Dearest friends, family, and all of the St. Olaf community,
Greetings from Turkey ! We write to you, T.I.M.E. 2008, soon after the completion of our first major course of study. We spent the past three and a half weeks in Istanbul , the famed former Constantinople that straddles the continents of Europe and Asia over the Bosphorous Strait . There, we studied at the top university in the country, Bogazici (Turkish for “Bosphorous”), named so for its location overlooking the beautiful body of water. We spent our first two class days learning survival Turkish from a spunky political science professor, Binnaz, who punished us mockingly and with good humor for our frequent mistakes in that difficult language. Our main course of study, however, focused on political science in Turkey . We spent three rigorous weeks with five excellent professors learning about the history of the Ottoman Empire, its dissolution into a republic under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk after the first World War, and the issues Turkey faces today as a secular state that is truly a gateway between the East and the West.
Sandwiched between these lessons, we also had classes from Dave Van Wylen concerning water and its implications in this region. We broke into groups and researched different aspects of water in Turkey : the Tigris-Euphrates river basin, Turkish water management, and water's role in Christianity. We're discovering that water is a hot button issue in this part of the world, enough to threaten wars between nations that own the flow of transboundary water sources. Part of Dave's coursework also includes taking photos of water and ways we see it being used during our trip, so we're all keeping our eyes peeled. A common exclamation among us has inevitably become, “water picture!” On a related note, it is necessary for us to purchase every drop of fluid we imbibe, making us even more aware that water is a scarce, and therefore precious, resource in this region. Very different from home!
When in Turkey , though, one mustn't spend all one's time in a classroom. Our first day in Istanbul, we went on a tour through the old heart of the city and saw such famed sights as the Topkapi palace where the sultans used to live, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, the underground Basilica Cistern (for all you James Bond lovers), and the famous Grand Bazaar. To be among the sights and sounds and smells of these places—ancient buildings, merchants calling their wares, meat on a spit at a durum doner stand—was both beautiful and overwhelming. Ancient ruins juxtapose the rich modern culture. With a vibrancy so unlike cities we're accustomed to visiting in our home country, our group spent a good portion of our afternoon in observational mode, simply ingesting our surroundings. The experience wasn't exactly culture shock, but it was definitely something of a culture buzz. The city is, in short, a whirlwind of wonders.
On our first Monday in Istanbul , about half the group decided to go out for dinner in the old city. When we got there and found a restaurant whose sign boasted, “We Have Terrace,” we knew we'd found our place. Seated at our rooftop table, the waiters started piling baskets of pita, salads, and bowls of soup in front of us. About to indulge ourselves, we noticed that none of the other patrons were eating. It was then that we remembered it was the first night of Ramadan, and everyone in the restaurant had been fasting since sunrise in observation of this holy Muslim month. We waited quietly (though our stomachs were rumbling) for several minutes and just as the sun disappeared behind the horizon we heard the call to prayer echo from several mosques in the area, signifying it was time to break the fast. We watched as the others around finally opened their drinks and started to eat for the first time all day. The traditions of Ramadan inspired our group, for these people practice such strong dedication and community. The food, the call, the sunset, the company—it was a moment we'll not soon forget.
Another highlight of the trip thus far came last week when we had an opportunity to volunteer with local kids who had been found working in the streets. Istanbul has a terrible phenomenon of children whose parents forced them to sell things, little packets of Kleenex or candies, on the crowded streets of Taksim Square . It is, of course, illegal, but it's still disappointingly prevalent. The organization we visited holds after school-type enrichment programs for kids like these to attend—tutoring sessions, art classes, computer lessons, and sports activities. The kids took to us right away as we played basketball, soccer, and quick hands games (Oboe Schinatentaten is apparently universally entertaining) on their rooftop playground. When it was time to go, the girls gave hugs and kissed our cheeks, while the boys played cool and shook our hands. They hung on our arms all the way to the front door, asking a question our program coordinator translated for us: “When are you coming back? When are you coming back?” It's difficult to convey the reward such experiences bring, and that they deliver to both parties. We were able to make connections across languages and age groups. And the kids got the chance to have time, even just a couple hours of one afternoon, for an adult to pay attention to just them. A few of us were able to go back once more on our last day in Istanbul to bring gifts of new toys. The kids were ecstatic to see us (as we were them). We even received a dance lesson; the smiling faces and quick feet were quick to teach us a traditional Turkish community dance.
We're now on a touring bus, traveling down Turkey 's southwestern coast. Stops include ancient ruins of Troy and Ephesus , as well as time to swim in the Aegean Sea and watch the rolling hills of olive trees and the occasional goat pass from the bus window. We'll be touring all week before heading back to Istanbul so we can fly to our next destination: Morocco . We'll write more soon, but until then, we wish you health and safety in all your own ventures at home and abroad.
T.I.M.E. 2008
