Reflections/ Observations

The best part of my time in Turkey was meeting and getting to know the incredibly friendly people. Here are some thoughts and observations as I sadly wrap up my blog

1. I regret that I did not know Turkish. I would have learned more about the politics and society if I could have spoken with people who don't speak English
2. People from work did not invite me home - maybe because they were limited with the university-provided transportation and most lived with family, not in their own flats
3. The vast majority smoke- so sad and frustrating. In June there may be riots in the street when a law banning smoking in restaurants takes effect
4. The unemployment rate is 9.9% plus underemployment of 4%. Lots of men in every town and city sitting around in tea houses at all hours of the day. The underemployment perhaps is reflected in the 10 waiters that work in a shoe-size restaurant or store. You could say the Turks have an entrepreneurial spirit, but the situation is also sad when you seen men selling spin tops in the street or 5 packages of batteries.
5. You need to hold on to your plates in restaurants. Waiters watch you like hawks and whisk your plate away as you swallow your last bite. Then the custom is to let you sit for hours until you request the bill.
6. Turks drink tea every 47 minutes. You can decline tea, but still it will appear in front of you. They are incredulous when you decline multiple refills. Teapots look like double boilers with the tea essence on the top and water on continuous boil in the bottom. At a reception I saw a large urn with 2 spigots - I thought perhaps coffee and tea. But, it was tea essence and hot water to dilute the tea to your liking.
7. Maybe it's just me and my circle of friends who question authority, but it appears that the Turks follow rules. Library web pages feature the library rules - what you can't do in the library.
8. Lots of police with machine guns patrolling the street, in particular on Istiklal Caddesi - the main street of modern Istanbul. There are buses of police and policemen stop young men to check their identity cards
9. Turks are very proud of their cuisine, but it appears to me that it is the same everywhere - 4 star restaurant or hole-in-the-wall cafeteria. There is variety, but meat, rice, spinach, eggplant and fresh salads are staples.
10. It's not because I wasn't a buxom blond that I was never hassled. Smiles broke out on everyone's face when I used my few words of Turkish. They have a hard life of long commutes, low salaries and few career options. Yet, they are close to their families. They enjoy shooting the breeze with their friends and family. I'm convinced there is a Turkish friendly gene. They weren't helping me to give their country a good reputation with tourists, rather it just comes natural to these lovely people with a complex past and an evolving future.
    

Final Delightful Day

The best part of staying at the Turkoman Hotel is eating breakfast on the roof terrace. I know the owner so joined her for breakfast with her friends, an American artist and an Australian selling textiles. They recommended the exhibit at the Pera museum and when I complimented the American on her ring, she told me about the Afghan store in the Covered Bazaar.

It was great going directly to Tribal Arts in the bazaar and not dealing with the other aggressive store owners. Muhammed is an Afghan who had walked as a child to Pakistan to escape the war. He travels to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmanistan and other eastern countries to collect the traditional silver jewelery. He pointed out the origin of each piece. He also sells wholesale. As usual various cousins also work at the stall- literally a hole in the wall with additional merchandise - including yemini slippers - decorating the outside columns. I had recently seen a video in a museum about the yemini slippers, so purchased a pair.

Despite the rain, I took a bus to Balat- up the Golden Horn - which was a Jewish neighborhood a long time ago. It is a 20 min. ride from the center of Istanbul, but a place frozen in time. Narrow passageways, small shops, cobblestone alleys, two-story houses cobbled together with plaster and tin. Even though it was raining I loved wandering around. Asking an abaya-clad woman for directions, I received a friendly smile and hand gestures to the center of town. I had visited the Ahrida synagogue in the neighborhood in 2006. This time I stumbled upon an entrance way with hebrew inscriptions in the lintel.

Next stop was the Pera museum to see "The Lure of the East," an exhibition of the most important works of British Orientalist painting around the world. It was magnificent. The east was so mysterious for the Europeans. A British woman traveled to Turkey in the 1800s and observed first hand the life in the harem. She commented that it was liberating for women - they could do their own thing, away from the supervision and constraints of male society.

I met Gurbet for dinner. She is a business librarian at Koc. I really like her. She lived in Houston for a few years and even in Cappadocia. I think she is a little off-beat. She wanted to make sure I had a traditional meal. She brought me to a place to have bazlama, a type of crepe. Women sit in the restaurant window in traditional dress making the bread. I thought these places were tourist traps, but that is the beauty of Turkey. Turks like to frequent such places, too! We then moved on to a cafe with a 10 page menu of desserts. It was sad when Gurbet asked me what was next - you've seen Turkey, where's the next adventure. I had been saying to so many people that of course I would see them again. Now, I wasn't so sure.

A final walk back through the bustling city streets. Packed for an hour. Up at 5:30 and on the tram at 6 to catch my 9 am flight. One more post on reflections

New Year's

I had considered taking the boat to Heybeliada, the 2nd largest of the Princess Islands, but it was raining so headed to Marmara University library to use the computer. I introduced myself to Yazbahar, the reference librarian. She was eager to practice her English, having just completed a 3 month English course in Edinburgh. She proceeded to give me a tour of the library and introduce me to all the staff. It's a public university so the resources are rather meager. Librarians sit behind glass walls, simple wooden desks for students and porcelain hole in the floor for rest rooms.

Yazbahar invited me to her New Year's Eve party! She gave me simple directions and drew a map. I was off to see the Rezan Has museum. It should have been labeled a gallery seeing as it was just one room! This small private university is located in restored brick buildings with a beautiful garden courtyard.

Stopped off at the Grand Bazaar for some quick shopping. Bought a tablecloth from a man whose Indian partner was visiting. The Turkish textile industry had been devastated due to cheap labor in India and China. He claimed the design was Turkish and the product is manufactured in India.

The short bus ride to the party turned out to be an hour in heavy traffic. I was instructed to exit on a bridge. I got off on a major highway and proceeded to show multiple people my directions. I found myself walking through a dark, closed industrial area. Inquiring at a barber shop I learned that my landmark was a tall building on the horizon. I considered turning back, but was rewarded when I finally arrived on Yazbahar's doorstep. She was surprised and pleased to see me.

Her husband is doing his mandatory military service for a year. 3 male friends and 2 women friends were enjoying the first course of kebab and spinach borek. Yazbahar then ripped open a Santa Clause costume and asked for volunteers. One man quickly acceded to her request. They had picked numbers previously to buy one present for a friend. Of course she gave me a present of earrings. One man was pleased to receive a remote controlled helicopter. The man who gave the present was crestfallen when it failed to work. Then the recipient read the directions and managed to get it flying all around the room.

Then there was a break as the women retreated to the kitchen to make the next course. They played Turkish music and showed me videos from the computer. The next course was stuffed grape leaves and peppers, salad, potatoes, beer, chocolate and wine. Yazbahar was pretty good in translating the conversation for me. It was delightful to see them laughing and enjoying each other's company. About 11:30 I was fading so Yazbahar and a friend walked me to the bus stop. Turks celebrate the New Year, but the bus schedule was not extended for the holiday. We then had to go to the mini-bus stop. The friend jumped on the bus, paid my fare and instructed the driver of my destination.

From Kadikoy I needed another mini-bus to my university. A young man brought me to the stop and inquired whether I had money - he was ready to pay my fare!!

January 1 was a brilliant, sunny day - I forgot what a day without rain looked like. With a pleading look I was assisted with getting my suitcase on the ferry and over to the European side. I took the tram to my original hotel in Sultanahmet so Saturday I could easily hop on the tram to the airport.

I met Itzak Mizrachi at 1. He hosted a group of Atlantan Jewish tourists who were visiting on an interfaith tour. He's a tour guide in Spanish and Hebrew. The visit was a bit awkward because he wanted to bring me around to the sites, but I had seen them all. I really wanted to talk with him about Jewish life in Turkey. We walked in the Hippodrome and entered the Blue Mosque. While eating boreks he said that life wasn't so good for Jews, but he did not elaborate of consider leaving.

I met Erhan, my friend who is a hotel clerk whom I had met in 2006. It was the same story with him- he wants to make job changes and advance - but, he hesitates, ponders too much and is not too realistic. Once again, I quashed the option of marrying a Russian in Denmark. We drank tea in a tiny restaurant, literally a hole in the wall. We climbed a very narrow winding staircase up 2 flights to a delightful perch with a breathtaking view of the Blue Mosque at sunset.

Erhan declined my dinner invitation because he was tired. I called the remaining people on my list and found one woman at home. She was quite far away, but I had no plans so took the tram and metro to Nisantasi. This woman was type A- really driven. I suddenly showed up at her door at dinner time - a little presumptuous - but only received a cup of tea. Her #1 project is her kid. When she told me she had cameras installed to watch the nanny, I thought it was time to head out! I had my final fish sandwich near the Galata Bridge. I was surprised to see many stands closed, thankfully people were home with their families.

Final Week in Istanbul

I had a delightful visit with Didar, the library director, at her home Sunday afternoon. The conversation flowed easily about operations in the library, which gave me a little more insight to my observations. She graciously called a taxi for me so I avoided lugging my large suitcase on 2 buses.

I took the boat from Besiktas to Kadikoy. It's a challenge maneuvering up the gangplank with just 2 legs' but with a 50 lb suitcase.....but, as usual men were there to pick up luggage before I even asked.

I stayed in the guest dorms of Marmara University again - very nice, cheap rooms- but not so conveniently located. It was pouring rain, so I just ducked into a fish restaurant across the street and watched BBC in the evening.

Monday I went to Uskudar Amerikan Lisesi to talk with H.S. students considering Emory. They have very heavy security with lots of gates and policeman. During lunch with Tara, the college counselor, she asked if I had a presentation. I was taken aback, I was just planning on answering the students questions! Just 3 students showed and one in particular was interested in business. The meeting was a bit disappointing; I thought they would ask more about Atlanta and campus life but they were more interested in knowing the entrance requirements.

Then it was off to Ozyegin University to visit Muhteşem Hakkı Önder, the librarian who came to my presentation and used to work at Koc. This university opened about 6 months ago. Once again, a wealthy man opened a university in his name. There are not enough universities in the country, so these wealthy philanthropists are serving an important need. Sometimes I think they should consolidate their efforts and provide funds to existing public and private colleges.

They are located in a bright, open office building. I met with Gulcin Cribb, the director, and Ilkay Holt, the manager of Information Access Services. Small world, Gulcin lived in Australia for 30 years and knows Ruth Pagell. The library and IT services are in one unit. The library stresses how they will be on the cutting edge of IT. They are starting with 18 business administration students, the 200 other students are in the English preparatory year. I could feel the excitement as they plan their new facilities, but also wonder what you do all day with so few students!

Monday evening I had dinner at Seval's home. Kim Whalen, who I used to work with at Emory, introduced me to Seval who is a professor of Materials Science at Marmara University.

Tuesday I took the boat back to Besiktas and then a bus to the Sabanci Museum to see the Salvador Dali exhibit. There were hundreds of school children- even 5 yr olds. I learned a lot about the life of Dali, it was an excellent exhibit including some of his films.

I met Gulnez at Taksim Square for lunch. She is the young Kurdish woman who I met a few weeks ago. She had just returned from a week-long seminar to train youth to stand for election in the upcoming municipal elections. They just lowered the age of candidates from 30 to 25. She was offered a job with UNDP. She commented that too many Turks wear horses glasses (a.k.a. blinders!) December 30 was the first broadcast day of Kurdish TV. She had not seen it yet, it wasn't clear to me where they were broadcasting from. She talked about how important it is for the current generation to know their Kurdish language. She repeatedly said how the different groups in Turkey get along and it's just the government that creates wedges between them. I could sit at her feet and learn so much about this dynamic society- subjects that are rarely discussed in most circles.

Despite no minutes on her cell and a broken computer, she was determined to buy me Turkish momento, even after she already gave me earrings. I think I really insulted her when I told her I had no room for an additional mug.

Parting from Gulnez was sad, but I am convinced I will see her again in some leadership capacity in Turkey or another country.