Real World

This is the true story... of nine strangers... picked to live in a flat...work together (learning about Turkishness) and have their lives observed (by Turks)... to find out what happens when people stop being polite... and start getting real...The Real World Istanbul.

Seven weeks in Turkey, 5 in Istanbul and 2 traveling around Turkey. While we are here we will have class with Prof. Shields M-F. Sometimes we met for class in a medresse building built by Sinan near Aya Sofia. Other times we met at a tram stop, on our terrace, or in front of a monument. Its very flexible and perfect. We have already learned so much and it's only been a week. I've learned that Turks get involved with other disputes, want you to eat alot, drive recklessly, get off ferries before they're docked, often learn their English from tourists, are very hospitable, and always interesting.

Friday Night.
We met up with out Turkish friend Murat who lives on the 3rd floor of our building. We headed over to a bar off of Istiklal called Darkness. The 10 of us grabbed a table outside and ordered some Efes, which is Turkish beer, We all sat around, chatted and laughed and then later some of Murat's friends Sarat and Mehmet took us to a nearby club, not before we realized that waterfalling is not a game played by Turks. Here we American learned that American dancing is very different that Turkish dancing. Turkish dancing is all in the shoulders whereas American dancing is mainly in the hips. We did have fun though, especially after we went to the 2nd club (the one with no name and the one where Sarat got us all in for free!). Strobe lights and techno were the buzz words of the night, so was loudness. I felt like I was going a little a crazy with all the strobe lights and the constant request to pass the energy ball (a little piece of American dancing we decided to export) or catch the fish hook. Later back at the apartment Kristina figured out the best was to sum up the night. We had essentially done the Hokey Pokey with some Turks. Perfection.

Saturday.
Edward and I decided that were we're ready to bite the bullet and really get into doing some exploring and work for our project. We decided that we are going to do our project on Hamams, Turkish baths. We researched for what seemed like forever, found the hamams on the map (a joke!) and then I of course took a nap. We left at about 5:30 and headed over to some fo the historic hamams. At the first one, Gedikpasa, I got to take a tour of the women section. My glasses fogged up of course from all of the relaxing steam, but from what I could see with them off it seemed like a very cool place. It was built in 1475 and although it has not had undergone many of the same renovations as other hamams, I feel like that is the appeal. I ran into a fellow American woman from Philly and she told me that she had been to the Cemberlitas bath and that it was wonderful. Perfect, that was the next one on our list anyway.

We headed over there but not before a Turk asked us if we needed some help and told us how not many American vacation in Turkey, a little tidbit that we keep hearing. We found Cemberlitas which was built in 1584 by Sinan. It was cool but we weren't allowed to tour the facilities. We could definitely tell it was more touristy though. I stopped to exchange my $100 in US money and we encountered a real Turkish dispute. It gave some interesting cultural insight we thought. We found that random, uninvolved in the altercation Turks can and will get involved in disputes that do not involve them. Whereas in America we are encouraged to mind our own business thank you very much, the many that was helping to calm things down in the exchange office was not treated meanly by the man being reprimanded. Interesting.

Now for the far away hamam, Suleymaniye. It took us a hot minute to find this one. We walked through a ghost town and landfill to get there. By this time we were both getting hungry and all we wanted was some kumpir, a stuffed potato, but they were no where to be found. Everything was sort of closed seeming and it was not a tourist area. Let's just say that two of the things were not like the others. We finally found the hamam and went in. There was a European couple having some sort of dispute with the people working there, we took some pictures and left.

After returning to the room, exhaustion ensued.

Sunday.
Red Bull FlugTag 2008! What a crazy time! We all met William down at the base of our flat and headed over to take the ferry to Asia after we all put some more $$ on our Akbils. Then when we got to Asia we hopped on the number 4 double decker bus and rode for a ways out along the coast. This was my first time on a double decker and it was cool to have such a view of the street and all the traffic. What wasn't cool/smart was for all of us to be on the 2nd story when William (the only one who knew for sure where to get off) was on the 1st floor. I mean just because we're in the Honors program doesn't mean we have loads of common sense. When we arrive at the Red Bull event I was totally overwhelmed with how many people were there. The heat was also suffocating after a while. I got a kick out of the creative "flying" machines and at the paper hats some of the people in front of us were wearing. Emily needed to cool off and I was ready to have some space so we headed over to McDonalds with Zoey. McDonalds was packed of course so then we just started walking back along the main street. Zoey headed back to the group and then Emily and I had an adventure getting food, dessert, Cappy apricot juice, finding a rose garden, learning how to count to 10 on the ferry, and passing out back in the flat.

Six of us went to dinner at the restaurant next to Darkness. Yum!! I was cracking up that the menu had denoted one salad as only for tourists!! haha!! : )