The Last Three Nights

The last couple of nights have been a little nuts. It first started on Wednesday, when Verena, and Anna invited me after Turkish class to go see a movie, Revolutionary Road. I thought that it would be a cool movie to go see. Unfortunately, the movie wasn't coming to Istanbul for another two weeks. We figured this out while at the movie theater. We ate dinner first, and then realized that we couldn't see the movie tonight. We then met up with a couple of other guys that showed us a pretty good bar where we could get cheaper drinks. This made it an extremely fun and educational night. I got to meet two new people that night: Chris and Kemal. Much of the conversation dealt with me having to clean up a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions about America. Its fine by me though. I got to learn a little about Bulgaria and how Kemal, who is Bulgarian is actually ethnically Turkish. His family was one of those groups that found themselves on the wrong side of the border when the Ottoman Empire fell. Also he told us how they were trying to regain their Turkish citizenship back but the government blocked them. It was strange hearing that. My guess was that they were busy dealing with the refugee problem coming from the former area known as Yugoslavia which caused a lot of ethnic tensions in the region. He also reaffirmed my suspicion that a lot of people get their information about Americans through American movies. Then he said that he saw American Pie...I was like "Oh boy. Garson! 50cl Efes istiyorum. I am going to need it." Basically they think American woman are very loose and that the guys are drunken partiers. However, they are absolutely amazed at how America elected a minority to the highest office in the land. They also have faith that Obama will change the way the United States operates. I hope so too. Chris then got into a heated debate about who is superior though: men or woman. Verena was getting frustrated by this though. I tried to turn the conversation into a humorous joke. I started by saying that "Men are superior to woman for one thing only: we can efficiently go number 1 while standing," but I then added that "however, after one Beer it is hard to hit the Turkish toilet." Then I got to say that I really can't say that guys are superior over woman because my sister would make a compelling argument against that. I then tried to state the genious of woman by telling them the story of woman in Afghanistan. "When the Taliban were in control, the woman had to walk 10 feet behind the men at all times. When the Taliban were ousted the woman still walked 10 feet behind. When a reporter asked about this to one of the woman, she just wispered in her ear and said, "landmines." Overall though it was a fun time and I got to make new friends.

The next night, Grace, Katie, Jess, Erman and I went to Club Airport for a party being hosted by the Exchange Commision. It was fun for a bit. The music was nice at first, and the atmosphere was inviting but after a little bit it got old. All the drinks, alcoholic and nonalcoholic, were really expensive along with the food. Also they kept repeating the same genre over, and over, and over agian: Techno/Electronica. Also when we left, the club tried to rip us off by charging us 10 lira for taking our coats/jackets. However, I pretended to be deaf from the loud music, and also drunk so I just stumbled out of the bar and they didn't bother going after me. I got away that night. It was an enjoyable night but it had its downs. I am not ever going to return to that club. It was outrageously expensive!On Friday, I tried to relax a bit more but to no avail. I did go to the spice market that day with Verena, Kristina, and Katie W. I now fully appreciate that area of the city. The cats here are nice and playful. We were playing with one very cute kitten for a while in one store that was selling cook stuff. There the shop owners don't harass me unless they have free samples of Turkish food, and there are other stores in the area that offer practical Turkish merchandise. For instance, to look less like a tourist when I am around Istanbul, I bought a messenger bag that I constantly refer to as my "man bag." This is a joke though that comes from the fact that I constantly do things with woman who brag about the convenience of their purses. I also bought a scarf of Turkish design. It is reversible with blue and gold designs on it. I thought it looked good. So did my friends (all female again) and they also said I looked metro sexual with it on. Now I have second doubts...but I still look good, so no matter. But back to the spices. I got some curry and palprika which I hope to use for a nice pasta dish. Now I just need to look up the recipe. Side note: I have been cooking a lot more here and I have been taking names of recipes in Turkiye that I would like to make back in the states. When I get back, I will introduce ISU to gourmet Turkish food.

Later that night, I kind of got suckered into going out again. First to a bar which was nice, then to another bar with a dance floor. It was fun, but it had lazer lights and one of the lights entered my eye through my pupil. That hurt, and it later caused a screaming headache, which was helped by all the smoke in the bar and the repeating techno music. Let it be known though: I can only handle techno in small doses. I tried walking home though because I thought I was really close. However, I got a little lost. But I followed the Bosphorus Straight back to Bebek and found my way. I wasn't alone though. I had a new friend with me by the name of Ohad.

It was a couple of intense nights. I am now though going to take a breather and relax until next weekend. That is when a really boat party is going to take place!

(to be continued)

Snow in Istanbul

Monday night, I did something very few people have ever done before. I had a snowball fight in Istanbul. It was a rare snowfall in Istanbul that rarely happens, and I got to experience it. Even though I had enough snow in Illinois during the winter, this was better. It was "Istanbul Snow" that was higher in quality then "Illinois Snow." For instance, the packability was better in Istanbul which made for better snowballs. Also we have engineering students who did interesting things with snowmen so yeah...BEAT THAT ISU. We also walked around just enjoying the scenery. I also met up with a bunch of other guys building a really cool snowman. We got to talking and they were really cool guys. However, like most Turks, they tried converting me...to football. And by football I don't meen that sport back in the US that barely uses the body part called a foot. They like setting up football/soccer games, and I gave them my number so that they could text me when they wanted to play. Too bad I haven't played for so long...

Overall, it was a wonderful night.

Very Up and Down Monday & Tuesday

I had the most hilly Monday ever. However, the metaphorical hill never went came back to ground level thank god. Basically I woke up a little bit later then expected and had to book it to get to Matrix Theory. Unfortunately, I arrive to late and the professor thought I wasn't there so he started teaching the class in Turkish. Thank god it was a math class or else I would have been completely lost. Later that day I went to Linear Algebra and received the bad news that I was preparing for. It turns out that this course is much more rigorous then the one taught at ISU and I needed the prerequisite Matrix Theory which I am still currently taking. I had to drop this course pronto. Thankfully the adviser was helpful and she allowed me to alter my schedule so that I could drop the class and then add a Political Science of the Middle East class. That class is much more interesting anyway.

Later that day, I met up with Erman and Crystal and we went to a restaurant called "Wonderland." It was a great place for students. It had a cafe feel & setting, but with the atmosphere of a bar. The food was also good, and not very pricey. I especially liked how the menu was both in Turkish and English. Afterward, we went to a little desert place and finished our meal with Turkiye's famous Baklava and Apple Tea. What happened later that night was the best part of the day but that deserves a post all to itself.

The next day I was bummed out to find that my stats class was catered more for Biology students who have never taken a probability class. So the class was to focus more on Probability then actual Statistics which was like repeating the class over again for me. Luckily I got into a different stats class. The only difference is that it is in the econ department, but it should still transfer back to ISU. All my classes are thankfully somewhat interesting and helpful. My classes are as follows: Matrix Theory (4), Mathematical Statistics II (3), Game Theory (3), Politics of the Middle East (3), and Turkish (4). The only problem is that I am going to have to miss two classes every week because some of my classes overlap. This is going to be a huge setback. However, as compared to the workload of graduate classes, I am more then prepared to take these kind of classes.

Later that night, Crystal and I introduced Borat to Erman. Happy Times!

The weekend before classes...

Basically I had a very chilled weekend. On Saturday we pretty much just lounged around the Superdorm and later that night we decided to eat cheaply. So we went to Grace's house and decided to cook some pasta. It was a bang for the buck kind of night. I was the only guy though, as usual, and therefore I pretended that I was the pimp of the group. Come to think of it though a lot of Turkish males use me like a pimp which I will get to later in the post. Then we proceeded to show Borat to a German and Ukrainian student who have never seen it before. They laughed at parts and cringed during others, and at certain parts they were horrified at what they saw. I personally got embarrased by what they saw.

Many students here learn about America through the movies that they watch. For instance, a lot of men at the university have been asking me to introduce them to my female-american friends. Many of them believe that American women are very liberal/easy when it comes to sex. I constantly have to correct the record for them. The woman of Turkiye for some reason are very interested in many of the foreign male students that are going here, especially those from either America or Britain. I am also including myself here. This doesn't lead to anything though. For the most part it is curiousity which doesn't lead to anything remotely scandelous. Many turkish woman are more conservative then woman back in the states. I have come to this conclusion through many testimonials of other male students at Bogazici. However I must stress that this is one of the most Liberal schools in all of Turkiye.

Overall though, it was a nice way to celebrate Valentines Day. Unfortunately the day before, Yuki and I broke off our relationship. I feel like somewhat of an ass for doing it so close to Valentines day, but I felt like more of an ass for dragging her through it. She was very upset at me for not talking to her as much through either Skype or Facebook. This was partially my fault but everytime I try explaining what is going on here to her the conversation quickly became one sided. That is when I realized that it had to end. When you have to force a conversation with someone then you know that the relationship is going no where because you ran out of things in which you can share with each other.

Sunday was a day of preperation for classes, so I didn't do much except go out with a bunch of students from the Superdorm to a very nice restuarant. However there were 16 of us and they kept mistaking our orders with other peoples and sometimes totally misheard us and gave us the wrong thing. However our Turkish is still horrible so we weren't entirely sure what we ordered to begin with. I was the only one who was 100% sure that he was ripped off. I order spaghetti and I got a pizza. However, after waiting for my meal for a long time I decided not to complain and I ate the Turkish Pizza. Then however I got stuck paying for someone's pasta as well. Some of our dinner party left early and they didn't nearly put in enough to cover their meals. Then to top it all off, after we handed them a wad of cash they paid for our bill, they said it wasn't enough. However I counted it twice and I know it was enough for what was all ordered. They most likely slipped a bill in their pockets and ripped the foreigners out of more money. In a way we had it coming, but I am still pissed at it though.

A little bit of weird and interesting...

This is a common sight around Eastern Europe and Turkey, and yes it is the same set up for girls as well. Use your imagination for the rest...

Tatavla Keyfi at the Bachus Cafe Bar in Taksim

Bartering + Barfly + Good Music = Me in Istanbul

The last two days have been nothing but pure enjoyment. During the day time I pass time trying to pick up Turkish, and playing Backgammon with my roommate. I finally got my schedule for classes but I am not happy with it. Apparently all the classes I was wanting to take conflicted witht the two classes I had to take: Turkish for Foreigners and Statistics. Along with those two classes, I am now also stuck in Linear Algebra, Matrix Theory, and Int. Microeconomics II. I am also taking two PE classes for fun. They are Yoga and Aikido. that is 19 credits total. I am probably going to drop either Matrix Theory or Linear Algebra. However this is all a mute point since the schedule needs to be approved first.

On Thursday Feb. 12, Emily, Jessi, Katie C, Kristina, Grace and I all went to the Grand Bazaar again but this time we visited the old map and book section of the bazaar. It was a really cool place actually. I am definitely going to go back and probably buy an old map of the Aegean Sea. However I have make certain it isn't authentic because Turkiye has very strict antique exporting laws because Turkiye wants to preserve its rich history. Also, I practiced my haggling skills with the local shop owners and bought a backgammon board. Ever since Orientation, I have learned to appreciate the game. Words of caution to all who come here: the store owners do harass foreigners to try to get you to help their business. Everytime I make eye contact with one, I can then expect to get harassed by them. The cool thing though is that they do take dollars. Since the Grand Bazaar is near the water front, the selection of fish is excellent. Unlike back in the midwest, the chefs here know how to cook a fish. For instance, that very same day I got enjoy delicious, mouth-watering salmon kabobs, and a couple of days before I got to try a fried fish sandwich found right on the water front in Sultanahmet.

Later that night, my roommate Erman and I went out with Emily, Jessi, Katie C, Kristina, Grace, Katie W and Crystal. We also met two friends of Crystal who were Turkish and they took us to a bar where we just socialized. It was a fun night. I got to know Erman a little bit better and I also got to spout philosophical jokes at Lessa and Em. We were forced to by our Turkish comrades however into trying a drink with them called Raki. They said it was harmless...and it soon became apparent that they were full of it. It is the strongest drink perhaps in all of Turkiye. I only had a sip, but that one sip made my face spasm and it also burned the inside of my nostrils. Apparently that drink is the kind of drink that people drink in Turkiye to get drunk or to say that they can drink an entire shot of it. Its kind of like a badge of honor if you can drink it. I guess I am not deserving because there is no way that I can, nor will I ever drink it. I think I got ordering things like food and drinks at restuarants and pubs down. Now I need to work on compliments and directions, because if I ever need a cab ride I will have to most of the time speak Turkish in order to get where I need to be.


Friday was Laundry day and I had to take my laundry downstairs and pay a woman 10 lira to have her do it for me. I found a laundry mat earlier this week but I ran accross the same situation. I had to pay someone else to do my own laundry. And I thought the personal washing machine allowed for creative destruction to take place...

Later that night, Emily, Jessi, Katie C, Grace and I went back to Taksim to see a show being performed by Tatavla Keyfi. They are a turkish-greek folk band that are somewhat famous to those who listen to world music from this area. This was by far the best night I have spent in Turkiye. We met up with Verena of Germany, and Anna of Ukraine (whom I met for the first time that night). This band consisted of a singer, a guitarist, a violinist, and a drummer. The music they performed was magical! The violinist and the drummer were especially fun to listen too. The bar got so into the music that many of its patrons started dancing in between the tables. But unfourtunately (my) words can't describe this music so therefore I will post a video of them playing. But by and large this was the coolest thing I got to see in Istanbul. I am going to definitely do this again.

Pictures of the Grand Bazaar, Campus and my Flag!

Roomates

I actually got to meet and get to know my roommates a little better. I just got done talking with one actually. His name was I believe is Ayerman (most likely mispelled). He is an economics student though just like me so we actually share a lot in common. He is a very social person, and a very likable person. We might actually be taking some classes together which should make things interesting. He loves going to Taksim to party too, which was where he actually just left to do. He was going to see a girl a there so hope it all goes well for him. He's like me in this way though: we both like to meet new people from different backgrounds just to be able to learn and understand other people better, and to look for new experiences. He's an outgoing person and I can tell we are probably going to do a lot of things together.

My other roommate who I mentioned briefly in a previous post is an Electrical Engineering student. That right there says a lot though. From what he told me, he is a very busy person in a very technical field. Right now though he is focusing on Robotics, and most importantly Robitic Cognitive Science development. Now that is actually pretty damn awesome. I just wish I had the "gusto" to do engineering. However he did say that he hasn't even had time for a Holiday in the last two years or so. That sucks. Hope we can find some time to do something.

The last roomate I haven't met yet, but to do so soon.

Rainy Days...

The last couple of days have been extremely rainy. Today (Feb. 11) has been the only day since I last posted that it has been sunny and nice. However, today I have been stuck running errands and registering for classes. Now I am awaiting approval for a couple of classes that they should have known that I was planning on taking. This university does not have the a very reliable bureaucracy.

Sunday was a day of rest and relaxation for me. It was a very rainy day anyway and I figured that I could just get some stuff figured out for registration, orientation, updating the blog, and getting groceries. It's nice not seeing a Walmart or a Meijer around. You have to get your groceries at smaller and more local grocery stores. The major problem with this is that they don't offer a great variety or selection, and the price for many products is a little higher (still lower in Turkey but that is due to the exchange rate). I also used the day to talk to my family and friends over Skype. I feel so distant now from them, and I am pretty sure they feel the same. I am experiencing new things everyday, and living in an environment that is alien to all of those back at home. It's now getting hard to even relate what I'm going through with them at times. But that is something small, and I still love to hear from them on occasion.

Saturday I went to the Grand Bazaar. It was an interesting place with shops everywhere. However I tried not to make eye contact with the store owners because they would constantly harrass me for business. Primarily though it was like a mall and I figured out one very important truth: all malls are catered to females! I got a little bored, and this was greatly due to the fact that I was the only male in the group that I went with. Fun fact: out of all the the exchange, eramus, and special students that at the Superdorm the girls outnumber the guys by a ratio of 4 to 1. It's kind of nice though. I have no real complaints about the girls that have come here because they are all interesting, social, friendly, outgoing, and fun to be around. The exception however is shopping. Back to the grand bazaar though. The main area of the bazaar primarily focused on carpets, jewelry, leather products (leather is big in Turkey), and antiques. The coolest thing I got to see however was the spice market. It made so hungry, and it made me feel like cooking. The only problem with that is that the kitchen in my, suite and in all suites, does not have a stove, oven, or even a microwave. Basically all I have stored in the kitchen is stuff for making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and fruits. The spice market had everything one could think of when it came to spice. This was chefs paradise. Outside of the fish market was the water front where I enoyed a deliciously fried fish sandwich. I haven't had fish since that one night in Bebek, so I was overdue. The only thing I bought at the Grand Bazaar wa a decent size Turkish flag. This is the start of a collection really...

We then walked back up to Taksim and got on busses and headed back. That night, I was determined to get better using Turkish so I did something somewhat childish. I posted notes on every appliace I had with its name in Turkish. Then I also followed up with some Rosetta Stone.

The next day, Monday, I decided to put my Turkish to the test and went out for Lunch. I spoke entirely in Turkish and I was able to order a meal, ask for my check, ask for more water, and say thank you and goodbye. I felt accomplished even though the task was extremely small. Later in the afternoon, we had orientation which was actually very fun. After all the informative stuff, we got a tour of the campus and then went out to eat at a very nice retuarant. The meal consisted of soup, salad, Pachenga Borengi (something I will learn to cook when I get back to the states), and a very nicely cooked stuffed chicken dinner. Dinner was a little pricy though. I got to meet a lot of Turks though at dinner. Many of them have studied in America before so we started comparing key differences between America and Turkey. The one thing that we fist came to notice was the difference in drinks. America loves its pop/soda filled with fructose corn syrup, but fructose corn syrup is banned in Turkey and most of Europe. I have tried both Pepsi and Coke, and they both lack the sweetness that I am used to. Turkey is big on tea. In fact, a guy by the name of Hanid who studied in Michigan had a very interesting story about how he went to try and get some tea at a local store and the person working just stated that "This is America. We don't drink tea!" Poor guy. I also met a Kurd who lived close to the Turkish-Iraqi border. I talked to him about the region and about the touchy subject of Kurds in Turkey. That conversation was extremely educational. He told me how Turkish nationalism is focused more around an ethnicity rather then nationality which has caused many Kurds to be discriminated again. However, he was no supporter of the PKK. He stated that they would turn on their own people and do political killings in south east Turkey against other Kurds who would typically not support their aims. He also stated the economic discrimination that has been taking place in that area. Much of Turkey is developed, except for that area since the political power that Kurds have is very week. Therefore, the infastructure of that region is terrible, which forces the Kurds to have to fend for themselves. I also met a girl by the name of Suvye along with his Boyfriend who I already forgot how to pronounce and spell his name. She studied Electrical Engineering, was a very beautiful Turk, and was for some reason extremely curious about me. She asked me questions like "Why did you want to come here of all places?" and "Do you like soccer?" and she went gaga over the fact that I was studying math, from Illinois, and that I had a sense of humor about the states. The boyfriend asked me why the world economy was so bad. I responded that the world wide recession is a consequence of what happens when america stops spending and refuses to invest (ie. flow of money stops). He was interesting, but he poked fun at me for liking Tennis and football/soccer not as much. They were both cool though. After dinner, we went to a Hooka bar and I got to try it for the first time in my life. I personally however will never do it again because it did nothing for me (and yes I was breathing in the smoke), it was expensive, and it damages lungs. But now I can say that I atleast tried it. I also played some Backgammon which is surprisingly a very simple yet very fun game to play. If I ever go back to the grand bazaar i will need to barter for one. After hooka we decided to go back to the Superdorm and then head out to a bar to hangout.

It was an interesting night where we sang American songs that were famous in the nineties. It is interesting how so much of American culture is now worldwide. Everywhere I go I constantly hear American music from many different eras and genres. Rap and R&B music is everywhere, and a lot of pop music as well.

An Intense Three Days

I was fortunate to have so many exchange and special students arrive on Thursday. They came in large numbers and from all around the world. A majority of them were from the states, but I got to meet a couple of guys from the Netherlands, three people from Germany, a girl from France, and also a couple of other Turks. We all kind of bonded immediately since being in a foreign land forces people to seek refuge with others. That day was one of meeting new people, and enjoying each others company. I met up with a girl from the University of Alabama who half Turkish and was able to converse in Turkish. Her name was Lala, and I introduced her to Ernesto of Germany, Carl of Holland, Pauline of France, Jackie and Penelope both of New York, and finally Sterling from the states as well. All of us went to Bebek to look around and to eat at a nice restaurant. I must say that the fish (Salmon) dinner was excellent, and everyone else seemed to get pasta. I made our way along the Bosphorus and took in the cites. Bebek is one of those areas of Istanbul that is a little bit more upscale and has been infiltrated by tourists from America and Europe, so the language bit wasn't a problem.

Later that night Lala wanted to get together with her sister who was earlier awarded a great job in Istanbul and so we went to celebrate with them in Taksim which is an extremely commercialized area with shops of all kinds, and exceptional nightlife. The one thing about this place though is the amount of people that walk around here shopping. This place was litterally loaded with people who generally in their 20s or 30s. We first went to a bar which was kind of difficult to find. We had to navigate through many different allyways in order to find it. There I tried my first Turkish beer, Efis, which was actually quite a bit better then the usual beer I get back in the states. The guy who was serving us confirmed my belief in this by telling me in english with something that sounded like a Spanish accent. Apparently he was from Florida who worked here. So I proceded to drink with my fellow barflys. Sidenote: stereotypes about European drinkers from Germany and Holland are dead on. I was surprised to find out that I was able to keep up with them, and we proceded to have a good time.

We then proceded to a night club at the top of a building in Taksim to drink, dance, and party all the way up to 2 in the morning. No use going on any further into how the nightclub went because as far as my knowledge goes, nightclubs are universal throughout the world now thanks to globalization which was spawned by telecommunication advances in areas of music and entertainment. Overall it was a fun night.

The next day I met up with a different group of people who going back to Taksim and I felt like tagging along. The only thing though was that I was the only guy in a group of six girls. We first went to get some lunch at this one place north of south campus. Needless to say that we were treated like royalty. We had these huge pieces of chicken brought out to us to eat along with some cooked rice to go along with it. For some reason the rice I had tasted so much better then the rice I grew accustomed to having in the states. The chicken to was amazing and filling. They added a spice to it that made it taste absolutely to die for. Needless to say it hit the spot. The people who owned the store love having students come in to eat. The man was very hospitable towards us, and his wife made us free deserts. Extra note: if you come to Turkey, prepare to fall in love with the pasteries. Then we recieved complimentary turkish tea after the meal, which really completed it for me. Also, they insisted on giving us other things to try such as chai, and another drink that was very buttery, milky, and salty. I didn't have a taste for it, but Nadia, a German who was also Turkish, loved the stuff. That restaurant has secured itself a return visit from me.

We then proceded to Taksim which had a very different environment as compared to the night before. It was still as busy as ever but it was for some reason very calming. We did some light shopping and we all got prepaid telephones. I also got a the Harry Potter short story the Beatle and the Barb in Turkish in hopes that it will help me learn Turkish. The best parts of our day excursion was going to the fmous Orthodox churches that somehow managed to fit in the tiny little allyways, and the very impressive of from the Galata Tower which offered a superb 360 degree view of the entire city. We could see all the way to the prince Islands from there, and we got a fairly good view of the Aya Sophia, and the Blue Mosque. It was perhaps the best photo opp so far.

We then came back to the superdorm and got into smaller groups and went out the eat. I have now grown accustomed to Turkish cuisene. That night I had some delicious kabobs and tried some other stuff from the plates of others while sharing mine. It was a good way to end the night.

Yesterday, Feb. 7th was the day I actually got to see the Aya Sophia, and the Blue Mosque. I didn't get to go into the Blue Mosque because it was prayer time when we got there, and were forbidden from entering. The Blue Mosque is still used by many muslims today as a place of worship. the Aya Sophia (Hagia Sophia) is by far one of the most impressive things I have seen so far. I can't describe it in words, so therefore I rely on the photos I took to tell the story.


I also got to enjoy being apart of a movie shoot for a Turkish movie being filmed in front of the Aya Sophia. I couldn't get to close though because it was being cordoned off by men with H&K MP5 submachine guns. I didn't want to give them an excuse for unloading about 3 rounds of 9 or 10mm ammunition into my head simultaneously (I have played too many FPSs). Another bit of interesting, a carpet vendor who was appealling to tourists started talking to me about Istanbul and the area of Sultanamhet and the Golden Horn. He knew quite a bit of english so I struck up a conversation with him. He was friendly too. He joked with me though about he was thankful for my honesty about me being an American saying that so many Americans felt the need to call themselves Canadians. However when he found out that we were students at Boğaziçi University, he immedietly told me a story about how he dated one of the professors who taught there. He then proceded to make a deal with me: if I could find out if his ex, Lisa Etvirs, is or isn't still teaching there and I get a free carpet. I agreed because I felt sympathetic to his cause and I didn't have the heart to tell him that he should probably move on and accept it as karma. The only problem is that I don't think that she teaches here anymore. I couldn't find under any faculty listings. The man with the carpets, Samin, gave me his number and asked me to call him with news. Now I have tell him that she is not there anymore. This might jeapordize my chances of getting a free carpet...

Later that night, Emily, Lessa, Katie, and I toured the Bosphorus costal area of Bebek some and took in the sights. The place is absolutely beautiful. You also get a great view of the city at night. From then on we went to pastry place and loaded up on some for dinner, and then enjoyed the custom after dinner tea. I never had a taste for tea but now I am getting very much accustomed to having tea after my meals. If I don't get tea then I go out of my way to have some. Two of these girls, Emily and Lessa are big time classical history fans like myself. We are now discussing the possibility of touring the western Turkish cost and visiting all of the ancient towns, cities, and sites for our Spring Break.

Great View!!!

First two days

The first thing I should say is that I am severely jet lagged. I basically try to stay awake for as long as I can but eventually end up falling asleep around 8pm my time. only to get up around 2 in the morning. Eventually I will get the timing down. If only I was closer to a mosque...

Speaking of which I now get to hear 5 times a day the "call to prayer" being blasted from Mosques all around Istanbul. This is very interesting actually because it seems that the entire city echoes these calls to prayer. My school is actually very close to very artistically built mosque that you can see below.

Today was the really the first day I actually got to walk about and explore the campus. The campus here however definitely blows ISU's out of the water. The campus is absolutely fantastic. It is located in a more forested area of the city and has vegetation everywhere. It is a very green campus and the buildings are elegant, which is something I rarely see in the more modern colleges in America. The only campus I have seen that comes close to this one's beauty is Wesleyan's.

I also figured out a very interesting fact today. Unlike most cities in the US, Istanbul does not feel the need to control certain local animal populations. This is obvious because I see stray dogs, and cats almost everywhere I go. In fact the picture below illustrates the truth better then I can explain it. And keep in mind there is no crazy old cat lady that takes in these cats. They are all strays.

I also got to meet one of my roommates today. I need to write down his name though in order to correctly pronounce it. That will be for a later post though. I learned though that all of my roommates are Turkish. This gives me lots of opportunities but it also presents another challenge. I feel a little awkward in this city, and it would be nice to share my awkwardness with another person who feels the same awkwardness. My body was still adjusting for the time difference and my body was demanding sleep. So my body just crashed...

Preparing for Departure

I am exactly 24 hours away from departure and I have been frantically scurrying around to get everything I need, and making certain that I have everything packed for tomorrow. I convinced my dad to prepare a lovely last supper meal for me consisting of Salmon, fresh vegetables, and pineapple. Yuki will be joining me as well. Then I will be going to a movie later tonight to get my mind off any anxieties I may have. Hopefully everything will be okay tomorrow. This is without a doubt the greatest adventure I have ever embarked on...