Thansgiving & Teacher's Day!

This year, Thanksgiving was on the same day as Teachers Day! Upon my arrival at school, the table in the female teachers lounge was set up with silverware, a white table cloth, and delicious Turkish food! As all the teachers gathered to eat, I couldn’t help but feel reminiscent of my Grandma’s Thanksgiving table; although, this feast was minus any men! After breakfast, children paraded into the lounge delivering gifts and flowers. I was also requested to visit a few of my classrooms, where the children presented me with gifts, hugs, kisses, and a rehearsed, “Happy Teacher’s Day!” Some of the gifts I was given resembled those that would be included on a Muslim wedding registry! I was given a serving bowl and spoons, a vase, some home decorations, a towel set, a coffee mug, jewelry, a Muslim prayer book, scented prayer beads, a Muslim style sweater, a scarf, homemade cards, and a bunch of bouquets and roses. Randi and I felt quite loved and special. Both of us thought that if we had to be away from our families, this was the way to celebrate and give thanks!

Later, we went to our favorite mall for a fancy pasta dinner. We purchased some wine. Unfortunately, 4^th times not a charm for me. While Randi’s been savoring her sweet wines, I’ve been pouring mine down the sink.

~ Stacy

Fairytale Castle - Ankara, Turkey

Last weekend Stacy and I both decided it was time to mix some culture into our weekly trip to Ankara; so Saturday morning we got up bright and early and traveled to Ankara Castle. Stacy had also mentioned she wanted to visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations; as it turned out it was located just below the castle, we were able to hit up both places in one trip. The museum was very interesting and is situated in an old bazaar that was gutted and transformed into the museum due, to Ataturk's desire to establish a Hittite museum. The museum is host to numerous exhibits of Anatolian Archeology, beginning with the Paleolithic era, and continuing chronologically through the Neolithic, Early Bronze, Assyrian trading colonies, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, Greek, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuq and Ottoman periods. We were both very surprised with the many exhibits devoted to the worship of Women and their honored position in society. Times have sure changed in Turkey. Though the museum was small, the exhibits were all very interesting with some of the artifacts dating back to as far as the second half of the first millennium BC. After Stacy took advantage of the lighting and numerous photo ops we made our way up the hill to Ankara Castle.

Ankara Castle sits upon a hill overlooking much of the city and gives a breathtaking view of older parts of the city as opposed to the modern metropolitan Kizilay. Along the steep climb one walks though a quaint bazaar with numerous shops and cafes. It is touristy, but the buildings are old and weathered.  The shop owners are little old men and women so there is still a sense of history amongst the rugs and scarves. Much of the castle is weather beaten and not intact, but was still really beautiful. We climbed up to the second story and while I braved the narrow walk way to overlook the city, Stacy kept a safe distance from the edge. The timing worked beautifully as we reached the top just as the sun was setting over the villages surrounding the castle. Red tin roofed houses were a nice change from the concrete apartments that dot much of Ankara. We will for sure make one more trip here before leaving.  On our descent we found the main bazaar of Ankara and meandered around the many shops, stopping now and then to examine the rugs and jewelry stores. It felt a little like being back in Thailand, with tourists’ shops and stalls selling everything from clothes to cookware. We both really enjoyed seeing a different side of Ankara and also adding a little culture to our otherwise downtown city weekends.  When we visited again in the spring, it was just as lovely.

~ Randi

Bayram

This past week, due to the sacrificial Muslim holiday, we enjoyed a 5 day weekend! Since the holiday fell right before payday, and everyone was low on funds, we stuck around in Ankara.

On Saturday, some friends (Rachel, Amy, and Jilly) hosted a Halloween themed party. The night before we were mistakenly informed that we could only purchase liquor that evening, so we rushed off in our pajamas (as if we don’t stand out already) in search of supplies. We were, obviously, over eager to celebrate one of my favorite holidays! Randi, also, spent much of that evening making a lady bug costume out of a sheet and tissue paper. I, the less creative one, dressed up as a cheeky kitty! We had a lot of fun celebrating Halloween and afterwards went out dancing, minus the costumes!

During our holiday we spent quite a bit of time shopping, watching movies, reading (we’re in a “Game of Thrones” unofficial book club!) and exploring the city with friends. On Sunday, after Randi witnessed our neighbors slaughtering a cow from our window, we decided to remain indoors.

Randi and I visited our first Hamam, a Turkish bath. We were surprised by the lack of modesty amongst the Muslim women, but I guess amongst other women their levels of exposure are far more relaxed. Good thing we’re not too modest! I am pro-boob lifts after the experience and there were some sights I wish I hadn’t seen! While lying on marble platforms, we received body scrubs. I have a phobia of dead skin. I can’t even be around friends who are peeling due to sunburn! So having dead skin shaved off of my body and then having to turn around and lie in it was an issue for me. After that ordeal, we returned to the main room and rinsed ourselves off with bowls of hot water. Next, we received a bubble (bath soap) message. This was much more enjoyable for me, except for the part where the lady got soap in my eyes and threw buckets of water over my head. Randi found this a little less enjoyable as she had to grasp the edge of the marble platform for fear of being shoved headfirst onto the floor. Still, Randi intends to go every month; I’m thinking one or two more times before I leave. Next time I won't wear my contacts, which should help with the unfavorable views and the soap in my eyes.

~ Stacy

Cappadocia, Turkey

After being in Turkey for almost two months, Stacy and I were finally able to get away and see more than just malls and city streets of Sincan.  We spent the past weekend in lovely Cappadocia, which is about a 4.5 hour bus ride from Ankara.  We made the trip with five other teachers, who all happen to be girls, it was a lovely ladies weekend.  We all met up at the bus station and caught a late afternoon bus.  This worked out beautifully as it was dark by the time we coasted down the mountainous, curvy, road into the city.  We left behind the city lights and arrived back in time, even with substantial fake lighting it was still breath taking.  Goreme is the main city in Cappadocia and lies in a valley surrounded by the unreal rock formations which take you back to the Stone Age.  As one of my teachers quoted "It’s like the Flintstones" and that is exactly what it looked like!  Seeing all the formations lit up, gave Goreme a slightly haunting look, this was very much appropriate as Halloween was just around the corner.  We successfully found our hostel and lucked out with a dorm room “cave” with seven beds.  I of course made a bee line for a bed next to a heater.  We then made our way to, what we were informed as the only pub available, Fat Boys.  There we enjoyed the company of fellow travelers and also relished in not being judged with drinks in our hands.  We all had a lovely evening and some of us even joined a game of pool, while those of us, me included, preferred to just watch. 

The next morning was our only full day in the region so we booked a full day tour, including a descent into the underground city.  I should also mention Cappadocia was quite a bit colder than we had anticipated, this is why in the first half of the photos most of us are hunched together trying to stay warm.  Though we were a pretty large group on our own, we were also joined by five other people.  We began our day by heading to a lookout point that gave an amazing view of the city, where we were informed how Cappadocia came to be.  Having never been very good at geology here is very brief description:  due to numerous earth quakes and the geology of the area, this unrealistic world was created by numerous volcanic eruptions and earth quakes.  The underground city was created to harbor fleeing Christians from religious persecution by the Muslims.  They created the city underground because of how easy it was to form the rock that was unearthed during the volcanic eruption.  A very extensive city was built, spreading a good 10 km with separate colonies.  We were actually very surprised to learn the Christians were only forced underground for about five months seasonally; many of us had thought it was a great deal longer.  During the underground tour we visited the graves/morgue, wine cellar, school, church, confessional, baptismal area, and also the area where enemies were crucified. Underground was very well lit and much more spacious than the Cuchi tunnels of Vietnam, I did a lot better this time around while being underground.  After emerging from underground, we were all very happy to see the sun and noticed the lovely change in temperature.  We made our way to Ihlara Valley, which is the second biggest valley next to the Grand Canyon and the only one hike-able by people.  We then began a 3.5 km hike through the valley, surrounded by rock formations, many with visible windows and doors.  It was a lovely walk and very surreal to look up and see all the old homes.  Lunch was next on the agenda, followed by a relaxing car ride through the city.  Our last stop was the monastery Selime Kalesi.  This did involve a bit of climbing which is not my strong suit but I am happy to report that no injuries were incurred.   We spent our second night at Fat Boys once again and were able to rise early enough to catch a noon bus home.  All in all, we had an amazing weekend with some truly awesome people.  Though it would have been nice to have had one more day to see the rest of the sites and do a little more exploring it was a very successful first weekend getaway!

~ Randi

Teaching in Turkey

Today, I had the luxury of having chunks of play-dough hurled at me by a 1st grader. I retaliated by breaking their ruler in half and throwing out the play-dough. Since there are no disciplinary measures in place at our schools, I’ve found the best way to get their attention (or get revenge!) is by confiscating/stealing their things. I may be turning into a klepto. If anyone needs any scissors, play-dough, notebooks, or toy cars, let me know!

I’ve lost my personal chauffeur. Now, like Randi, I have to ride the school bus with the children. Thank god for ipods and headphones! One of my least favorite students is a passenger on the bus, too. He likes to dance around the classroom yelling “shut up teacher”, while sticking his tongue out at me.  I may have had one lapse and stuck my tongue out right back.

Note: Turkish children are quite spoiled and undisciplined, especially the eldest son. Also, they tend to only listen to male authority. One boy refused to apologize to Randi for hitting her because she was a woman. Randi says teaching the young ones has made her rethink having children (at least outside of the U.S). Her current plan: 0 children, 1 dog. Also, her need for personal space has increased due to the fact that many children have either rotted black stubs or no teeth at all. She now finds them endearing from a distance.

But things aren’t all bad.  There are students that make this experience worthwhile. Today alone, I received 4 cut out paper hearts with the message, “I love teacher Stacy”. Ok, maybe they’re just major suck-ups, but it works! Randi appreciates the love received in between classes when the students run up to greet her.

One of the best things about this experience is the solidarity amongst the female teachers. They’re so sincere, kind, and hospitable. Food and tea are constantly offered to us, as well as smiles and words of encouragement. As we have no interaction with men at school, one grows to appreciate the bonds these women share and how supportive they are of each other.

~ Stacy

New Apartment - Sincan, Turkey

Stacy and I moved into our apartment about three weeks ago.  First of all, it is a giant leap up from our house in Thailand.  Though we did eventually feel at home there, our new apartment is much cozier.  This time around we are gifted with a functional kitchen, complete with a gas stove and dishwasher.  Stacy is a little disappointed in the lack of a microwave, but I believe it is the perfect opportunity for her to expand her cooking skills :)  We also have a full bathroom complete with a tub and shower!!!!  Though for the taller residents there is a lot of maneuvering and ducking involved when taking a shower, I am at the perfect height.  We are also gifted with a washing machine, which we successfully used last night.  Stacy even made a bargain for doing the laundry in exchange for food and tea, so I may now be the designated cook.  We each have our own bedrooms with minimal furniture and bars on the windows!  In the living room there is a television, which we don’t use, and four very Victorian looking chairs, neither appealing to look at nor very comfortable to sit on.  The two couches on the other hand are very pleasant and we are not really missing our five sectional vinyl red couch from Thailand.  Which we were always sticking to it and the sections would constantly slide around, separating ones torso from their feet!

We also have a roommate for the time being.  Gareth, who teaches with Stacy at her school and is from England, has been living with us for the past week.  We found out on Friday that he is no longer allowed to live with us; both our schools cannot overlook a male living with two females.  We are reminded how different Muslim culture is from the western point of view.  We are once again reminded that though we may not be Muslim ourselves, for appearances sake we must conform to their views.  On a more positive note we did make it into Ankara this weekend and had a house warming party with the other teachers from our company.  So, like in Thailand, we will enjoy our quite country life during the week and head into the city on the weekends for drinks and hanging out with friends.  

~ Randi

First Days in Sincan, Turkey

Randi and I are living in a suburb, 25 km outside of Ankara, that resembles a barren desert. Initially we felt a bit isolated, but after having spent time with new friends in Ankara (aka exploring the city by day and discovering it's nightlife by night), we are quite pleased with our new location. Tomorrow we'll be moving into a 3 bedroom apartment. We're happy to have an actual shower and a kitchen that isn't nicknamed "the kitchen of horrors". The cheap rent will include a weekly cleaning and fresh bread delivered to our door each morning. The only downside is that we will be neighbors to a mosque. The 5 am call to prayer will be our alarm clock!

Everyone has been extremely hospitable and welcoming. Randi and I have been placed into 2 neighboring schools with 2 male foreign teachers. Since it is preferred that women teach the younger students, we've been assigned 1st through 4th grades. In our schools, there are separate teachers lounges for the men and women, and the genders are quite segregated. We get quite a few stares when hanging out with the male English teachers and we're sometimes ushered away to rejoin the females. Also, it's advised to refrain from shaking hands with the opposite sex unless they initiate it. This year the female teachers are forbidden from wearing their head scarves during school hours so some wear wigs as a substitute. The teachers wear long, white jackets that resemble lab coats. If Randi and I can get away with minimal clothing underneath, we may join them!

~ Stacy

Istanbul, Turkey - Two Continents

Stacy has always said Istanbul is one of her favorite cities and now I know why.  It is breathtakingly beautiful.  Our first full day there was spent making our way up the extremely steep cobble stone streets to Taxsim Square, where shops and cafes line the streets.  We took a relaxing stroll down the streets stopping for fresh fruit juices along the way.  After making our way back to the beginning we braved the transit system and made it to the Istanbul Archaeological Museums.  Here there are three buildings of gorgeous tile work, Greek statues (much to the Greek's disdain), pottery, and sarcophaguses.  We enjoyed meandering around and Stacy made sure to get her second picture with Alexander the Great (a little too enamored).  By this time it was about 4 and I was a walking zombie, so we made it back to our hostel and passed out for the night at 5pm.  The next day was jammed packed with taking in as much as possible as we had to leave for Ankara the next morning.  Our first stop was Hagia Sophia, this was by far my favorite.  Hagia Sophia means divine power (holy wisdom).  It was first a church before the Byzantine Empire but then overrun and turned into a Mosque, covering all the Christian Mosaics with Arabic symbols.  At the end of the Byzantine Empire restorers attempted to uncover as many of the Christan depictions as possible, including the famous Mother and Child centered on the ceiling.  Today it is considered to stand for the meeting between Christianity and Islam.  There are two levels complete with one side having Mary and Child and on the other side Mihrab.  It is the embodiment of blending cultures; the history seeping through is extremely calming.  Across from Hagia Sophia is the Blue Mosque.  It is still a practicing Mosque, so Stacy and I both had to cover our hair with scarves.  The Blue Mosque is also very beautiful, with a blue stained glass dome covering the main prayer area.  With much time to spare we decided to splurge on an open Hop-On-Hop-Off tour.  We took two different routes, the first around the Golden Horn with the Bosphorus river separating Europe from Asia, and touring all the Asian monuments.  The second tour was a more in-depth look at the European side.  Both tours were lovely and came complete with audio commentary.  We also were able to see the coastal lines of both continents.

After a quick nap back at the hostel we met up with our friend Rose, who we had the pleasure of teaching with in Thailand.  Rose had been in Istanbul for a week so she knew of a few good places to eat and get a drink.  We both tried the famous Efes beer and I have to say it was pretty good, after Thailand I have been turned off beer for quite some time.  We also regretfully tried Riki, a licorice liquor that is mixed with water.  It tastes like black licorice and I wouldn't recommend it!  After saying goodbye to Rose, as she will be teaching 600 kilometers northeast of us, we made our back to our Hostel, the Stray Cat.  Our hostel was named appropriately for it had 4 to 6 stray cats and kittens that bounced and bounded around, in and out of the hostel.  Upon check out the next morning we were actually told we didn't need to pay for our three nights stay as the two brothers who owned it had lost our reservations and we'd had to stay in a dormitory.  So we were only charged our $12 initial credit card deposit!  We both loved Istanbul and will for sure be making it back the the next chance we get!

~ Randi

Getting There

Getting to Turkey ended up being more of an adventure than we anticipated.  Last year Stacy and I made 2 round trips between SE Asia and the US, one being a lovely 34 hour ordeal.  We were very pleased to see our total travel time to Turkey was only 15 hours.  Unfortunately this was too good to be true.  We left Detroit at around 6pm bound for Toronto, which was only a 45 minute flight.  We boarded a 14 passenger plane and were told by one of the two pilots that if we needed anything just let them know!  We then took off, with a full view of the cockpit.  Once in Toronto, complete with a stamp in our passports, we arrived at our gate only to learn our flight had been delayed an hour.  Since we had a two hour layover before our flight from Zurich to Istanbul we were not too concerned.  Before we knew it we boarded the plane, complete with individual screens, and were ready for our short flight of seven hours.  We backed away from the gate and then did not move for about 20 minutes.  The captain then came on intercom and said that our engine had had a false start and they were going to try and see if the problem would be an easy fix.  20 minutes later we were informed that something had to be replaced on the plane and this would take two to three hours.  Since we could not stay on the plane for this everyone had to disembark, we were given $10 to Tim Hortons and they brought out the snack cart.  As airplanes have become very stingy with the drinks I snagged 4 diet cokes and snacks, while Stacy went to wait in line at Tim Hortons.  She ended up spending most of the three hours it took to fix our plane getting smoothies.  So now being four hours later than planned we left Toronto at about 2am, obviously missing our flight to Turkey.  Oh and apparently Rob Lowe was on our plane, though I didn't see him some passengers in front of Stacy were remarking on the sighting.  We flew to Zurich easy enough and then had to convince Swiss immigration that we needed to be issued new boarding passes and they eventually let us through.  We were then booked on a flight to Istanbul and were issued 18 Swiss franks to spend on food.  We made it to our gate with time to spare and enjoyed a nice pasta dinner with beer on Canada Air.  We arrived in Istanbul, got our luggage, and were at our hostel before 11pm.

 
~ Randi

A New Adventure!

After an awesome year in Thailand, Randi and I decided to do another year of teaching abroad together. After all, we haven't killed each other yet ;) As much as we loved our time in Thailand, we were ready for a change. Randi wanted more than 2 seasons of hot and hotter, and I feared that staying any longer would compromise some of my morals! We returned home for a lovely summer with our friends and family. We were undecided as to where we wanted to go next. At the last minute, we decided to forgo our plans of teaching in Venezuela..and decided on Turkey!

~ Stacy