Recap
Jet lag hit me as soon as I sat down on Turkish airlines. The plane was smaller 3 seats on the right and left of the plane. Thankfully I sat in the window seat in a row with 2 older Turks, a man and a woman presumably married. The woman’s index finger was cut off. I wonder what her story is… I fell asleep before take off. Waking up only for food (ravioli, a roll, salad and a brownie), water and ear plugs.
I arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 4pm and went straight to the bathroom! (I should have taken stomach medicine before leaving the States.) I spent the next hour with Jasmine another Drexel student on the same flight as me trying to figure out where our driver was. Jasmine is fair skinned and Indian and presumably Turkish looking because of this people would speak to her in Turkish in the airport. I on the other hand received friendly stares as I am African American and many Turks have never seen African Americans before. I was so glad to be with Jasmine because being lost has a new meaning when you don’t speak the language, don’t have a cell phone or the currency.
Finally after an hour of waiting we got to our cab with Zach another DU student. The car was a small about the size of Jetta. There were 5 large pieces of luggage and 3 carry-ons that had to fit in the car. Needless to say we packed the car at 15:30 and Jasmine and I had the privileged of being squished in the car. Eren, (Erin) our driver told us Koc is not in Istanbul its in Sayier, which was a 2-hour ride with traffic.
Our ride was more like 3 hours long because traffic is at a stand still during rush hour. Philly, NY and DC traffic has NOTHING on the traffic in Istanbul. We ate Simit, a sesame pretzel in the car and drank bottled water in the car. We were in Sariyer a bus town that’s nestled next to the Bosporus, when our driver Eren hit a large truck (Escalade) while attempting to light his cigarette. (The first thing one will notice upon arrival is that Turks love to smoke cigarettes!) This was absolutely hilarious as Eren got out the cab and yelled at the driver. Got back in the car said it was a scratch and lit his cigarette. After this we were able to see large hills. Eren points to a large hill and says there is Koc (Coach).
Let me tell you a little about Eren. He is presumably 22 y.o. A senior at his college in Istanbul. The owner of a small cab company where he is the only one that speaks English. The ride w/ him was hilarious. Especially when Zach started translating his calls in English for him. Zach actually did this for a girl named Stephanie from Miami who would end up being my roommate.
We finally get to the base of Koc’s hill. Let me tell you it felt like a rollercoaster going up! Koc is a school for the well off because of this there is a gated fence and security checks photo id every time someone attempts to come in. 5 minuets later I get out the car and welcome in a beautiful campus that’s reminiscent of the South. Lots of pine trees, green grass, hills and space.
Jasmine, Zach and I get our room keys to main campus and meet my roommate, Stephanie, from UMiami and Maria, a girl from Portugal in the office. We leave and end up carrying our suitcases up 30 stairs to only find out there was a ramp that went around the building. After struggled we met Julian a Danish, who is of Iraqi and Indian decent. He helped with our bags. Jasmine and I are both in the same dorm – G. We arrived and realized there were no elevators to the 3rd floor. SIGH!
The time was not 10pm. I took a shower and made my way to the student center for the campus party. I first went to order food at Gastro the only 24/7 food place. I saw lunch meat and saw pepperoni. The American I am ordered Turkey. Smh Luckily a nice Turk named Berel new what I meant and ordered me a chicken wrap. Later I asked my mentor Batu if they ate Turkey here and he said yes but you have to go to the market downtown for it….
After ordering I met Julian again, Petra, Abrahaim a Singaporean and headed to the party at our campus club Odeon. The International Student Society (ISS) sold Turkish beer – Efes and wine to raise money. That night I met a boat load of people; a Canadian, a girl from Jersey, Germans, a Polak and some Turkish mentors and RAs. I called it quits at midnight. And went “home” to a bed with no pillows or blankets. What a rough night!
Thursday
I had to stretch my body today. My roommate and I went to the cafeteria and ordered a Turkish breakfast… our only option. I had cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, a hard boiled egg, a roll with nutella and tea. All of this cost 5TL ($3.39).
Next I went on a campus tour with mentor Serhat (Sah-hot). Our campus is beautiful and filled with lots of stairs. The stairs alone will whip my body in shape. After the tour we had our welcome to Koc class and went to the gym for a club fair. I signed up for the Traditional Turkish dance and signing club, the sailing club, the marketing club, the acting club thanks to Abrahaim the Singaporean who thinks all Americans like to act, a volunteer club and an arts club.
After this I had lunch in the cafeteria with my mentor Batu, Alber (Albert, the T is silent) from Florence and Tim from Canada. Alber and I had lamb and rice and salad. Batu and Tim had pasta from upstairs. At lunch I found out I could get a free pillow and blanket. I went to the building where the bedding was located and figured out how to say thanks in Turkish.
Later on I went to a museum to see the remnants off the Ottoman Empire… AMAZING! Then I went grocery shopping where I purchased chocolate hazelnut pudding, haagan daz macadamia nut brittle ice cream and other snacks. My failed attempt with talking to the cashier was the first time I said ugh being an American is not convenient. I applied for a discount card with the help of a Turk. Melissa from Rutgers, the Turk and I walked to the dorms together. Melissa went to her dorm and I continued as my dorm is in the back. The Turk said I miss my wife and son. And ran away like I did something wrong. Go figure.
Tonight was Jennifer Lee’s 21st birthday. Jenn was one of my very first residents 3 years ago. Jenn celebrated by going on the group trip to Karaoke for 25TL ($17). What a blast! I karaoke, had Raki the traditional drink and snacked on bar snacks... I danced on couches and talked on the rooftop while looking at the bridge connecting Istanbul in Europe and Asia. At the end of the night 2:30 am I decided to go to the bathroom. My attempt to flush the toilet resulted in me being squirted by a jet of water. I guess water to clean my butt since there was only paper towel in the bathroom…
Friday
My roommate and I partied to hard and slept through our alarm clock. We woke up at 1pm. My roommate was suppose to leave at 1pm to apply for her residence permit… Yikes! I on the other hand Turkish survival class but couldn’t find out the time or location because my computer wouldn’t turn on! I found Zach in the student center who showed me the location. I was about 15 minuets late. Such a good first impression… Turkish is a bit complicated as there are 8 vowels and 21 consonants.
After class I had lunch in the student center with Dunya a Palestinian studying at American University in DC. We went up to our campus clock tower and had a panoramic view of campus, the Bosporus and landscape.
I came back to my room attempted to fix my computer and slept the day away because I was sad about my computer. I also checked out our free laundry room in the basement and the kitchen on the left side of the fourth floor. I slept past the exchange dinner, which was 42TL ($29). I’ve been spending a lot of Lira. L I finally figured out my computer and got on to blog these 3 pages.
Enjoy!
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