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Published: October 18th 2011
A very, very old Mosque
Which was very, very close to our HostelSchool has begun! The streets near my apartment are bustling with young adults and the obscene amount of photocopying stores lining the block now make complete sense.
I'll begin with where I last left off.
Registration was the headache that many warned us about for everyone except me. Mine was exceptionally easy. Honestly, the Gods are smiling upon me.
So the way it works is the 20,000 students attending Bogazici are all given IDs and passwords. For us exchange students these won't even work until registration opens, so all we know of what the website looks like is the screen shots that the school, aware that this is a really stupid idea, provides. At 10:00, ready or not, the system opens. The 20,000 students attending do a virtual scramble for classes. At Purchase, my home university, they stagger students based on their credits. Here credits are irrelevant. First come, first serve. So naturally, at 10:00 the system is overwhelmed and shuts down. The registration process is 90% refreshing the same screen, 9% frustrated sighs and cursing out your poor laptop, and 1% getting some class or another. You refresh refresh refresh and finally the homescreen will load. You click on
Antalya Museum!
Which I decided not to talk about, due to my post being 3000 words long. But the museum is as great as the rest of Antalya. “Enter Your ID and Password” and that page will say there is an error. You refresh. If you're lucky you'll get to stay on the “Enter Your ID and Password” page. If not, well, you start over. Or maybe you'll just get another error and have to refresh again. If you continue on you have about 2 more pages to refresh through. Once you manage to get to the registering page and input the class and push “Add Classes” it still could say System Error, and if you are in need of some negative karma you will have to start all over. All the while you are very much aware of the 19,999 other people all trying to get classes, and who knows how many classes they want that are YOURS?
20,000 students all over Istanbul went through this snailcrawl of a registration system.
But like I said, mine was easy. Well, relatively. There was still much lamenting and wild arm gesticulations but after I saw how many classes I originally wanted and gotten into compared to the other exchange students I buttoned my lip. I got what I wanted and other then a mix up with which time slot
Greek Gods
Basically all of the pictures you see of Grecian gods in your history books are housed here. I signed up for I got into everything at the right time and all that good stuff.
My classes you ask? Well, I'm taking “The Culture and Politics of the Middle East”, “Foreign Policy”, “History of Japan:Feudal to Modern Pt1”, “International Monetary Policies”, “Japanese”, and “Aerobic Dance.”
I've always wanted to take Japanese, get in touch with my roots, and I figured I might as well do it here where it doesn't affect my GPA. The only catch is that the professor teaches in Turkish. So I'm learning Japanese in Turkish. It's alright, I know most of the Japanese words she's defining in Turkish, so in a roundabout way she's teaching me Turkish. I was a little worried about this class and how I would manage, but many of my peers are linguistics majors eager to practice their English and so are willing to translate for me. But it doesn't matter much now either way; we're learning Hiragana, one of the Japanese alphabets. That's very different for the Turks and me.
But other then that class everything is great with my classes (more or less.) Well, other then my Middle East class... which actually ties into my
next story...
So, I went on vacation to Antalya! We decided to do a Thursday night to Sunday morning thing because for the majority of us it was more convenient. I have no school Monday and class on Friday, but... oh well. I don't want to miss out on my chance for a tropical vacation.
Like the pro-traveler I am, I bought my tickets about 2 weeks in advance to avoid the price spike right before the flight. Unfortunately, I hadn't got my syllabus for the class I would have on Friday, my Middle East class. Once I received the syllabus I saw that the only scheduled quiz would be on the Friday I was gone.
Now, this was no big deal. He said there would be around 6 pop quizzes based on the readings. The quizzes only total to 20% of our total grade. And being an exchange student my grades don't matter, everything is pass/fail.
But, still. I'd hate to take a 0 if I didn't have to. He said in class that there was no make up for quizzes, but I figured because this one was a scheduled one maybe there would be an exception.
Maybe. Well, I didn't really think so, but I figured I might as well try to see if I could take the quiz early. What's the worst that could happen?
So at the end of class I make my way over and say, friendly as possible, “Hello. I'm Rayko. I know this is a really bad first impression, but I'm wondering if I could take the quiz a day early, I already bought my tickets to Antalya.”
He looks me straight in the eyes. “Oh, Antalya? You're going on vacation? You're going to get a tan? I'm jealous, I want to go on vacation.” He sounds slightly amused, but mostly bored.
To this I just smile. I thought he's just joking around.
“You want everything. Vacation and the quiz. You want the world, and that doesn't happen. You have a bad view of the world and you should change your attitude.” His gaze lingered a second longer and then he was done, he carried on to the next student with a question.
His tone never changed.
I've never been told off in such an indifferent way. After shattering my self-confidence and ruining my day he just continued on, talking to
other students. Surely he was aware of how much sting his words had, but he couldn't have cared less. If he had acted angry I could've shrugged it off and told myself he had a crazy anger problem, but he was so nonchalant. Beyond casual.
I stood there in shock for a moment. I was angry and confused, horrified, but mostly just... that one feeling, like you should just curl into fetal position and never get up. I closed my mouth (which fell open in shock) and tried to calmly walk out.
I carried onto my next class.
The whole rest of my day was ruined. Even the day after I didn't want to do anything. Call me sensitive, but seriously, he could not have said anything more painful towards me if he had tried. Is it that obvious, my insecurities, that my professor of one day could look me up and down and know just the right way to crush my self-worth?
But the worst part of it all was that I actually was really excited for his class. He seemed like a good professor and I was interested in the subject. There were only two classes
about the Middle East offered this semester, both of which had massive waiting lists to get into the classes and I had actually managed to get into one. Would I really leave it because the professor bullied me? What does his opinion of me matter? So long as he thinks my work is good then why do I care what he thinks of me? Right?
Well, I'm still in his class. I am actually enjoying it. But I was right from the getgo, he's a - putting it as politely as I possibly can - egotistical douche. Ok, cool, so maybe he does know a lot. But it's really frustrating how he gets his rocks off by showing off to college students. “Yeah, when I was visiting such-and-such place with the President...” “CNN calls me all the time to be their Middle East correspondent...” Ok, I can't deny I am a little impressed. But, when he talks about these things they don't even fit in with our discussions! He just likes to see the flicker of awe that passes behind our wide eyes. And as much as I hate to admit it, I'm among the impressed. He is
Pictures can't do it justice!
The view of the Taurus Mountain Range from Antalya beach smart... but still. Come on. If he really is such a big-shot than why does he need to get his ego boost by college kids?
I don't know what makes me more uncomfortable, my need to “change my attitude and my bad view of the world” or the fact that even still I like to hear him talk. Either I have a horrible complex or he really is that good to be able to tell me off like that with me still looking forward to class.
Damnit.
At least I can make myself feel better by pointing out all of the ways I think his readings are stupid. There are many, but I don't want this blogpost to become about my gripes with school. I couldn't put you guys through reading that.
Well, anyways... Antalya.
Well worth the zero on that quiz.
I went with the same people I went with to Princes Island, give and take a few. We were a group of 4, a perfect amount. I really love our little group, we all had more or less the same ideas on what we wanted out of our vacations, so there was very
little disappointment. Also, I didn't waste as much money as I did on Prince's Island. So that's a plus.
I could give a recap of my whole entire trip, because everything was amazing about it. But I won't. My literary skills aren't good enough to captivate you guys for the 20 page long description I'd give.
Here's a condensed version:
We stayed in the “Old City” of Antalya, which is exactly what it's called – the Old City of Antalya. How old? Well, one of the attractions of Antalya is Hadrians Gate, which is a gigantic marble archway built for the sole purpose of the Caesar at the time, Hadrian, to enter the city through. It was built around the year 130. So, this city has been around, and apparently big enough for the Caesar to visit, basically since Jesus.
There were many antiquities which I'm sure you'll find if you wikipedia Antalya. All of which were beautiful. But what struck me most about the Old City was how well integrated the relics were into the city. The city has about 2 million inhabitants. It's by no means small. People go about their day to day business
amongst the ruins of past civilizations. Just across the street from Hadrians Gate was a couple eateries. A Bags store. I can't imagine looking out the window at work and seeing a monument that has been marveled at by centuries of people. It must be really nice. Sure, maybe it has nothing novel about it when you live it everyday, but it seems really romantic to me.
We took a daytrip to Olympos. The only complaint I could have about the trip there was that it wasn't long enough.
From Antalya's beach (Yes, we sunbathed. In October. Eat your heart out, NY!) we could see mountains in the distance. It was insanely beautiful (I'll post a picture, but it was one of those things that can't be pictured.) Now, growing up in central New York (Cause surely upstate would have to be more north than just an hour and a half north of NYC?) I've grown up with the Catskills. We call that a mountain range. Yes, I know they aren't REAL mountains, but they're mountains nonetheless to me.
Sunbathing on the beach I beheld for the first time true mountains. Greeks imagining Gods on the top of their
mountains makes complete sense to me now. The Taurus Mountain Range had some mountains so high I couldn't tell where they ended because clouds forever shrouded their tops in mystery. They were jagged, sheer cliffs could be seen from as far away as we were on the beach, and they never ended. We laid, next to a mountain range and the sea. Soaking up October sun in our bathing suits.
Yes, seriously. It was amazing.
As we laid on the beach I tried to imagine what it must have been like during the Hellenistic Period, to look up at the mountains you would undoubtedly never see the other side of and just wonder what laid beyond.
Next day we hopped onto a bus that wound it's way through the pine forests covering the mountains, the beige cliff-faces. Through the windows we saw where the sea kissed the horizon. The mountains on the other side were higher than our eyes could comprehend. Looking past the mountains, past the sea you could see the edgeless corner of the world.
Oh, modern technology. What was surely left to folklore for generations we discovered for ourselves in about two hours.
We
Even photographers use Olympos...
Well, that's a naked lady. I'm not sure what she was going to be selling, but whatever it is I'm sure Olympos' beauty will help sell it almost as much as her nudity drove through the mountains, up them. I know, due to our incredibly beautiful view from what felt like the top of the world. Then, through what I'm going to call Pagan Magic, we were in Olympos, nestled amongst the mountains, but along a beach. How we got back to sea level - or they raised the sea?! - I'm not too sure. I was too awestruck by the view to really look at how many ups and downs we took.
But Olympos lays within the mountain range. There's kayaking, rock climbing, rafting, hiking, even mountain biking offered at the hostels there. Psh, Hostel... Lame, right? Well, they had treehouse hostels.
Really, it's a shame I've been there so early in my life. Every paradise vacation I take from now on will forever be compared, and probably loose, to Olympos.
With a 3TL entrance fee we entered the park that is the center of Olympos. The park has a trail to a beautiful beach with water perfectly temperate for people. Tanned people lounge around, intoxicated by the beauty around them. Now, the water was so beautiful I actually passed up laying out on the sand to go swimming in it. And,
for anyone that knows me, I've never passed up a good chance to lay around.
Seriously, the water was amazing. It was crystal clear and a shade of blue we haven't yet been able to replicate with dyes or pixels. Oh, and there were seacaves.
Seriously, the word paradise was conceived here.
Ah, I didn't even mention that on the walk to this amazing beach you were flanked on either side by Greek and Roman ruins. Houses, churches, temples, mosaic floors still displaying their makers skill.
I can't really say much. I have pictures, but they aren't much either. I feel like this is one of those things that for the rest of my life I'll rave about, my friends will instantly know to tune me out when I start on Olympos. My grandchildren will know to make only discreet eyerolls.
Like I said, the worst part of Olympos was that we could only stay for a day. I now know where my honey moon will be. Heck, I wouldn't mind relocating my whole life to that. Winters may be bitter, but if the ancient Greeks and Romans did it I'm sure I could too!
We also went to a hamam, which was a pleasurable experience. Hamam is a traditional massage house. A oil massage, bubble massage, bath, and an exfoliating scrub, all for 20 bucks! The woman there knew what they were doing and I left with only memories of knots.
It was great but a bit... homoerotic? Well, I wasn't aroused, but I'm sure if you were into that sort of thing this would have been a free show/massage thing. I was expecting the nakedness, I mean, it's a bath. Though I wasn't expecting the bath to be all of us just sitting in a room, pouring water onto ourselves. And then came the massage, in which the woman just called us up one by one onto a marble slab in the center of the room. From there it just got progressively more homoerotic. She proceeded to scrub, wash, and then bubble massage us on the marble slab in the middle of the room. As an American, raised on ideals like “Personal Space” and “Self Consciousness” I have to say it was a little weird to get to watch my naked friends get covered in bubbles and then massaged. And one of
our group I had only just met during this trip. So after knowing her a total of two days I get to watch her get covered in bubbles and rubbed down... not exactly how I wanted to get to know her.... but ok?
For the oil massage they spared us the - What do you even call that...? - and put us into separate rooms. It sounds like it was an awkwardfest. But really, the massage was enjoyable. And after the initial shock of having our towels taken from us after only a moment it was all laughs. Laughs and relaxation. I have never had a professional massage, and even with all the foreignness of it it was still very nice.
And so Turkey has shown me yet another way to speed up the normal friendship process.
So, in all our stay in Antalya was amazing, beaches, mountains, ruins, and massages. Ahhhhh. Ok, maybe a bit of awkward thrown in, but at this point I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case.
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istanbulian
non-member comment
impressed your impressions
i enjoyed while reading your blog.your writing style made me feel like u are talking with me<)