Roommates, Hot Plate

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It's been a while since I've updated, and so much has happened.

First, a quick blurb why I haven't updated. First off, I've been doing so many things that it has been hard to get time to sit down and type up something to post. Second, my camera broke about a week ago. It seems to be a hardware problem, so I can't really fix it on my own. That's not really a reason to stop posting, but I liked augmenting posts with pictures. I plan to get a new camera by Friday, but I'll write a quick update now.

The roommates are finally here. In room number one is Tunca (c = j sound, so it's pronounced Tun-ja). Tunca is a Turk from Ankara, where he attended university for several years, and just recently transfered to Bogazici. He transfered because Bogazici is known in Turkey for its engineering programs and then post-graduate job connections, and he wants to get into automotive engineering when he's done with school. He's never lived away from home before so this is a new experience for him.

In room number two is me. You know me.

In room number three is Kendall, a senior from Arkansas. He's very excited to be in Istanbul, but seems to lack the ability to think ahead. He just speaks a lot, often without thinking or listening, both omissions that frustrate me. All in all, he's a good roommate and a nice guy, so things should be good.

Having never lived away from home before, and not knowing what Superdorm provided (absolutely nothing), Tunca didn't know what to bring from home, so he brought what Kendall and I brought - clothes and a computer. Unfortunately, this did nothing for our food situation, so the three of us set off in search of a hot plate and a pot. A pan would be an added bonus, but not necessary.

We grabbed a bus and rode several miles to a stop near to Migros, a large Turkish-based store. It was basically an American supermarket - there were groceries available everywhere, but also a liquor section, small clothing section, and a couple shelves with children's toys. Unfortunately, Migros didn't have a hot plate, and all of its pots were (in our opinion) over-priced. So we departed empty handed, and started walking, with Kendall in the lead, since he said he knew where he was going. Granted he had the right direction, going further away from the campus as opposed to back-tracking, but we quickly realized that we needed to catch another bus to get us further downtown.

We arrived nearer to downtown, got off the second bus and Tunca began to ask around for cooking stores. After several visits to upscale stores with the same results as Migros, we began looking into tiny shops selling small electronic devices. The shops were tiny; we had trouble fitting comfortably in front of the counter while Tunca talked in Turkish and the shopkeeper scurried around behind the counter looking for a hot plate. After several visits to these stores, we happened upon a happy median. There was a store with lots of tea and cooking supplies, and we wandered in, talked to the owner, picked out a hot plate and pot and began to barter.

I must admit that I'm not much for bartering. In our case, he offered the hot plate and pot for something that was about the same price as just a hot plate in a competing store, so I was all for just paying the guy what he wanted. But Kendall really wanted to barter, so after just under a half hour negotiating, we saved a handful of Lira and had our cooking supplies.

It's good to have the ability to cook soup, spagetti and the like, but I still really enjoy eating out. So far, one of the most enjoyable experiences has been eating out in Turkey. The food is amazing, and eating out seems to highlight Turkish culture and hospitality for me. There is a small place, "Ezgi Pide" that I frequent every few days for lunch. The owner, Ezgi, always perks up when I or any of my friends come in. Despite not knowing much English, and me knowing almost no Turkish, when I went in on Monday to get "the usual" we shook hands, and launched into a conversation that tested all the Turkish I knew. It is my goal to have a full-blown conversation with him by the end. That's just Turkish culture; it's very warm and inviting.

A lot more has happened, but I can't spend all my time here explaining it. I'm playing soccer tomorrow night with a bunch of Turks, and the next post should have some info on classes and some pictures too. The sun has been out for the last week, and the temp has been around 50 F, so it's been fantastic here, and the views are breathtaking.

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