Too Many Memories to Count

I'm finally back in the States after being abroad for a month and I am so happy to be back! Don't get me wrong I had a wonderful time, in fact I had an absolutely fan-freaking-tastic time! Looking back the thing that weighed on me the most was all the traveling, living in hotels and out of a suitcase for a month. After I counted I realized I stayed in 11 different places throughout my travels in Turkey and Greece. That is roughly staying every place for 2.7 days, although we stayed some places longer and others shorter the moving is what got to me in the end. I really do think I could live abroad, I think I could even live abroad in Turkey (maybe after a needed Turkish class), but living abroad is different than traveling abroad. I would like to have my own place, not live out of a suitcase, make friends, you know all the things you do where ever you live. I almost felt that I had been living in Istanbul once my parents got there. It was as if I was showing off the new city that I lived in. I was so proud of what I had learned and everything I knew about the city and how well I knew to get around on my own. It was great because I knew where everything was and some history (thanks to Selime), but then we left for Greece and I left my new home again, probably never to return.

The things I missed most while I was traveling were (I figured I'd make a list since everyone else did):
1. Cheese its
2. Ice
3. Air conditioning
4. People waiting their turn in line!
5. People not standing close to me. You know how Americans stand super far away from each other, like we all smell or something? Well I like that! I don't like people standing awkwardly close to me, especially at atms!
So I guess going abroad did make me realize that I do love America, even though it has a lot of bad things, it has a lot of really great things that I missed. Don't get cocky America, you're not that great!

Things I miss about Greece and Turkey now that I am back in the States:
1. Friendly, helpful, hospitable people
2. Trendy clothes
3. Really cheap stuff!
4. Mosques and minarets
5. Beautiful views everywhere
6. Istanbul!

The trip really was fantastic. I love meeting new people, making new friends, and going to new places. I had never been anywhere like Istanbul and probably never will again because it is so unique! I was definitely sad to go, but I am happy to be back. Now that I am home everyone wants to know how my trip was and really all I can say is amazing because so much happened and so many memories were made that it is hard to spill out all the information I learned in a five minute span. I think if people want to really know what Istanbul is like, they should go there and find out!

I'm a Turkophile.

It’s impossible to pick just one thing I love most about Turkey. In fact, the thing I am most pleased to have taken away from my experiences in Turkey, is my new found respect for the Turkish people and their country. I find myself revisiting the old, yet busy, streets in my mind. My daydreams include touring Hagia Sophia, hearing a call to prayer, or cliff jumping into the Mediterranean Sea. I even think of the friends I made during my adventures there.

When discussing Turkey with my friends here in the United States, I struggle to convey into words the things which I loved. It is impossible to describe Hagia Sophia, Mt. Olympus, Taksim Square, or even just the excitement of being in Istanbul, and feel that you are doing a proper job of explaining any of these things. To appreciate Turkey’s people, culture, history, and it’s tradition of progress, one must physically visit Turkey. You can’t appreciate how far Turkey has come, if you have not learned about what it once was. I feel lucky to have been able to learn about Turkey firsthand and from the Turks themselves.

I can say confidently that I am not the same after having such an experience abroad. My interests and my opinions have changed significantly and I feel better off because of it. I will cherish the friends I made and the experiences I was able to have with them. This really is KU’s best kept study abroad secret and the experience of a lifetime.

Finally, I have my own list of advice for the next group:

1) When learning how to say ‘thank you’ in Turkish, don’t be like me. Practice pronunciation with the group and make sure you can say it right. Otherwise you might accidentally say something inappropriate.

2) Spend a little extra for an experience. I recommend Kadir’s Treehouses in Olympus for your free weekend, and go sea kayaking. It was worth every lira spent. We made some awesome friends. Cliff jumping was awesome.

3) Sunscreen is expensive there. Pack two bottles (minimum) in your suitcase. And aloe. You will need it, and won’t regret it.

4) Learn to haggle. Not to brag, but I got pretty good at it.

5) Try Raki.

Reflections

 Since coming back home I have been fairly busy and I am just now getting a chance to sit down and write my wrap up blog about my experience.  It has come to my attention over the last week that I have no good way to write in a clear and concise manner what occurred  over the last month of my life.  How do you take the best experience of your life and write it into a neat little blog? I do not know the answer but I will attempt to do so, however I will probably fall short of my goal.  There are no words to express the deep love and admiration I have for the people and the places that we traveled to in our much too brief encounter with Turkey. I learned so much about the people and the culture that when my friends ask how my trip was I fall short and answer simply, "It was amazing!"  This is how I feel, and in truth and it cannot fully explain what this trip meant to me.  For those of you who have not been out of the country, I do not suggest starting with Turkey.  This is simply because a place this magnificent cannot help but to soil the impression of the other countries that you may visit. To elaborate on this I will explain some of the facets that I found the most fascinating and enlightening during my stay.
     The people who inhabit Turkey were hands down my favorite part of the culture. The Turkish people that we encountered were some of the nicest people that I have ever met.  They are always welcoming and ready to assist people when they need it, and trust me we needed it, they are curious about your life and what your plans for the future hold.  It is truly refreshing to visit a place where you get the impression that the small talk matters to the other person.  I never felt awkward or out of place despite being an american that was unable to speak the native language and I truly appreciate that sense of community. Another aspect of community that I was unfamiliar with was the connection of neighbors, even in a city the size of Istanbul, it is out of place for people not to know their neighbors which is a rarity in the states.
        Another aspect of Turkey that I felt was unique was the sheer amount of history contained in a country that is not very big.  Everywhere that you look you will find some object that is over two thousand years old and that to me is remarkable! We visited so many locations that have stood through several civilizations and remain standing today.  This history prompted me to imagine all of the people that came before us, people that I have heard about and read about in history books.  This is an amazing sensation and for me made the universe seem connected and that we are all part of a "circle of life," there will be people who stand in these same ruins hundreds or thousands of years from now and imagine the same things. It is truly remarkable to think that this has occurred and will continue long after I leave this mortal coil.
      One huge part of Turkish life that fascinated me was the political realm.  I truly believe that having knowledge of the government and the people that are running for office is an important part of life and should not be overlooked.  The Turkish people seem to be of the same opinion as myself as they all are acutely aware of who is running, what the possible changes that the person could bring, how the government works and they take this knowledge to heart. Turkey consistently has a high voter turnout rate, in fact the past election Turkey boasted an 87% turnout rate, which is remarkable.
       Overall my experience in Turkey was life changing, I am enrolling in Turkish in the fall and by next summer I should be able to go back to my new favorite place.  For anyone who wonders if they should try the study abroad program out, I say a resounding yes.  Turkey is a hidden gem in the world scope and has so much to offer everyone that if you ever get a chance to visit, please do not hesitate!