Istanbul - first months

Here it is! My long-awaited first post. I've been in Istanbul for four months now, and I'm pretty settled in. The Turkish that I've learned so far allows me to shop at local stores, order dinner at a restaurant, and catch a cab without feeling like I'm being ripped off. Most Turks are really nice, and they usually respond kindly to an effort to speak Turkish. I stand out like a sore thumb, so I usually get asked, "Where are you from? Why are you here? What to you think of Turkey?"- wherever I go. I've got those answers memorized.

My job is great. I work at SEV Uskudar Elementary School. The students are cool and very bright. They love anything that's American. I've decided that Jr. High is the same anywhere... Turkish kids are just as crazy and silly as American kids. Soccer (futbol) dominates sports. The runner up is basketball. Some of the students are really talented. I've been dazzled on several occasion watching them play at recess. Turks love their sports. The professional system here is comprised of club organizations that own teams across genres. Here, you chose one club to cheer for, and you cheer for all the sports teams that the club owns (soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc.). Turks are serious about what club they cheer for, so you have to be careful about who you say that you "support".

When I first got here the school took us (new teachers) through an awesome orientation. We visited several of the old city major tourist attractions: Haghia Sophia, Sultanahmet, Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower, Princess Islands, and a Bosphorus boat tour. The richness of Turkish culture and Istanbul's history are second-to-none. There is something interesting and beautiful around every corner. It's wonderful just to walk the streets and take in the sights. Public transit is convenient, but traffic can get ridiculous sometimes. The food is great. Nightlife is hip. There are lots of cool neighborhoods throughout the city and they each have their own flavor. I live on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, in Balarbaşı - a conservative neighborhood.

Some things that I've discovered...

• Turks love ice cream, and sweets in general. There are tons of great desserts here like baklava and anything chocolate. Dining has been fantastic. Fruits, vegetables, and spices are super fresh! So, all of the food has wonderful flavor. My favorites so far are patlıcan (patlajan), döner, and lahmacun (lammajune).
• Tea is a required part of social discourse. Surprisingly, it is usually just Lipton! Turkish coffee is the best. I've still got to learn how to make it. 
• The driving here is CRAZY! There aren't any street lines. Pedestrians don't have the right of way. Drivers will lay on there horns for minutes at a time. There's so much cutting and swerving that I'm shocked to have not seen one hundred collisions by now. 
• Turks are good-looking and very stylish. There's a salsa club in my neighborhood (yeah, I'm serious) and the music is not the only thing in there that is hot! Ya know what I'm sayin'!
• Turks party all night long! Once, I went out to meet some friends for karaoke, and didn't leave my apartment until 11pm. When I arrived at 11:45pm the place was empty. Then, when we left (to go another club!) at 3am, it was packed! Istanbul's Taksim, Isiklal Caddesi is the real city that never sleeps.

Lost In Translation...

English to Turkish

say "Peach" = "Bastard"

say "Sick" = "F**k"

*Don't ask for "peach" juice. *Don't say that you are "sick".

Obscene hand gestures...

• Think carefully before playing ''got your nose'' with little kids. If you make a fist and put your thumb between your index finger and middle finger, you're essentially saying ''f*** you''. This gesture is known as the fig.
• The gesture created when a circle is formed by touching the forefinger to the thumb does not mean ''OK'' or ''Great'', instead it is directed at someone you want to accuse of homosexuality. The ring represents the anus.

More to come. Cheers!

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