbul was not on my Bucket List for this semester, it definitely happened.
The funniest part of the whole evening though is that (besides the fact that the announcer was talking in Turkish and I had a tavuklu dürüm (chicken wrap) from the concession stand) I felt like I was back in America.  The whole set up of the game was the same- the teams, the dancers, the t-shirt toss, the popcorn, and there was even a stereotypical asian girl riding a unicycle flipping bowls onto her head at half time.  Needless to say I was in heaven and didn't realize how much I miss home until that moment.  This feeling continued on to the next day when I watched ESPN Game Day which was happening in Columbia at USC.  While I was working on my Turkish homework, the football talk just got me all nostalgic and wishing I was home watching Duke beat up on UVA.  But then the Istanbul dogs began barking and I realized where I was, and well Istanbul is an incredible city and I'm determined to explore every nook and cranny.

My exploration began in Sultahnamet the next day as our group toured Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Aya Sofia, and the Basilica Cistern.  Basically we covered the top tourist attractions of Istanbul...exactly a month after our arrival (oops?).  Topkapi Palace was huge and magnificent, granted I can't believe I didn't expect this since everything we've seen that was built by the Ottomans has been huge and magnificent.  Seriously though, the kitchen fed around 5,000 people regularly.  And don't get me started on the jewels or the bejeweled thrones, daggers, letter boxes, and pen cases.  I mean these people knew how to live in style.  But walking through the harem and being told the way that they lived, I couldn't help but think,"life would be great if you were the mother of the crowned Prince, otherwise it would kind of stink."
As a woman during that time you were just expected to lay around and pop out kids and pray that it was a boy and that he became Sultan next.  Laying around is great and all but I go crazy if I'm not busy doing something and I'm really not ready to think about kids yet.




The Blue Mosque was beautiful and very grand and yes it is blue BUT it's blue in the sense that the tile they used on the inside of the Mosque is all blue and white.  You see being of Central East Asian decent the Ottomans admired the Chinese porcelain and in Iznik expert tile makers did their best to recreate the blue and white color for this magnificent mosque.  It was not my favorite mosque experience (and by now I can say I've had many a mosque experience).  The whole affair felt very touristy and it really upset me when we walked in and several women had been given shawls at the doors but they wrapped them around their shoulders instead of their heads.  It was just very disrespectful and made them look very ignorant.  It worried me that the Turkish citizens were constantly seeing these people act in this way and I'm sure they were thinking, "stupid western tourist, can't even be respectful of the Islamic faith for 10minutes."  I really hope that wasn't the case but to be honest that's what I was thinking and I am a western tourist. 

The Aya Sofia was probably my favorite place we toured.  Walking in one can't help but be humbled by the size and grandeur of the place.  But more importantly it was truly a symbol of Christianity and Islam colliding (my other worlds as I am a Christian but am exploring the Islamic world currently).  It was incredible seeing the ancient mosaics from the days it was a magnificent Basilica and then turning slightly and seeing these huge circles with Arabic script written on them.  In this one place an individual is able to walk in and truly see and feel both the importance of religion to the region and the history of the clash between the two.  It was truly incredible and once this sank in the call to prayer began.  It was the most beautiful call I had heard (partly because I was on a high from what I had just seen but more importantly because it was a duet between the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofia).























Finally our day ended with a trip to the Basilica Cistern.  Located right beneath Sulthanamet and the Aya Sofia is a hidden wonderland.  As we descended the stairs I couldn't help but feel like I was in an ancient fairy land.  With water, fish, and columns scattered throughout it is hard not to feel like you have stepped back in time.  What is fascinating is that for centuries it was used by people who knew about it as a great fishing hole.  Locals would go through their basement and get into boats that would take them to this hidden wonderland.  I of course kept thinking, "Man this would make an awesome spa!"  I could've spent all afternoon there relaxing and meditating (even though I've never meditated before).  It was so peaceful and truly the perfect way to end a very hectic and full day of touring. 

 My final two worlds that are colliding currently are that of my life in college and my plans for after college as I work to figure out internships for this summer.  Time is flying by and I really can't believe that I am a Junior in college with one full year left before I graduate.  Looking up at the bulletin board above my desk I have pictures from home of my friends and family.  It seems like just yesterday I was graduating high school, that I was a going to Clover football games, and singing in the Choraliers.  And then I turn around and see the amazing memories I've made in college and it makes me sad to think that this chapter is also coming to a close.  But in reflecting on all of this I've also realized that time keeps going, I keep making amazing memories, and the people who have always wanted to be a part of my life still are and will always be.  So while yes one chapter ends, it doesn't mean that the characters in that chapter just disappear, they take on new roles and continue to be apart of my book of life.  Plus I get to move forward and make more amazing memories as I continue to strive to live in the moments that make me happy. 

Sending you All my Love from Turkey <3

Falling into School

No first day of school story would be complete without an embarrassing moment... or three.  If you are reading this blog then you should know me pretty well and if you don't well I'm just going to come right out and say it- I AM CLUMSY and fall a lot.  It happens and then I pick myself up and keep going.  So when it happened the first time on my first day of school- on the front lawn right next to the student fair- I picked myself up and kept walking hoping no one saw.  When it happened the second time on my way to get lunch with one of my friends (who kept walking didn't even see it happen) I just thought, "Well dang this is just not my day."  BUT, the third time was the deal breaker (not to mention the worst- cuts, scraps, and clothing was ripped) and I was ready to give up.  Amazingly though I kept going and ended up making a really good friend, spending the rest of the day with her, and ending the day on a real high.  The second, third, and fourth (no fifth because I don't have Friday classes YAY) went much smoother. 

This week was the first time that I felt like I was really living in Istanbul.  While I have been here for almost a month now, we have been doing so much traveling around Turkey that we haven't really been living in reality.  So while the title of this weeks post is mainly about me tumbling all over campus, it also reflects my sudden jolt back to reality.  To be honest this was a welcomed jolt for while I enjoy the traveling I am really excited to get to know more students and learn about the culture of Turkey from interacting with them and my professors.  Plus I am a nerd (I am who I am), I love to learn and well there is nothing that makes this girl happier than new books, pens, pencils, and folders.  Getting back into the classroom, taking notes, and listening was a great feeling. 

Thus far I am super pleased with my courses and am really excited to be taking Media and Globalization, Diplomatic History, History of the Ottoman Empire, and Turkish.  But I am even more pleased with the atmosphere of my classes.  Growing up in small town South Carolina I had not been exposed to many different types of people (if I was I had to go in search of them) so when I went to Duke I was super pumped to meet people from not only all over the country but people from all around the world.  Well... Duke has nothing on Bogazici when it comes to the span of International students on campus.  I had a moment in one of my classes where this all really hit me.  We were discussing globalization and with each comment the teacher asked for we got a different perspective of what globalization meant.  There was a girl from the Netherlands, a boy from Turkey, an American, and the list goes on.  And already I have made friends from Iran, Pakistan, Germany, other parts of America, Canada, France, and Spain.  So not only do I get this amazing feeling inside the classroom but outside of it too when we are just talking about life.  It has made me realize how very little I really know about other cultures and it really makes me want to travel and see the world but not just through tour groups- I want to really stay in the culture and get to understand the people.  Who knows maybe I will live abroad some more in my life, but only time will tell.

With a successful first week under our belts, our program headed off to Edirne (the second major Ottoman capitol).  This time, we stayed in Europe and traveled right up to the Bulgarian and Greek border.  Once we got there we started our touring immediately first with an old railroad station as Edirne was an important stop for traders as they traveled on to Europe.  But the true jewels of this trip were the Mosques.  While I had liked the ones we had been in before, the Mosques found in Edirne were much more colorful and well we all know I am not one to shy away from color.  Seriously though the colors and paintings on the walls were just so much more ornate and they seemed to be brighter and have more windows.  My favorite of the three we visited was the last one we saw Selimiye Mosques it was built to impress and well I was definitely impressed.  But it isn't just the Mosque that impressed me, it was the entire complex- the gardens, the market, the courtyards, etc.  The coolest thing about Mosques I think is that they are built as complexes with multiple parts.  When I think about the many Cathedrals, Churches, and Chapels I have seen they seem to be built into a city.  They blend in and become just another building on the street.  With Mosques they are built to stand out and be seen, they are the focus and no other building around them shadows it. 

 In America, we take great pride in our freedoms and rights but the more time I am spending in Turkey I have started to wonder are we really that free when it comes to religion (especially for Muslims).  I was talking to one of my new friends here who is an American Muslim.  She said the most fascinating thing to me- This will be the first time that I will get to celebrate my holidays and not be in school for my Muslim holiday.  With that statement the reality that not all Americans feel they are fully free to practice their religion.
 At Christmas, everybody makes a big deal about being politically correct I mean people don't even feel comfortable saying Merry Christmas preferring instead to be inclusive and say Happy Holidays instead.  But Muslims don't have a Christmas or any sort of holiday during the Holiday Season but when they do have a holiday it isn't even recognized.  Turkey is a really fascinating country to study in terms of religious freedom because while the Ottoman's are recognized as being a Muslim Empire they were tolerant of all religions and to this day Turkey has no single national religion.  As I have stated in a previous post I think America could learn a lot from Turkey in this respect.

It is funny to me how much time I have spent recently thinking and contemplating religion- my own and the concept in general.  If someone were to ask me if I was a religious person I would say no I am a spiritual person.  There is no doubt in my mind that religion and religious structures are powerful but it is that power that makes me say I am a spiritual person.  I think that religion is what you make it, God is whoever you want God to be, and at the end of the day no matter if you are Christian, Jewish, or Muslim we all believe that there is one God.  And for me that's all that matters- faith and hope that there is something out there larger than ourselves, looking over us, protecting us from each other and ourselves, and guiding us through this process we call life.  For, "when you come to the end of everything you know And are faced with the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen.  Either there will be something solid for you to stand on, Or you will be taught how to fly."- Barbara J. Winter. 

In many ways this Semester abroad was a leap into the darkness of the unknown and through it all I have had Faith that everything would work out and so far that has been true.  Falling is just part of that process.  

Sending you All lots of Love from Turkey <3