I leave tomorrow. I will miss this place. I will miss waking up to endless cups of tea and the thrill of crossing highways without sidewalks. I don’t know if I will ever find the hospitality anywhere else that seems to be ingrained so deeply in a society. I admire the Turks for being so proud of their homeland, yet feel sorry for them; their balancing act of harmonizing the East and West as well as past and present will not be level see-saw for long. But, I am leaving here with fond memories and many lessons learned. My host family is already planning which weekends they have free so that I can return for a week, so I have no doubt that I will be back.
As this post seems a bit short for my final posting, I complied I short list of random thoughts about Turkey. They are not in order of importance, but in the order in which they came to me.
1. Ataturk, elephants, and the evil eye are staple decorations in nearly every household. Ataturk will generally sit on a mantle, the elephants lining chair rails, and the evil eye either above the front entrance way, or on the foot mat.
2. Staring is common, and practiced daily. Staring when I absentmindedly wore shorts during Ramadan, quadrupled. I have, one more than one occasion, considered wearing a scarf to hide the reason for the majority of stares: blonde hair.
3. On the topic of physical appearance, while I wouldn’t consider Turkey to be as homogenous as most of its neighboring nations, curly dark hair does seem to be the norm. It is as rare to find a black person, as it is to find a naturally blonde one.
4. If you have heart problems, do not get in a taxi. I say this for your safety. After 10 years of playing competitive sports, the adrenaline rushes I got this summer on the streets of Istanbul hands down got my heart pumping harder than any double overtime.
5. I may have acquired lung cancer from all the second hand smoke here. Since the smoking ban on July 19th, when smoking became permitted only outside, it is nearly impossible to walk on the sidewalks without choking on clouds of smoke.
6. A word to the wise for anyone planning on visiting Turkey and staying in someone’s home: bring slippers. Shoes are not to be worn in the house.
7. I have spoken with more than a handful of people now who believe that the United States never killed Sadam Hussain, and that we are keeping him hostage. Though it took a few hours or conversation with one particular individual, he let it slip that he also believes that the United States either 1. Has custody of Osama, or that we are somehow helping him hide. Oh, also, we are responsible for the twin towers falling—we planted bombs in them that simultaneously went off when the planes crashed. Some interesting theories, supported with some fairly convincing arguments.
8. Men here, and they agree to this, belong to one of the most proud and protective sects of the male species. Arguing here hardly ever ends in resolution. Compromise is not a virtue that many men here wish to possess, as it means they are admitting that they aren’t completely right about the topic at hand. This trait is common from children to elders.
9. Their school systems are quite different than ours. They do not have to attend the closest public school to them, but rather can choose amongst a slew of them. Their private schools (which I am much more familiar with, as that is where all of my host family and their friends go) are generally language based. They have French, English, and German schools, where all of the courses are taught in the foreign language. As Turkish is the official language of only one country, it is obligatory that every student know at least one other language fluently.
10. The Turks are quite proud of their food. It is one of the most important aspects of their culture. One could find at least a half-a-dozen different types of cheese on a platter for any given meal. Olives are in the green and black variety, generally drizzled in olive oil just for the extra flavor. Lamb in the most common meat. Processed foods are—no shock here—far less common here than they are in the States. My host family doesn’t even have crackers in the house.
11. I still am not used to their airports. Once you had checked in for your flight, and are in the airport, apparently you flight is not allowed to leave without you. So you can hold up a plane simply because you are having a sandwich in the coffee shop (I use this as an example, as this was one of the experiences I went through with my family). Also, my liquids were never once confiscated. Not even my 1.5 liters of diet coke.
12. You will find wet naps readily available after any meal or coffee. Muslims are quite concerned with cleanliness (thus the ritual of fully cleansing the body before prayer) and thus carry wet naps with them everywhere. Also, in regards to hygiene, it is not uncommon to find the ladies’ (or gents’ I suppose) room filled with holes in the ground as opposed to toilet seats. Toilet seats carry too many germs and unwanted residue, so many public bathrooms—at the airport, park, or beach—simply do not have them.
13. If mountaintops are visible, you are bound to see a Turkish flag on them
When I asked why, the person explaining it to me compared it to America’s 9/11. When something bad happens, patriotism goes up. The ongoing war with the Kurds is a cause for concern amongst all Turkish citizens, and thus the new government placed them there to remind citizens that there is strength in numbers: Turkey is stronger united than divided.
14. Happy horns. I love them. The 18-wheelers here have a different horn than the
normal “annnhhh” that sounds like a dead phone line. Rather, these gas-guzzlers have a much more pleasant ring, sounding much more like “doodaloop”. It is harder to have road rage when the person honking is simultaneously serenading you.
15. Something I will certainly miss about Turkey: nearly every home has a library.
No computer, no TV, simply a room with shelves, and get this—on those shelves, there are books! There are few houses back in the States that I can think of that have libraries. Seeing this, and noting that IKEA has begun to make bookshelves for everything but books, I have promised myself to one day own a home with a library.
Luckily I have already started collecting for those treasures with which it will be stocked.
One last thing. Tomorrow, August 30, is a national holiday in Turkey. It is their victory day, akin to our 4th of July. It was first celebrated in 1922 when Modern Turkey gained their independence from the Ottoman Empire. This is also the same day that I will be leaving. I’ll let you know how traffic is, as the main celebrations for this holiday are held in Istanbul.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Ramadan
This morning, at sunrise, marked the first official day of Ramadan (or Ramazan as they pronounce it here). Ramadan is the nine month in the Islamic calendar, where for 30 days, from sun-up to sun-down practicing Muslims will fast. This means that nothing passes your lips. No food, water, gum, nothing. Though as I mentioned in an earlier post, it is difficult to recognize who here is a practicing Muslim (as scarves are not as common as one might expect on the females), Ramadan will be a clearer indication of who is and is not.
In my host family, both Nurdan and Tömar will be fasting, along with their maids, chef, and gardener. Oh, and me as well. I told my family that though I certainly wouldn’t last the full 30 days, as I leave for Greece in 10 (time has flown I know), that I would try it at least for the first few days. How long this lasts depends on how much my body rejects me. But I figure, while in Rome, do as the Romans…though my host parents are certainly surprised at my willingness to try Ramadan, they are certainly appreciative, as I have convinced Miray to partake at least for the first few days as well.
From what I have gathered through a bit of reading and what my family here has told me, Ramadan is a chance to practice controlling your mind, and ridding it of those things unnecessary. Though I would beg to differ that food is not necessary, once you remove food from your day, you begin to think about little else but those things that truly matter. So I suppose they have a point. Muslims are expected to strengthen their relationship with Allah during this time, through both an increase in prayer as well as more time consciously spent considering one’s spirituality. There are plenty of people who are exempt from Ramadan, including the very young and old, the ill, and the pregnant to name a few.
Also, something unique about Ramadan is that as it follows the Islamic calendar (not our Western version) the date of Ramadan changes every year. It is ten days earlier as every year passes. This means that for the next 6 years or so, Ramadan will be during the summer, making it far harder than the winter. Not only are the days longer in the summer, but the heat as you can imagine, puts a toll on one’s ability to refuse water.
At sun-down there are generally large celebrations filled with family, friends, and food. I am sure that for the next ten days I will meet a whole array of new people. During the evening meal, first an assortment of breakfast dishes are served followed by more traditional luncheon and dinner cuisines. Therefore, despite what your favorite meal may be, you won’t have to sacrifice it during Ramadan. Also, just before sun-rise the family also gets up to eat something before the forbidden hour begins so in case one’s favorite foods are offered at the evening meal, they will be readily available at 4:00am.
In my host family, both Nurdan and Tömar will be fasting, along with their maids, chef, and gardener. Oh, and me as well. I told my family that though I certainly wouldn’t last the full 30 days, as I leave for Greece in 10 (time has flown I know), that I would try it at least for the first few days. How long this lasts depends on how much my body rejects me. But I figure, while in Rome, do as the Romans…though my host parents are certainly surprised at my willingness to try Ramadan, they are certainly appreciative, as I have convinced Miray to partake at least for the first few days as well.
From what I have gathered through a bit of reading and what my family here has told me, Ramadan is a chance to practice controlling your mind, and ridding it of those things unnecessary. Though I would beg to differ that food is not necessary, once you remove food from your day, you begin to think about little else but those things that truly matter. So I suppose they have a point. Muslims are expected to strengthen their relationship with Allah during this time, through both an increase in prayer as well as more time consciously spent considering one’s spirituality. There are plenty of people who are exempt from Ramadan, including the very young and old, the ill, and the pregnant to name a few.
Also, something unique about Ramadan is that as it follows the Islamic calendar (not our Western version) the date of Ramadan changes every year. It is ten days earlier as every year passes. This means that for the next 6 years or so, Ramadan will be during the summer, making it far harder than the winter. Not only are the days longer in the summer, but the heat as you can imagine, puts a toll on one’s ability to refuse water.
At sun-down there are generally large celebrations filled with family, friends, and food. I am sure that for the next ten days I will meet a whole array of new people. During the evening meal, first an assortment of breakfast dishes are served followed by more traditional luncheon and dinner cuisines. Therefore, despite what your favorite meal may be, you won’t have to sacrifice it during Ramadan. Also, just before sun-rise the family also gets up to eat something before the forbidden hour begins so in case one’s favorite foods are offered at the evening meal, they will be readily available at 4:00am.
Göcek
After two days in Rhodes, my host family decided they wanted to sail to calmer seas. Thus, we left for Göcek, Turkey. Göcek isn’t a town so much as an escape. There are far more boats than cars, and more people living on the sea than land. It is filled with hidden lagoons and peaceful waters with tranquil landscapes.
We were fortunate enough to see the second evening of the meteor shower here, as the only lights blocking are view were the stars being too bright. This marked the first, of many, nights that I opted to sleep outside.
Sunset on a sailing boat
We stayed in Göcek for two days so that we could meet up with business partners of my host father. After two days, which marked 5 nights being on the boat, my family decided that it would be best if they spent two nights in a hotel for their sanity (and the sake of keeping their relations with one another friendly). Though I was a bit skeptical for the need of the hotel (and actually decided to stay on the boat) I was quite thankful for their international buffet. This is truly the first time I have been able to select what I want to eat since I have been here, as the majority of restaurants we visit serve either Turkish cuisine or seafood. Needless to say, my stomach was pleased.
After the hotel we returned back to Göcek and docked in a bay that is home to Cleopatra’s Hamam. Though I have found zero evidence that this was actually a place where Cleopatra visited, I did find a bit of mythology behind it for those of you that are interested. Göcek is where Icarus, son of Daedalus, fell into the water after escaping from prison with the wings his father built. Don’t worry, that didn’t mean too much to me either, until I remember who Deadalus was. Among other things, he is known for creating the Labyrinth of the Minotaur at Knossos (where the son of King Minos and Queen Pasiphae, a half-man half-bull was kept). In hopes to keep your interest, I will keep the story short. The point is this is where Daedalus’s son Icarus was said to have died.
We remained in Göcek for the rest of our trip, entertaining ourselves with swimming, tubing, and playing countless hours of backgammon. Ah, I haven’t mentioned backgammon before. Backgammon is the most common board game in Turkey, and is played daily. When walking through the streets, of any town, most of the outdoor restaurants and cafes will have both menus and backgammon boards on the table. Though it is far more common for the men to be playing, I have occasionally seen a few coed games consisting of tourists. In the house however, no gender rules regarding competitors: may the best player win.
We were fortunate enough to see the second evening of the meteor shower here, as the only lights blocking are view were the stars being too bright. This marked the first, of many, nights that I opted to sleep outside.
Sunset on a sailing boat
We stayed in Göcek for two days so that we could meet up with business partners of my host father. After two days, which marked 5 nights being on the boat, my family decided that it would be best if they spent two nights in a hotel for their sanity (and the sake of keeping their relations with one another friendly). Though I was a bit skeptical for the need of the hotel (and actually decided to stay on the boat) I was quite thankful for their international buffet. This is truly the first time I have been able to select what I want to eat since I have been here, as the majority of restaurants we visit serve either Turkish cuisine or seafood. Needless to say, my stomach was pleased.
After the hotel we returned back to Göcek and docked in a bay that is home to Cleopatra’s Hamam. Though I have found zero evidence that this was actually a place where Cleopatra visited, I did find a bit of mythology behind it for those of you that are interested. Göcek is where Icarus, son of Daedalus, fell into the water after escaping from prison with the wings his father built. Don’t worry, that didn’t mean too much to me either, until I remember who Deadalus was. Among other things, he is known for creating the Labyrinth of the Minotaur at Knossos (where the son of King Minos and Queen Pasiphae, a half-man half-bull was kept). In hopes to keep your interest, I will keep the story short. The point is this is where Daedalus’s son Icarus was said to have died.
We remained in Göcek for the rest of our trip, entertaining ourselves with swimming, tubing, and playing countless hours of backgammon. Ah, I haven’t mentioned backgammon before. Backgammon is the most common board game in Turkey, and is played daily. When walking through the streets, of any town, most of the outdoor restaurants and cafes will have both menus and backgammon boards on the table. Though it is far more common for the men to be playing, I have occasionally seen a few coed games consisting of tourists. In the house however, no gender rules regarding competitors: may the best player win.
First Yachting Adventures
The ship has returned to port. After 11 days on the sea, I am still rocking despite being on solid ground. The trip however, was wonderful. There are a whole slew of visitors and guests that we had on the boat along the way, so instead of going into detail about who was on the boat which days, I will rather surmise where the boat ended up. We (there started out with 9 of us) flew from Istanbul to Dalaman, Turkey and a relatively short taxi trip later we arrived in Fatihye.
Marina in Fatihye
We spent the first night in Fatihye seeing the town and spending our first night on the boat. Ah, speaking of the boat, I am sure you are wondering what type of contraption I am actually referring to. This was, unfortunately, not a sail boat. However, it was a wonderfully equipped yacht, 25meters long, staffed with 3 crew members. 5am the next day, we set sail for Rhodes, Greece.
When we arrived in Rhodes (a Greek Island) we were not permitted to leave the boat until passport control arrived. I suppose this makes sense, and was just a technicality I overlooked as I tried to jump onto dry land before we were even properly docked. Something else that I hadn’t considered before is that my host family all needed visas in order to enter the country as they are Turkish citizens. Of course they got the paperwork all in order, but due to the necessities of visas, we couldn’t make an impromptu visit to Crete or Cyprus.
Back to Rhodes however. When I finally did get off the boat, I was greeted with hoards of locals all doing their best to market their goods/services ranging from scuba diving lessons to private train tours (cars that look like trains: think Biarritz for those of you who have been). After navigating through that commotion I found myself at the front gate to Old Town.
Old Town is an open market filled with both tourists and natives determined to escape the sun by darting under the scattered shadows while scanning even shop for their purchases. Scattered amongst the shops are outdoor cafes and crêperies where the purpose it to mutually enjoy a refreshing treat while people watching.
After ducking out of the Old Market for awhile, while my host family returned to the boat, I wandered around the ancient buildings of the Island. Rhodes, located between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, has been a stomping ground for centuries—many societies vying for control of this perfectly located land. Therefore, Rhodes has endured countless changes in leadership as evidence proves in its architecture. It has been used as a base by the Persians, Romans, Egyptians, and crusaders to name a few of the more well known historical societies. The Island once was home to one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, a statue of the sun god, known as the Colossus of Rhodes. Yet as the Island was taken over by competing forces after the statues inception, it was destroyed shortly afterwards.
A more recent evidence of conquest was left by the Knights Hospitaller. As I was not sure who the Knights of Hospitaller were, I have since looked into it. They are the successors of the Knights of Templar, and I should thank Dan Brown for my education on them. The Knights of Hospitaller fought for the protection of the Christian pilgrims. However, they were forced to leave their homeland, and thus needed to relocate. They selected Rhodes, where they controlled the Island and created fortresses, a castle, and strong city walls.
These walls protected the city for many decades, but eventually fell to Ottoman control, where the Island remained until the Empire dissolved this past century.
Rhodes was the only historically cultural place we visited, so no worries, my other landing destinations won’t be nearly as tedious for you to get through to satisfy your curiosity as to what I have been up to.
Marina in Fatihye
We spent the first night in Fatihye seeing the town and spending our first night on the boat. Ah, speaking of the boat, I am sure you are wondering what type of contraption I am actually referring to. This was, unfortunately, not a sail boat. However, it was a wonderfully equipped yacht, 25meters long, staffed with 3 crew members. 5am the next day, we set sail for Rhodes, Greece.
When we arrived in Rhodes (a Greek Island) we were not permitted to leave the boat until passport control arrived. I suppose this makes sense, and was just a technicality I overlooked as I tried to jump onto dry land before we were even properly docked. Something else that I hadn’t considered before is that my host family all needed visas in order to enter the country as they are Turkish citizens. Of course they got the paperwork all in order, but due to the necessities of visas, we couldn’t make an impromptu visit to Crete or Cyprus.
Back to Rhodes however. When I finally did get off the boat, I was greeted with hoards of locals all doing their best to market their goods/services ranging from scuba diving lessons to private train tours (cars that look like trains: think Biarritz for those of you who have been). After navigating through that commotion I found myself at the front gate to Old Town.
Old Town is an open market filled with both tourists and natives determined to escape the sun by darting under the scattered shadows while scanning even shop for their purchases. Scattered amongst the shops are outdoor cafes and crêperies where the purpose it to mutually enjoy a refreshing treat while people watching.
After ducking out of the Old Market for awhile, while my host family returned to the boat, I wandered around the ancient buildings of the Island. Rhodes, located between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, has been a stomping ground for centuries—many societies vying for control of this perfectly located land. Therefore, Rhodes has endured countless changes in leadership as evidence proves in its architecture. It has been used as a base by the Persians, Romans, Egyptians, and crusaders to name a few of the more well known historical societies. The Island once was home to one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, a statue of the sun god, known as the Colossus of Rhodes. Yet as the Island was taken over by competing forces after the statues inception, it was destroyed shortly afterwards.
A more recent evidence of conquest was left by the Knights Hospitaller. As I was not sure who the Knights of Hospitaller were, I have since looked into it. They are the successors of the Knights of Templar, and I should thank Dan Brown for my education on them. The Knights of Hospitaller fought for the protection of the Christian pilgrims. However, they were forced to leave their homeland, and thus needed to relocate. They selected Rhodes, where they controlled the Island and created fortresses, a castle, and strong city walls.
These walls protected the city for many decades, but eventually fell to Ottoman control, where the Island remained until the Empire dissolved this past century.
Rhodes was the only historically cultural place we visited, so no worries, my other landing destinations won’t be nearly as tedious for you to get through to satisfy your curiosity as to what I have been up to.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Yacht
I will be MIA for the next week or so (the family hasn't decided when we will return) as we are headed off on a holiday yatch tour. The only destination is Rhodes (a Greek island) so we shall go wherever the wind takes us. There will be a meteor shower on August 11th (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080807-perseids.html) so I am hoping that we are far enough off shore to see it sans light pollution. I'll let you know how it goes when I return. Love to all.
Not Quite Royalty
I availed myself for making a few embarrassing remarks when I met with Ahmet Shala, as the Minister of Finance of Kosovo was impressed with how much not only I knew about his country, but about European economies. Let me back up. I finally found out what my host father, Tömar, does for a living. He owns about 500 18-whellers and companies ask his corporation to deliver goods. Also, a recent extension of the company is the purchase of energy reserves which they sell to the government. In addition to Türker, the company he owns, he also chairs the social and cultural committee for relations in the Balkan States. Tömar is Albanian, and moved to Turkey when he was 6. Yet he is extremely proud of his Albanian roots and has visited his homeland 3 times since I have been living here.
Let me clear something up for you that I was rather confused about. Tömar is Albanian. However, this is not his nationality, but his ethnicity. His family lived in both Albania and Serbia. The region of Serbia that they lived in is now the newly independent Kosovo. Therefore, though he is Albanian, he is also Kosovian, despite never having lived there. If you are still confused, no worries. The people who live there have a difficult time explaining the situation.
This time however, instead of Tömar going to the Balkan region, he invited one of his friends, the Minister of Finance in Kosovo, to Istanbul. Ahmet Shala, the minister, came with an entourage of his wife, 4 children, and another family of 4. Fortunately for me, the minister speaks fluent English (as did nearly half of the people he brought with him). However, none of them spoke Turkish, so the languages flying around the table included Albanian, Turkish, English, and French depending on who was talking to who. I had the pleasure of sharing a car with the Minister, and was able to speak with him about the problems that Kosovo is having not only with applying to the EU but also within Kosovo itself. I really was struggling to contain my excitement when he offered to host me for the weekend whenever I am available. So hopefully, I will be making a weekend getaway to Kosovo while I am teaching in Greece.
Let me clear something up for you that I was rather confused about. Tömar is Albanian. However, this is not his nationality, but his ethnicity. His family lived in both Albania and Serbia. The region of Serbia that they lived in is now the newly independent Kosovo. Therefore, though he is Albanian, he is also Kosovian, despite never having lived there. If you are still confused, no worries. The people who live there have a difficult time explaining the situation.
This time however, instead of Tömar going to the Balkan region, he invited one of his friends, the Minister of Finance in Kosovo, to Istanbul. Ahmet Shala, the minister, came with an entourage of his wife, 4 children, and another family of 4. Fortunately for me, the minister speaks fluent English (as did nearly half of the people he brought with him). However, none of them spoke Turkish, so the languages flying around the table included Albanian, Turkish, English, and French depending on who was talking to who. I had the pleasure of sharing a car with the Minister, and was able to speak with him about the problems that Kosovo is having not only with applying to the EU but also within Kosovo itself. I really was struggling to contain my excitement when he offered to host me for the weekend whenever I am available. So hopefully, I will be making a weekend getaway to Kosovo while I am teaching in Greece.
Whirling Dervish
After the Bazaar, we raced off to one of Istanbul’s treasure performances: the Mevlana Dancers. The original Mevlana dancers are from the Turkish town of Konya. They are named after Mevlana Rumi, a spiritual master and founder of the Mevlevii Sufi Order (a type of Islam). Rumi is known for his messages of kindness and humanity, giving up one’s entire self to God so as to become non-existent. His greatest message is: Love, Divinity Love, and Unity. The Mevlana dancing is a journey to unity with God. The dancing, or spinning as many view it, is accompanied by music and props. Included in the music ensemble are a flutist, drummer, chanters, and choir. The journey begins with music, when the whirling dervishes (dancers) enter. They bow to each other over sheep skin representing the Divine Truth they believe each to hold in their hearts. They then remove their cloaks and begin spinning, which symbolizes the birth of humanity. They begin spinning with their arms crossed, signifying one, or a unity with God. During the dance their arms extend above their heads. One palm will face up, the other down: “From God we receive, to man we give; we keep nothing for ourselves”.
Notice the palms.
They dance in socks, much easier to spin.
Though the past 48 hours have been filled with new experiences and adventures, this was perhaps the highlight my trip. One of the quotes in the gallery before the performance stood out to me:
Come, come again, whoever you are, come!
Heathen, fire worshipper or idolatrous, come!
Come even if you broke your penitence a hundred times,
Ours is the portal of hope, come as you are.
The reason I am sharing this message is not because the Mevlanas inspired me to undergo my own spiritual conversation. No. But this message does preach something that I very much respect: come as you are, we will respect you for standing up for yourself. For fear of getting far too into politics or spirituality, I will refrain from continuing to divulge how I interpret this quote, and will let you come as you are, and decide for yourself.
Notice the palms.
They dance in socks, much easier to spin.
Though the past 48 hours have been filled with new experiences and adventures, this was perhaps the highlight my trip. One of the quotes in the gallery before the performance stood out to me:
Come, come again, whoever you are, come!
Heathen, fire worshipper or idolatrous, come!
Come even if you broke your penitence a hundred times,
Ours is the portal of hope, come as you are.
The reason I am sharing this message is not because the Mevlanas inspired me to undergo my own spiritual conversation. No. But this message does preach something that I very much respect: come as you are, we will respect you for standing up for yourself. For fear of getting far too into politics or spirituality, I will refrain from continuing to divulge how I interpret this quote, and will let you come as you are, and decide for yourself.
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