Get lost!

Basically my life.

I used to be fairly organized. And in that sense I mean know what was going to happen and when, etc. I’ve slowly been changing to an “Eh, whatever happens happens” kind of person. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my freak-outs, but for the most part I consider myself to be pretty chill in most aspects of life.

South Africa acted as a major catalyst for my “Eh, whatever” attitude towards life. Everything was real chill and easy going. The concept of time blurred in my mind and worries faded. (Maybe I’m making some of this up and some of you are laughing reading this and thinking about me as a person but I think I’m a little more relaxed than I used to be.) Anyway. My metamorphosis in SA continues in Turkey. Here’s what my life has basically been for the past two+ weeks:

• Thought: I have nothing to do today (don’t make a plan)
• Leave house and explore area (or take bus to area/destination I want to explore)
• Just walk
• Find good places to eat
• Find interesting sites
• Walk some more
• On occasion, get lost (get excited I’m lost because it’s not easy for me)
• Find self in semi-sketchy neighborhood
• Start thinking aloud and in English how I don’t know where I am
• Realize everybody around me knows I’m foreign when I speak English aloud
• Keep walking in the direction I think something I will recognize is till I get my bearings

I like being lost. I tend to think I have a fairly good sense of direction. Generally if I go somewhere once, I can find my way back again so long as it’s not too complex or too much time has passed since I’d been there the first time. So it’s fun for me to get lost in this big, new city and to be able to find my way back to Besiktas eventually.

If I’m not by myself, I’m with others who generally don’t mind having a plan and that’s fine with me. I like things that happen spontaneously. When Courtney and I went to the Old City a couple weeks ago, we only really knew how to get there. When I went with Courtney and Nathan to the Spice Bazaar, we really only knew that’s where we were going. On Spring Break in South Africa, we had a few solid plans but for the most part played everything by ear. And found ourselves in some really amazingly terrifying yet still awesome situations. I imagine the same will be true for this spring break and when I have friends who come visit.

Let’s also just break this down: when I signed up to come to Istanbul, I had only a slight idea of what to expect. It was kinda on a whim. When I got here, I had nowhere to live and got on Craigslist to look for an apartment. When I signed up for classes, I didn’t know if I’d get a good selection or not. Maybe it’s a generational thing, but I tend to think my own is pretty lax when it comes to, well, life. We play it by ear and tell each other everything will be okay and for the most part is usually is. Our parents worry, but we have hope for the better. I can only hope that that will continue in my life and in the life of my friends. It’s worked for the past 21 years, so why not longer?

“Jump first, fear later” is the motto for becoming an intern with my favorite non-profit and group of idealists, the Invisible Children roadies and crew. In high school, my friends and I had a hypothetical situation we would propose at random times that was about jumping in a large black hole that you had no idea where it led. It could end up that you fall forever and ever, end up in your favorite dream, or the depths of your darkest nightmare. You had no idea, but the question was always posed: would you jump?

More and more, I am jumping first and fearing later. I usually have no idea where these holes will lead, but way more often than not, they usually end somewhere REALLY nice.

So I get lost in life. And try not to fear about the future.

Hopefully this isn’t all me being the 8th dwarf, Idealisty, and I get hit by the reality truck any time soon. Even if I do, it's whatever. Why should we not take risks in life? To make it safely to death? No, thanks.

The first week (but not really).

That’s a little over how long has passed since I left ‘Murika. Again. I’ve been slacking on the personal journaling yet again because, well, let’s face it… I’ve been exploring this AWESOME city. I mean, really, I fell in love immediately but with time it’s just gotten better/worse.

I’ll skip ahead…

On Wednesday the 2^nd on the way from the airport to Taksim Square where I met fellow Sooner, Peter, the bus passed by mosques, shops, the Sea of Marmara filled with ships ready to enter or that had just exited the Bosporus, Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), the Blue Mosque, kids playing in public parks, and so many more beautiful indescribable things.

Peter met me in Taksim Square and we took a taxi to the Besiktas (pronounced BESH-eek-tosh) neighborhood of Istanbul where Peter lives to drop my bags off. After that we headed up to the Bogazici University campus (Bogazici is pronounced boh-AZ-ih-chee and means Bosporus in Turkish). Peter showed me campus as we headed for the university doctor. Turns out Peter had been bitten by one of the many stray dogs that Istanbul has and wanted to make sure he didn’t have rabies or anything. Good idea, right? Anyway, we walked around the beautiful campus, made it to the doctor, and the doctor referred him to a hospital in Sisli (SHISH-lee/li combo). We got lunch and I had my first Turkish meal – chicken curry. Peter took Intro to Turkish last semester soooo he kinda did all the talking for me. We headed for the bus stop and went to the Sisli hospital where Peter received a rabies vaccination. GOOD TIMES. I’m more than happy to report that he will live. Peter, Peter’s roommate, Julia, and I went for dinner and then waited for Courtney to get here. Which she did. We stayed in the rest of the night and talked.

Peter and Julia graciously left us their flat to stay in and left the night of the 3^rd for Lebanon and will be back the 9^th. In the meantime, Courtney and I, n00bs to the city, were left on our own to explore and get acquainted with Istanbul. Much like in Pretoria when Brooke and I decided on a whim to walk to the Union Buildings one of the first days we were there, Courtney and I decided to take the public transportation Istanbul has to offer to the historic “Old City” one of the first days we were here. On the 4^th, we took a bus to Taksim and the subway to the Old City, where we got off at Sultanahmet where the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are located.

Pictures don’t do these places justice. Istanbul itself has an atmosphere all its own. East meets West, old meets new. It’s the only city in the world to straddle two continents and appropriately the atmosphere is just as unique. The Muslim Call to Prayer, which is comparable to Christian church bells (but much more beautiful sounding than inanimate pieces of metal, if you ask me), started going off as soon as Courntey and I had entered the Hagia Sophia grounds. This only amplified the atmosphere that the area already had. If I’m lucky, I wake up to this five-times-daily hymn in the morning and hear it in the evening around dinnertime. Otherwise I hear it go off at some hour of the day just walking around the city. Minarets dot the landscape and there are so many mosques in Istanbul that you usually get to hear more than one Call to Prayer at once, which is more than fine with me. Have I mentioned I love the Call to Prayer? And Istanbul? Kgood. Anyway, Courtney and I enjoyed the atmosphere and looked around Hagia Sophia for awhile. (I’ll put some pictures here but more can be found on Facebook.)

After looking around the beautiful 1,500 year-old church, we headed across the way to the 400 year-old Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque. As we accidentally attempted to enter the Muslim entrance (and where Courtney attempted futilely to be culturally sensitive and obtain something to cover with her head with), we were directed to the tourist entrance where we took off our shoes and went in. It was so pretty inside and it became apparent why westerners call it the Blue Mosque. It was covered in blue tiling on the inside.

After snapping some pictures, we headed to the Bazaar that is Grand (Not to be confused with the Bazaar of Spice, or any local neighborhood bazaar. Mine is the Besiktas Bazaar.). It’s easy to get lose in this place. Lots of alleys with vendors to walk down. So we walked around for an hour, had some cay (chai), and played the “offer ‘impossibly’ low prices for knockoff everything” game. “I give you good deal. 40 lira.”

“Umm, 15 no higher.”

“You’re crazy. Go away.”

THROWBACK TO CHINA where we played the 20 kuai game and were told to go away or that it was impossible every time. May have pissed a few people off there in the Silk Market.

Anyway, Courtney scored some stuff and I acquired yet another scarf. Oooooops. #somanyscarves

NOW comes the time where I admit that I started typing this particular entry almost a week ago but I’m lazy and explorative and busy and am just now getting around to finishing it. A LOT more has happened since I started it though. More will come later. If I’m feeling ambitious.

Sometimes the Universe has different plans.

Get ready for an incoherent rant about my life/the beginning of this adventure.

Once upon a time I was leaving for Istanbul on February 1^st, 2011. Then once upon that same time, Mother Nature had different plans. A blizzard was sent the way of the entire Midwest the night before my planned departure. I began to panic. Then, at the suggestion of my friend and fellow world traveler, Shayna, I called Delta Airlines and tried to re-schedule. “Call in the morning,” they said. So I did. I called this morning (January 31^st) at 8:30AM and was told that I could leave at 1PM or 6PM. Obvz more time to pack means more time to pack, so I took the 6 o’clock flight out of Tulsa. At least I was supposed to.

I got to the airport with my parents at 4PM, as per the suggested two-hour advance check-in by TSA. It was already delayed till 7:45 when we got there, but why not just do it anyway? Trying to check my baggage was another problem. For international flights, you’re supposed to be able to check two fifty-pound bags free of charge. Well, since I had re-scheduled my flight, I was no longer connecting to an international flight but rather flying to Atlanta, staying the night there, and then checking in again for my Istanbul flight. This is what I was told. After a three-hour delay in Tulsa, we finally got off the ground. I sat next to a kid from Grove whose mom had picked him up after school and said they were going to Disney World rather than being trapped at home for days on end. I love spontaneity. You go, kid’s mom.

So, I get to Atlanta, ask a guy at the desk what to do, and hesitantly confirms what I had been told in Tulsa. Pick up bags, check in again, sleep in terminal.

I picked up my 38 and 50-pound bags (along with my carry-on backpack and messenger bag), and don’t rent a $4 cart to push everything around (because, let’s face it, saving money and getting a workout in the mean time is always a win) and head for the Delta counter way at the other end of the terminal.

I get to the counter, where I find my Disney World-bound friend again, and wait to check back in. The lady at the counter tells me that TSA doesn’t allow baggage scanning until at least 4:30 and that Delta has a 6-hour-prior check-in policy. So. Not much I can do about either of those. So I lug my 90+ pounds of belongings back down the terminal and I currently find myself sitting in Atlanta Bread in the Atlanta airport. Sleep may come. But not till I’m completely exhausted and the floor zamboni thing stops cleaning and flashing.

Mainly I’m glad I got out of Oklahoma before the sky decided to freeze everything like the dark side of Pluto. The next twelve hours will probably hold lots of time on my trusty computer and doing absolutely nothing productive. Good thing I like the unexpected, right?

Next blog comes from Istanbul. At least, that’s the plan as of now.

Five.

The last time I wrote a blog entry, I was in South Africa and it was titled with numbers. This time I’m in America and have also titled in numbers. I have five days until I leave for Istanbul, Turkey. When I started this blog, I had no idea that I would be spending a year of my life in different countries. I thought I’d be documenting my then ongoing experiences in South Africa. But while there I had the idea to study in Turkey as well. Why? I’ve always wanted to go to the Middle East and while I realize Turkey is more Westernized than, say, Syria, Saudia Arabia, Oman, Egypt, or others, Istanbul is also a city that has been inhabited for millennia and has a rich culture as well. Turkey is the only country and Istanbul the only city to straddle two continents: Europe and Asia. As a result, it also straddles two kinds of cultures and is completely unique in that sense. From west to east, Turkey is, well, more western and eastern. I won’t go into everything now, but will instead leave the Turkey topic there and reflect on my time in South Africa.
Since being back, I have realized a few things.

First of all, America is home. That is for sure. Not only did I miss all my friends and family while I was gone, but I missed the culture of America. I missed the orderliness (of every day life, the government, the people), individuality, diversity, technological accessibility and many other things.

Secondly, I am beginning to see life and everything to do with it in spectrum-terms. For most of my intellectual life, I have known there is a political spectrum. For most of my adult life, I have known race and ethnicity are a spectrum, especially living in America, the melting pot. In recent years, I have known human sexuality and gender are a spectrum. And more recently, I am beginning to realize patriotism is also a spectrum. While I may have missed and enjoy the above qualities of America, let’s say I’m still not a huge fan of the inequalities I see in human rights through domestic and international policies, American materialism, or some views Americans hold of religion, science, and politics. (I’m going somewhere – bear with me.) Patriotism is a spectrum. I have listed likes and dislikes, and while these describe me, they certainly do not apply to everyone in the US. For some, certain qualities in America, whether governmental, belief, or lifestyle-wise, may be perfect. For me, both yes and no. I am beginning to see that no country is perfect. For some, America (or Sweden or the UK or Uruguay or wherever) is as close to perfect as they want. Still others yearn for something more and emigrate elsewhere. Others put up, settle, or vocalize discontent. Patriotism is a spectrum.

Thirdly, I miss South Africa. I miss the genuineness of the people. I miss taking it easy. I miss the simplicity of either being with people or being by yourself. In the US, with the Internet at your every turn, cell phones going off, and TVs bombarding us with information, it’s easy to be “with” someone all the time. In South Africa, Internet and cell were limited, and TV to me was basically non-existent. I was either with people or I wasn’t. Back at home, when on coffee or lunch dates or what have you, someone’s phone is always out on the table. I remember in South Africa, phones stayed in pockets during conversations and when you were with someone, you were really with them. I connected with people faster and deeper than I almost ever have at home. It’s not that technology is a crutch or a hindrance on the American people – it’s just the society we live in. It’s a fact of life.

I was going to continue here with some thoughts on technology – but after typing a couple incoherent lines, I decided against it. In summary, America is home for the most part. I missed you all for sure. And I missed aspects of my life here at home. But I also have gained an appreciation for simplicity.

Istanbul calls louder with every passing day. I already miss you all but am so excited to tell you about everything that happens in the coming months. Soon.