building bridges

In the ESL field you meet all kinds of people with different levels of social awkwardness. There are those that love talking about the adventures they've been on that just so happen to transcend the realm of belief. Followed by those in search of spiritual awareness and invariably the colorful individuals who simply want to party their way through life.

I have met those whom have travelled the world and continue to do so in search of their home. Backpackers, out to see the world, with the bare minimum in tow, to truly experience what each city has to offer. And, of course, the transient acquaintance who hops from one city to the next depending on what opportunity presents itself. It becomes difficult navigating through social circles to find a group of friends you can call your family away from home.

But every now and then, a group of people come together and strangers become life long friends. I think I've been particularly lucky and have met some amazing people.

One of the inspiring women I've met on my journey said "a true friend is someone you can share silence with". Nothing could be truer than this. We would sit on her balcony on wooden chairs, sipping Nescafe out of mismatched coffee mugs, smoking cigarettes as we would listen to her favorite song playing in the background on repeat, contemplating where we had been and where we were headed.

On this humid early summer afternoon, we are gathered at our local enjoying freshly brewed tea. The table is scattered with half empty packs of cigarettes, brightly colored lighters with blue 'evil eyes' on them (typical of Turkey) and plates of sweet and salty puff pastry.  My nonconformist friend with a free soul who never laid a glance of judgement on anyone, the bright-eyed confident young teacher taking in every aspect of the culture around him, the writer who carries herself with such modesty with the most sound advice, and the friend who you can not only dance with till the early hours of the morning, but also talk about the complexities of constraints set by theologies and social identities, are sharing the highs and lows of the week.

on the ferry...

Taking a ferry to cross continents has to be the best part of living in Istanbul. The journey itself forces you, for about fifteen minutes (give or take a few), to sit back, breathe in the cool sea breeze and admire the majestic city around you. As people funnel their way to the boat, careful not to lose their footing as they step on a couple of planks of wood to get on, everyone rushes to find the best seat. Some prefer to sit inside, on cushioned benches while most prefer to sit outside in the open air. Invariably there will be people with 'simit' or other pieces of bread, ready to feed the hungry sea gulls flying around. The engine roars and puffs of grey smoke come out the top. The ferry pulls out of the harbor and you feel instantly transported away from the hustle and bustle.

As the ferry passes the Haydarpasa Terminal, the neo-classical structure reminds you of the pioneering Sultan who envisioned connecting the East and West via rail. The grandeur of the Ottoman Empire is all around you in this city. Sailing further across the Bosphorus, the majestic Topkapi Palace and the unmistakeable six minarets of the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (aka Blue Mosque) command over part of Istanbul's skyline.

The city around you is crowded with washed out white, yellow and pink colored apartment buildings with terra cotta roof shingles, that seem to be sprouting out from within each other. Scattered between are modern glass and steel high rises representing the progress of privatized enterprises and the future of this historical city. Cars, buses and people line the coasts like small colorful dots, as fishermen in their boats are scattered across the Bosphorus like brown specs on a bed of blue-green waves, swaying to the ripples in the water formed by the ferries passing by.

Unavoidably, your thoughts are interrupted with the sound of tiny glasses filled with amber colored tea clinking against each other as the tea guy does his rounds. Whether you're in need of a quick caffeine fix (aka me), you want to join in with the locals and enjoy a time honored tradition, or simply want a hot drink, for a lira, your needs are met. On every ferry ride you take you will definitely find smokers standing at the back end of the ferry puffing their cigarettes away as they sip their tea, truly enjoying the whole experience. They look serene staring out across the water, admiring the striking city around them while enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

In what seems like too short of a peaceful time of self reflection and thought, the ferry edges closer to the dock and once again you can hear the rumblings of traffic, vendors yelling out the kind of goods they are selling in a singsong manner and the hum of people talking around you.

Istanbul

As my time here in Istanbul comes to an end, I feel this urge to reflect on my time spent in this magical city.

Istanbul is a city where not only does the East meet the West, but also where old meets new and traditions clash with modernity. On this warm summer day the streets are filled with twenty somethings sporting the latest trends weaving through the crowds in frantic speed trying to get to their destinations. Older women in colored abayas and men with their rosary beads shake their heads in distaste when passed by. The disapproval isn't because they were bumped into by these young adults who represent the uncertain future of this country. No, their unconcealed grumble is for the lack of clothing they see around them. Don't get me wrong, Turkey prides itself on being a secular country, and one can live quite freely here. As an expat, I have lived a life very similar to the one I lived back home. In Istanbul though, there are some neighborhoods where I would think twice about before venturing out in revealing clothing. Men glare at you as they would anywhere else I guess. But Istanbul has changed over the past two and half years I have been here for. More and more young girls have started wearing the headscarf due to family pressure, social pressure or even to make a political statement. But that's something I will write about in more detail in another post. Back to my love affair with this beautiful city.

The one thing you realize when you start living here is that people in your neighborhood want to be a part of your life. The older men sit in cafes sipping on endless cups of tea playing backgammon in crisp white shirts and creased pants, as they discuss the lives of everyone else around them. As you walk by, they raise their head waiting for you to greet them. The older women sit on their balconies with beautifully dyed hair and pretty colored nails watching over their neighbors and the happenings on the street. Nothing goes unnoticed. If you have a friend over or if you buy something new, someone will stop and ask about it. At your local cafe, you are sure to find a cup of tea and your favorite piece of flaky pastry filled with a wonderful explosion of flavor waiting for you as you walk in. Whether or not you can speak the language, the owner of the cafe will definitely have a conversation with you about your health, work and most definitely about how fast life is passing everyone by. This is in fact one of my favorite things to do in this buzzing city. Sitting at a cafe watching the world go by.