A few weekends ago we had our district conference for Rotary. For those of you who aren't involved with Rotary, this is the time of the year when all the Rotarian's in the district get together for a few days of merriment and charity. The exchange students also usually do some type of show for the attending Rotarian's. This year, the conference was held at a resort in Oludeniz, on the southern coast of Turkey. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. Palm trees, deep blue, clear water, constant sunshine; It was wonderful.
Personally I'm not one for resorts. I feel like they are for the people who want to say they've been to a country, without truly experiencing it. They're for the unadventurous, and people who want to be safe. This resort had the most confusing layout imaginable. I'm fairly sure the architect either didn't go to school, or was on acid the whole time. I got lost more time's than I would like to say. The food was so uncultured, it was just like any other all-you-can-eat buffet back home with hardly any Turkish food. The activities provided were simple and unimaginative. The only things I found nice about the resort was the location, the water, and bacon. That's right! They served BACON! Never in my life have I been more excited to eat bacon in my life. I savored every thin, smokey, crispy piece of it. It was also nice that the resort was all-inclusive, so we could go and do whatever we wanted.
For the most part, we spent our time by the beach, and swimming in the Mediterranean. It was very relaxing, and very enjoyable. We also got to experience a little bit of European beach culture since the resort was saturated with Brits and Germans. There were more than a few women who were topless, and quite a few little kids running around as naked as the day of their birth (which probably wasn't too long ago). It wasn't shocking or disturbing at all, but it was a bit of a surprise since we were in Turkey, and if it were anywhere else, that wouldn't be accepted at all. Now we got our time to play, but we also had to do a performance.
For the past few months we had been taking Turkish folk dancing lessons. Now it was our time to show what we had learned in a performance for the Rotarian's. Unfortunately it was at 9 in the morning, so we weren't completely awake, and not as many Rotarian's turned up as we would have liked. The performance went really well, unfortunately I don't have a video, so I can't show you all. After the performance we got turned loose again until the evening. That evening was the gala for all the Rotarian's. There was live music, everyone was dressed to impress, and the food was wonderful. The band was particularly good, and we all got up to dance together. It was a very fun event that went long into the night.
The next morning we were on the bus early in the morning to head back home. We made a stop at the Greek village I saw with the Boy Scouts back in February. It was nice to get out and stretch our legs. I sat back while most of the group took a hike around the ruins. Me and my friend Lauren found the cutest puppies ever. I contemplated fitting one of them into my bag and smuggling him back home. This might have worked, but he was too young to leave his mother. Again we piled back into the bus and drove back home.
This trip was a very nice one. The sad part is was that it was the last one where we would be all together, it's a good thing it was a good last one to go out on. Now I face the last month of my exchange. I am starting to get anxious to come home, but I also want to stay here longer. It's a very bitter-sweet feeling. I hope to see all of you when I come home so I can tell you my stories in person.
-Torvald
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
A 473 Year Old Candy Festival
This weekend in my city, there was a 473 year old candy festival. It is called the Mesir Macunu Festival, and it has quite an interesting story behind it. A sultan's mother was ill, so the apothecaries made her this paste of a candy out of 42 different spices. She got better, and since then she decided that every year around that time, she would pass the candy out to the civilians. Every year the people of Manisa would gather at the main Mosque in town, and this candy would be thrown from the roof tops by the bucket load. Some men discovered that apart from its medicinal values, it also helps in bed. That's right, it's an aphrodisiac. The story later was told that after the end of this festival, a man would find his lover.
In more recent times it has just become a reason to celebrate. The students from Izmir and Bursa came to our humble town tucked against the mountain. On the days of the festival, downtown was more packed than I had ever seen it before, which made showing them around a little difficult. The atmosphere was bustling with excitement for the coming festivities. People were selling their goods, and there were things happening all around town. For the first day the students were here, us locals were in charge of showing them around. That evening we went to a concert, and got B-list VIP entrance (I guess exchange students are pretty important). The concert was nice, it was a little hard to understand since everyone in the audience thought their voices were just as gifted as the woman singing. After the concert we went home to get some sleep for tomorrow.
To start the morning I made some scrambled eggs for my guests, then we hopped on the bus to downtown. To start the day off we marched in the parade that went right down the main road. Each of us were waving our flags and chanting along with the crowd. People cheered from the crowded streets, and looked on from their balconies. The parade marched right up to the Mosque where the candy would be thrown. Now, we were supposed to get inside the Mosque since we had event passes, but right upon our arrival, the police opened the flood gates, and everyone bum-rushed the front doors and overwhelmed the police so they wouldn't let anyone in.
So many people were pressed against the walls of the mosque, it was the mosh-pit ot end all mosh-pits. Candy rained down from the men in traditional outfits on top of the mosque. Men on the ground scrambled and clawed to get their hands on every piece of mesir they could. At first I found it entertaining and funny, but soon I came to my senses. Children were in tears because of how terrifying the surging mass of people was to them. I glimpsed somebody who had passed out get hauled over the police barrier to safety. Heads dipped below the crushing mass of the crowd. Our group got separated due to the pulsing tides of sweaty people. Bodies were pressed against me on every angle, you could only move with the tides of the crowd. To put it simply, it was a nightmare. The Rotex we were with realized this and corralled us students, then tried to shove our way out of the crowd.
Once we got to a point where we could move relatively freely, I looked back onto the madness. I found it somewhat disgusting how these men got into such a savage frenzy over something you could buy for 2 liras around the corner. I also wondered how many people had gotten injured today due to the monstrous crowds. All of us were pretty flustered. We did a count, and realized none of us got any of the mesir that was thrown, which made a few of us laugh, and relieved a little tension. The Rotarians treated us to a nice lunch, and afterwards the Izmir kids went home. I find it funny how last weekend I had such a relaxing weekend, and this one was so stressful, that's just how life is I guess. Next weekend we go to Bodrum, which is this nice little coastal town that I've been hearing a lot about. I am very excited.
Hosca Kal
-Torvald
In more recent times it has just become a reason to celebrate. The students from Izmir and Bursa came to our humble town tucked against the mountain. On the days of the festival, downtown was more packed than I had ever seen it before, which made showing them around a little difficult. The atmosphere was bustling with excitement for the coming festivities. People were selling their goods, and there were things happening all around town. For the first day the students were here, us locals were in charge of showing them around. That evening we went to a concert, and got B-list VIP entrance (I guess exchange students are pretty important). The concert was nice, it was a little hard to understand since everyone in the audience thought their voices were just as gifted as the woman singing. After the concert we went home to get some sleep for tomorrow.
To start the morning I made some scrambled eggs for my guests, then we hopped on the bus to downtown. To start the day off we marched in the parade that went right down the main road. Each of us were waving our flags and chanting along with the crowd. People cheered from the crowded streets, and looked on from their balconies. The parade marched right up to the Mosque where the candy would be thrown. Now, we were supposed to get inside the Mosque since we had event passes, but right upon our arrival, the police opened the flood gates, and everyone bum-rushed the front doors and overwhelmed the police so they wouldn't let anyone in.
So many people were pressed against the walls of the mosque, it was the mosh-pit ot end all mosh-pits. Candy rained down from the men in traditional outfits on top of the mosque. Men on the ground scrambled and clawed to get their hands on every piece of mesir they could. At first I found it entertaining and funny, but soon I came to my senses. Children were in tears because of how terrifying the surging mass of people was to them. I glimpsed somebody who had passed out get hauled over the police barrier to safety. Heads dipped below the crushing mass of the crowd. Our group got separated due to the pulsing tides of sweaty people. Bodies were pressed against me on every angle, you could only move with the tides of the crowd. To put it simply, it was a nightmare. The Rotex we were with realized this and corralled us students, then tried to shove our way out of the crowd.
Once we got to a point where we could move relatively freely, I looked back onto the madness. I found it somewhat disgusting how these men got into such a savage frenzy over something you could buy for 2 liras around the corner. I also wondered how many people had gotten injured today due to the monstrous crowds. All of us were pretty flustered. We did a count, and realized none of us got any of the mesir that was thrown, which made a few of us laugh, and relieved a little tension. The Rotarians treated us to a nice lunch, and afterwards the Izmir kids went home. I find it funny how last weekend I had such a relaxing weekend, and this one was so stressful, that's just how life is I guess. Next weekend we go to Bodrum, which is this nice little coastal town that I've been hearing a lot about. I am very excited.
Hosca Kal
-Torvald
Pamukkale
This past weekend, we enjoyed our first Rotary trip in almost 3 months. We journeyed south for 3 hours to the renowned heated, terraced pools of Pamukkale. The bus ride down wasn't much to speak of. The pit stop we took on the other hand is worth describing. We stopped at the ancient city of Afrodesias. Now of course the little boy inside me snickered at this name for an apparent reason. The name actually derives from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. This city was very well known for its marble sculptures and it showed. The museum is filled with incredibly detailed, pale busts of ancient stories. Stone slabs depicting myths and legends, as well as well known figures of the time filled the display hall. Some of the sculptures were so intricate you could see the textures of cold, stone veins hidden underneath an epidermis of marble. After leaving the museum, we walked the grounds. A wonderfully preserved temple materialized from behind a grove of trees. But the real masterpiece was the stadium. Now this wasn't exactly the Colosseum of Rome, but it sure was breathtaking. Said to have seated 20 thousand back in it's time, needless to say it was huge. I scaled down the aisle way to the grassy surface and imagined all of the events that took place here. Races, gladiator battles, and so much more. The tunnels where the champions marched through were still open to the outside. Us exchange students even had a small race of our own, whose victor was your's truly. All of us were in awe of how well preserved the stadium was. Next we moved on to the theater, which was like similar to the other theaters we had seen along our travels. I was elected to go test the acoustics and then was commanded to sing. To which I belted the classic, "Stand by Me," which was received with modest applause from my admirers in the top row. I would definitely say that Afrodesias is one of my more favored ancient cities that we have visited.
After Afrodesias we went to our hotel, and were given ample time to unwind and relax. This task was much easier than expected since in the basement of the hotel, there was a pool that was heated by the hot springs of the surrounding area. To top things off, there was a Swedish-styled sauna that we commandeered and held exclusively as our own. After turning to prunes, and sweating like pigs we hauled our limp bodies out of the pool and went to dry off for dinner, which was a pleasant affair. Again we went to relax in the pools before nodding off to a very deep sleep.
The next morning I woke feeling more rested than I had the entire time I'd been here. The day started early with a continental breakfast, followed by a speedy packing and swift departure. Our first and only stop would be Heirapolis, an ancient city from the Greek empire, but was also used by Romans and the Byzantine. We started out in the necropolis, which was a walkway flanked on either side by multiple tombs. As we marched further into the city, we left the dead behind. Soon we got to the main road of the town, which was still in great condition for thousands of years old. To the left, a public bath stood, on the right, rows of Corinthian columns stood which outlined the small merchant shops that would have sold a variety of goods so many years ago. At the end of the road, we needed to tromp back through a snail infested, wild flower covered patch of grass. Getting back to the main tourist path, it led us to a cliff. This wasn't any ordinary cliff. White stone terraces of calcium blinded the eye. Pale blue water collected in the pools formed after a millenia. We kicked our shoes off, rolled up our pant legs, and walked out to wade through the pools. The water flowing to the pools were also thermally heated, so each one was a nice luke warm temperature. I scooped up some of the calcium from the bottom of the pool and painted my face with it. Sadly we had to leave fairly quickly, but we had a nice amount of time to check out the white cliffs of Pamukkale.
Overall this was by far the most relaxing trip we have gone on. The hot springs were amazing, and the ancient sites were amazing too. Swimming among sunken ruins, relaxing in saunas, and the fact that it wasn't raining all made the trip absolutely amazing. If any of you come to Turkey, I highly suggest going there.
The Necropolis at Heiriopolis
The Sunken Ruins
Group shot
White cliffs of Pamukkale
Hosca Kal
-Torvald
After Afrodesias we went to our hotel, and were given ample time to unwind and relax. This task was much easier than expected since in the basement of the hotel, there was a pool that was heated by the hot springs of the surrounding area. To top things off, there was a Swedish-styled sauna that we commandeered and held exclusively as our own. After turning to prunes, and sweating like pigs we hauled our limp bodies out of the pool and went to dry off for dinner, which was a pleasant affair. Again we went to relax in the pools before nodding off to a very deep sleep.
The next morning I woke feeling more rested than I had the entire time I'd been here. The day started early with a continental breakfast, followed by a speedy packing and swift departure. Our first and only stop would be Heirapolis, an ancient city from the Greek empire, but was also used by Romans and the Byzantine. We started out in the necropolis, which was a walkway flanked on either side by multiple tombs. As we marched further into the city, we left the dead behind. Soon we got to the main road of the town, which was still in great condition for thousands of years old. To the left, a public bath stood, on the right, rows of Corinthian columns stood which outlined the small merchant shops that would have sold a variety of goods so many years ago. At the end of the road, we needed to tromp back through a snail infested, wild flower covered patch of grass. Getting back to the main tourist path, it led us to a cliff. This wasn't any ordinary cliff. White stone terraces of calcium blinded the eye. Pale blue water collected in the pools formed after a millenia. We kicked our shoes off, rolled up our pant legs, and walked out to wade through the pools. The water flowing to the pools were also thermally heated, so each one was a nice luke warm temperature. I scooped up some of the calcium from the bottom of the pool and painted my face with it. Sadly we had to leave fairly quickly, but we had a nice amount of time to check out the white cliffs of Pamukkale.
Overall this was by far the most relaxing trip we have gone on. The hot springs were amazing, and the ancient sites were amazing too. Swimming among sunken ruins, relaxing in saunas, and the fact that it wasn't raining all made the trip absolutely amazing. If any of you come to Turkey, I highly suggest going there.
Hosca Kal
-Torvald
Friday, March 22, 2013
Half a Year!
As of the 14th of March, I have been living in the wonderful country of Turkey for 6 months. As I look back on it, I find it hard to comprehend how quickly the time has seemed to pass. But as I really think in depth about my time here so far, I realize how much I have learned and experienced. I have witnessed, and been immersed in a completely new country and culture which I have grown to truly love. I have learned a new language (which might I add, was not easy at all), and have traveled and had so many adventures which I have shared with you all.
It is scary to think that my time here is starting to draw to a close. I try to avoid that fact, but the big, unavoidable return date comes up from time to time. I am excited to come home and see my friends, family, familiar places and food, but will also miss this place that I will have called home for 10 months.
This past week, I met up with one of my good friends from back home. He came up from Jerusalem, and we spent the day touring around the ancient cities around Izmir. It was so wonderful to see someone I knew from my previous life, but it also made me realize that I miss home much more than I thought I did. We spent a good amount of time talking about the people and places of Portland. It was great to have someone who knew all the places I was talking about, but at the same time, it was disheartening to know that I still had another 3 and a half months before I could return. All moping aside, it was such a wonderful day. The weather was gorgeous, and I don't remember a time I have laughed that hard or that much in a while. I also found it very rewarding to show my friend and his group around my city, and show off the Turkish that I know.
6 months is a huge milestone for anyone. I have collected a lot of memories that will last me a lifetime, and friends that I will cherish forever. Right now, I can't imagine my life any other way. I plan to make the most of the time remaining, and when I come home, I hope to see you all so I can share my stories in person.
Koli gelsin
-Torvald
It is scary to think that my time here is starting to draw to a close. I try to avoid that fact, but the big, unavoidable return date comes up from time to time. I am excited to come home and see my friends, family, familiar places and food, but will also miss this place that I will have called home for 10 months.
This past week, I met up with one of my good friends from back home. He came up from Jerusalem, and we spent the day touring around the ancient cities around Izmir. It was so wonderful to see someone I knew from my previous life, but it also made me realize that I miss home much more than I thought I did. We spent a good amount of time talking about the people and places of Portland. It was great to have someone who knew all the places I was talking about, but at the same time, it was disheartening to know that I still had another 3 and a half months before I could return. All moping aside, it was such a wonderful day. The weather was gorgeous, and I don't remember a time I have laughed that hard or that much in a while. I also found it very rewarding to show my friend and his group around my city, and show off the Turkish that I know.
6 months is a huge milestone for anyone. I have collected a lot of memories that will last me a lifetime, and friends that I will cherish forever. Right now, I can't imagine my life any other way. I plan to make the most of the time remaining, and when I come home, I hope to see you all so I can share my stories in person.
Koli gelsin
-Torvald
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Into the Wild
So this past week I went camping down in a town called Fethiye on the southern coast of Turkey with the Turkish Scouts. Now I had been in contact with them for some time, and they invited me to join them on their "Winter Camp". Now compared to the winter camps I was used to in the states, this really shouldn't have been called a winter camp. We were camped right on a bay that was warm enough to swim in, and the temperatures never dropped below 45F. There were some mountains in the distance that were capped with snow, but we never went near them.
The camp started Monday with me being picked up from a cafe by a van filled with 4 teenage boys, 2 leaders, and a large amount of bags. I said goodbye to my new host father and hopped in. The drive from Manisa to Fethiye is about 4 and a half hours, but this drive took about 6 due to all the stops we made. One of them was to an ancient Greek city called Euromos, which was a very important city back in its time. Now there wasn't much left of it, except for the Temple of Zeus which stood steadfast just up a hill. The columns were beautifully carved and had stood the test of time. We weren't there for long, but we were there just long enough to take a few pictures of us inside the temple with the sun setting behind us.
Once we pulled up to the campsite, we all jumped out and unloaded. We were greeted by the scouts who were from Mugla, the main city of the province, not too far away. We moved our luggage into our base camp which was a lodge stationed right on the bay, with a beautiful view. After settling and being introduced, we had some food and relaxed a bit. Now having a name like Torvald Paasche, makes it difficult for Turks to address you, so I was given a variety of nick names. The most common one was Pasha (probably because of its striking similarity to my last name), which means "general", the others were Seri, or "yellow" in a reference to my hair. Spirits were high, and every one was excited that camp had started. So in order to reduce the energy levels, they all wanted me to teach them American Football. This worked to little success. I was able to teach them the basic principles, but they got hung up on the concept of downs, lines of scrimmage, and the fact that you can't pass the ball forward once it has already been passed. Eventually they got tired of not understanding what was happening, and we all wandered inside to a warm fire. Since it was dark when we arrived, and we didn't have time to pitch tents, most of the Manisa scouts slept inside for the night.
The next morning we woke to a breakfast of bread, jam, olives, and cheese, and after scarfing that down we were given free time for a bit. I used this free time to pitch my tent, which was a ground tarp and a few ropes. I intended to "rough it," this camp and show them what an American Scout was like. Most of them sat around and asked me what I was doing, since they had never seen anyone pitch a tent like this. After completing my shelter, I crawled inside and took a nap until lunch. Following lunch I indulged in another nap, and was then woken for a field trip. Our trip was to a small village tucked away in a valley. Back in the 18th and 19th century, the stone houses that made up the village were government housing for Greeks that were living in the Ottoman Empire. Now all of the houses are abandoned and seem to have been left to crumble. None the less it was very interesting to walk through the cobblestone streets of a decaying town. Once our adventure was over, we went for another little drive which put us on a wonderful little beach right at sunset. The falling sun reflected its beams off the crystal blue water or the crescent moon bay. As the sun continued to set, hues of pink and red colored the sky. I sat there on the sand and rocks enjoying a coke I had bought from the corner mart, while the other scouts tried to skip rocks off the waves. It was a very relaxing end to a rather sleepy day. That night I slept in my shelter. I lasted about half the night. It didn't take long for the bugs to find me, and once they did, they didn't leave me alone. Also, unknown to me, I pitched camp in a swampy area, which left my pad getting rather wet. Eventually I decided "At least I tried," then grabbed my gear, and retreated to the shelter of the tent my leader had so graciously pitched for me, knowing that I would hear about this in the morning.
Sitting around the breakfast table the following morning my scout leader asked me, "So Torvald, I heard you run away from your shelter, why was that." I really wasn't in the mood to argue my actions, so I simply responded that the bugs got to me and that it was wet. This put my leader off for a little bit, but I was still razzed throughout the day. Breakfast ended and I took another nap due to my lack of sleep the previous night. I was woken up for the days scouting lesson which was knots. Most of them I already knew, but there were some cool ones that our leader taught us. I was able to show the scouts there how to throw a figure-8 knot, which they were all amazed by, and made me feel proud of my skills. The rest of the day passed rather slow. Many games of Connect-4 and Backgammon were played until it was time for dinner. For dessert, I was commissioned to make s'mores for everyone. I really enjoyed sharing a part of American culture with them, and it felt even better when they all said they enjoyed it. Our leader made us chocolate cake, which made the evening even better. Songs were sang, guitars were played, s'mores and cake were eaten. It was a very nice night.
The rest of the week past much like the previous days. Unfortunately a storm rolled through which left us cabin bound. Friday evening the Mugla scouts left, which in turn left the lodge rather empty and quiet. Saturday rolled around, and we all cleaned up and packed. After some group pictures, we loaded up and drove home. It was strange returning to a house that I had just moved into, since it didn't really feel like I was returning home. None-the-less, I was greeted with open arms and a smile. My experience with the Turkish Scouts has been one of my favorite so far, and I really look forward to having more with them.
The village we visited
Sunset over the Meditteranean
The tent I actually slept in
The tent I tried to sleep in
Base camp
Our view
Inside
I found a Pirate ship!
Hosca Kalin
-Torvald
The camp started Monday with me being picked up from a cafe by a van filled with 4 teenage boys, 2 leaders, and a large amount of bags. I said goodbye to my new host father and hopped in. The drive from Manisa to Fethiye is about 4 and a half hours, but this drive took about 6 due to all the stops we made. One of them was to an ancient Greek city called Euromos, which was a very important city back in its time. Now there wasn't much left of it, except for the Temple of Zeus which stood steadfast just up a hill. The columns were beautifully carved and had stood the test of time. We weren't there for long, but we were there just long enough to take a few pictures of us inside the temple with the sun setting behind us.
Once we pulled up to the campsite, we all jumped out and unloaded. We were greeted by the scouts who were from Mugla, the main city of the province, not too far away. We moved our luggage into our base camp which was a lodge stationed right on the bay, with a beautiful view. After settling and being introduced, we had some food and relaxed a bit. Now having a name like Torvald Paasche, makes it difficult for Turks to address you, so I was given a variety of nick names. The most common one was Pasha (probably because of its striking similarity to my last name), which means "general", the others were Seri, or "yellow" in a reference to my hair. Spirits were high, and every one was excited that camp had started. So in order to reduce the energy levels, they all wanted me to teach them American Football. This worked to little success. I was able to teach them the basic principles, but they got hung up on the concept of downs, lines of scrimmage, and the fact that you can't pass the ball forward once it has already been passed. Eventually they got tired of not understanding what was happening, and we all wandered inside to a warm fire. Since it was dark when we arrived, and we didn't have time to pitch tents, most of the Manisa scouts slept inside for the night.
The next morning we woke to a breakfast of bread, jam, olives, and cheese, and after scarfing that down we were given free time for a bit. I used this free time to pitch my tent, which was a ground tarp and a few ropes. I intended to "rough it," this camp and show them what an American Scout was like. Most of them sat around and asked me what I was doing, since they had never seen anyone pitch a tent like this. After completing my shelter, I crawled inside and took a nap until lunch. Following lunch I indulged in another nap, and was then woken for a field trip. Our trip was to a small village tucked away in a valley. Back in the 18th and 19th century, the stone houses that made up the village were government housing for Greeks that were living in the Ottoman Empire. Now all of the houses are abandoned and seem to have been left to crumble. None the less it was very interesting to walk through the cobblestone streets of a decaying town. Once our adventure was over, we went for another little drive which put us on a wonderful little beach right at sunset. The falling sun reflected its beams off the crystal blue water or the crescent moon bay. As the sun continued to set, hues of pink and red colored the sky. I sat there on the sand and rocks enjoying a coke I had bought from the corner mart, while the other scouts tried to skip rocks off the waves. It was a very relaxing end to a rather sleepy day. That night I slept in my shelter. I lasted about half the night. It didn't take long for the bugs to find me, and once they did, they didn't leave me alone. Also, unknown to me, I pitched camp in a swampy area, which left my pad getting rather wet. Eventually I decided "At least I tried," then grabbed my gear, and retreated to the shelter of the tent my leader had so graciously pitched for me, knowing that I would hear about this in the morning.
Sitting around the breakfast table the following morning my scout leader asked me, "So Torvald, I heard you run away from your shelter, why was that." I really wasn't in the mood to argue my actions, so I simply responded that the bugs got to me and that it was wet. This put my leader off for a little bit, but I was still razzed throughout the day. Breakfast ended and I took another nap due to my lack of sleep the previous night. I was woken up for the days scouting lesson which was knots. Most of them I already knew, but there were some cool ones that our leader taught us. I was able to show the scouts there how to throw a figure-8 knot, which they were all amazed by, and made me feel proud of my skills. The rest of the day passed rather slow. Many games of Connect-4 and Backgammon were played until it was time for dinner. For dessert, I was commissioned to make s'mores for everyone. I really enjoyed sharing a part of American culture with them, and it felt even better when they all said they enjoyed it. Our leader made us chocolate cake, which made the evening even better. Songs were sang, guitars were played, s'mores and cake were eaten. It was a very nice night.
The rest of the week past much like the previous days. Unfortunately a storm rolled through which left us cabin bound. Friday evening the Mugla scouts left, which in turn left the lodge rather empty and quiet. Saturday rolled around, and we all cleaned up and packed. After some group pictures, we loaded up and drove home. It was strange returning to a house that I had just moved into, since it didn't really feel like I was returning home. None-the-less, I was greeted with open arms and a smile. My experience with the Turkish Scouts has been one of my favorite so far, and I really look forward to having more with them.
The crew from Manisa
Hosca Kalin
-Torvald
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Istanbul Too
My 2nd trip to the big city started out a little differently, but was just as rewarding. We decided to fly into Istanbul instead of taking a bus, so because the flight was so early in the morning, us Manisa kids bunked with our leader Goksin for the night. The flight was like any other flight with 8 other excited teenagers. I was rather mellow on the excitement scale mostly since I had already went to Istanbul the week before. Although the flight was ridiculously short, we still got drinks and a snack. Once Istanbul came into view, everyone could hardly hold in their excitement. Granted I was excited to be going back to explore the city more, but not to the caliber of my friends.
The plane touched down, we disembarked, collected what luggage was checked underneath, found our bus, and was on our way. Our first stop was our hotel, which was in the very heart of the ancient European side. Funny enough, I passed by it when I was with my host family the previous week. We spent our time in the lobby, wasting time until our tour guide showed up. When she did, it became apparent that I wouldn't be able to deal with her for the duration of our tour. She had a sickly sweet voice, talked way too much, and treated us like we had no idea what Turkey was like, even though she knew we'd been there for 3 months. Turns out I wasn't the only one thinking this. After a rather long introduction, we left to our first destination, the Blue Mosque. I had already been there, but it was nice to go again, and get a history lesson on it. The Blue Mosque is the only mosque in the world to have 6 minarets, the only one with more is the mosque is Mekah. It is called the blue mosque because of all the blue tiles on the inside. I can't remember the exact number, but there is a lot.
We were all starving by the time we left the mosque since the last thing we all ate was a slice of coffee cake on the plane. We ended up going to the same koftecesi I went to the last time I was in Istanbul with my family. Again I savored the warm, juicy morsels of ground beef. After enjoying a nice lunch we trekked to the Hagia Sophia.
When it was originally was made it was a church, and the largest of its kind. The original one burnt down, then it was rebuild, that one fell too, and now the one standing is the third model. Since it used to be a church there are beautiful mosaics of Christ and the Angel Gabriel, and other saints of Christianity. We were briefed on the history of the Hagia Sophia outside, so when we got in we had out own time to walk around. Upon entering, the low glow of artificial candle light lit the overwhelmingly large room. A ceiling of golden tiles glittered from above, and on the dark green stones I was standing on, a dull reflection of myself looked back at me. Huge disks with Arabic writing hung from the balcony. You could truly tell how heavily influenced this monument was by the religions of Islam and Christianity. I decided to take some alone time as I wandered around the halls. I found my way to the balcony just as the sun was setting. Through the windows that golden light flowed through. Looking through the panes, you could see the Blue Mosque and its minarets beautifully silhouetted against a blazing background. Sadly we had to leave the Hagia Sophia rather quickly because our whirlwind adventure had to continue.
Our next stop was the Grand Bazaar, but of course we were only given about 30 minutes to explore. Now I had already "seen" the Grand Bazaar. Upon exploring more of it, I had no idea of how extensive the largest undercover bazaar in the world could be. It was very easy to get lost. Eventually we got to a point where we couldn't tell where we were, we just went where our feet led us. Wherever we went there were shopkeepers shouting at us in multiple languages. Glass mosaic lamps glowed from multiple shops, hookahs of all sizes were displayed in many windows, and brand name clothes that were probably fake hung everywhere. I came out with some gloves and a new wallet. It was kind of sad to part with my old wallet since I had it since I was 9 and its one of the last things I have from my Grandpa. Eventually we were able to find our way out of the maze of shops and rejoined with everyone else. Since the sun had long since set, and the streets were now lit by lamps, we returned to our hotel.
We were given time to unwind and relax before we were going to go out to dinner just us students. Earlier we had gotten in contact with the students from the Istanbul district, so as we were getting ready, about 10 of the students from Istanbul graced us with their presence. We all introduced each other, it was a very warm moment. Max, our lonely Mexican, finally got the chance to speak Spanish, and let me tell you it was one of the funniest things. They were speaking so fast that at sometimes they're lips became a blur. We all laughed and talked our way to a small restaurant, sat down and had some toast. We then went to get some ice cream, and I witnessed the most hilarious display of keep-away in the world. If any of you are curious to what it is, YouTube "Turkish ice cream man tricks," I guarantee you will laugh. Most of them left at that point, we said our goodbyes and thanked them for a nice evening, then the rest of us returned to our hotel room for a small exchange student get together. We stayed up and talked and shared stories, it was a nice time. It got late, and the remaining students had to get home, so they too said their goodbyes and left.
The next morning we all woke up, went to get breakfast, got ready, and were hurried out the door
We went to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar first. I actually enjoyed the spice bazaar more. It was far less crowded, and the smells were amazing. Colorful spices were piled into high pyramids. Dried fruits and herbs were hung from all the shops. Neon signs glowed in the dim light. One of the shop keepers invited us in for a free drink of apple tea, which was delicious. We were offered samples everywhere. Turkish delight of many flavors overflowed from the bins they were in. It was one of my favorite places in Istanbul. After walking through the spice bazaar we went back to the Grand Bazaar for another brief tour. After we got on the bus, headed back to the hotel, grabbed our gear, and went to go catch our flight.
My travels through Istanbul left me in awe of how much of an amazing city it is. There is so much history and culture all packed into one place. I truly hope that I get to return to it sometime later in my exchange, and later in life.
Nice picture of the outside of the Hagia Sophia
Inside
From the balcony
Mosaic of the Angel Gabriel
Sunset over the Blue Mosque
Spices at the Spice Baazar
Neon signs
Hosca Kalin
-Torvald
The plane touched down, we disembarked, collected what luggage was checked underneath, found our bus, and was on our way. Our first stop was our hotel, which was in the very heart of the ancient European side. Funny enough, I passed by it when I was with my host family the previous week. We spent our time in the lobby, wasting time until our tour guide showed up. When she did, it became apparent that I wouldn't be able to deal with her for the duration of our tour. She had a sickly sweet voice, talked way too much, and treated us like we had no idea what Turkey was like, even though she knew we'd been there for 3 months. Turns out I wasn't the only one thinking this. After a rather long introduction, we left to our first destination, the Blue Mosque. I had already been there, but it was nice to go again, and get a history lesson on it. The Blue Mosque is the only mosque in the world to have 6 minarets, the only one with more is the mosque is Mekah. It is called the blue mosque because of all the blue tiles on the inside. I can't remember the exact number, but there is a lot.
We were all starving by the time we left the mosque since the last thing we all ate was a slice of coffee cake on the plane. We ended up going to the same koftecesi I went to the last time I was in Istanbul with my family. Again I savored the warm, juicy morsels of ground beef. After enjoying a nice lunch we trekked to the Hagia Sophia.
When it was originally was made it was a church, and the largest of its kind. The original one burnt down, then it was rebuild, that one fell too, and now the one standing is the third model. Since it used to be a church there are beautiful mosaics of Christ and the Angel Gabriel, and other saints of Christianity. We were briefed on the history of the Hagia Sophia outside, so when we got in we had out own time to walk around. Upon entering, the low glow of artificial candle light lit the overwhelmingly large room. A ceiling of golden tiles glittered from above, and on the dark green stones I was standing on, a dull reflection of myself looked back at me. Huge disks with Arabic writing hung from the balcony. You could truly tell how heavily influenced this monument was by the religions of Islam and Christianity. I decided to take some alone time as I wandered around the halls. I found my way to the balcony just as the sun was setting. Through the windows that golden light flowed through. Looking through the panes, you could see the Blue Mosque and its minarets beautifully silhouetted against a blazing background. Sadly we had to leave the Hagia Sophia rather quickly because our whirlwind adventure had to continue.
Our next stop was the Grand Bazaar, but of course we were only given about 30 minutes to explore. Now I had already "seen" the Grand Bazaar. Upon exploring more of it, I had no idea of how extensive the largest undercover bazaar in the world could be. It was very easy to get lost. Eventually we got to a point where we couldn't tell where we were, we just went where our feet led us. Wherever we went there were shopkeepers shouting at us in multiple languages. Glass mosaic lamps glowed from multiple shops, hookahs of all sizes were displayed in many windows, and brand name clothes that were probably fake hung everywhere. I came out with some gloves and a new wallet. It was kind of sad to part with my old wallet since I had it since I was 9 and its one of the last things I have from my Grandpa. Eventually we were able to find our way out of the maze of shops and rejoined with everyone else. Since the sun had long since set, and the streets were now lit by lamps, we returned to our hotel.
We were given time to unwind and relax before we were going to go out to dinner just us students. Earlier we had gotten in contact with the students from the Istanbul district, so as we were getting ready, about 10 of the students from Istanbul graced us with their presence. We all introduced each other, it was a very warm moment. Max, our lonely Mexican, finally got the chance to speak Spanish, and let me tell you it was one of the funniest things. They were speaking so fast that at sometimes they're lips became a blur. We all laughed and talked our way to a small restaurant, sat down and had some toast. We then went to get some ice cream, and I witnessed the most hilarious display of keep-away in the world. If any of you are curious to what it is, YouTube "Turkish ice cream man tricks," I guarantee you will laugh. Most of them left at that point, we said our goodbyes and thanked them for a nice evening, then the rest of us returned to our hotel room for a small exchange student get together. We stayed up and talked and shared stories, it was a nice time. It got late, and the remaining students had to get home, so they too said their goodbyes and left.
The next morning we all woke up, went to get breakfast, got ready, and were hurried out the door
We went to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar first. I actually enjoyed the spice bazaar more. It was far less crowded, and the smells were amazing. Colorful spices were piled into high pyramids. Dried fruits and herbs were hung from all the shops. Neon signs glowed in the dim light. One of the shop keepers invited us in for a free drink of apple tea, which was delicious. We were offered samples everywhere. Turkish delight of many flavors overflowed from the bins they were in. It was one of my favorite places in Istanbul. After walking through the spice bazaar we went back to the Grand Bazaar for another brief tour. After we got on the bus, headed back to the hotel, grabbed our gear, and went to go catch our flight.
My travels through Istanbul left me in awe of how much of an amazing city it is. There is so much history and culture all packed into one place. I truly hope that I get to return to it sometime later in my exchange, and later in life.
Hosca Kalin
-Torvald
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Istanbul
Istanbul is a little tricky to describe. Mostly because I had never been in a city like it ever before. I have been in very large cities before like Shanghai and Beijing, but none of them compared to Istanbul. There is just so much culture, and history packed into that city. Since there is so much to see and do in Istanbul, I had the wonderful chance to go twice in 2 weeks. First with my host family, then with the exchange students.
For my first journey to Istanbul, my family decided to pile into a car and undertake the 7 hour drive in 1 day. Unfortunately it was at night, so I didn't get to see most of the country side. But due to all the light pollution, I was able to see where is Istanbul was long before I actually saw it. Since Istanbul is on the other side of the Marmara, I finally got to get out and stretch my legs. Of course I decided to sit out in the cold wind as the boat made its journey across the little stretch of sea. The excitement that was building up inside me was overwhelming. It took only a little longer to get to my uncle's apartment, which was where we would be staying. Once we got in the door, there was a grand welcome waiting for us. My sister who is in university in Istanbul was there, along with, grandma, my uncle, his wife, their 3 year-old daughter, and my other uncle who I met at Bayram. Since we were all tired, after some brief conversation, we all went to sleep.
The next day I awoke to a huge breakfast and lots of questions. Most of them were repeats were repeats from before, but the newest one was "What would you like to see in Istanbul?" Of course I wanted to see as much as I could, but I didn't really know what there was aside from the Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar. Once we had finished planing we headed out for our day on the town. Now where we were staying is on the Asian side of Istanbul, and we were headed to the European part. To get the we had to take the commuter train to a ferry station, then hopped on the ferry and rode it across the Bosporus. That day the fog decided to lay a thin blanket over the city, so visibility wasn't very good, although I did see some really cool things on the ride between continents. The thought that I was traveling to a different continent was a pretty crazy thought.
The stop we got off at was crawling with fisherman, and cats, there were tons of cats. Weaving our way through the crowd we went to this bakery that had the best baklava I have ever had. It wasn't so sweet, but had just the right amount of honey so it was still crunchy. Walking out of the bakery I said "I could die right now, and be completely happy," and I still don't regret that. Since our next destination was at the top of a big hill, we decided to take the tram. This tram wasn't a street car, it was the 2nd oldest underground in the world, next to the one in London. We got off the tram at Taksim street, which was the night hub of Istanbul, and even during the day it was packed. Taksim is a street filled with small coffee shops, bars, stores, and lots of street art, so naturally I fell in love with it. We spent some time walking around the narrow back streets and stopped at this small diner for lunch where I tried Kokrech for the first time. Kokrech is sheep intestine, but it didn't taste too much like it.
We spent more time walking around Taksim street, and found our way to Taksim square. There we stopped for a snack that the Turks call "wet burgers" which taste remarkably similar to sloppy joes, but are much less sloppy. Can anyone guess who else ate here? Anthony Bourdain from No Reservations. I guess I'm just one step closer to getting my dream job. Night was beginning to fall, so we began to make our way back home. Now for those of you who haven't experienced rush hour in a city of 15 million, I don't suggest it. It's basically just the largest game of sardines in existence. To get home we had to push our way through a seething subway system, cram ourselves onto a cramped bus, and huddle onto the commuter train. Thankfully and nice warm dinner was awaiting us. It was a wonderful cap to an even more amazing day.
The next day we went to the Ancient European side. We took the same route to get there. This time on the ferry something cool happened. I was on the top deck looking out the Ancient part of Istanbul, when out of the corner of my eye, some dorsal fins pop out of the surf. At first I thought it was a small pod of whales. But when their faces surfaced, the sweet eyes of dolphins looked up at me. Needless to say I freaked out. I had seen dolphins before, even pet them. But I had never seen them in the wild, or even knew they lived in Istanbul! I scrambled for my camera and managed to get 1 picture before they disappeared. I ran down to family like an excited child on Christmas, right before I got to them, my sister turned to me and asked, "You saw the dolphins didn't you," in the most unimpressed tone ever. This popped a huge hole in my excitement. They went on to say how they were very common, and came around all the time. I was still very happy to have seen dolphins on my trip. A few minutes later we disembarked from the ferry.
The Ancient side of Istanbul is where all of the cool places are. We started out with the Gran Bazaar. It was such an amazing place. All of the shop owners were calling to potential customers, neon signs lit up the ceiling, colorful merchandise were presented from every window. I would have loved to explore it more. My family only stayed on the main avenue and left rather quickly since we had much more to see. Our next stop was the Blue Mosque. From the outside it was stunning, and the inside was just as breathtaking. It is still used for prayer, so all of the tourists are crammed into one section in order to allow people to pray somewhat peacefully. I've come to admire mosques much more than churches now. In Islam, idolization isn't part of their beliefs, so instead of having the face of Mohamed or other prophets painted on every wall, there are gorgeous tiles and geometric designs. Coming out of the Blue Mosque, you can see the Hagia Sophia from across the square. We didn't go into it, since I was going to be doing that next weekend and they wanted to leave some surprises.
We did find our way to the Basilica, which was only a short walk away. That's what's fun about the ancient side of Istanbul; everything is so close to everything. Walking down into the Basilica, a damp, warm breeze wafts towards you. Inside are rows and rows of dimly lit columns. It wasn't much, but there was a welcoming mystery to the man made cavern. Something about the warm musty air, and fish swimming lazily in the water contributed to an overall great atmosphere. When we emerged from the underground cave we walked along an ancient wall until we reached the harbor. There Alkin and I took a cab to the metro line, and headed to his uncle's house. His uncle lives up in the northern European side of Istanbul, almost to the Black Sea. There we had some Kokorech, which is sheep intestine, and then spent a quiet evening at his place. The next morning we walked along the Strait and had breakfast at this quaint little bakery. Afterwards we drove back to the other uncle's house in Asia, which meant we had to cross over the Bosporus bridge. It was like crossing any other bridge, but this one spanned 2 continents.
The rest of my days in Istanbul were spent at the house. We had a nice dinner, and another nice breakfast. Then we packed up and left. The car ride back was about as interesting as the ride there. The only difference was it was light out so I could see the surrounding area better. We got home to a very excited Shurup. After giving her some love, I went to unpack and unwind. I was very satisfied with my first trip to Istanbul, and couldn't wait for the next one in a week.
On the right you have Asia, on the left is Europe.
Best Baklava ever!
Galata Tower
The Non-Sloppy Joe burgers
Grand Bazaar
Blue Mosque
Inside the Blue Mosque
Basilica
Dolphins!
Fishing boat near the Black Sea
Goruscuruz
-Torvald
The Ancient side of Istanbul is where all of the cool places are. We started out with the Gran Bazaar. It was such an amazing place. All of the shop owners were calling to potential customers, neon signs lit up the ceiling, colorful merchandise were presented from every window. I would have loved to explore it more. My family only stayed on the main avenue and left rather quickly since we had much more to see. Our next stop was the Blue Mosque. From the outside it was stunning, and the inside was just as breathtaking. It is still used for prayer, so all of the tourists are crammed into one section in order to allow people to pray somewhat peacefully. I've come to admire mosques much more than churches now. In Islam, idolization isn't part of their beliefs, so instead of having the face of Mohamed or other prophets painted on every wall, there are gorgeous tiles and geometric designs. Coming out of the Blue Mosque, you can see the Hagia Sophia from across the square. We didn't go into it, since I was going to be doing that next weekend and they wanted to leave some surprises.
We did find our way to the Basilica, which was only a short walk away. That's what's fun about the ancient side of Istanbul; everything is so close to everything. Walking down into the Basilica, a damp, warm breeze wafts towards you. Inside are rows and rows of dimly lit columns. It wasn't much, but there was a welcoming mystery to the man made cavern. Something about the warm musty air, and fish swimming lazily in the water contributed to an overall great atmosphere. When we emerged from the underground cave we walked along an ancient wall until we reached the harbor. There Alkin and I took a cab to the metro line, and headed to his uncle's house. His uncle lives up in the northern European side of Istanbul, almost to the Black Sea. There we had some Kokorech, which is sheep intestine, and then spent a quiet evening at his place. The next morning we walked along the Strait and had breakfast at this quaint little bakery. Afterwards we drove back to the other uncle's house in Asia, which meant we had to cross over the Bosporus bridge. It was like crossing any other bridge, but this one spanned 2 continents.
The rest of my days in Istanbul were spent at the house. We had a nice dinner, and another nice breakfast. Then we packed up and left. The car ride back was about as interesting as the ride there. The only difference was it was light out so I could see the surrounding area better. We got home to a very excited Shurup. After giving her some love, I went to unpack and unwind. I was very satisfied with my first trip to Istanbul, and couldn't wait for the next one in a week.
Goruscuruz
-Torvald
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