Emily and I made and incredible dinner in celebration of our first study trip. We made risotto with mushrooms peppers and cheese it was so good and really not that hard to make. Then for desert we made banana walnut oatmeal cookies with piece of tolberone chocolate in them. They were to die for. Definitely something ill make again. We finished a bottle of wine and had an amazing night. It was a great way to kick off a great week.
I left for turkey the next morning, it was 3 hr flight and I slept through all of it. By the time we got to the hotel it was 5 and time to go to dinner, we walked about 15 minutes and down this super cute side street and into the restaurant. It was so good, they had tapas for appetizers which included grape leaves this red Chile and then the main dish was chicken with lemon sauce and some kind of mashed potatoes. Then for dessert they gave us a creme cheese cake with a chocolate crust. Yum! We were so full all we wanted to do was walk around to feel better lol we walked down the main walking street and looked into all the stores! I bought 2 bracelets and then went back to the hotel. The next morning we woke up and had a full day of sightseeing. We met our guide Kori and he was great, he knew all the best places to take pictures and he knew so much about the history of all these places.
We first went to the blue mosque where we had to put on a headdress. It was so pretty inside. After we went to a museum and I saw the most beautiful bracelet there. I almost bought it, but it was $225 so I didn't but it was beautiful so maybe one day ill go back and buy it. After the museum we went to a palace where we saw an incredible view. I also learned about the Ottoman People and I also saw Moses staff! (Or so they claim). After we were showed the Turkish bath house where I got a body scrub and foam massage, the baths were amazing you sit naked and pour water on yourself for hours, I'm not kidding highlight of the trip!After a really relaxing 3 hrs Kim Megan Sasha and I went to a late dinner at Othentic. It came recommended by Kori and it was amazing, it was on the main walking street. We ordered meat and potato dumpling and a cheese pancake and grape leaves and of course a bottle of wine! It was all so amazing we shared everything and it was only 25 lira each at the end with is about 13 US dollars.
So cheap for incredible food. Sasha and Kim had to run to the ATM before the food came and while they were gone the wine came so Megan and I decided to get a jump start on the wine and finished a glass before they got back. We were light weight tipsy at this point bc we were so dehydrated from the baths. After a bottle we were feeling really good. We were laughing at this married couple sitting across the room from us. They were probably in late 60s and the wife had a hair cut from the 80s and she was talking to these two Turkish women, about our age and she kept pointing and talking really slow saying "you, you know the good places to see but me i don't know because, I, Im not from here" hand motions and everything it was comical the husband had his hand on his head on the table. This is clearly a normal experience for him. We were talking bets on where they were from, Minnesota, South Carolina, Montana? Nope we were all wrong Virginia. We had to ask. It was hilarious. After dinner we went back down the main walking street and wandered into a few stores till we found our way back to our hotel.
We woke up the next morning and divided into group to go to different places based on the research we had done the previous week. I did mine on children rights so I got to go to Cogi. Where we got a presentation from 2 incredible women that are fighting for the rights of children in turkey. They are committed to educating children and adults on a child's and women's rights and how to go about changing social norms. It was truly inspiring. They have created games where children are given a situation and they have to be able to know what right to use. Some game about matching too. We watched video that talked about the importance of child's rights.
After the presentation we went back to the main square and had a delicious lunch, we ordered hummable and stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer and then had a great salad. Much needed after all the meat we had been eating. After lunch we met up with the larger group and went to a rug shop where we got to see a person making hand stitching the rug. it was incredible how accurate they were and how many knots they fit in a square inch. The man trying to sell us the rugs said they can fit up to 300 double knots in a square inch. Amazing. The one rug she was working on was 2X4 feet and she said it will take her 10 months to complete if she works on it every day for 4 hours(which is the max they are allowed to work on the rugs) it was amazing, they are all so detailed. There was one that changed colors as you walked around it. I'm still not sure how that happened, but it was cool.
After that Kori took us to the grand bazaar! It was huge its made up of 62 indoor streets where people are selling beautiful lamps, bracelets, scarfs and SO much more. Sasha Megan and I wandered all over and found scarves for 30 lira each but haggled him down to 13 lira each, Megan bought 4. Then we found bracelets for 5 lira each and I got 12 for 25 lira. I still think I got ripped off to a degree but 25 lira is 13 dollars, so a dollar a bracelet isn't bad. We spent about an hour and half looking at all the shops. The Turkish men are very aggressive they try every way to get your attention and it is extremely annoying. They would come up to you and use pickup lines that I've never heard before, i think the best one was "can i have your picture so that i can prove to my friends that angels exists" And every time your walked away it would be "your breaking my heart". I broke soo many Turkish hearts.. It was ridiculous.
After that we went to the spice bazaar and the constant persistence continued so Megan and I just say outside on the steps of the mosque and waited for the group to finish. It was so sad, these children anywhere from3-8 would come up to you begging for money or trying to sell Kleenex or flower head bands. They are covered in dirt and some have no shoes. It broke my heart. I wanted to take them all home with me so they would have to beg for money. It was so sad. And so hard to watch.
After everyone from the group found their way back to the meeting spot we walked around the corner to the most famous place in Istanbul to have kababs. We had the whole second floor to ourselves where we had a view of the river and the lights it was awesome and the food was so good, we started with soup and a salad and then had our main kabab dish and then baclava for dessert. It was incredible! I love baclava! I want to learn how to make it, it's so yummy!
Then we went to a dance performance where we got to see the traditional Turkish dance and belly dancing! Omg it was over the top, there were some group dances and some individual dances and the one dance was was so hot it was unreal, he was so talented I have never seen anyone move that way. After that we were exhausted and went back to the hotel and passed out.
We had an early morning the next day, we went to the highschool that Maja, our program manager went to, the Robert college. It was stunning. It was on top of a huge hill and had tall pillars. You have to test into the school and be accepted and most go to the the ivy leagues in the US from this hs, they were so bright. I talked to one girl who was so poised and well spoken. I have no doubt she will go far, she wants a liberal arts school so I told her if she ever wanted a tour of Claremont I would be happy to host her. It reminded me of the pressure of hs, they work so hard to be the best of the best and I felt the stress. In the big picture, the little things don't matter.
After we got a tour of the gorgeous school we went down the hill to the public school where the kids were equally as welcoming, we were split up into groups and we got to sit in on 2 classes and in the one there wasn't enough room for us to sit and the kids got up and said for us to sit in their seats, I felt so bad they wouldn't take no for an answer, I really wouldn't mind standing. It's their education. Half way through the class the teacher let the students talk to us, so they asked me all about American life and culture and I wanted to learn all about them and what they do for fun. Most of them don't drink for religious reason and on the weekend they are in additional courses that help them study for their college entrance exams. Even in the public school they were extremely driven to preform well although many of them had to aspirations of leaving the country for school, that's a luxury that most couldn't afford as a college education in turkey is free. In between classes, these girls found me and started talking to me! They were all so great, and spoke petty good English. They've taken English for as long as I have taken spanish and I could never be as conversational as they were. One girl gave me one of her bracelets so that I wouldn't forget her or my trip to her school. It was so generous which is the theme from the whole trip, they were all so welcoming and kind.
After the school we went on a boat a private bosphorous boat tour had lunch on the boat. It, as usual was good, and the view was unreal. It almost looked like San Francisco from the bay, the bridge looked so similar to the bay bridge it was crazy! it was so windy but a blast to be on top of the boat with everyone. The pictures can only begin to show you what I saw.
We finished the boat tour around 3 and had the rest of the evening on our own so a few of us walked to the underground cistern. It was beautiful. It's the largest one in Istanbul and unlike anything I've ever seen. When we got down there we saw that you could pay to have your picture taken in traditional attire for about $5 total, so of course we did. The 8 of us got dressed up and it was really fun the pictures turned out so cute and really funny. We walked around the cistern and then we decided to leave. A few of us found a cute cafe and stayed there to relax while the others walked back to the grand bazaar. We found this dinner where you sit on the ground on these fluffy couch like cushions and enjoyed a great dinner. We at family style again and my favorite dish was the spinach and carrot dish, it was great! I'm going to try and make it at home. After we found our way back to the hotel and had an early night. We woke up early the next day to spend all day at a school in the Asia side of turkey.
I was so happy it was raining today, I could finally wear the sweaters I brought! We spent all day learning about the practices of the school and interacting with the kids in the classrooms. It was amazing, I'm totally sold on the school. They were exposed to so many different things like music, travel, new words, art and so much more. I was so impressed. After we got to your the elementary jr high and high school. All equally great. We had lunch there and then left to shop of Baghdad street! It wad so high end i tried on a bunch of dresses and cloths but didnt end up buying anything, we met up with the rest of the group and DIS took us to a yacht club for dinner that night.
The view was crazy. I felt so spoiled we had 5 courses and I was so full and it was all so good! It was our last dinner all together, we can hardly believe the week is over. We went back to the hotel and some went out but me and 7 others decided to get 4/5 bottles of wine and some dessert and hangout in the room where we played games and 2 truths and lie story version.
It was the perfect way to say goodbye to turkey. The next morning Erin and I went to the top of the Tower and saw the view of the whole city! It was incredible the other day the girls were on top and heard the call of prayer echo throughout the whole city, I heard it was the most amazing thing ever! After we wandered through the shops and I spent my last 10 lira on a banana and 2 things of tolberone chocolate so Emily and I can make a dessert again. It was so much cheaper here. Anyways we went back to the hotel and said goodbye to Kori and got on the bus to the airport. The plane was great and now I'm getting ready to meet kyle in Berlin tomorrow!
After the presentation we went back to the main square and had a delicious lunch, we ordered hummable and stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer and then had a great salad. Much needed after all the meat we had been eating. After lunch we met up with the larger group and went to a rug shop where we got to see a person making hand stitching the rug. it was incredible how accurate they were and how many knots they fit in a square inch. The man trying to sell us the rugs said they can fit up to 300 double knots in a square inch. Amazing. The one rug she was working on was 2X4 feet and she said it will take her 10 months to complete if she works on it every day for 4 hours(which is the max they are allowed to work on the rugs) it was amazing, they are all so detailed. There was one that changed colors as you walked around it. I'm still not sure how that happened, but it was cool.
After that Kori took us to the grand bazaar! It was huge its made up of 62 indoor streets where people are selling beautiful lamps, bracelets, scarfs and SO much more. Sasha Megan and I wandered all over and found scarves for 30 lira each but haggled him down to 13 lira each, Megan bought 4. Then we found bracelets for 5 lira each and I got 12 for 25 lira. I still think I got ripped off to a degree but 25 lira is 13 dollars, so a dollar a bracelet isn't bad. We spent about an hour and half looking at all the shops. The Turkish men are very aggressive they try every way to get your attention and it is extremely annoying. They would come up to you and use pickup lines that I've never heard before, i think the best one was "can i have your picture so that i can prove to my friends that angels exists" And every time your walked away it would be "your breaking my heart". I broke soo many Turkish hearts.. It was ridiculous.
After that we went to the spice bazaar and the constant persistence continued so Megan and I just say outside on the steps of the mosque and waited for the group to finish. It was so sad, these children anywhere from3-8 would come up to you begging for money or trying to sell Kleenex or flower head bands. They are covered in dirt and some have no shoes. It broke my heart. I wanted to take them all home with me so they would have to beg for money. It was so sad. And so hard to watch.After everyone from the group found their way back to the meeting spot we walked around the corner to the most famous place in Istanbul to have kababs. We had the whole second floor to ourselves where we had a view of the river and the lights it was awesome and the food was so good, we started with soup and a salad and then had our main kabab dish and then baclava for dessert. It was incredible! I love baclava! I want to learn how to make it, it's so yummy!
Then we went to a dance performance where we got to see the traditional Turkish dance and belly dancing! Omg it was over the top, there were some group dances and some individual dances and the one dance was was so hot it was unreal, he was so talented I have never seen anyone move that way. After that we were exhausted and went back to the hotel and passed out.
We had an early morning the next day, we went to the highschool that Maja, our program manager went to, the Robert college. It was stunning. It was on top of a huge hill and had tall pillars. You have to test into the school and be accepted and most go to the the ivy leagues in the US from this hs, they were so bright. I talked to one girl who was so poised and well spoken. I have no doubt she will go far, she wants a liberal arts school so I told her if she ever wanted a tour of Claremont I would be happy to host her. It reminded me of the pressure of hs, they work so hard to be the best of the best and I felt the stress. In the big picture, the little things don't matter.
After the school we went on a boat a private bosphorous boat tour had lunch on the boat. It, as usual was good, and the view was unreal. It almost looked like San Francisco from the bay, the bridge looked so similar to the bay bridge it was crazy! it was so windy but a blast to be on top of the boat with everyone. The pictures can only begin to show you what I saw.
We finished the boat tour around 3 and had the rest of the evening on our own so a few of us walked to the underground cistern. It was beautiful. It's the largest one in Istanbul and unlike anything I've ever seen. When we got down there we saw that you could pay to have your picture taken in traditional attire for about $5 total, so of course we did. The 8 of us got dressed up and it was really fun the pictures turned out so cute and really funny. We walked around the cistern and then we decided to leave. A few of us found a cute cafe and stayed there to relax while the others walked back to the grand bazaar. We found this dinner where you sit on the ground on these fluffy couch like cushions and enjoyed a great dinner. We at family style again and my favorite dish was the spinach and carrot dish, it was great! I'm going to try and make it at home. After we found our way back to the hotel and had an early night. We woke up early the next day to spend all day at a school in the Asia side of turkey.
I was so happy it was raining today, I could finally wear the sweaters I brought! We spent all day learning about the practices of the school and interacting with the kids in the classrooms. It was amazing, I'm totally sold on the school. They were exposed to so many different things like music, travel, new words, art and so much more. I was so impressed. After we got to your the elementary jr high and high school. All equally great. We had lunch there and then left to shop of Baghdad street! It wad so high end i tried on a bunch of dresses and cloths but didnt end up buying anything, we met up with the rest of the group and DIS took us to a yacht club for dinner that night.
The view was crazy. I felt so spoiled we had 5 courses and I was so full and it was all so good! It was our last dinner all together, we can hardly believe the week is over. We went back to the hotel and some went out but me and 7 others decided to get 4/5 bottles of wine and some dessert and hangout in the room where we played games and 2 truths and lie story version.
It was the perfect way to say goodbye to turkey. The next morning Erin and I went to the top of the Tower and saw the view of the whole city! It was incredible the other day the girls were on top and heard the call of prayer echo throughout the whole city, I heard it was the most amazing thing ever! After we wandered through the shops and I spent my last 10 lira on a banana and 2 things of tolberone chocolate so Emily and I can make a dessert again. It was so much cheaper here. Anyways we went back to the hotel and said goodbye to Kori and got on the bus to the airport. The plane was great and now I'm getting ready to meet kyle in Berlin tomorrow!
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