Wow... I can't believe its been 4 months in Istanbul. If someone told me a year ago that I would be studying abroad in Turkey I would have just laughed and thought they were crazy! It's been a fun ride with some bumpy parts along the way, but that's life! I've got two more tests on Tuesday and Wednesday before my flight on Friday. I had my first final on Thursday afternoon and it was much easier than I expected. It was two essay questions and two short answers that were much open ended and objective than I expected. My professor wrote on the top that she wanted the essay to be mostly our opinion. A welcome break from merely writing every fact that I've learned over the semester! I had another test on Friday night that I studied all day for. I arrived at the room for the exam and our professor informed us that it was going to be an open book/note essay test due Sunday at 5 pm. I was pretty upset at first because I had just spent the entire day studying for the class and wanted it done with, but I really shouldn't complain to having an additional two days or to being able to use my notes and readings. Below you'll find my list of things that I want to do in Boston next year. It's just what I can think of off the top of my head, but I'm open to suggestions!
1. Visit the Museum of Science (I think I've been talking about visiting since Freshman year, but haven't actually gone... it's a must)
2. Take in a game at Fenway (Preferably a playoff game, but we'll see what happens the rest of the season... If they make the playoffs I'll spend the money to get a ticket!)
3. Tour the Sam Adams Brewery (I'm not that big of a drinker, but Sam Adams Summer Ale is quite good... Plus, who can turn down a free tour and free sampling of various beers)
4. New England Holocaust Museum
5. Attend a Boston Pops Concert
6. Outdoor concert at the Boston Commons
7. Boston Auto Show (Didn't even know they had one in Boston... Remind me to check this again in September to find out the date!)
8. Visit the North End
9. Beantown Jazz Festival
10. Attend a few Celtics games
Well that's just a few for now, but I'm sure I'll think of more. Might have to get a tripadvisor book for Boston! Not sure if I'll post again while in Istanbul, but I can't wait to see everyone at home. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed what I had to say!
See you soon,
Brett
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Hello Again,
School is winding down. Can't believe I'm going to be home in two weeks. I'm excited to return, but I'm really starting to feel as if Istanbul and the university are my second home. I guess that's a good thing! It's been a long four months, but it's been worth it. I've been busy the past few days getting papers written. I've got 2 down and 1 to go. So far I've written two 8 page book reports and now I have to write a 10 page research paper on the evolution of the EU response to terrorism since the 2004 Madrid Bombings and the 2005 London Bombings. I'm hoping to have it written by Saturday so that Sunday I can go to Princes Island. After that's done, I've got 4 finals and then its SUMMER!! The University has been quite "alive" the past few days. This weekend is International Sports Fest. It's kind of like the olympics for college. There's teams from all over the world (Russia, Croatia, Denmark, UK, Germany, Russia to name a few) at the University to compete in lots of different sports. Last night, there was an opening ceremony held at the stadium next to my dorm. The opening ceremony was much the same as the olympics with all the teams entering onto the track with their flags, their were fireworks, and the singing of the Turkish national anthem. It was really cool! The only downside is that I can't play basketball over the weekend because the courts are being used for games.
Over the past few days, I've been thinking a lot about my experiences from the trip and I wanted to write about what I've learned from coming to Turkey. I think the most common question I get is why did I want to come to Turkey? I've always given the generic answer: I'm studying the Middle East and I wanted to go somewhere different, but I don't think that's really why I came. I think I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of going to a country where I didn't know the language, didn't know a single person, and a long ways from home. Deciding to come to Turkey was a spontaneous decision. I remember sitting in my room, going through my emails and saw one from the study abroad office. On a whim, I contacted the office and made an appointment to talk about the trip to Turkey. I think I was drawn to the program because it represented such a gigantic challenge and it was completely out of comfort zone. Since arriving, I've learned that I shouldn't be afraid to try something new. I can accomplish anything if I have the right mindset and the dedication to get it done.
In Boston, I haven't taken advantage of seeing the city. I've remained confined to the parameters of the BU campus and I can't really say that I know Boston. Leaving my dorm room and hopping on the T to explore the city was never something I did, but its what I want to do next year. Being in Istanbul, I was forced to figure everything out on my own from the food, to the transportation system, to the language barrier. Therefore, I could say that I have pretty good excuse for not seeing the city. Let me tell you, its scary trying to see a city when you have no idea where you're going and everyone looks at you strangely, and you don't speak the language. In Istanbul, I've had plenty of excuses for not leaving my dorm and seeing the sights, but after the first couple weeks here I had to make a decision not to let that stop me, and I didn't. I'm proud of myself for figuring out a strange and foreign city on my own. When I get home, seeing Boston should be a breeze and if I fail to see the city the blame falls on me. I guess what I'm trying to say is that being in Istanbul has taught me that its okay to be scared of new surroundings, but if I don't take advantage of everything around me, I'll regret it in the future.
I've learned that life is just one big adventure. Someday, when I have kids I want to be able to tell them that they should take advantage of every opportunity, but when I do say that I don't want to be a hypocrite. I want to stop being cautious and start taking risks. Some opportunities only come around once in life and I don't want to have regrets about something I did not do. I think my family would definitely describe me as cheap. I hardly ever spend my money. I rationalize not purchasing something or doing a social activity because I might need the money in the future. But what's in the future that can't be done today? For 22 years, I've lived with the goals of saving my money for the big purchases I'll have to make post college like a car, house, etc. As a friend told me on the trip, money can be replaced through hard work, but opportunities might not come twice. When I get home, I want to start living more in the moment and stop thinking about 5 years from now. It's okay to be thrifty and savvy, but its a problem if I'm cheap.
I think going abroad was the best decision I could have made. I don't think I can give an exact reason as to why I wanted to come. When I made the decision to come, I needed to escape from Boston and the US. I was becoming too comfortable with who I was, and being Istanbul has helped me grow as an individual. I've gained a new perspective on not just the world, but myself as well. I think I'll come home a different person with a new perspective on living. One willing to embrace all opportunities that come my way and willing to try new things.
I've still got a couple more blog entries left to write on my plans for Boston and the things I most miss from home, but I wanted to thank everyone for reading my blog. I've loved reading the comments and receiving the emails.
Talk later... Brett
School is winding down. Can't believe I'm going to be home in two weeks. I'm excited to return, but I'm really starting to feel as if Istanbul and the university are my second home. I guess that's a good thing! It's been a long four months, but it's been worth it. I've been busy the past few days getting papers written. I've got 2 down and 1 to go. So far I've written two 8 page book reports and now I have to write a 10 page research paper on the evolution of the EU response to terrorism since the 2004 Madrid Bombings and the 2005 London Bombings. I'm hoping to have it written by Saturday so that Sunday I can go to Princes Island. After that's done, I've got 4 finals and then its SUMMER!! The University has been quite "alive" the past few days. This weekend is International Sports Fest. It's kind of like the olympics for college. There's teams from all over the world (Russia, Croatia, Denmark, UK, Germany, Russia to name a few) at the University to compete in lots of different sports. Last night, there was an opening ceremony held at the stadium next to my dorm. The opening ceremony was much the same as the olympics with all the teams entering onto the track with their flags, their were fireworks, and the singing of the Turkish national anthem. It was really cool! The only downside is that I can't play basketball over the weekend because the courts are being used for games.
Over the past few days, I've been thinking a lot about my experiences from the trip and I wanted to write about what I've learned from coming to Turkey. I think the most common question I get is why did I want to come to Turkey? I've always given the generic answer: I'm studying the Middle East and I wanted to go somewhere different, but I don't think that's really why I came. I think I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of going to a country where I didn't know the language, didn't know a single person, and a long ways from home. Deciding to come to Turkey was a spontaneous decision. I remember sitting in my room, going through my emails and saw one from the study abroad office. On a whim, I contacted the office and made an appointment to talk about the trip to Turkey. I think I was drawn to the program because it represented such a gigantic challenge and it was completely out of comfort zone. Since arriving, I've learned that I shouldn't be afraid to try something new. I can accomplish anything if I have the right mindset and the dedication to get it done.
In Boston, I haven't taken advantage of seeing the city. I've remained confined to the parameters of the BU campus and I can't really say that I know Boston. Leaving my dorm room and hopping on the T to explore the city was never something I did, but its what I want to do next year. Being in Istanbul, I was forced to figure everything out on my own from the food, to the transportation system, to the language barrier. Therefore, I could say that I have pretty good excuse for not seeing the city. Let me tell you, its scary trying to see a city when you have no idea where you're going and everyone looks at you strangely, and you don't speak the language. In Istanbul, I've had plenty of excuses for not leaving my dorm and seeing the sights, but after the first couple weeks here I had to make a decision not to let that stop me, and I didn't. I'm proud of myself for figuring out a strange and foreign city on my own. When I get home, seeing Boston should be a breeze and if I fail to see the city the blame falls on me. I guess what I'm trying to say is that being in Istanbul has taught me that its okay to be scared of new surroundings, but if I don't take advantage of everything around me, I'll regret it in the future.
I've learned that life is just one big adventure. Someday, when I have kids I want to be able to tell them that they should take advantage of every opportunity, but when I do say that I don't want to be a hypocrite. I want to stop being cautious and start taking risks. Some opportunities only come around once in life and I don't want to have regrets about something I did not do. I think my family would definitely describe me as cheap. I hardly ever spend my money. I rationalize not purchasing something or doing a social activity because I might need the money in the future. But what's in the future that can't be done today? For 22 years, I've lived with the goals of saving my money for the big purchases I'll have to make post college like a car, house, etc. As a friend told me on the trip, money can be replaced through hard work, but opportunities might not come twice. When I get home, I want to start living more in the moment and stop thinking about 5 years from now. It's okay to be thrifty and savvy, but its a problem if I'm cheap.
I think going abroad was the best decision I could have made. I don't think I can give an exact reason as to why I wanted to come. When I made the decision to come, I needed to escape from Boston and the US. I was becoming too comfortable with who I was, and being Istanbul has helped me grow as an individual. I've gained a new perspective on not just the world, but myself as well. I think I'll come home a different person with a new perspective on living. One willing to embrace all opportunities that come my way and willing to try new things.
I've still got a couple more blog entries left to write on my plans for Boston and the things I most miss from home, but I wanted to thank everyone for reading my blog. I've loved reading the comments and receiving the emails.
Talk later... Brett
Monday, May 17, 2010
Hi Everyone,
Can't believe I only have a little over two weeks left here. I've had fun, but I'm ready for home. Classes end on May 27th and then I have four finals before leaving for Boston on the 4th. Between now and then, I have two papers to finish (basically done with both) and a 10 page essay that I need to begin. The 10 page research paper should be pretty interesting. I'm writing about the evolution of the EU's response to terrorism since the Madrid and London bombings in 2004. I'm writing it for what I thought would be my favorite class: European Foreign and Security Policy. Unfortunately, the class has only touched briefly on security issues and instead has focused almost entirely on economics. My professor, who I have since found out is trained as an economist, attempts to tie all the issues to security, but only in the vaguest possible sense. Besides for the paper, I have a birthday party to attend tomorrow night and a holiday on Wednesday. This weekend I want to go to Princes Island for the day (check out the wikipedia page for more info) and back to the Sirkeci Konak hotel for tea with the staff. However, I may save the trip to the hotel for my last day in the city.
On Saturday I went with three other people to the Istanbul equivalent of Embassy Row in D.C. Located in historic Taksim, many of the embassies are located along Istiklal Caddesi. Unfortunately, the US embassy is not located on the street, but I was able to see the British Consulate, the Netherlands Consulate, the Russian Consulate, the Australian Consulate, the Swedish Consulate, and the French Embassy. The buildings housing the embassies are really grand and beautiful. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and I was afraid of rain so I decided not to bring my camera. Plus, its nice to just walk around without always stopping to take photos! We walked for maybe three miles and had lunch at a sidewalk cafe. Now that the weather is nice all the restaurants are offering seating outside. I'm definitely glad I was in Istanbul during the Spring because it has been beautiful. Since the end of April its only rained once or twice and its been in the 70s everyday... my kind of weather!
Alright that's all for now. If I make it to Princes Island I'll definitely write about that, but with exams coming up and papers to write I may not write too many more posts. However, I've got a few ideas for my last couple posts. So stay tuned for posts about what I learned about myself while abroad, what I missed most/what I did not miss most about the States while being away, and my plans to explore Boston as much as possible next year. Can't believe that I'm graduating in less than a year... Yikes!!!
Talk soon... Love, Brett
Can't believe I only have a little over two weeks left here. I've had fun, but I'm ready for home. Classes end on May 27th and then I have four finals before leaving for Boston on the 4th. Between now and then, I have two papers to finish (basically done with both) and a 10 page essay that I need to begin. The 10 page research paper should be pretty interesting. I'm writing about the evolution of the EU's response to terrorism since the Madrid and London bombings in 2004. I'm writing it for what I thought would be my favorite class: European Foreign and Security Policy. Unfortunately, the class has only touched briefly on security issues and instead has focused almost entirely on economics. My professor, who I have since found out is trained as an economist, attempts to tie all the issues to security, but only in the vaguest possible sense. Besides for the paper, I have a birthday party to attend tomorrow night and a holiday on Wednesday. This weekend I want to go to Princes Island for the day (check out the wikipedia page for more info) and back to the Sirkeci Konak hotel for tea with the staff. However, I may save the trip to the hotel for my last day in the city.
On Saturday I went with three other people to the Istanbul equivalent of Embassy Row in D.C. Located in historic Taksim, many of the embassies are located along Istiklal Caddesi. Unfortunately, the US embassy is not located on the street, but I was able to see the British Consulate, the Netherlands Consulate, the Russian Consulate, the Australian Consulate, the Swedish Consulate, and the French Embassy. The buildings housing the embassies are really grand and beautiful. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and I was afraid of rain so I decided not to bring my camera. Plus, its nice to just walk around without always stopping to take photos! We walked for maybe three miles and had lunch at a sidewalk cafe. Now that the weather is nice all the restaurants are offering seating outside. I'm definitely glad I was in Istanbul during the Spring because it has been beautiful. Since the end of April its only rained once or twice and its been in the 70s everyday... my kind of weather!
Alright that's all for now. If I make it to Princes Island I'll definitely write about that, but with exams coming up and papers to write I may not write too many more posts. However, I've got a few ideas for my last couple posts. So stay tuned for posts about what I learned about myself while abroad, what I missed most/what I did not miss most about the States while being away, and my plans to explore Boston as much as possible next year. Can't believe that I'm graduating in less than a year... Yikes!!!
Talk soon... Love, Brett
Thursday, May 6, 2010
More Adventures!
Thanks to an email from Mom I have finally remembered what we did on Thursday! After talking to another guest at the hotel, she recommended that we get an early start to the day to avoid hawkers and shop owners on the street. It seemed that everywhere we go shop owners would be standing outside their stores yelling at us and trying to encourage use to go in inside and spend our money. Bailey, the typical New Yorker, was able to ignore their pleas; however, Mom and I were more apt to engage in conversation. Regardless, Thursday started with another delicious breakfast at the hotel and then a return to the Grand Bazaar. As this was our second visit, I was under the impression that the Bazaar would be a quick visit for Mom and Bailey to go back to the same scarf store from Tuesday to search for a few more. However, the minutes slowly ticked by and when they were finally ready to leave it had been an hour. Let's hope everyone likes their scarves!
After the Grand Bazaar we walked through the cobble stones streets towards the water where the Spice market is located. The spice market is a long hallway full of small shops/stands selling dried fruits, teas, herbs, spices, and many different varieties of nuts. The best part was that many shops offered small samples of their different foods. Every shop seemed to sell the same thing. All I could think about was how the shopkeepers would be so much better off if they created one giant store than individual ones selling identical products. However, that would completely ruin the image of the Spice Bazaar and would make it more like a Sam's Club or supermarket.
In the afternoon, we went to Topkapi Palace to visit the Harem. The Harem was home to the Sultan's mother, the concubines, the wives of the sultan, his family, and their servants. Located within the private apartments of the sultan, the Harem once contained over 400 rooms; however, our tour of the harem consisted of about 20. Unfortunately, its hard to describe the Harem so that someone who hadn't been there could understand, but suffice it to say the architecture, the design, and the overall concept of the building was quite amazing to see and imagine. Check out pictures on google and shutterfly to get a better understanding of what it looks like.
At 5, Mom and Bailey participated in a complimentary wine tasting at the hotel while I jogged away on the treadmill! Somehow, we had managed to skip lunch, and by the time the wine tasting ended at 6:30 I was ravenous. While Mom and I went to eat dinner at a "traditional" Turkish restaurant Bailey stayed at the hotel to prepare for her "date." I don't want to spoil Bailey's story and undoubtedly I won't accurately state the details, but I'll give a brief run down. On the flight from JFK to Istanbul, one of the Turkish flight attendants, Adem, took quite the liking to Bailey. It also just so happened that his best friend worked at the hotel we were staying at. Not knowing who his friend was, several nights earlier Bailey asked our waiter at the hotel if he knew Adem... turns out Adem was one of his best friends! Ten minutes later the waiter, Engin, reappeared holding the phone out to Bailey. After hearing Bailey's story, Engin had called his friend and told him what was happening! Long story short, Adem asked to see Bailey and they set a date for Thursday night.
After a quick dinner of lamb kebabs with rice and vegetables, Mom and I returned to the hotel to meet Adem before they left. We spent about 30 minutes talking with him. He was extremely nice, but very nervous. He kept playing with his hands, laughing nervously, and squeezing my shoulders. Bailey and Adem left for dinner by the water around 8:30. After a few games of backgammon Mom and I went to bed. Not until Friday morning did I learn that Bailey had been out till past midnight! Turns out Adem is not her knight in shining armor! Oh, and even more weird of a coincidence is that he also happened to be their flight attendant on the way home! Some might call this fate....
Needless to say, Bailey and Mom were both very tired Friday morning, but we still went to the archaeology museum. I think of all the places I've been in Istanbul this is my favorite museum. Unfortunately, to see everything you'd have to spend at least a day at the museum. The museum itself was endless; stretching through many hallways and floors. I thought it was never going to end. We ended up spending about 3 hours at the museum and only saw half of it. In the afternoon, Bailey and Mom went for a Turkish bath while hung out reading my new books and using the treadmill. I had been skeptical of doing a Turkish bath because the concept of it freaks me out a little, but I'm going to do it before I leave. Who knows if I'll ever be back, so I might as well do it once! After the bath, we met back in the lobby for cooking lessons. There were about 12 of us participating in the cooking lesson and we were led into the kitchen and given chefs hats and aprons. Each of us was given a cutting board and knife. I wish I could remember what we made, but I don't! I think Mom has the recipe. We made a traditional appetizer and main course. It was a lot of fun because we were all actively involved. The chef, who spoke very little English, would show us what to do and then we "attempted" to do the same. Afterwards, we were led back to the dining room and given a complimentary meal of what we had made. Unfortunately, using the treadmill had suppressed my appetite and I was not hungry until after the meal ended. With the dinner complete, I walked to a small food stand by the water and ordered a döner sandwich. Doner is the term for the rotating roasting meet found outside of many cafes and small restaurants. Traditionally, the meat is lamb, but I chose to have chicken. The meat is suspended vertically and is cut off horizontally. Next, the meat is placed between fresh bread (pita roll or french bread) and topped with lettuce, tomato, and spices. Its delicious and the meat is very tender and juicy. I topped the meal off with an chocolate and vanilla ice cream bar that was quite tasty!
That pretty much completes the week. It was awesome, and I am really glad that Mom and Bailey were able to visit. It gives me the extra push needed to make it through the last four weeks. I'm really enjoying my time here, but I'm definitely looking forward to coming home.
That's all for now. Hope everything is well at home!
Love,
Brett
After the Grand Bazaar we walked through the cobble stones streets towards the water where the Spice market is located. The spice market is a long hallway full of small shops/stands selling dried fruits, teas, herbs, spices, and many different varieties of nuts. The best part was that many shops offered small samples of their different foods. Every shop seemed to sell the same thing. All I could think about was how the shopkeepers would be so much better off if they created one giant store than individual ones selling identical products. However, that would completely ruin the image of the Spice Bazaar and would make it more like a Sam's Club or supermarket.
In the afternoon, we went to Topkapi Palace to visit the Harem. The Harem was home to the Sultan's mother, the concubines, the wives of the sultan, his family, and their servants. Located within the private apartments of the sultan, the Harem once contained over 400 rooms; however, our tour of the harem consisted of about 20. Unfortunately, its hard to describe the Harem so that someone who hadn't been there could understand, but suffice it to say the architecture, the design, and the overall concept of the building was quite amazing to see and imagine. Check out pictures on google and shutterfly to get a better understanding of what it looks like.
At 5, Mom and Bailey participated in a complimentary wine tasting at the hotel while I jogged away on the treadmill! Somehow, we had managed to skip lunch, and by the time the wine tasting ended at 6:30 I was ravenous. While Mom and I went to eat dinner at a "traditional" Turkish restaurant Bailey stayed at the hotel to prepare for her "date." I don't want to spoil Bailey's story and undoubtedly I won't accurately state the details, but I'll give a brief run down. On the flight from JFK to Istanbul, one of the Turkish flight attendants, Adem, took quite the liking to Bailey. It also just so happened that his best friend worked at the hotel we were staying at. Not knowing who his friend was, several nights earlier Bailey asked our waiter at the hotel if he knew Adem... turns out Adem was one of his best friends! Ten minutes later the waiter, Engin, reappeared holding the phone out to Bailey. After hearing Bailey's story, Engin had called his friend and told him what was happening! Long story short, Adem asked to see Bailey and they set a date for Thursday night.
After a quick dinner of lamb kebabs with rice and vegetables, Mom and I returned to the hotel to meet Adem before they left. We spent about 30 minutes talking with him. He was extremely nice, but very nervous. He kept playing with his hands, laughing nervously, and squeezing my shoulders. Bailey and Adem left for dinner by the water around 8:30. After a few games of backgammon Mom and I went to bed. Not until Friday morning did I learn that Bailey had been out till past midnight! Turns out Adem is not her knight in shining armor! Oh, and even more weird of a coincidence is that he also happened to be their flight attendant on the way home! Some might call this fate....
Needless to say, Bailey and Mom were both very tired Friday morning, but we still went to the archaeology museum. I think of all the places I've been in Istanbul this is my favorite museum. Unfortunately, to see everything you'd have to spend at least a day at the museum. The museum itself was endless; stretching through many hallways and floors. I thought it was never going to end. We ended up spending about 3 hours at the museum and only saw half of it. In the afternoon, Bailey and Mom went for a Turkish bath while hung out reading my new books and using the treadmill. I had been skeptical of doing a Turkish bath because the concept of it freaks me out a little, but I'm going to do it before I leave. Who knows if I'll ever be back, so I might as well do it once! After the bath, we met back in the lobby for cooking lessons. There were about 12 of us participating in the cooking lesson and we were led into the kitchen and given chefs hats and aprons. Each of us was given a cutting board and knife. I wish I could remember what we made, but I don't! I think Mom has the recipe. We made a traditional appetizer and main course. It was a lot of fun because we were all actively involved. The chef, who spoke very little English, would show us what to do and then we "attempted" to do the same. Afterwards, we were led back to the dining room and given a complimentary meal of what we had made. Unfortunately, using the treadmill had suppressed my appetite and I was not hungry until after the meal ended. With the dinner complete, I walked to a small food stand by the water and ordered a döner sandwich. Doner is the term for the rotating roasting meet found outside of many cafes and small restaurants. Traditionally, the meat is lamb, but I chose to have chicken. The meat is suspended vertically and is cut off horizontally. Next, the meat is placed between fresh bread (pita roll or french bread) and topped with lettuce, tomato, and spices. Its delicious and the meat is very tender and juicy. I topped the meal off with an chocolate and vanilla ice cream bar that was quite tasty!
That pretty much completes the week. It was awesome, and I am really glad that Mom and Bailey were able to visit. It gives me the extra push needed to make it through the last four weeks. I'm really enjoying my time here, but I'm definitely looking forward to coming home.
That's all for now. Hope everything is well at home!
Love,
Brett
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Vacation Continued
We began wednesday bright and early by opening a few of my birthday gifts. It was nice to be able to open a few gifts. I loved getting three new books, a couple magazines, and a variety of snack foods from Bailey! Since we didn't make it to the University on Tuesday we went today. To get to the school, we took the tram and a bus. In all, the trip took about an hour which gives you a good idea of how far away I am from the heart of the city. We got off the bus a few stops early so that Mom and Bailey could see the main street, Nispetiye Caddessi, that I am on. After a brief stop at the superdorm which both Mom and Bailey described as being cold and uninviting we walked the fifteen minutes to the campus. Luckily, we had beautiful weather and we were able to get some really nice photos of the campus with the flowers blooming and the bosphorus in the background. Speaking of which, new photos are up on shutterfly. From the university, we walked down the hill to Bebek, the wealthy neighborhood near the school along the water. I wish that you could all see the hills in Istanbul. You have to be in great shape to even think about walking up (or down) one. We went to the "Happily Ever After" cafe for lunch where Mom and my meals added together did not equal the cost of Bailey's fish that was served whole on the plate. I think she had about four bites of it! After lunch, we worked our way back to the hotel via the bus and the tram.
Unbeknownst to me the hotel had a birthday surprise of its for me. While sitting in the lobby checking my email the lights dimmed and about 8 staff members came out singing happy birthday and carrying a cake. To top it off, I was given a wrapped president containing a really nice tea cup and saucer set. I think everyone sitting in the lobby was glad it was my birthday as they got a piece of cake too! After dinner, Mom and Bailey surprised me in the room with hostess cupcakes for the three of us! They were quite tasty.
I was going to write about Thursday as well, but I'm completely forgetting what we did so I'll have to wait till tomorrow to do that. Instead, I'll go back and finish some reading for class. Now that there's only a few weeks left in the semester I have a lot of papers and projects do.
I'll write more tomorrow,
Brett
Unbeknownst to me the hotel had a birthday surprise of its for me. While sitting in the lobby checking my email the lights dimmed and about 8 staff members came out singing happy birthday and carrying a cake. To top it off, I was given a wrapped president containing a really nice tea cup and saucer set. I think everyone sitting in the lobby was glad it was my birthday as they got a piece of cake too! After dinner, Mom and Bailey surprised me in the room with hostess cupcakes for the three of us! They were quite tasty.
I was going to write about Thursday as well, but I'm completely forgetting what we did so I'll have to wait till tomorrow to do that. Instead, I'll go back and finish some reading for class. Now that there's only a few weeks left in the semester I have a lot of papers and projects do.
I'll write more tomorrow,
Brett
Monday, May 3, 2010
Spring Break with Bailey and Mom
Hey Guys,
Sorry for the delay in writing, but I've been busy catching up on work in preparation for this week. Unless I'm feeling super ambitious I probably won't write about each day that Mom and Bailey were here in this post, but I will soon.
So on Sunday I went to the hotel, the Sirkeci Konak, to meet Mom and Bailey. I really had no idea how long it would take me to get there/where the hotel was so I left with lots of time to spare. Getting to the hotel was easy and required only a bus, tram, and a 5 minute walk. I arrived at the hotel around 11 and read the newspaper in the lobby (first newspaper I've read in 3 months!). It seemed that every few minutes I would look up to the front door opening in hopes that Mom and Bailey were arriving. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity one of the guys at the front desk lit up in a huge smile and started waving frantically at me to come to the front door... there they were! Looking a little tired, we settled in to the hotel and went out for a walk in the nearby Gulhane Park. The park is absolutely beautiful and runs parallel to the Bosphorus. Unfortunately, it also happens to be the worst place for people with allergies. It was literally raining pollen. I could have walked for a couple hours, but I had to keep reminding myself that Bailey and Mom had just come off a 10 hour flight. After about an hour, we headed back to the hotel where Mom took a nap and Bailey went for a swim. I embarked on a mission to the gym to determine if I had lost any endurance since I arrived... I have not! As a nice perk, the hotel offered a free dinner at any of their five restaurants. We went to Imbat, a restaurant on the top floor of a nearby hotel. The view was spectacular and the food was quite tasty.
Monday was a beautiful day in the low 60s. After enjoying a splendid breakfast buffet of both traditional turkish cuisine like olives, cheese, cucumbers, etc. and american cuisine such as danishes and cereal we set out for a 6 hour bosphorus boat cruise. It was a little chilly on the water, but the views more than made up for the cold. Mom and Bailey were able to get a glimpse of my university for the water. We took the ferry to Anadolu Kavağı on the Asian side of Istanbul. Anadolu Kavağı is a traditional fishing village situated on the banks of the river. After hiking up to an old fortress where we were able to see the Black Sea we walked through the village and had lunch. Unfortunately for Bailey, a stray and very unfriendly cat kept following her wherever she went hoping to get the crumbs from her meal. Next, we took the ferry back towards our hotel about three stops before getting off to take the bus back towards the hotel. Personally, the Bosphorus tour was the highlight of the week as it was really cool to see the city from the water. You can't really picture how large it is until you see just how spread out everything is along the water.
We were planning to head to the university on Tuesday; however, I mistakenly led us in the wrong direction from the hotel. By the time, I realized the mistake we decided to postpone the university to Wednesday and visit the tourist sites in the area. First, we went to the Grand Bazaar. I can't even begin to adequately describe the Bazaar, but it seemed to be a never ending maze and sea of people. Every few steps another shop owner would yell at you in English to come to their store. As Mom and Bailey shopped for scarves, I listened intently to the various shop owners speaking a multitude of languages like French, Spanish, English, Turkish, and Chinese. I think the shopkeepers must pick up the basics of each language so that they can talk to all their customers. It was really fascinating to watch and listen to. We also visited the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Basilica Cisterns (underground water chambers). That evening we participated in backgammon lessons taught by a few of the staff at the hotel. Backgammon is much more of a strategic game than I anticipated and I can't wait to play when I get home. Whereas what took us about 20 minutes to play a game took two of the staff members about 5 minutes. Luckily, they were quite patient with us and always willing to answer our questions. Although, I do think they found our initial ineptitude and curiosity quite amusing.
I'll write more about our adventures tomorrow.
Love,
Brett
Sorry for the delay in writing, but I've been busy catching up on work in preparation for this week. Unless I'm feeling super ambitious I probably won't write about each day that Mom and Bailey were here in this post, but I will soon.
So on Sunday I went to the hotel, the Sirkeci Konak, to meet Mom and Bailey. I really had no idea how long it would take me to get there/where the hotel was so I left with lots of time to spare. Getting to the hotel was easy and required only a bus, tram, and a 5 minute walk. I arrived at the hotel around 11 and read the newspaper in the lobby (first newspaper I've read in 3 months!). It seemed that every few minutes I would look up to the front door opening in hopes that Mom and Bailey were arriving. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity one of the guys at the front desk lit up in a huge smile and started waving frantically at me to come to the front door... there they were! Looking a little tired, we settled in to the hotel and went out for a walk in the nearby Gulhane Park. The park is absolutely beautiful and runs parallel to the Bosphorus. Unfortunately, it also happens to be the worst place for people with allergies. It was literally raining pollen. I could have walked for a couple hours, but I had to keep reminding myself that Bailey and Mom had just come off a 10 hour flight. After about an hour, we headed back to the hotel where Mom took a nap and Bailey went for a swim. I embarked on a mission to the gym to determine if I had lost any endurance since I arrived... I have not! As a nice perk, the hotel offered a free dinner at any of their five restaurants. We went to Imbat, a restaurant on the top floor of a nearby hotel. The view was spectacular and the food was quite tasty.
Monday was a beautiful day in the low 60s. After enjoying a splendid breakfast buffet of both traditional turkish cuisine like olives, cheese, cucumbers, etc. and american cuisine such as danishes and cereal we set out for a 6 hour bosphorus boat cruise. It was a little chilly on the water, but the views more than made up for the cold. Mom and Bailey were able to get a glimpse of my university for the water. We took the ferry to Anadolu Kavağı on the Asian side of Istanbul. Anadolu Kavağı is a traditional fishing village situated on the banks of the river. After hiking up to an old fortress where we were able to see the Black Sea we walked through the village and had lunch. Unfortunately for Bailey, a stray and very unfriendly cat kept following her wherever she went hoping to get the crumbs from her meal. Next, we took the ferry back towards our hotel about three stops before getting off to take the bus back towards the hotel. Personally, the Bosphorus tour was the highlight of the week as it was really cool to see the city from the water. You can't really picture how large it is until you see just how spread out everything is along the water.
We were planning to head to the university on Tuesday; however, I mistakenly led us in the wrong direction from the hotel. By the time, I realized the mistake we decided to postpone the university to Wednesday and visit the tourist sites in the area. First, we went to the Grand Bazaar. I can't even begin to adequately describe the Bazaar, but it seemed to be a never ending maze and sea of people. Every few steps another shop owner would yell at you in English to come to their store. As Mom and Bailey shopped for scarves, I listened intently to the various shop owners speaking a multitude of languages like French, Spanish, English, Turkish, and Chinese. I think the shopkeepers must pick up the basics of each language so that they can talk to all their customers. It was really fascinating to watch and listen to. We also visited the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Basilica Cisterns (underground water chambers). That evening we participated in backgammon lessons taught by a few of the staff at the hotel. Backgammon is much more of a strategic game than I anticipated and I can't wait to play when I get home. Whereas what took us about 20 minutes to play a game took two of the staff members about 5 minutes. Luckily, they were quite patient with us and always willing to answer our questions. Although, I do think they found our initial ineptitude and curiosity quite amusing.
I'll write more about our adventures tomorrow.
Love,
Brett
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Mom and Bailey Arrive in Istanbul
Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to let you all know that Bailey and mom are safely in Istanbul. They arrived at the hotel around 12 and spent the day in a sleep deprived state! The hotel is really nice and the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. We didn't do to much today, but we walked around the neighborhood and had a nice dinner on the rooftop of a local hotel. The view was awesome! We're planning to visit my campus and Bebek tomorrow morning/afternoon before our Turkish cooking lesson at 5.
Talk later,
Brett
Just wanted to let you all know that Bailey and mom are safely in Istanbul. They arrived at the hotel around 12 and spent the day in a sleep deprived state! The hotel is really nice and the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. We didn't do to much today, but we walked around the neighborhood and had a nice dinner on the rooftop of a local hotel. The view was awesome! We're planning to visit my campus and Bebek tomorrow morning/afternoon before our Turkish cooking lesson at 5.
Talk later,
Brett
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