Turkey: Much to tell!

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Blog Entry: Turkey Time! “Gobble Gobble” ~ CULTURE SHOCK!

It is midnight here on this Thursday night, the night before we can explore Varna, Bulgaria! We only had one day at sea in between Turkey and Bulgaria, which explains why I am not blogging about Turkey until now. Having one day at sea is stressful. In all of 24 hours, we have to write papers, study for tests, take 4 hours of class, plan for the next country, and write blogs! These days go by very quickly... Before the trip, I anticipated these days at sea being days of rest, so to speak, in between the intense traveling at port.... I was seriously mistaken! I originally had 2 papers due today, but luckily, Blake, a girl in my Poly Theory class, persistently emailed our professor complaining that the paper requirements are too close together. PLUS he didn’t even give us our prompt until the night before we left Turkey.... 2 days of prep? No sir, Professor Rogers! Blake’s quite popular now in our class 😊

It has now been over 24 hours since we have left Istanbul, and because of our busy schedules, I am just now getting the chance to reflect on the 5 days Semester at Sea spent there.... Let me tell you, Turkey was by far the most exciting port we have experienced, for both good and bad reasons. The events that took place over the last 5 days.... well I can’t even define it... let’s just say, we’ve learned a lot, and have experienced the reality of traveling in foreign countries. With a new language, new currency (Lira), and especially new culture, Turkey had a lot to offer. I am especially culture shocked from this country. As uncomfortable and scary things got at times, I still really loved Istanbul on top of it.

The faculty and staff kicked off Turkey with an all but relaxed preport meeting the night before arrival. Just like any other preport meeting, the Deans of faculty, students, and SAS community gave us the down low on what to expect in Turkey and tips on how to travel safely. They went over the strict proper dress code and the highlights of Istanbul, along with reminders of alcohol safety and health safety. Unfortunately, reality hit when they started discussing terrorism... On the Summer 2008 Voyage, 48 hours before the ship was to dock in Istanbul, there were multiple suicide bombings in the city, and they therefore had to divert to Egypt. We all went to bed that night with a million thoughts racing through our heads. Terrorism is a scary thing and to think that it happened so recently, and happens at such random times made me pretty nervous.... and I definitely wasn’t the only one! Wow, I’m sorry, I just set that up to make it sound like there was a terrorist attack! Don’t worry, we’re all safe 😊

The first day, I served my well deserved dock time of 12 hours! Yipee! Basically this means that I was stuck on the ship the whole day because I was late to the ship from Santorini at the last port. It’s okay though because I had a paper due and was ready to take a break. I also had an FDP on the ship called “Virginity Testing and Hymen Reconstruction” led by a Turkish woman who is the head of one of the women’s shelters around. In Turkey, the idea of “honor” is or has been an important part of Turkish culture. In particular, women are the ones who must do the “honoring.” To honor the men in your life, family, fiancé, etc., a woman must be a virgin at the time of marriage. When a woman is ready for marriage, she is tested for her virginity. If the hymen is broken, she is almost guaranteed to be at the hands of an “honor killing.” These murders are performed by either her own father, or brother. Even if a woman is raped, she is still considered to be dishonorable. Honoring one’s family is very important to a woman, and therefore, she will have hymen reconstruction in secrecy if it has been broken. It is shocking, but luckily, this whole idea is dwindling and often only occurs rarely in small, rural areas. This is just one example of the gender differences in Turkey. We were also highly advised to wear long skirts that cover our knees and shirts that cover our shoulders in order to respect the culture. Anyway, we were allowed to get off at 9:30, but we decided to play it safe and stay in that night... First time, in a foreign country, at night, with no familiarity whatsoever??? Not my cup of tea. Instead we played games and ate lots of food.... Definitely my kind ‘o cup!

The second and third day I had my first Semester at Sea overnight trip to Gallipoli and Troy. Overall, the trip was kind of a disappointment, but there are a few things I did that I would have never done otherwise... If you lack in the Geology department, much like myself (thanks mom), and didn’t know, Turkey is located on both the European and the Asian continents. This trip went to Asia!!! That’s pretty cool to me. Mind you, it wasn’t the Asia that you expect to experience, but hey, its land. Another cool thing I did was ride a bus on a ferry... imagine that! I hear it’s common, but not where I’m from! Our bus just drove right up onto the ferry over to Asia. The first day of the trip was miserably hot. I think I may have enjoyed it more if it God didn’t crank up the oven, but I guess it was a good sample of our upcoming ports, Egypt and Morocco. We went to Troy... yes, like the movie, Troy.... The excavation process is fairly young, but we got to see evidence of different layers of the city. Basically, every time the population was wiped out by war, or for other reasons, instead of taking down the old city, the new Trojans (? I try) would just level it out with soil and whatnot, and just build on top. These excavations are probably the oldest I will see on this trip. It’s amazing the rock is still standing after that many years. They built a replica of the famous Trojan horse at the entrance which we could climb up and take pictures of. Photo opp! Our hotel was located in Canakkale in Asia. Here we saw the giant horse used in the movie Troy, had our share of Turkish cuisine, and explored the sea side town. Rachel (thank god she was there) and I walked along the water front pier to experience the town and along the way got our first taste of harassment. This night is the night that I learned the extent of which blonde haired women attract a lot of attention. Stares were coming in every direction. We would walk by groups of men and they would whisper and hiss. I think being blonde, tall, and walking without a man added to the intensity of awkwardness, let alone, being American. Plus, it was a small town, and they are probably not used to seeing many visitors. I learned quickly to carry my head scarf with me at all times. When they couldn’t see the blonde hair, I was less likely to be harassed. At one point, we ran into a friend of ours who is African American. She actually got a man arrested because he was harassing her so much. Oh and the African American thing was a much bigger deal to the Turkish than being blonde was. Today I heard a lot of stories of the people in our community who are African American getting asked to take a picture everywhere. This all puts foreign relations into perspective for me. I guess I can’t make that generalization though. Culture, personality, and familiarity are all possible factors in the harassment situation. In America, we are very used to seeing people of different race and ethnicity in our country. This is not the case in most places.

The next day we visited the World War I museums at Gallipoli then swam in the Aegean sea on the way back to the ship. I had to pee very badly! Thinking about it, I’ve peed in a lot of seas so far: Aegean, Adriatic, Mediterranean... I’m sure there’s more 😊

Upon arrival to the port, I learned of some bad news that would change the dynamic of our friends for the rest of the port. While Rachel and I were away, our friend Anthony was assaulted and mugged the night before. He’s okay, but without a doubt shaken up. He went out without telling anyone and was walking alone at around 12:30 at night back to the ship (stupid) when three Turkish men approached him pretending to be police. They shoved him into a nearby ally and threw him on the cobblestone. They sat on top of him, strangled him, took his money, ID, shoes, watch, and stripped him naked. They finally let him go so he ran to the nearest police car and along the way they threw his pants back at him. Through the language barrier and lack of respect (the police were laughing at him), he made it back onto the boat safely. The crew and community were apparently very good to him. He needed stitches though on the back of his ear from his earing cutting him up as he was pushed into the cobblestone.... The soreness from the struggle and adrenaline still has yet to go away, and he’s looking extra tired. His bubbly self is there but definitely not up to par. He’s a savvy New Yorker, but got a little too cocky. We all learned the hard way, but are so grateful that he is okay. Needless to say, we were all a little on edge the rest of the trip. But no worries friends and loved ones! I myself am not confident in going out alone and have never done so, and obviously won’t be doing so in the future!!!

This wasn’t the only scary/realistic incident in Turkey. One of our friends (whose privacy I will maintain) was rufied (sp?) or date raped. She was out with a group of friends the first night and doesn’t remember anything after having a particular drink. The upside of the story is that she made it back to the ship safely and is okay. We have been warned endlessly about this issue, but especially in Turkey. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of this happening to people on the ship, unfortunately. Again, no need to worry! I am extra cautious about what I consume and my surroundings. This is the reality, and I don’t think people take any of these issues seriously enough. It’s all very shocking and sad. I hate having to deal with these kinds of things.

BAZAAR BAZAAR BAZAAR! The famous Capalikarsi or Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is the largest covered bazaar in the world with over 400 shops. They all sell the same sorts of things, but this is exactly where the fun begins: BARTER!!! Man, I was mean! Nobody was stopping me from getting the best price.... The Turks think they can fool me... Ha ha, no I was pretty good at it. It may have had to do with my blonde hair and big eyes though. Becca said she got better deals shopping with me. The Turks just love the blondes. But I’d like to think it was because I’m savvy with deal making and not afraid to put my foot down. On many occasions we would just walk away if they weren’t taking our offer, and they’d call us back... that’s the trick! We spent the entire day there and had a lot of fun. The store owners were actually really funny. They knew about 7 different languages and tried every one on us until they got to English. They throughout the most absurd phrases like “I will change your life,” and “I’m here to take your money,” to get our attention. “Yes, please” was the most popular. We learned to ignore them eventually! The most frequent products throughout the shops were hand painted ceramics, wooden backgammon boards, mosaic lamps and candle holders, and imitation clothing and bags, among many other Turkish things. The Spice Market is another covered market in Istanbul famous for their plethora of Turkish spice and tea. Lots of shopping that day! Good thing Turkey is cheap!

Hookah is another thing you have to experience when in Turkey. There was a strip of nice outdoor hookah bars near the ship. Both of the nights I was in Istanbul, we stopped there to taste some different flavored tobaccos. On one of the nights, a large group of 12 of us made reservations to eat at a rooftop restaurant that had the most beautiful view of Istanbul overlooking the Blue Mosque and Hajia Sofia. We ate one of the most delicious meals yet and just relaxed for 3 hours. During dinner at 10:35 was the first time I had the chance to hear the “call to prayer.” In the Muslim religion, they are called to prayer 5 times a day, the first one beginning at 4:30 in the morning and the last at about 10:30 at night. I learned that about 90% of the population of Istanbul are Muslims, but only about 10% are considered “good Muslims” that go to the Mosques and pray 5 times a day. The call to prayer itself is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Every mosque in the city projects a man singing the particular call for the particular time of day. It is very loud and is echoed throughout the city coming from each mosque. They last for about 10 beautiful minutes. It’s quite the experience. Talk about culture shock!!

The last day in Istanbul, Lauren, Shannon and I made our way via tram to the Traditional Turkish baths. Talk about even MORE culture shock! Turkish baths are huge in Turkish tradition and are located all over the city. They are basically public spas meant to cleanse. We heard a few tid bits from what experienced SASers had to say, but ultimately did not know what to expect. When we first arrived we were confused because the front looks just like a regular old store front. But inside is a giant, glorious spa! The three of us decided to splurge and bought the “luxury package” which included the traditional Turkish bath and a 30 minute oil massage. There are separate bath houses for men and women. To be naked is the tradition, however, underwear was provided. We got undressed, wrapped a towel around us, and walked down the twirling wooden steps to the bath house itself. The place was so open and beautiful with lots of natural wood and neutral colors. We weren’t exactly sure where to go so some lady pointed to a wooden door... inside was this huge and glorious sauna-like, circular, tall, domed room! Breathtaking. We were directed to the large marble circular slab in the middle of the room where we were to lay down and wait for our turn. There were about 3 Turkish ladies doing the bathing. While I waited and soaked peacefully in the sauna under the natural light from holes in the dome, listening to the voices of the Turkish women echo, I couldn’t help but step back and realize where I was.... I couldn’t believe it! I was about to be literally bathed by a Turkish woman and experience this humbling Turkish tradition. It was my turn so she called me over and laid me down over my pink towel on the marble slab. The first thing she did was take a giant bucket of cooled water and just threw it on me ha ha. I felt like a kid again sitting in the bath tub. She exfoliated my skin, washed me soap with her bare hands, and would hit my butt to have my flip over ha ha. What a fascinating and humbling process. I couldn’t believe it. She led me over to the rooms on the outer edge of the room to wash my hair then pointed me in the direction of the hot tubs (I’m sure they call it something different). We could have spent 3 hours there if we wanted, it was all so relaxing. The oil massage was great not because it was so relaxing and felt amazing, but because I knew this is how they really do it! They were rough! They weren’t sweetening things up just because we were tourists, I loved that. The Turkish bath is something that I think everyone should experience in the lifetime. Being bathed naked as an adult was such a peaceful and humbling experience. I felt very close to the culture of Turkey.

After the baths, Shannon, Lauren and I went our separate ways. This was the last day, and because I had dock time and an overnight trip, I was unable to see the other important things on the Istanbul checklist. So, I busted out my handy dandy map, head scarf, and best travel intuition to head out into the city on my own. First stop: the Blue Mosque, the biggest Mosque in Istanbul, if not the world. On my way, the call to prayer was sounding which meant I wouldn’t be able to enter for a while. I got very lucky though because I had the chance to actually see the Muslim religion in action. The little bits I got from peeking in through the barred windows gave me a good idea of what goes on. Upon entry, we had to remove our shoes, ladies had to cover their heads, and cover our legs. A man gave me a blue sheet to cover my knees. The mosque itself isn’t all that fascinating or big so ten minutes was all I needed. The real attraction was being able to see them pray. It was such a process with particular movements to every prayer and call. I exited and headed to the Basilica Cistern. It is basically this underground aqueduct built in the recent decades used for I don’t know what. Held up by 28 concrete pillars and based with water, the Cistern is dark and creepy, lit up only by the orange lights at the base of some pillars. This was another quick walk through so when this was over I found the tram quickly to make my way back to the ship early to prevent getting more dock time 😉

The culture in Istanbul is so different from ours at home. Unlike the rest of the countries, I was shocked at just about everything I experienced and cannot put into words the richness of the culture and tradition here. Istanbul has been the most developed of the port cities. It was just a taste of the different cultures we will be experiencing in Egypt and Morocco. I definitely learned my lessons through what happened to my friends. It’s a scary thing, and I’m glad they are safe and sound.

Bulgaria is tomorrow! When we wake up, we will need to tender again (take a small boat to shore because we are anchored, not docked). I have a couple of Semester at Sea trips and a couple of days free. Lots of fun to have and more culture to experience! Until next time 😊

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Comments

[Dad]

WOW!
The next time you go to Turkey you need to dye your hair! I'm glad I didn't know about how dangerous that part of your trip was, but very glad it's over:) I can't wait to see your pictures! We just spent a week in Minnesota where the girls took second place in a big soccer tournament. They both played great. Last Sunday I caught the biggest fish of my life-a 47" muskie! It was freaky cool!!! Love you and miss you, Dad.