Today marks my two month anniversary of arriving in Turkey. I am half way through my study abroad adventure. I have midterms this week, which is fitting as I am halfway through the semester. In some ways the time is flying by. But I am excited for the semester to finish as I am then able to travel throughout Turkey before returning to America.
Some other observations about Bilkent and Turkey:
1) In the dining center there is a piano. People can just sit down and play a few songs if they want to. There is usually someone playing during dinner time who I believe is paid as he or she brings an entire stack of music and plays for a few hours. The music creates a very relaxing mood and distracts you from the clinking of trays and glass happening around you. You can just sit and enjoy the music. Music is literally all around us. I think every dining center should incorporate this idea into their design as it makes the place look and sound more appealing and more professional.
2) If you are a dog and cat lover and are not afraid of stray animals, come to Turkey. On the campus, many of the buildings seem to have a pet cat or dog that hangs about the vicinity to get attention and I'm guessing food. Outside of Bilkent, the cats curl up on entryways while the dogs roam throughout the parks. They are generally quite friendly, but I do not get too close to them as I am not too comfortable around large wild dogs. The cats are quite adorable though.
3) Throughout Turkey, and especially throughout Bilkent, they use automatic lights in major public locations. In the music building, as I walk down the hallway to find a practice room, the hallway lights up like a runway. The staircases also have automatic lights. I imagine it cuts back on the electricity bill and saves money and energy, as they really do make sense for many public places. The only issue I have had with them is in the bathroom. If you are the only one in the bathroom, all the lights could turn off while you are still in there and you must wave your arms about to trigger the lights to turn on again. I think that the bathrooms could just be regular lights.
4) In my political discussions with my roommates and other Turkish people about American and Turkish politics, I sense the love for Ataturk and a longing for a leader just like him. Turkey looks to America for examples of great leadership. Obama is generally perceived as a great leader and many people find him handsome. On the other hand, they do not like Bush too much and blame him for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars that they believe were not a good choice. I find Turkish politics fascinating as things are constantly changing. Turkish people really want to be a democracy and have a separation of mosque and state so that they can be a more developed country.
In answer to a question I received, the Muslim call to prayer can be heard from campus a little bit but definitely while walking around Ankara. However, things do not shut down or pause for everyone to go to pray. I think it is more of a reminder to go and pray when you can. The hustle and bustle of Ankara never stops! On Bilkent's campus though there is a small prayer building for the Muslim students to pray. I pass it everyday on my way to the music building. It's like an on campus ministry. However, you don't find many American universities providing a chapel or prayer area for their students.
I am enjoying my time in Turkey and am sad to see it going by so fast as I realize that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. However, I do miss my family and friends back home. Odysseus says it very well in the Odyssey: "So true it is that his motherland and his parents are what a man holds sweetest, even though he may have sttled far away from his people in some rich home in foreign lands."
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
Amasra and Safranbolu
Last weekend, my friend from Vietnam, my friend from Taiwan/Singapore, and I woke up early Saturday morning and traveled to Amasra, Turkey. Amasra is located right on the Black Sea. I was very excited to travel to the Black Sea as I have always wanted to see it.
After taking 1 dolmus (small buses), then a 4 hour bus ride with one of the main bus companies in Turkey, and finally 2 more dolmus rides from the city of Bartin, through the hills of Turkey, we finally reached Amasra. While waiting for the dolmus in Bartin, we were remarking at how warm and sunny it was. Bartin is only about 30 minutes from Amasra. We were all told that the Black Sea is very windy, cloudy, and usually rainy, so we were very confused as to why it was such a perfect day. Well, 30 minutes later, upon arriving in Amasra, it was a totally different story! The temperature must have dropped 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit once we got to the coast, and the wind was relentless. It felt like we had been transported to another world instead of just taking a 30 minute bus ride. We wandered around the small town looking for our hotel, and instead we found the Black Sea. I was just about jumping for joy! You see these places on the world map for so long that when you finally get to see them with your own eyes, it is really unbelievable. I love that feeling! After following the winding street, we came upon our hotel quite by accident. Isn't it nice when everything goes smoothly?
Well, our hotel was more like an apartment, complete with living room, kitchen, eating area, and two bedrooms. It was glorious! Very clean and comfortable with a nice hostess.
After getting our coats, hats, and gloves on, we ventured out to explore Amasra. So far, Amasra is my favorite place in Turkey. It is a small seaside town that is surrounded by hills and cliffs, secluding it from the outside world. It really feels like a getaway. It has the classic narrow streets and a castle up on a hill that is a UNESCO heritage building. Amasra also has an island that is connected to the mainland by a Roman bridge. The entrance through this bridge and gate is very skinny that I don't think all types of cars would fit through. The island is even more quaint than the mainland. Climbing to the top of the hill on the island gives you an expansive view of the Black Sea. For us, walking through the town and up to the top of the hill was an adventure and a workout, as the wind was knocking us over. At the top of the hill on the island, we had to sit down to keep from being knocked around and off the edge. But the clouds and the sunshine made for some great pictures of the town and the surrounding areas. It is very picturesque.
After walking around for about 3 hours in the relentless wind, we wanted to find a place to have cay, Turkish tea, to warm ourselves up. We ventured back down to the main part of town on the mainland and found a cafe on the beachfront and had cay. Best cay of my life! It is the best feeling to drink something warm when you are chilled to the bone, allowing it to warm you from the inside out. And it was only 1 Lira! We ventured on to try and find the museum, and we did find it, however, it was undergoing renovations, so we got to see the outside of it. They had many stone statues and things out on the grass. Hopefully they won't get ruined by the weather! We continued on to try and watch the sun set, but we could not get far enough west, so we just watched the sky change colors a bit and then decided to do the unthinkable: take our shoes off and step into the Black Sea. Well, two of us did it while the third took pictures. It was very cold, but that might have been due to the cold weather surrounding us as well. I imagine in the summer time it would be refreshing. But for March, it was a bit crazy. I can now say that I have stepped into the Black Sea.
We then found a seafood restaurant and ordered these small fish. I cannot remember what kind they were, but they were delicious. And you know that they were freshly caught since we were on the sea. We had two more cups of cay to try to help us warm up. We then did the second crazy thing for the day: two of us were craving ice cream, so we found a store and bought ice cream bars for our dessert. Yes, in the bitter cold, I want ice cream. But I love ice cream, so it's fine. We arrived back at our hotel/apartment, had a relaxing evening of looking through pictures, a bit of homework, and writing in journals.
The next morning we woke up early and found that it was a perfect sunny day in Amasra! We walked along the coast again and it was absolutely glorious. We found out later that during the afternoons in Amasra, the wind picks up, but the mornings are calm and peaceful. But we wanted time to go see another city, so we reluctantly said goodbye to our getaway and boarded our dolmus to take us back to Bartin. We then boarded another dolmus that traveled on the country roads south to Safranbolu, our second destination. The countryside of Turkey is so lovely. The rolling hills dotted with houses reminds me of West Virginia, with the road hugging the hillside.
Safranbolu is a UNESCO world heritage city thanks to its large amount of traditional ottoman houses. It is very similar to Beypazari from last week, but larger, with more houses, and more touristy, not just for international travelers, but for Turkish travelers as well. We wandered through the streets, admiring the architecture, and found a cafe to have lunch. While we were waiting for our food, a couple of young students approached us with their father and asked us if we could answer a few questions. They had a list of questions written in English and wanted to practice their language skills. So each of us were interviewed: where we were from, our age, where we have traveled in Turkey, where our favorite place in Turkey is, and if we like Safranbolu. I don't think that they understood our answers, but at least they are trying to learn English. Their father videotaped each interview. It was very cute. We got pictures with our interviewers and said goodbye.
We saw the outside of the ottoman mosque that is right in downtown Safranbolu and then climbed the large hill in order to get a scenic overlook of the town. It is a very nice town, and I am glad that it will be preserved for generations to come, thanks to UNESCO. I guess this weekend was also a tour of UNESCO sites. We then found the bus station and returned to Ankara. It was a wonderful two days. Note for all future travelers: If you have the chance, go to the Black Sea, particularly Amasra, Turkey.
After taking 1 dolmus (small buses), then a 4 hour bus ride with one of the main bus companies in Turkey, and finally 2 more dolmus rides from the city of Bartin, through the hills of Turkey, we finally reached Amasra. While waiting for the dolmus in Bartin, we were remarking at how warm and sunny it was. Bartin is only about 30 minutes from Amasra. We were all told that the Black Sea is very windy, cloudy, and usually rainy, so we were very confused as to why it was such a perfect day. Well, 30 minutes later, upon arriving in Amasra, it was a totally different story! The temperature must have dropped 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit once we got to the coast, and the wind was relentless. It felt like we had been transported to another world instead of just taking a 30 minute bus ride. We wandered around the small town looking for our hotel, and instead we found the Black Sea. I was just about jumping for joy! You see these places on the world map for so long that when you finally get to see them with your own eyes, it is really unbelievable. I love that feeling! After following the winding street, we came upon our hotel quite by accident. Isn't it nice when everything goes smoothly?
Well, our hotel was more like an apartment, complete with living room, kitchen, eating area, and two bedrooms. It was glorious! Very clean and comfortable with a nice hostess.
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| The streets of Amasra |
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| The Roman gate to the island in Amasra |
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| The view from the hill on the island in Amasra |
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| The Museum in Amasra |
The next morning we woke up early and found that it was a perfect sunny day in Amasra! We walked along the coast again and it was absolutely glorious. We found out later that during the afternoons in Amasra, the wind picks up, but the mornings are calm and peaceful. But we wanted time to go see another city, so we reluctantly said goodbye to our getaway and boarded our dolmus to take us back to Bartin. We then boarded another dolmus that traveled on the country roads south to Safranbolu, our second destination. The countryside of Turkey is so lovely. The rolling hills dotted with houses reminds me of West Virginia, with the road hugging the hillside.Safranbolu is a UNESCO world heritage city thanks to its large amount of traditional ottoman houses. It is very similar to Beypazari from last week, but larger, with more houses, and more touristy, not just for international travelers, but for Turkish travelers as well. We wandered through the streets, admiring the architecture, and found a cafe to have lunch. While we were waiting for our food, a couple of young students approached us with their father and asked us if we could answer a few questions. They had a list of questions written in English and wanted to practice their language skills. So each of us were interviewed: where we were from, our age, where we have traveled in Turkey, where our favorite place in Turkey is, and if we like Safranbolu. I don't think that they understood our answers, but at least they are trying to learn English. Their father videotaped each interview. It was very cute. We got pictures with our interviewers and said goodbye.
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| My Interviewer |
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| Safranbolu |
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| Amasra, Turkey |
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Beypazari
On Saturday, a group of 9 international students from all over the world went to Beypazari, Turkey, accompanied by 3 Turkish students from Bilkent. They are the three that we met up with last week that showed us around Ankara a bit. It is so nice to travel with people who speak the language! They also figured out all the logistics of getting to and from Beypazari using public transportation.
Side note: There is some sort of amusement park in Ankara. I have no idea if I'll be able to go to it, but at least I can take pictures of it for a certain cousin of mine!
We woke up early and met at the bus station at 7:30am. Turkey has large buses for long distance travel and small buses, called dolmus, for short distances. Beypazari is only 1 1/2 hours west of Ankara, so we took the metro to the dolmus stop (which we, the international students, would not have found on our own) and boarded the dolmus for Beypazari. Of course, on the way and throughout the trip, there were many selfies taken and somehow, 12 people can be in one selfie together!
Beypazari is famous for producing carrots, mineral water, and fine silver products. In the main square there is a statue of carrots. They sell carrot juice, carrot turkish delight, carrots by they bag full.
We went to lunch upon arrival, as we were all hungry from traveling. We tried dolmus. It is rice and meat rolled up in a grape leaf. The Turkish girls were drooling over them. One of them said "It is like heaven." I'm not sure if it was like heaven, but it was very yummy! The girls said they take a long time to make, but they are gone in a matter of seconds because they are so good. And Beypazari is one place where they are especially good.
Beypazari also has traditional Ottoman houses. We toured one that was set up as a living museum. The presenters, or workers, were speaking with a different dialect of Turkish (though I could not tell that they had a different accent) and were demonstrating the traditional ways to make different things, like patterns on clothes and traditional weaving of carpets (pictured below). This house was huge! It was 3 stories with each room serving a specific purpose. There was one room that was called the winter room as it was easy to heat. The family would spend most of their time there during the winter. There was also a room for the eldest son and his bride on their wedding night and it served as their room that they would continue to live in after marriage (pictured below). In traditional Ottoman houses, the family all lived together under one roof, as a multi-generational community.
We then went to another museum, this one being a museum on the traditional Turkish baths. I believe that this is the only museum in Turkey that is specifically for Turkish baths. Of course it had the marble everywhere - on the floors and walls. Interesting fact about Turkish Baths: the ceilings in well-designed bath houses are always dome shaped so that the condensation rises to the top of the ceiling, and, instead of collecting there, will just slide down the ceiling. This prevents the ceiling from constantly needing a re-plaster.
After touring the two museums, we went and had Cay (Turkish tea, which the locals have 3-4 times a day) and Turkish Coffee. While the Turkish students read the international students' fortunes from their coffee, the international students tried to read the Turkish fortunes. It was quite fun listening to 3 guys from Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong try to tell the future through collaboration. We also tried Baklava, which is a traditional Turkish desserts. It has over 40 layers.
Afterwards, we had time to shop for souvenirs, including tablecloths and Carrot Turkish Delight.
We took the dolmus mini bus back to Ankara, then decided to check out the largest mall in Ankara, called AnkaMall. It is 4 stories. The bottom level is basically all for children, the middle two floors are clothing, and the top floor is entertainment, including a movie theater. I will definitely go to a movie as I heard they are very cheap in Turkey.
We then took the metro back to close to Bilkent and boarded the bus and arrived at Bilkent at 9:30pm. It was a very long day, but it was definitely worth it. We had a lot of fun, a lot of laughs, and a lot of selfies!
Side note: There is some sort of amusement park in Ankara. I have no idea if I'll be able to go to it, but at least I can take pictures of it for a certain cousin of mine!We woke up early and met at the bus station at 7:30am. Turkey has large buses for long distance travel and small buses, called dolmus, for short distances. Beypazari is only 1 1/2 hours west of Ankara, so we took the metro to the dolmus stop (which we, the international students, would not have found on our own) and boarded the dolmus for Beypazari. Of course, on the way and throughout the trip, there were many selfies taken and somehow, 12 people can be in one selfie together!
Beypazari is famous for producing carrots, mineral water, and fine silver products. In the main square there is a statue of carrots. They sell carrot juice, carrot turkish delight, carrots by they bag full.
Beypazari also has traditional Ottoman houses. We toured one that was set up as a living museum. The presenters, or workers, were speaking with a different dialect of Turkish (though I could not tell that they had a different accent) and were demonstrating the traditional ways to make different things, like patterns on clothes and traditional weaving of carpets (pictured below). This house was huge! It was 3 stories with each room serving a specific purpose. There was one room that was called the winter room as it was easy to heat. The family would spend most of their time there during the winter. There was also a room for the eldest son and his bride on their wedding night and it served as their room that they would continue to live in after marriage (pictured below). In traditional Ottoman houses, the family all lived together under one roof, as a multi-generational community.
After touring the two museums, we went and had Cay (Turkish tea, which the locals have 3-4 times a day) and Turkish Coffee. While the Turkish students read the international students' fortunes from their coffee, the international students tried to read the Turkish fortunes. It was quite fun listening to 3 guys from Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong try to tell the future through collaboration. We also tried Baklava, which is a traditional Turkish desserts. It has over 40 layers.
Afterwards, we had time to shop for souvenirs, including tablecloths and Carrot Turkish Delight.
We took the dolmus mini bus back to Ankara, then decided to check out the largest mall in Ankara, called AnkaMall. It is 4 stories. The bottom level is basically all for children, the middle two floors are clothing, and the top floor is entertainment, including a movie theater. I will definitely go to a movie as I heard they are very cheap in Turkey.
We then took the metro back to close to Bilkent and boarded the bus and arrived at Bilkent at 9:30pm. It was a very long day, but it was definitely worth it. We had a lot of fun, a lot of laughs, and a lot of selfies!
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