Ok so it's about time that I post something on this blog about Istanbul considering I'VE BEEN HERE OVER A WEEK. baha. sorry.
But here goes... I already posted this photo on facebook, but I think it deserves a second go around because... come on... I have a balcony and this is my view!
The family I am staying with is wonderful. The parents both speak English very well and the daughter, who is 2.5, is up for learning anything! I an officially an "au pair" but I am also working at the family's school (yea... they own a school... it's called playorena. It's a montessori-type school for young children). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Au_pair <- definition of an au pair...
I take Lal, the girl, to school around 9, and we play, learn, etc until noon when I take her home for her lunch and nap. She sleeps until 4 so sometimes I will go back to the school during that time or I will stay home, go for a run, swim laps in the pool, study Turkish, do yoga... I should probably write my blog during this time... yeah I could have done that =) When she wakes up, Lal has a snack and then we play until her parents arrive home and she has her dinner at 6!
She is the most stubborn child I've ever babysat! I love her to pieces already, but good lord, that child has a mind of her own! I am so excited to see how our relationship grows- especially as we begin to talk in English together. My parents, I'm sure, are thinking this is pay back for my stubbornness as a child... They view it as an "in-this-lifetime-karmatic" experience =) But Lal has already learned her numbers up to twenty, the colors, and words such as "ball" and "doll." We are working on asking for things and saying "please" at the moment (or at least we will be when she gets back... which brings me to my next point: )
The family is in LA and Las Vegas right now attending conferences and being on vacation! So, I have my first "vacation" week the week after I arrive! I have been sick for the past three days, so it's great timing on my part! But I had wanted to use this week as a time to become more comfortable at the school... I will go tomorrow- I am feeling much better today!
Sunday is my free day, along with the other au pairs in the area... For my first Sunday, I learned how to navigate the public transportation system and visited the "old city" = I GOT TO SEE THE BLUE MOSQUE, THE AYA SOFIA, AND THE BASILICA CISTERN!! ok, wow. that was the history- nerd in me =)
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| The clothing restrictions for the Blue Mosque... Third from the right the sign says "No Kissing" (just in case!) |
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| The Blue Mosque, or Sultanahmed Mosque |
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| The Blue Mosque's courtyard walls |
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| Inside the Aya Sofia!!! No flash photography allowed... |
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| This is where the Byzantine Emperors were crowned... nbd... |
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| Byzantium art! |
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| repeating patterns on the ceiling of the Aya Sofia |
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| Ok, so this looks more like hell than anything. But, I promise, in real life it's beautiful! This is the Basilica Cistern!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_Cistern |
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| One of the two Medusa's heads below the pillars in the Basilica Cistern |
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| Ataturk!! |
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| We found kittens! So, naturally, we picked them up... (?) |
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| Some of our group walking to the Blue Mosque |
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| Inside the Blue Mosque! (dark, I know...) |
I almost forgot... the protests!
First, my safety: People have been emailing me/facebooking me like crazy! And I am so thankful for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes! It is an interesting situation here... For your info, I am living in Gokturk, a suburb located 30 minutes to an hour and 30 minutes (depending on what form of transportation you take) outside of Istanbul. I am far away from Taksim Square. That said, the first night I was here, there were protests in the streets. Now, the protests are more centralized in the city.
Second: I have been to Gezi Park. I was there during the daytime and on a day of a religious festival (meaning there is less likely to be violence (by the police!)...) People were rallying together, listening to speeches, laughing, dancing, going about their business, eating food, selling food... It was almost like a carnival! There were people of all age groups, social classes, etc... It is a peaceful protest in favor of governmental reform.
Third: This is a big deal. It's a big deal because of the quantity of people protesting. It is a big deal because the government has been refusing to listen. And it is a big deal because of the unification of what people want! On Sunday, one of the subway stops from the old city to Gokturk was through Taksim. People were chanting, clapping together, experiencing comradery together... It was like nothing I had ever seen before. To be so focused on reform and so involved in the government on such a grand scheme was incredible to witness. I am just so incredulous that Erdogan has not been listening... I am glad that he is meeting with protest leaders.
If you want to read up/be more informed, I suggest you go here:
But! Also understand that the rhetoric the government is using (and subsequently the press) such as "the environmental protests have been HIJACKED by anti-government organizations" is not true/is an over exaggeration... Yes, the protests started as environmental protests (over Gezi Park) BUT! It was not hijacked by foreign hands/terrorists. The people are regular Turkish citizens protesting the government. They are not a part of one specific organization or "leftist propaganda", rather, they stand for freedom and democracy...
Well there you go! Hope some of that was clear.
More soon!
Cheers,
Hannah
Well there you go! Hope some of that was clear.
Cheers,
Hannah
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