An afternoon in Istanbul

An afternoon in Instanbul:


Greetings from overseas! Yesterday morning the entire Peace Corps Crew (70 of us!,) headed to the JFK airport from Philadelphia. It was quite a procedure as almost all of us had two checked bags equalling 100 pounds, and two carry-on’s as well. We arrived at the airport and had plenty of time to hang out, sleep and get to know one another. At 4:30 we were ready to board a 10 hour flight to Istanbul. What a site to witness. So many people, bags, chit chat and happiness. Unfortunately it was during this time that I noticed I owned a camera that does not work correctly. I will not be able to post pictures for awhile until I get some from other volunteers until I am able to get a new camera.

Thankfully I was able to sleep for about four hours. The other six hours were spent on the plane listening to music and chatting. Andy was my seat buddy and we had an awesome time getting to know one another. When flying into the dark I was able to see an amazing sunset; all the layers and colors. It was beautiful . I know this will probably surprise ALL of you but I was abnormally quiet during this flight – coping perhaps?

At 9:30 a.m we flew over Italy and into Istanbul. The view from the sky was gorgeous. I definitely felt a wave of excitement wash over me as this was my first time flying overseas. After we landed and got off the plane the majority of us paid $20.00 to get a Turkish Visa for the day. We all split into our own little groups and proceeded to go and explore the city.

Jose and Andrew were very kind and took me under their wing. As you all could have guessed I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. Exchanging money, passport protection, cab rides, etc… I am so grateful that they were able to walk me through everything! The three of us then spent the day with three ladies and went to see the Blue Mosque.

The two males and I got into the cab and drive into the city. The driving was different than what I have experienced before – much faster and in kilometers. The section of Istanbul that I was priviliged enough to see was just exquisite. Flowers everywhere, clean streets (generally), a beautiful lake with ships emmersed in the mist, families playing, soccer games and much more. The buildings were very high and a few had clothes hanging out of the windows drying (reminded me of Aladdin).

Our first priority was to get to the Blue Mosque. It was gorgeous! There were people everywhere and so many different areas to look at. The steps leading into the mosque were even beautiful! When first walking in one sees pillars and beautiful architecture. We roamed around the area and decided to go inside. It was requested that females wear a head scarf and a skirt. I only had a head scarf – I am thankful I was able to go inside.

The inside of the mosque was gorgeous as well. Extrememly high ceilings with detailed with fabulous architechure. We were able to see where people prayed. Fortunatley, the group I was with was able to make it to the mosque just in time. About 20 minutes after we left we heard the bells calling for prayer all over the square. Seeing this was a wonderful experience.

Our group then decided to grab a bite to eat at a restaurant around the corner. I had a cheese and tomato sandwich (I know…but I didn’t have enough Turkish dollars to get anything else!). We then proceeded to stroll around the square where people were continuously asking us to buy trinkits or eat at their restaurant. One thing I really enjoyed was that we walked in the street on cobblestone. After our stroll we decided to go back to the plaza in front of the Blue Mosque and try some chai tea from the local vendor. This was a perfect time to relax and people watch.

Our next task was to get to the airport to connect to our next flight. On the way I learned that driving 140 kilometers is very fast…our cab driver was pulled over and ticketed.

My time in Turkey has been very short but very rewarding. I must say, up until 8 weeks ago I never would have pictured myself going to Istanbul. What a beautiful city! This experience makes up a page in my ‘what am I grateful for’ book. Perhaps one day I will return!

The people I have met thus far in my Peace Corps experience have all been different, unique and amazing. We all have different skills to offer one another and are here for a specific purpose. Most of the other volunteers have traveled abroad or lived in another country for an extended period of time. Being one who has not traveled before (besides Mexico and Canada), I have definitely felt out of the loop. However, I feel that this is a good attribute to bring as well. I do not have any expectations and I want to make the most out of this experience that I can.

I will post again soon! Love you all, JO