With the sheer number of students and encouragement from our host families we have been celebrating both Turkish and American holidays. For Halloween, a few of the host mothers rented a bar and organized a party with a surplus of food and Turkish music. We dressed up as if Halloween exists in Turkey and looked like crazy people walking down the streets in our costumes. I finally had a chance to wear the Betsy Johnson jumpsuit my mom and I bought while shopping for conservative Turkish clothing and my host mom and scoured the city to find fairy wings. Dilşad was a hippie and looked super cute in her bangles and sunglasses. She is very outgoing and it in nice that she can dance and have a good time with my AFS friends without me having to worry that she is enjoying herself.
We also had a somewhat last minute Thanksgiving celebration. There was no Turkey on our Turkey day in Turkey but there was plenty of food. We met up early in the day and made a mixture of American and Turkish food. Finding the ingredients was a challenge and we had to substitute a lot but our Pumpkin Pie turned out delicious, as did our stuffing, sweet potatoes, chocolate chip cookies and an array of Turkish food our mothers put together. Keeping up with tradition we all said what we are thank full for and there is a lot. I am thankful to have such and amazing opportunity in such and interesting and unique country. I am thankful that I have such a great family both in the United States and here in Adana. I am thankful that the Turks are hospitable and make delicious food and that I still have six months left of eating it. I am thankful that I have eight best friends that understand completely what I am going through and make up and extraordinary support system. And lastly I am thankful that I have so many caring and wonderful people in my life; you all that are reading this blog.
On the day after Thanksgiving, Kurben Byram began. It is the Turkish sacrificial holiday that is marked by the killing of sheep and though my family did not partake the carnage was hard to miss. I t as pretty disgusting to walk past the head of the poor sheep hanging on hooks in parking lots. We spent a lot of time at my host great aunts and grandmothers apartments because they both have apartments on the same floor of the same building (Liz we are so doing that when we get old.). I didn't really look forward to it because last holiday meant a lot of chatter in Turkish, and I didn't understand anything, but this one was really nice. My favorite host great aunt who calls me Fatma and I talked for a while, and I had fun playing with all of my cute little cousins. Plus I understand a lot more now so I was able to contribute to the conversations. Of course there was also the food, lots of dough things, fried dough, boiled dough, noodles and pastries. I love watching my host family cook, though they make each meal with such skill they put so much time and effort into making a meal that is then eaten so quickly. Food here is such a big part of the culture, and they really take pride in it. They pass their methods down not in writing but from generation to generation, and I hope it never gets lost. Kurben Byram was interesting, and somewhat gory but I enjoyed it, and was not that excited to get back to school!
Now back to another Pagan holiday, Christmas is just a few days away and I can't believe how fast time has gone here! I only have six months left here, and that feels very short! I know that other AFS girls have plans to celebrate the holidays with a big host family- student party but I will be going to Rome to spend Christmas with my family. ROME! I feel so lucky that I have such an opportunity and I really can't wait to see all of my family. I will miss my dad, the Croppers, Bells, and the rest of my family and friends but I am VERY excited, I leave today! My host mom has been so great about my trip, last weekend she took time to old Adana to get presents. We got the traditional Turkish things for good prices, because my mom is the best haggler I have ever seen. I am the most excited about the Turkish coffee pot because my mom and I looked especially hard for the best pot and coffee cup set and she has been teaching me how to make it. Every night I make her Turkish Coffee and then we sit down and drink it together, and sometimes she reads my fortune. I also taught her how to make chocolate chip cookies, American style, which was a challenge without measuring cups, vanilla, or baking soda, but they turned out pretty well and my classmates seemed to like them!
I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and I will try to keep you updated from Rome!
Love, Charlotte
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Karataş, Antakya and Cappadocia
Let me start by apologizing for having promised to write soon, and then waited three weeks. I will try to be better!
I know that I am very far behind but I wıll try to briefly get caught up!
This month has gone by extremely fast and I can't believe that I am already three months in! The first week of the month was exam week, and though my host sister studied a lot the students didn't seem too stressed out. I'm not exactly sure how important exams are here because they count for almost nothing in getting into college, (basically the only thing that matters is the big OSS test that they take at the end of their senior) but the week was dedicated to pretty much studying and taking tests so I had very little to do.
This month in general has actually consisted of very little school, and I am starting to really miss my routine.
On the 11th of November we met up at the AFS office-a small room in a deserted shopping mall- to begin our first AFS retreat. We are a small group, the nine of us NSLI-Y scholarship kids and 5 others from the YES program, very similar to ours. Our orientation was made up of only Americans because there has been some disagreement among the volunteers here on whether or not to recognize our programs as part of AFS. Their problem is that they believe that the State Department and the US govt. payed for us to be here in order to extend their reach into the Middle East. About a year ago the volunteers voted to not allow us to be part of any retreats or programs organized by the volunteers. It is disappointing that we are not part of the larger AFS group because one of my favorite parts about AFS Spain was meeting and making friends from all over the world.
Our orientation took place in the not all that nice town of Karataş, or at least what we saw of it was not that nice. The location would have been fine, because only once were we actually allowed to leave the hotel and take a five minute walk to the sea, had our hotel been nice. As it was, they seemd to have gotten rid of their maid in the off season and the result was a bit disgusting. Nonetheless we had a great time lounging around and telling stories. Though the nime of us that live in Adana know a lot about each others families and lives, we still managed to keep it interesting. The volunteers that came are extremely dedicated to AFS and were helpful in talking about our problems or worries here.
On Saturday we got back in the mini bus and instead of heading home we went to Antakya, a small city north west of Adana. We were in the city barely five minutes before we all had plans to move there. Antakya is famous for being the place where the first Christians declared themselves Christians, and it's not surprising, the city feels that old. With cobble stone streets and houses that look like with the slightest breeze they could be blown over, it seems sort of magical. On Sunday morning we did a scavenger hunt and though the maze of streets made everything nearly impossible to find it was wonderful to wander around the city.
I would have like to spend more time in the city, but I plan on coming back at some point later in the year. Though I could have stayed a while longer I was ready to go home also. And I really do feel at home at our place in Adana. Just a few minutes after arriving home and giving the customary kisses on the cheeks my host mom had a tray of dinner prepared, though I insisted on not being hungry, and Dilşad and I curled up to watch our favorite Turkish soap.
Getting up for school on Monday was a challenge but it was nice to be back. My classmates told me they missed me and talked about me all the time. Whether or not that's true it was nice to feel like I contribute to their school days. That didn't last long though because by the time I got home I received an email from AFS excusing us from school for the week. A lot of students got sick on our retreat, something our host moms attributed to that five minute walk to the sea, and AFS worried that we would get worse. The Turks are sort of wierd about illness, for example if a kid gets sick after a six hour bus ride its not because the road was windy, bus cramped, or driver smoking, but because she was wearing flats without socks. I am warned about getting sick from wet hair, bare arms, no socks, drinking cold water, ect. And if I do get sick I must be prepared to take a bunch of pills or vitamins. Some of the other girls actually had to get IVs full of vitamins and stuff for having colds. Fortunatly I didn't get sick and just got to miss a full week of school.
Saturday we were off again on a trip organized by two women in Adana that have hosted students in prior years. We went to Capppadocia, arguably the coolest place ever. There are these amazing natural rock structures and house that have been carved out of cliffs. Since this is the off season there were few other people around and we got to run wild. We explored all through the caves and cliff houses in complete awe. We stayed an extra night because school is canceled for everyone in Adana this week due to fear of Swine Flu. I can't completely understand how many people have actually gotten it but it is always on the news and I have heard the words Domuz Gribi about a thousand times. Fortunately we still have Turkish classes that keep us studying. Some days I feel like my Turkish is good and I understand a lot, other days it feels absolutely hopeless. I know that it is normal but it can still be pretty frustrating.
Well I guess that was not very brief, but it was three weeks coming!
I know that I am very far behind but I wıll try to briefly get caught up!
This month has gone by extremely fast and I can't believe that I am already three months in! The first week of the month was exam week, and though my host sister studied a lot the students didn't seem too stressed out. I'm not exactly sure how important exams are here because they count for almost nothing in getting into college, (basically the only thing that matters is the big OSS test that they take at the end of their senior) but the week was dedicated to pretty much studying and taking tests so I had very little to do.
This month in general has actually consisted of very little school, and I am starting to really miss my routine.
On the 11th of November we met up at the AFS office-a small room in a deserted shopping mall- to begin our first AFS retreat. We are a small group, the nine of us NSLI-Y scholarship kids and 5 others from the YES program, very similar to ours. Our orientation was made up of only Americans because there has been some disagreement among the volunteers here on whether or not to recognize our programs as part of AFS. Their problem is that they believe that the State Department and the US govt. payed for us to be here in order to extend their reach into the Middle East. About a year ago the volunteers voted to not allow us to be part of any retreats or programs organized by the volunteers. It is disappointing that we are not part of the larger AFS group because one of my favorite parts about AFS Spain was meeting and making friends from all over the world.
Our orientation took place in the not all that nice town of Karataş, or at least what we saw of it was not that nice. The location would have been fine, because only once were we actually allowed to leave the hotel and take a five minute walk to the sea, had our hotel been nice. As it was, they seemd to have gotten rid of their maid in the off season and the result was a bit disgusting. Nonetheless we had a great time lounging around and telling stories. Though the nime of us that live in Adana know a lot about each others families and lives, we still managed to keep it interesting. The volunteers that came are extremely dedicated to AFS and were helpful in talking about our problems or worries here.
On Saturday we got back in the mini bus and instead of heading home we went to Antakya, a small city north west of Adana. We were in the city barely five minutes before we all had plans to move there. Antakya is famous for being the place where the first Christians declared themselves Christians, and it's not surprising, the city feels that old. With cobble stone streets and houses that look like with the slightest breeze they could be blown over, it seems sort of magical. On Sunday morning we did a scavenger hunt and though the maze of streets made everything nearly impossible to find it was wonderful to wander around the city.
I would have like to spend more time in the city, but I plan on coming back at some point later in the year. Though I could have stayed a while longer I was ready to go home also. And I really do feel at home at our place in Adana. Just a few minutes after arriving home and giving the customary kisses on the cheeks my host mom had a tray of dinner prepared, though I insisted on not being hungry, and Dilşad and I curled up to watch our favorite Turkish soap.
Getting up for school on Monday was a challenge but it was nice to be back. My classmates told me they missed me and talked about me all the time. Whether or not that's true it was nice to feel like I contribute to their school days. That didn't last long though because by the time I got home I received an email from AFS excusing us from school for the week. A lot of students got sick on our retreat, something our host moms attributed to that five minute walk to the sea, and AFS worried that we would get worse. The Turks are sort of wierd about illness, for example if a kid gets sick after a six hour bus ride its not because the road was windy, bus cramped, or driver smoking, but because she was wearing flats without socks. I am warned about getting sick from wet hair, bare arms, no socks, drinking cold water, ect. And if I do get sick I must be prepared to take a bunch of pills or vitamins. Some of the other girls actually had to get IVs full of vitamins and stuff for having colds. Fortunatly I didn't get sick and just got to miss a full week of school.
Saturday we were off again on a trip organized by two women in Adana that have hosted students in prior years. We went to Capppadocia, arguably the coolest place ever. There are these amazing natural rock structures and house that have been carved out of cliffs. Since this is the off season there were few other people around and we got to run wild. We explored all through the caves and cliff houses in complete awe. We stayed an extra night because school is canceled for everyone in Adana this week due to fear of Swine Flu. I can't completely understand how many people have actually gotten it but it is always on the news and I have heard the words Domuz Gribi about a thousand times. Fortunately we still have Turkish classes that keep us studying. Some days I feel like my Turkish is good and I understand a lot, other days it feels absolutely hopeless. I know that it is normal but it can still be pretty frustrating.
Well I guess that was not very brief, but it was three weeks coming!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
As Life in Turkey Continues
*Side note- this blog was written about a week and a half ago and a new update is on its way!
I am now more or less a month into school so my routine has become pretty set, though last week we did change Turkish courses. Our new course is in roughly the same area of the city, the busy center of Adana
At school I have begun to get a sense of my teachers, and I know which ones will have me participate by writing on the board or testing my knowledge. My history teacher is a special advocate of for having the exchange students make fools out of them themselves. Almost every class he has me stand in front of my peers and try to decipher what he is saying. It usually take me a long time to understand him and my class laughs at me, but I don’t really mind because honestly it is pretty funny and if I get an answer right I usually receive some sort of praise. At lunch I have been spared from that awkward “where do I sit” thing because a couple of the girls in my class have taken me under their wing. I also spend some time with my sisters friend and this girl I met on the school bus who happens to be a three years younger than me but I can see becoming good friends with. Sometimes I feel a lot older than the kids in my class especially when they are chasing each other around the room and throwing chalk, but I think that is just something I will have to get used to. Breaks are by far the most awkward time of my day because between each class we have about 10-15 minutes, and I am never really sure what I should do in that time. One of my AFS friends pointed out that the reason for the long break is probably so that teachers can have time to smoke between classes. And boy do people smoke here. It seems that there are very few people between the ages of 20-60 that missed the smoking craze. Though recently a law was passed and smoking is banned in closed public areas, which is pretty impressive for Turkey
Though I spend some time with my classmates and more time with my NSLI friends I spend most with my family. Dilşad has course Saturday and Sunday so my host mom and I eat breakfast together and usually run some sort of errands. We eat dinner a couple nights a week as my host mom’s friend’s houses which creates a sort of extended family feel and is pretty fun plus the food is always great! Last week we went to the Turkish baths and I need to download a picture because an explanation will not do it justice, but I will try. The haman we went to is located in Old Adana, an area I have not spent that much time in, but would like to soon because it is beautiful. Lots of little winding streets and shops all crammed together. Drastically different from the apartment-y New Adana that I live in. Even the door to the haman is beautiful. The big, very old looking, arched marble doorway is almost a promise of what you will find inside. The corridor into the bath does not seem long enough for the two separate worlds it connects-the bustling outside streets to the serene quiet of the first chamber. The atmosphere of the baths are almost holy, women quietly talking beneath the big arched ceilings also all made of white marble. The steps that line the wall going to a sort of platform where women chat, drink tea, and change before actually entering the bath. The inner baths are also arched ceilings and are made up of two main chambers with little open arches leading to smaller chambers with big basin sinks for women to bathe in. The second room is hotter than the first and is mostly taken up by a big, round, low table that is heated from underneath for women to lay on. The baths put the heat of Adana
More soon, I promise!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A fifth year of high school..
Today is Wednesday of my third week in school and I am surprised by how quickly it has gone. I am also surprised that I don't dislike it as much as I thought I would. Attending 11th grade for the second time as a high school graduate is no more fun than it sounds but ıt could be worse. My school is very close to my house, about a five minute walk, and the school itself is very pretty. There is a big courtyard with a little cafe type thing where Dilşad and I get coffee every morning. We start the day by lining up beneath the enormous gold Atatürk stature in what feels a little bit like a military formation so they can say good morning over the loud speaker and check to see we are wearing the appropriate uniform. Although on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons they mix it up a little bit and we all sing the national anthem accompanied by the school band a flag ceremony.
Though I have eight classes a day they all feel pretty similar for me because I am with the same seven other kids and rather than changing classes the teachers come to us. I chose to do the Turkish course rather than the math or sciences because I didn't really want to be taking chemistry or physics in Turkish though I still have a bunch of math classes. Besides math I have Turkish, literature, history, German, English, Religion, sociology, philosophy, and computers. The course doesn't really matter at this point because mostly all I do is study Turkish, read, write, or make lists. My teachers seem to like me and have me participate some but I don't understand most of what they are saying so I have a lot of free time.
At four when I finish school I take the school bus to the city center for my Turkish courses. What could be a relaxing ride is marred by there not being nearly enough seats and blaring techno and bad American music. I look forward to my Turkish lessons because all nine of the NSLI-Y girls go so we have an opportunity to talk after long days of not being about to communicate well. Our Turkish courses are moving more slowly than I had hoped but I feel a bit bad for our well intentioned teacher Mustafa who has to deal with all of us bursting with energy.
I get home at about 8:00 every night because the courses are about a half hour away from my home but my host mom always has dinner ready when I get here. All is still going very well with my host family. Now that we can communicate a bit more my host mom and I are getting closer. Every night she has me read a children's book to practice my Turkish pronounciation and patiently helps me through it. A couple weeks ago she took me to this big outdoor bazaar and it was super nice to spend the afternoon with her. She helped me bargain for clothing, and I came out with some good deals, and bought us this cheese filled pastry type thing called Börek that you watch these women make over these big outdoor fires. After we walked all the way home which was kind of a long walk but nice because we stopped at various street vendors for nuts and fruits. I am in the same grade as my host sister and I was a little worried that it might be too much time together but so far it is going well, for me at least!
All for now, though I have a lot more to add and will try to do so soon!
Though I have eight classes a day they all feel pretty similar for me because I am with the same seven other kids and rather than changing classes the teachers come to us. I chose to do the Turkish course rather than the math or sciences because I didn't really want to be taking chemistry or physics in Turkish though I still have a bunch of math classes. Besides math I have Turkish, literature, history, German, English, Religion, sociology, philosophy, and computers. The course doesn't really matter at this point because mostly all I do is study Turkish, read, write, or make lists. My teachers seem to like me and have me participate some but I don't understand most of what they are saying so I have a lot of free time.
At four when I finish school I take the school bus to the city center for my Turkish courses. What could be a relaxing ride is marred by there not being nearly enough seats and blaring techno and bad American music. I look forward to my Turkish lessons because all nine of the NSLI-Y girls go so we have an opportunity to talk after long days of not being about to communicate well. Our Turkish courses are moving more slowly than I had hoped but I feel a bit bad for our well intentioned teacher Mustafa who has to deal with all of us bursting with energy.
I get home at about 8:00 every night because the courses are about a half hour away from my home but my host mom always has dinner ready when I get here. All is still going very well with my host family. Now that we can communicate a bit more my host mom and I are getting closer. Every night she has me read a children's book to practice my Turkish pronounciation and patiently helps me through it. A couple weeks ago she took me to this big outdoor bazaar and it was super nice to spend the afternoon with her. She helped me bargain for clothing, and I came out with some good deals, and bought us this cheese filled pastry type thing called Börek that you watch these women make over these big outdoor fires. After we walked all the way home which was kind of a long walk but nice because we stopped at various street vendors for nuts and fruits. I am in the same grade as my host sister and I was a little worried that it might be too much time together but so far it is going well, for me at least!
All for now, though I have a lot more to add and will try to do so soon!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Village
On Thursday we took off again for the holiday (Byram in Turkish.) This holiday is called the sugar holiday or the Ramadan holiday because it marks the end of Ramadan and you eat a lot of sweets, actually just a lot of food in general. Though we left on Thursday we spent one night in Maraş where my host uncle lives with his wife and very cute, very spoiled daughter. Friday we set off for the village, the drive was beautiful, sprawling hills and mountains dotted with little houses and farms. There are times when because parts of Turkey are so modern and western I forget that Turkey has this whole other part to it, and this trip really reminded me of that. The village is exactly what you would expect from a Turkish village complete with dirt roads and donkeys pulling carts. The house is very cute with a little kitchen that produces outstanding food and the 'old style' bathroom which is basically a porcelain hole in the floor.
We were at the village from Friday to Tuesday afternoon and it felt like a very long time to me. My family is very sweet, especially my great aunt who nicknamed me Fatma and is always speaking to me in rapid Turkish. Fatma by the way is supposed to be a very classic Turkish name but literally sounds like Fat-ma, though I didn't really have a choice in the matter it is starting to really grow on me. For Byram younger family are supposed to go from house to house to visit the older people and their families, and to every house you go you are offered this smelly hand stuff, tea and some sort of yummy food. Though I enjoyed the tea and food it felt like a lot of people talking about me a lot and maybe it was just my imagination I felt like I was the butt of a lot of jokes, but hey I guess that comes with the territory. At one house after about twenty minutes of conversation my host sister looked at me and said "ah they are still talking about you!" It was frustrating to not understand what was being said and I felt a little bit like a pet but it was really interesting to be a part of the holiday.
A little bit more on the food!
I fasted the last day of Ramadan and though I was hungry all day it was totally worth it for the feast it came with. Dilşad and I helped make this past that is served on big platters with chicken and beef in the middle that everyone picks off. There is also huge amounts of home grown tomato salad with cucumbers, onions and all kinds of spices. Breakfasts were this kind of fried dough that expanded and looked like little baguettes but were hollow and delicious. These were eaten with jam, yogurt, cheese, nutella, or really anything. Also there was more tomato salad, always fresh bread, Aryan (a drink of yogurt and water that I am pretty fond of) more tea, and Turkish coffee. I could go on and on.
The holiday was nice but I was excited to get back to Adana. It is starting to cool down, and that is very nice especially since my school uniform consists of gray pants and a polo. School started Friday, and I think it is too soon to tell how it is going to be but I am in 11th grade, the same as my sister. I will write more on it after I have had a full week.
We were at the village from Friday to Tuesday afternoon and it felt like a very long time to me. My family is very sweet, especially my great aunt who nicknamed me Fatma and is always speaking to me in rapid Turkish. Fatma by the way is supposed to be a very classic Turkish name but literally sounds like Fat-ma, though I didn't really have a choice in the matter it is starting to really grow on me. For Byram younger family are supposed to go from house to house to visit the older people and their families, and to every house you go you are offered this smelly hand stuff, tea and some sort of yummy food. Though I enjoyed the tea and food it felt like a lot of people talking about me a lot and maybe it was just my imagination I felt like I was the butt of a lot of jokes, but hey I guess that comes with the territory. At one house after about twenty minutes of conversation my host sister looked at me and said "ah they are still talking about you!" It was frustrating to not understand what was being said and I felt a little bit like a pet but it was really interesting to be a part of the holiday.
A little bit more on the food!
I fasted the last day of Ramadan and though I was hungry all day it was totally worth it for the feast it came with. Dilşad and I helped make this past that is served on big platters with chicken and beef in the middle that everyone picks off. There is also huge amounts of home grown tomato salad with cucumbers, onions and all kinds of spices. Breakfasts were this kind of fried dough that expanded and looked like little baguettes but were hollow and delicious. These were eaten with jam, yogurt, cheese, nutella, or really anything. Also there was more tomato salad, always fresh bread, Aryan (a drink of yogurt and water that I am pretty fond of) more tea, and Turkish coffee. I could go on and on.
The holiday was nice but I was excited to get back to Adana. It is starting to cool down, and that is very nice especially since my school uniform consists of gray pants and a polo. School started Friday, and I think it is too soon to tell how it is going to be but I am in 11th grade, the same as my sister. I will write more on it after I have had a full week.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
For a moment I felt like Adana was starting to cool down, but that was just one 'brisk' morning and by noon it was back to scorching heat again. Fortunately though, we have been getting away from the city a bit.
Last Thursday, Dilşad and I took the bus to İscanderun to stay with my host fathers family at their beach house. İscanderun is a large town, but small city with a busy center and summer houses dotting every bit of the shore line. The beach house is part of one of these little neighborhoods filled with white adobe houses with big wrap around porches where all meals are eaten. The house is owned by my host dads brother Cankat but their other brother Eran and his family stay there during the summer as well. The first morning we got up earlier than I have become used to and went for a swim in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. The water was warm and clear and I never wanted to get out.
Instead of spending the next night at the beach house we went with Dilşad's aunt to the "yaila" which translates into summer cabin and are from what I understand are usually located in the hills, or maybe that is just this one. I'm not really sure. The road to the yaila is about 30 minutes but it felt significantly longer. The majority of the road is gravel, steep, windy and has just enough room for two cars to pass if both are going slow, which they never are. But we made it up and back fine and the view was well worth it. You could see one direction all the way to İscanderun and the see and the other direction into the sprawling hills.
the family comes to these little somewhat makeshift cabins to escape the summer heat, and it was nice and cool. Dilşad's aunt stays up there with her husband and mother about 2 months our of the year. Her mother Dilşad's grandmother is the sweetest woman and very typical Turkish. She offered to teach me Turkish, which of course failed miserably because the language is impossibly hard, but it was nice anyway.
The next morning we went to these beautiful fields in the mountains and got to pick blackberries, (which taste different from those in the United States) tomatoes, and green beans. The scenery was beautiful but the labor looks hard as there isn't any machinery to help with the work.
We spent the next night at beach house and then went back to hot Adana. Tonight, we are going to my host mother's village for about a week to celebrate the end of Ramadan I thınk. The celebration lasts for three days so it should be fun!
Last Thursday, Dilşad and I took the bus to İscanderun to stay with my host fathers family at their beach house. İscanderun is a large town, but small city with a busy center and summer houses dotting every bit of the shore line. The beach house is part of one of these little neighborhoods filled with white adobe houses with big wrap around porches where all meals are eaten. The house is owned by my host dads brother Cankat but their other brother Eran and his family stay there during the summer as well. The first morning we got up earlier than I have become used to and went for a swim in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. The water was warm and clear and I never wanted to get out.
Instead of spending the next night at the beach house we went with Dilşad's aunt to the "yaila" which translates into summer cabin and are from what I understand are usually located in the hills, or maybe that is just this one. I'm not really sure. The road to the yaila is about 30 minutes but it felt significantly longer. The majority of the road is gravel, steep, windy and has just enough room for two cars to pass if both are going slow, which they never are. But we made it up and back fine and the view was well worth it. You could see one direction all the way to İscanderun and the see and the other direction into the sprawling hills.
the family comes to these little somewhat makeshift cabins to escape the summer heat, and it was nice and cool. Dilşad's aunt stays up there with her husband and mother about 2 months our of the year. Her mother Dilşad's grandmother is the sweetest woman and very typical Turkish. She offered to teach me Turkish, which of course failed miserably because the language is impossibly hard, but it was nice anyway.
The next morning we went to these beautiful fields in the mountains and got to pick blackberries, (which taste different from those in the United States) tomatoes, and green beans. The scenery was beautiful but the labor looks hard as there isn't any machinery to help with the work.
We spent the next night at beach house and then went back to hot Adana. Tonight, we are going to my host mother's village for about a week to celebrate the end of Ramadan I thınk. The celebration lasts for three days so it should be fun!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Adana
Yesterday marked my first week in Adana, Turkey and I am surprised by how comfortable I already feel here. My host sister Dilşad and I are getting along really well. She is playful and happy and excited to have me here. Her English is really good so she has been acting as my translator and teacher and so far has not gotten tired of my endless questions-but I have only been here a week. Nihal my host mother is very kind and though we are separated by the language barrier she has made me feel at home. When Dilşad is not here we connect by studying my Turkish books together and through pantomime and guesswork I think I improving.
Turkish is not an easy language but it's not terribly difficult either. What makes it hard is how unfamiliar the sounds are and not being able to guess even a little bit at words like in Spanish because every one is very different. But thanks to my lessons I am not completely lost and there is hope that eventually I will pick it up. Turkish is a very beautiful language and I am anxious to learn it.
As for my home, Adana is not a beautiful city but it has a certain charm. It's condensed center is packed full of little shops, bread, nut, and fruit vendors while the sprawling suburbs are made up of thousands of unorganized apartment buildings. One of these apartments is my new home about a half hour away from the center. Our apartment is good sides though every bit of space is well used. My room is big but also holds the computer so it is kind of shared with everyone. There is not much in our neighborhood except for other randomly placed apartment buildings but out school is very close and public transpoırtation is easy and cheep.
There are some downfalls to living in the desert. Besides missing the ocean, trees, and other natural beauty of the San Juan's, Adana is hot. Everyday is in the mid to upper 90s and it does not get cool at night. I haven't had to put on even a light sweater and it doesn't feel like I will be needing one anytime soon. To make it worse the Turks wear jeans all the time. I understand the no mini skirts or shorts which are hardly seen here but jeans are simply awful. Fortunately everywhere is air conditioned so as long as I'm not outside I'm alright.
The Traffic is terrifying! Many roads do not have lines to indicate where cars should be and if they do they are not so much rules as suggestions as to which side of the road you should be on. I don't really understand when blinkers are used but it's not to indicate going to the other side of the road. Pedistrans do not have the right of way and it's common to cross half the road, wait for traffic to pass inches away on either side of you and then keep going.
But besides that I love living here. The Turkish people do not seem judgemental but rather curious and interested in me. They all make an effort to talk to me and when they can't they just keep speaking in Turkish. wherever you go even if it is a shoe store or a visit with a friend you are offered Turkish coffee, (which İ am really starting to like) tea or water. The other day one of my mom's friends read my Turkish coffee grounds and it reminded me of Jane Burton reading my tea leaves. I was promised lots of good things and though I'm skeptical I followed all the instructions to make them come true. The food is amazing, lots of meet and spices. Adana is famous for a certain type of Kebab that is a little bit spicy but delicious. Whenever you out to eat you are served Turkish salads, yogurt sauces, and appetizers before the main meal. And after there is always fruit and yummy desserts.There is so much food and this is especially true during Ramadan because after a full day of fasting people want to eat well.
My sister and I fasted yesterday for the first day day. We ate a meal at 3am because after 4 you can't eat again until 7:30. The fasting was not too terrible but since I don't work or have school I didn't actually have to do anything all day, I can't imagine working all day. I lasted all the way till dinner when I forgot and had a sip of water, it was disappointing.
So far all has gone really well. Thursday we will go to my host uncles beach house and then to my host moms village. School doesn't start for another couple weeks but I am looking forward to starting Turkish classes.
Turkish is not an easy language but it's not terribly difficult either. What makes it hard is how unfamiliar the sounds are and not being able to guess even a little bit at words like in Spanish because every one is very different. But thanks to my lessons I am not completely lost and there is hope that eventually I will pick it up. Turkish is a very beautiful language and I am anxious to learn it.
As for my home, Adana is not a beautiful city but it has a certain charm. It's condensed center is packed full of little shops, bread, nut, and fruit vendors while the sprawling suburbs are made up of thousands of unorganized apartment buildings. One of these apartments is my new home about a half hour away from the center. Our apartment is good sides though every bit of space is well used. My room is big but also holds the computer so it is kind of shared with everyone. There is not much in our neighborhood except for other randomly placed apartment buildings but out school is very close and public transpoırtation is easy and cheep.
There are some downfalls to living in the desert. Besides missing the ocean, trees, and other natural beauty of the San Juan's, Adana is hot. Everyday is in the mid to upper 90s and it does not get cool at night. I haven't had to put on even a light sweater and it doesn't feel like I will be needing one anytime soon. To make it worse the Turks wear jeans all the time. I understand the no mini skirts or shorts which are hardly seen here but jeans are simply awful. Fortunately everywhere is air conditioned so as long as I'm not outside I'm alright.
The Traffic is terrifying! Many roads do not have lines to indicate where cars should be and if they do they are not so much rules as suggestions as to which side of the road you should be on. I don't really understand when blinkers are used but it's not to indicate going to the other side of the road. Pedistrans do not have the right of way and it's common to cross half the road, wait for traffic to pass inches away on either side of you and then keep going.
But besides that I love living here. The Turkish people do not seem judgemental but rather curious and interested in me. They all make an effort to talk to me and when they can't they just keep speaking in Turkish. wherever you go even if it is a shoe store or a visit with a friend you are offered Turkish coffee, (which İ am really starting to like) tea or water. The other day one of my mom's friends read my Turkish coffee grounds and it reminded me of Jane Burton reading my tea leaves. I was promised lots of good things and though I'm skeptical I followed all the instructions to make them come true. The food is amazing, lots of meet and spices. Adana is famous for a certain type of Kebab that is a little bit spicy but delicious. Whenever you out to eat you are served Turkish salads, yogurt sauces, and appetizers before the main meal. And after there is always fruit and yummy desserts.There is so much food and this is especially true during Ramadan because after a full day of fasting people want to eat well.
My sister and I fasted yesterday for the first day day. We ate a meal at 3am because after 4 you can't eat again until 7:30. The fasting was not too terrible but since I don't work or have school I didn't actually have to do anything all day, I can't imagine working all day. I lasted all the way till dinner when I forgot and had a sip of water, it was disappointing.
So far all has gone really well. Thursday we will go to my host uncles beach house and then to my host moms village. School doesn't start for another couple weeks but I am looking forward to starting Turkish classes.
Monday, August 31, 2009
View from our hotel in Istanbul!After leaving DC the we flew to Frankfurt where we split from the Egypt group and continued on to İstanbul, where we were met by a group of young volunteers. We were surprised and happy to find out that we were going to be staying in a hotel in one of the most popular neighborhoods of İstanbul, and it was beautiful. Just driving from the airport we passed beautiful old crumbling walls and houses that had been standing for longer than I can imagine.
Though we stayed in a very happening neighborhood it was less than satisfying because the volunteers would not even let us leave the hotel. For the two days we spent in İstanbul we left three times to eat, though two of those were Pizza Hut and Burger King. But breakfast almost ate up for the lack of authentıc cuisine. Every morning we stuffed as much of the the buffet style Turkish breakfast in as we could. we ate delicious bread, croissants, cheeses, olives, yogurt and honey, dried and fresh fruit, coffee, tea, pancakes and more. I could get enough. Plus all of this was eaten on the roof of the hotel, a nice patio with a beautıful view of the cıty. From where we stood on the European side we could see all the way past the Bospherous to the Asian side. The mosques stick out with the pillars around them announcing the call to prayer, it is so beautiful and foreign.
Besıdes food our orientation consisted of various informational sessions where the volunteers tried to prepare us for our new lives. We took basic lessons in Turkish, learned that shoes where not worn in the house and were warned that we would soon have a lot less freedom than we are accustomed to. All in all the "survival camp" was helpful, but we were all very anxious to get to Adana and meet our host families.
Yesterday we flew out at about 11:00, I sat next to a very sweet old Turkish women wearing a headscarf and as the volunteers warned us had no idea of American personal space. But I was comforted by how much we could communicate with such a language barrier. Thanks to my pocket dictionary and book of the San Juan Islands we made it through the flight with very few awkward pauses.
All of the host families were waiting at the gate when we arrive and I am ecstatic to meet my host mom and sister (my dad is working in İstanbul) there waiting with a sign. My host sıster Dilşad is very sweet and i think that we will get along very well. Her English is really good so she has been translating for her mom whose English is not that great but we have been getting along. They both seem eager to teach me which is great because my Turkish sucks, but I already feel like I am starting to pick things up!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Washington DC
Welcome to my blog! So for those of you that don't know I received a state department scholarship to study in Turkey for a year. I will be living with a host family, attending a high school and taking intensive Turkish language classes. All the kids that received the scholarship-called Nsli-y will be living in Adana, Turkey. Adana is southeast a little bit north of the Mediterranean, near the Syrian border. It is the forth largest city in Turkey and home to about two and a half million people. Though Turkey is about 98 percent Muslim it is secular and modern.
That said, I left Tuesday to begin my adventure. After a tearful goodbye with my mom I flew to Washington DC for a two day orientation. My plane landed at about 6am and we went straight to a hotel near the Dulles airport. The orientation began at 2pm and it was far more informative then I had anticipated. Many of the people leading the orientation are AFS staff that work specifically with the state department. They stressed the fact that this is not a gift or a paid vacation, but a job that should be taken seriously. We are to be ambassadors for our country and with our main objective to learn Turkish.
The majority of the students are going to Egypt either for a year or a semester and there is a group of about 15 of us going to Turkey. Some are on the same Nsli-y scholarship or various other partial or full scholarships. I have met some really cool girls that are going to be in the same city, and most of them are in the same situation as me-graduated high school and deferred college. It is nice to know that there will be people in the similar situation living so close.
The most informative part of the orientation was the cultural resource time where we sat down with a Turkish guy and a woman whose family is Turkish and has traveled extensively there. They told us about the food, (which is going to be ammaazzingg!!) the culture, and the dress. It sounds like we will be wearing uniforms and dressing pretty moderately, if we don't want to stand out or be harassed.
All of us are super excited and maybe a little bit nervous. Tomorrow we are in for another long day of orientation, and then we fly out at about 5pm eastern time. I am so ready to go!
I will try to keep up on the blog, so keep reading!
That said, I left Tuesday to begin my adventure. After a tearful goodbye with my mom I flew to Washington DC for a two day orientation. My plane landed at about 6am and we went straight to a hotel near the Dulles airport. The orientation began at 2pm and it was far more informative then I had anticipated. Many of the people leading the orientation are AFS staff that work specifically with the state department. They stressed the fact that this is not a gift or a paid vacation, but a job that should be taken seriously. We are to be ambassadors for our country and with our main objective to learn Turkish.
The majority of the students are going to Egypt either for a year or a semester and there is a group of about 15 of us going to Turkey. Some are on the same Nsli-y scholarship or various other partial or full scholarships. I have met some really cool girls that are going to be in the same city, and most of them are in the same situation as me-graduated high school and deferred college. It is nice to know that there will be people in the similar situation living so close.
The most informative part of the orientation was the cultural resource time where we sat down with a Turkish guy and a woman whose family is Turkish and has traveled extensively there. They told us about the food, (which is going to be ammaazzingg!!) the culture, and the dress. It sounds like we will be wearing uniforms and dressing pretty moderately, if we don't want to stand out or be harassed.
All of us are super excited and maybe a little bit nervous. Tomorrow we are in for another long day of orientation, and then we fly out at about 5pm eastern time. I am so ready to go!
I will try to keep up on the blog, so keep reading!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
