Cross and Minaret, Side-by-Side

Antioch, Home, and Off Again

Returning from a five day program retreat last Sunday night, I felt the same rush of "home sweet home" that I feel when returning to my home in America as we pull in the driveway. This time, however, I was squeezing myself and my luggage into the tiny elevator in my apartment building and riding up nine floors to a family I only met two and a half months ago, but which has now become my family.

I had just returned from the three-month NSLI retreat. The camp was really an unforgettable experience, some parts in good ways and some in not-so-good ways. We spent the first few days in a small, desolate, and rather dirty town an hour or so away from Adana, where we spent long hours discussing our problems, issues, changes, shocks, joys, frustrations, and pretty much anything else you can think of relating to our experiences here in Turkey. The three counselors, who came in from other parts of Turkey, were very helpful and knowledgeable about our experiences, and it was great to be able to talk with them. The third day of camp, I got pretty sick with a terrible cough and fever, so I had to spend that day in the room, but the next day I felt better and we traveled by bus as a group to Antakya, an absolutely wonderful place.

Antakya, probably better known as the ancient city of Antioch, is a fascinating city with a long and rich history. It is located in the tiny strip of land right on the westernmost Turkish border with Syria. It has a blend of religious history that I found especially interesting. Nowhere else in Turkey have I seen such an attempt to promote cross-religious awareness and acceptance. We visited three different churches - one Orthodox, one Catholic, and one Protestant, as well as several mosques. All over the town, which was full of small, winding roads, old and beautiful crumbling buildings, and large markets, we saw posters with the Star of David, a cross, and a crescent moon representing Islam interlinked. The whole town seemed in a state of such peaceful co-existence between religions that I have not observed in Turkey before. It's not that I have seen any ill-will here, it is just that Islam seems to be the only religion I observe in most places. Antakya was the exception, though. In the Orthodox church we visited, services are conducted in both Turkish and Arabic. The Protestant church was founded by Koreans and has signs in Korean. One of the most beautiful views I saw was from the roof of the Catholic church where a giant stone cross stood right beside a towering minaret on the mosque adjacent.

I enjoyed my brief overnight stay in Antakya greatly, getting a marvelous walking exploration of the city. I hope to return sometime, as it is only two hours' drive from Adana. Once I figure out the train system later on in the year, I hope to be able to explore even more. There is so much to see in this country! I know I have said that many times, but I am reminded of it all the time. Tomorrow morning my NSLI group is heading to Cappadocia (this will be my second time) to visit some sights up there and stay overnight. I can't wait to see it again - I'm not sure I could ever be tired of that place.

This week the whole NSLI group and I didn't go to school again, because our program leader here in Adana was afraid we were all sick. Because of this sickness, my respiratory cold, I was carted off to the hospital, where I was hooked up to an IV and pumped chock-full of vitamins, fluids, and who-knows-what. Subequently, I was subscribed some pills and a syrup, which my host family has made me take religiously. At any rate, I am feeling better now and am excited for my trip tomorrow. And I've just heard that the whole city of Adana will have school off next week because of swine flu or something? I'm not really sure...but we shall see! Everyday living here is an adventure - I'm never sure what will happen next, but I've grown to love that.

Winter Has Come!

That is what is proclaimed on the news (alongside constant updates on the "domuz gribi" , or swine flu) - "Kış geldi" - Winter has come! And the actual date of the beginning of winter aside, winter truly has come here, in a very rapid way, bypassing autumn for the rainy and cold winters I have been promised ever since I first complained of the summer heat. While only a week ago I was sweating in my tank top as I walked down the street, today I was bundled up in sweater, jacket, and scarf, with an umbrella, feeling legitimately cold.

With the cold has come a change in people's mindsets, and some changes in daily routine. Showers are now an adventure, as I have to go outside on the porch and light some sort of pilot light for the gas that heats the water before having a shower. This means that the showers are finally quite pleasantly hot, though they are less frequent now that we have to turn on the gas (and now that we don't sweat as much). We appear to be drinking even more tea (though I did not realize this was possible), and in the house, which is not heated, we wear several layers of clothes. The winter wool blankets are on my bed. The normally open windows are now kept closed.

I am enjoying this change in weather, but I am sad to have bypassed the autumn season - one of my very favorite times of year. Where are my reds and yellows and oranges? How will my Thanksgiving be without those? We did have a very sweetly planned Halloween party with our host families on Saturday night. In Turkish Halloween is called Cadılar Bayramı, which literally translates to Witches' Holiday. All of us exchange students dressed up (I was a cowgirl) and got together for some Halloween festivities. It's great to share American traditions with our host families, while we are learning so many Turkish traditions. Still, it didn't quite feel like Halloween without any trick-or-treaters or, for that matter, any candy at all.

Next week we take a program trip to Antakya, the ancient city of Antioch. It looks like an interesting and historical place, and I have been told by every Turkish person I speak to about it that the food there is wonderful. It sounds like a wonderful trip, and I look forward exploring a different city. Do any of you have any places in Turkey you're curious about? I've already been doing lots of research for places I want to go later on in the year potentially when I have independent travel time. I can't believe how much there is to see in this country!

FOOD Part 2

Continuing on with the deliciousness...

• Mantı: This delightful dish is composed of small, ravioli-like pieces in a broth. The ravioli things are handmade by rolling out a very thin dough, cutting it into tiny squares, dabbing a tiny piece of spicy meat paste on top of the square, and squishing it together to ensure that the meat remains inside the dough. Then these little pieces are cooked into a soup and served in a bowl with hot pepper and yogurt on top. The yogurt sounded really strange to me at first, but surprisingly it is actually quite delicious. I really enjoy this dish, especially after learning how to make it at one of my friends' houses.
• Künefe: A most intriguing pastry that includes two of my absolute favorite things: cheese and baklava. In essence, this is a giant, round hunk of cheese, with about a five or six inch diameter, covered in phyllo dough and the yummy honey-like substance of baklava. It is served warm, so that when you slice into it the white cheese forms long strings, and...ahhh...I am drooling just thinking about it. Whoever thought of putting cheese with phyllo dough was absolutely crazy and absolutely brilliant.
• İskender Kebab: Though not as good as the Adana Kebab in my book, this is definitely a delicious meal. Piping hot sliced meat is placed on top of small chunks of bread along with a tomato-based sauce. You spoon yogurt on top and mix it all together and eat it up. Quite delicious indeed.
• Sıkma: I have a mental block against remembering the name of this food for some reason, but no block when it comes to eating it...Sıkma begins with a tortilla-like flatbread, which is carefully rolled out using a rolling pin with a very small diameter. It is evidently a traditional meal from this area, so I often see older women rolling it out outside their houses. After the tortilla (for lack of a better word) is rolled out, it is fried in a pan over the stove until it is warm but not too crisp. Then your choice of filling is added, usually a white feta cheese with spinach or parsley. I also have had the dessert version, which is filled with butter and sugar. I can't help thinking that a sugar and cinnamon one would be absolutely wonderful...I'll eat it all though - so delicious, especially when served piping hot, as they always are. 
• Patlıcan: This is the Turkish word for eggplant. Eggplant, however, deserves its own explanation here, as it is used in so many dishes I've eaten, especially at home. It seems to be quite multipurpose - it is found floating in broths, fried up and eaten with ketchup, served on top of rice, and hollowed out and stuffed with rice (more on that later). I am actually not certain if I have ever eaten eggplant in the U.S. before; if I have, it has been quite a long time. At first I was a bit skeptical of the merits of the odd, purple vegetable, but it has grown on me (not literally, thank goodness).

FOOD Part 1: Kebabs, etc.

This is the beginning of an epic saga involving me and Turkish food. Don't let your mouths water too much as you read this...

• Adana Kebab: Adana's most famous culinary creation. This kebab is a long strip of ground meat mixed with various spices to your preferred spiciness level (in my case, SPICY), stuck on a skewer, carefully roasted, and served on top of soft and delicious flatbread with tomatoes and onions. It is legitimately one of the most delicious meals I've ever eaten. On a side note, I saw a kebab that was two meters long on Saturday - evidently the specialty of a certain restaurant here. Pretty cool!
• Adana Durum: A close relative of the Adana Kebab, Adana Durum is basically the meat of the kebab wrapped up rather like a burrito in flatbread along with onions and parsley. Great when you're craving kebab but are on-the-go.
• Çiğköfte: This is one of the most fascinating foods I've eaten here. I watched my uncle in Kayseri make it, which was quite an incredible process. He started out with bulgar wheat in a giant pan, which he kneaded with oil, water, and lemon juice. Then he added thrice-ground raw meat (beef, I presume, though I am not certain), and he continued to knead. Meanwhile we added finely chopped onions, parsley, tomatoes, and seven different kinds of pepper (which Turkey is famous for). After kneading this mixture for around an hour (strenuous work!), he evidently achieved the proper texture. He pinched the dough-like substance into little cylindrical shapes, and we ate them (yes, with raw meat) wrapped in lettuce leaves with lemon squirted on top. It was absolutely delicious and completely a new taste for me. I've had it since then, as they sell it in the grocery store, and it is always good, but never quite as good as when I watched my uncle make it. Incidentally, I was warned that it can give you unfortunate digestive side effects...though any problems are definitely worth the amazing taste.
• Çiğköfte Durum: Like Adana Durum, this is Çiğköfte to go. It is rolled into a burrito-like flatbread with a spicy sauce and lettuce. I think I may actually like this even more than the plain Çiğköfte if that is possible - the sauce, lettuce, and bread really add a special something...which is probably the extra calories that I don't need, but oh well!
• Sucuk: The Turkish version of sausage, but obviously not made of pork. It's fairly spicy, and quite delicious. My Anneanne (grandmother) fries it up in the mornings sometimes with eggs...an absolutely perfect breakfast, along with copious amounts of fresh bread, of course.

More food to come!

Filling in the Gaps...

Let me start of by apologizing for how long it has been since  I last wrote a blog post. Everything has been a bit crazy for awhile, and, to be honest, I just haven't known exactly what to put in a blog post. So I am going to try to piece together what my life has been like since I last wrote in increments - I am getting back on the blog bandwagon!

School started about two and a half weeks ago, but the few days before it started, I was in Kayseri and Kapadokya for Sugar Bayram, a Turkish holiday that rather reminds me of a strange cross between Halloween, Easter, and Christmas. The gist of the holiday is basically this: It celebrates the end of Ramadan, a period of fasting for devout Muslims, by being a time to eat lots and lots of delicious sweets (Especially baklava. YUM.). Also, children get money by going around and kissing the hands of their elders and pressing them to their foreheads, which is a normal gesture of respect to elders here, but Sugar Bayram provides a bonus of a few Turkish lira!

I had an absolutely amazing time being with my uncle and his family in Kayseri for this holiday. Kayseri is about a four or five hour drive north from Adana, and it is a smaller city surrounded by beautiful mountains and cold weather (which I LOVED. And I am still missing.). On the last day of our holiday, we went to Kapadokya (Cappadocia in English), which is one of the most incredible natural landscapes I've ever seen. Everybody who is friends with me on Facebook, go look at the pictures I posted from my trip, though they will not give you the full experience of being there. A mountainous area packed full of ancient Christian history, Cappadocia contains the amazing remnants of its former inhabitants in the thousands and thousands of caves that were homes, churches, and monasteries. I hope I can go back sometime while I'm here so that I can spend even more time exploring this fascinating area.

I started school almost as soon as I returned. I am in the 12th grade again at a private school here called Bilfen. My class is made up of nine girls (a coincidence - it's not an all-girls' school), who are all really sweet and who speak really good English. I have lots of English classes, which are rather boring, to be honest, because they all focus on English grammar, which the students have to learn for the big university entrance exam they take at the end of the year (more about this subject later). I also have Turkish Literature classes (which I am absolutely excelling at, as I'm sure you all can guess), German (which is fun, even though I've never taken it before), Geography, History, Religion, P.E., Sociology/Psychology (I'm really not sure which), and Math (only once a week - thank goodness). Since I can't understand much of what's really going on, I spend quite a few of my classes quietly studying my Turkish book or reading an English book.

I also get to wear quite an adorable uniform to school - a red and green plaid skirt with a white polo. It's nice wearing a uniform, actually, because I feel like I do blend in a tiny bit better, though I still get lots of attention for being so "exotic" looking. The boys at my school have nicknamed me "Bebeka" - "bebek" means baby in Turkish. I think this is a compliment, and I've actually grown to think the name is kind of cute!

As far as my Turkish language skills go, it is difficult for me to really measure my progress, though I can tell I am improving. I have a Turkish language class Monday through Thursday after school with the other Americans here, but so far it has been painfully slow-paced. What I know I have learned from studying on my own and from my everyday experiences, of course. I can tell that I understand a whole lot more now - I can almost always get the gist of conversations when I am listening to them. My Turkish teacher and friends say that I have really good pronunciation when I read and speak, which definitely makes me feel more confident about trying to speak. I think I have a strange advantage when it comes to learning Turkish which comes in the fact that no one in my immediate host family speaks much English at all, so I am forced to try to communicate in Turkish when I want to do something, ask a question, or simply make conversation. I believe everyone else has at least one member of the family who speaks pretty fluent English. I am really enjoying being forced to speak Turkish; though it may be broken, grammatically incorrect Turkish, I can speak it!

Will be continuing to fill in the gaps all this week - keep checking back!

Old and New

The other day it hit me: I basically in the place where civilization began. Here, on the border of Mesopotamia, is where the first cultures arose, the first cities were founded, the first languages established. I have been spending much of my free time poring over a guide book I bought before coming to Turkey - definitely a worthwhile investment. The book not only highlights tourist spots, but also tells a lot of the history of places all over Turkey. The more I read, the more I am intrigued. There is so much to see right at my fingertips - I only hope that I have the time and opportunity to go see everything!

At a different level, though, I am also looking at the wonders of my own city, a thoroughly modern place, as evidenced by the fact that my host sister took me to a Burger King today. I am loving city life! Although I have lived almost my whole life in urban areas, I have never lived truly in a city - in an apartment, with everything I need within walking distance, and everything I want accessible by public transportation. I cannot wait to be able to speak the language better, so that I can get to explore the city by myself.

I had heard quite a bit of discouraging information before coming to Adana - how hot it is, how it's not very pretty, how there's nothing to do - but so far, I have found it absolutely wonderful. The heat is, well, hot, but not much hotter than back home in Birmingham, and it'll cool down soon. Although it doesn't have the beauty of Istanbul, there is plenty to see, and the river that goes through the city is absolutely gorgeous. I've also found a lot to do - just walking around, exploring shops and cafes is a treat for me. I wonder what all I will discover throughout my next 9 and 1/2 months here!

Look forward to my next post tomorrow - it'll be all about the food!

Settling In

Good morning, Adana! I have just woken up to my first morning in my new room here in Adana. I was, if you can believe it, actually glad to leave the beach yesterday; I was ready to be here, at my new home, and to settle in - put my things away, acquaint myself with my home for the next nine and a half months.

I feel so luxurious as I lie here in bed typing - thank goodness for wireless internet! The apartment here is wonderful, though so different from my home back in Birmingham. We are on the 9th floor of an apartment building in the center of Adana. Out my window I can see dozens of other apartment buildings surrounding us, as well as tennis courts and basketball courts (which should be fun to use!), a school, and, of course, a giant picture of Ataturk and the Turkish flag hanging on the school building. No view of Turkey would be complete without that!

I had my first true Adana kebap last night when we arrived! I went with my family to a small restaurant just down the street, which was packed with people, as the daily Ramadan fasting had just ended. The kebap was absolutely delicious - I am definitely a fan of Turkish cuisine. Everything I've eaten here is so good!

Athough I am enjoying settling in here, we leave tomorrow to visit my host uncle in Kaysere, a city right in Cappadocia (Kapadokya in Turkish). I am really looking foward to traveling there; Kapadoya is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous! It also has a very long and interesting history. Google it if you are curious. My büyük baba (grandfather) has told me that we will go on a hot air balloon ride over the area! I can't wait!

I will write more later, for it is breakfast time now, and I don't want to miss out on more delicious Turkish food!

Mersin

I am loving my new family - they are so nice and so wonderful. Right now I am spending time with them at the seaside at Mersin, a holiday city near Adana. I believe that the past few days have been some of the most relaxing of my life.

Here is my day in a nutshell:
- Wake up around 10 or 11
- Eat a huge and delicious breakfast of bread, honey, olives, Nutella, eggs, cheese, and Turkish tea.
- Walk to the beach.
- Swim in the Mediterranean.
- Nap in the sun.
- Eat an apple.
- Walk to the pool.
- Swim in the pool.
- Back to the house for dinner - always something good!
- Go for a walk with my host sister along the "sahil" - the walkway by the sea - maybe go to the internet cafe, get some ice cream, or meet up with some of her friends.
- Back to the house around midnight
- Repeat

It hits me sometimes how strange it is that it feels so normal being here- if that makes any sense!

We will stay here for another week or so, then we will visit my mother's brother in another city, and then we will head back to Adana. I'm sure this vacation will seem like a dream once school begins, I think on the 28th of September. I can't wait to have the language classes, though - I am still pretty lost when it comes to speaking Turkish. I am learning a few words at a time, and my host sister, Irem, is helping me a lot. It's interesting having this kind of language barrier, for really no one but my "aunt" speaks any English, so most of the time we communicate with an interesting mix of a baby's English, Turkish, and strange gestures. It's working so far, though!

Will keep you all updated with a much more interesting and better written post soon...

First Night in Turkey

As I write this, I am sitting on the rooftop of the Germir Palas Hotel in Taksim, one of the hippest parts of Istanbul. I cannot even describe the feeling to be sitting here at night viewing one of the most incredible cities in the world from the towering skyscrapers downtown to the banks of the To the banks of the Bosphorus, from the cafes below booming with techno music to the towering minarets of mosques in the distance.

So much has happened since I last wrote. After an uneventful flight to D.C., I arrived for the pre-orientation, where I met my fellow travelers (who are all such amazing people!) and learned more about my travels. On Thursday afternoon we boarded the plane to Frankfurt. I was lucky enough to have a great window seat, where I could look out and see both a beautiful sunset and beautiful sunrise from above the clouds. I even managed to catch a few hours of sleep in between! In Frankfurt we switched planes for the rather short ride to Istanbul. The descent brought back all the good memories I have had in Istanbul, as I stared out at the sprawling city and the blue of the Bosphorus.  At once I was reminded of my feelings towards the city when I was here before. It is a city of layers, historically and culturally - It is a city of duality. Istanbul is a city of both a welcoming nature and an air of mystery. And perhaps that’s why I love it – it can be whatever I want it to be.

The Turkish AFS staff picked us up at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport, and they took us to our hotel here in the heart of Istanbul. Want to know our first meal after arrival in Turkey? Pizza Hut. The AFS staff thought it would be a good idea for us to adjust our digestive systems slowly to Turkish food. I, however, would much rather have had a kebap. Hopefully tomorrow we will have some real Turkish food!  We have the whole day here tomorrow for more orientation type preparation, and then we fly on to Adana on Sunday morning (my birthday!). Although I wish we could spend longer here in the city, I cannot wait to meet my host family on Sunday. I definitely want to come back to Istanbul during my stay in Turkey for a longer amount of time, and hopefully that will work out.

As for now, I will go to bed with the window open, feeling the cool breeze, smelling the lingering wafts of smoke, and hearing the beat of the disco music, the murmur of people’s voices, and the calls to prayer from the mosques in the distance.

Departure's Eve

The 'lasts' kill me. The last night sleeping in my own bed. The last meal with my family. The last time to drive a certain route. The last time to hear the dogs bark, the piano being played, and the toilet flush. Recognizing the 'lasts' makes me so much more acutely aware of everything I normally take for granted - the small pleasures that are part of my daily routine. 

It's time, however, for a break in this routine - I can accept that. Part of what makes this experience so important to me is that it will force me to go outside my comfort zone, something I think every teenager needs. When I start to feel too young for this, I remember some of my international friends from high school, who left their families to come to the U.S. at even younger ages. I know it will be a challenge for me, but I also know it will be so much fun, and so rewarding!

I leave tomorrow at 8:10 for Washington, D.C. (via Charlotte) for a Pre-departure Orientation before flying on to İstanbul (via Frankfurt) for another orientation before finally arriving in Adana (by plane? by bus? by train? I've yet to find out) on August 30th, my birthday!

Where Am I Going?

Some of you reading this may already know all about why I'm going to Turkey, where I'm going in Turkey, and what I'll be doing in Turkey, but a lot of you probably don't know all of that. I'll try to fill in any blanks little by little, starting here. I'm going to a city called Adana, which is the 4th (or possibly 5th) largest city in Turkey. It's located on the northeastern edge of the Mediterranean, near the Turkish border with Syria. From what I've seen online, it looks like a really beautiful place - near beaches and a beautiful river, but with all the amenities of a moderately sized city.

Check out the Wikipedia page for more information:
Adana on Wikipedia

Packing and Preparation

I'm thinking in numbers today.

Days until I leave Birmingham: 3

Days until I arrive in Adana: 7

Days until my 18th birthday: 7 (!)

Months I will be in Turkey: 10

Number of suitcases I can pack: 1 (!!!!)

Miles from Birmingham to Adana: 6311