My first impression of Turkey was of the minarets. I awoke from a deep slumber as we began our descent and immediately noticed how many of these towers rose from Ankara, a city that is unsurprisingly filled with mosques. I have visited a majority Muslim country once before, when I visited Bangladesh, but so far I feel as though the way in which Islam affects everyday lives is very different. We'll have to see.
My second impression was that Esenboga Airport in Ankara smells of cigarette smoke. I have to assume this is a lingering smell, since there didn't appear to be anyone smoking inside, but I think it was an appropriate introduction to how much people in Turkey smoke (though it probably doesn't help these first impressions that I've been spending much of my time in the company of German exchange students who are also notorious for their tobacco consumption).
Getting through customs at the airport was (surprisingly?) smooth and easy, and then I waited at domestic arrivals for Yasin, my roommate, to arrive. Yasin is from Agri, a city in the east of the country, and he had been home for holidays like the rest of the university. It was rather fortunate that we were getting into the airport within an hour or so of each other, since it made my trek into town (much of which happened in darkness by the time we left the airport) much less terrifying.
My apartment is a real delight! Aside from the toilet, which is "Turkish style" - ie. a hole in the ground, familiar to those who've also traveled India and other parts of South East Asia - I adore every part of it. It's located in a short, rather non-descript-in-a-quaint-sorta-way building on a quiet, tree-lined street. I'm a big fan of the front door. There a shared kitchen, living room, shower room, and toilet room, and then three bedrooms. The decor is simple and a little bit retro, but since Turkey is in the midst of a rather rapid modernization process, it feels more "authentic" than some of the other more modern apartments Yasin has described to me. My room has a bed, a desk, a couch and a large wardrobe. It's small, but certainly plenty big enough for me. Comparing my living situation with that of the exchange students living on campus, I'm incredibly happy I chose the off-campus option.
University dormitories are either cramped with multiple roommates, or truly expensive (even by North American standards). I have another roommate, Mustafa, but he hasn't yet moved in yet since the regular semester hasn't started. His English, apparently, is not anywhere near as strong as Yasin's, but I'm hoping this will serve as a strong motivator to learn Turkish.
On my first night, Yasin took me on a walking tour of Balgat, which is my neighbourhood in Ankara. While I still have a lot more exploring to do before I pass judgement on Balgat, so far it seems to be pleasant. There are a lot of small shops and restaurants, and the buildings are only a few stories high. At night, it remains well-lit but traffic quiets down completely, making it calm but safe.
The next morning, Yasin accompanied me to campus, for the start of my orientation. I've met a whole bunch of international students, from Slovenia, to Taiwan, to Kazakhstan, to the US. They are all friendly and as excited as I am, and there are a few with whom I've really hit it off. There's another Canadian here, too, from the U of A, which is kinda cool. I've been spending a lot of time with the exchange students, since my orientation week is packed from morning to night with information sessions and social events. A lot of the info is critical and it's great to network with the other internationals, but I'll be happy when classes start so that I can meet some real Turks and get going academically.
The Middle East Technical University (from now on, forever and always, to be referred to simply as METU) campus is unique, and not quite what I expected. First of all, it is huge. Truly massive. I don't know measurements, but trust me for now. It's also very isolated from the city. When it was first built, it was constructed completely outside the city limits, but the city has since grown around it. Nonetheless, it has maintained a feeling of being completely separate from the city, thanks in part to the large number of amenities (there is a shopping mall and a hospital, for example). It reminds me a bit of UBC in the way in which it is distinct from Vancouver. In fact, I'm learning that METU is culturally very distinct from Ankara. It is certainly more liberal, and behaviours that are not acceptable in Turkish culture are fully accepted on campus. I know that campuses are usually more liberal, but I have never seen it to this degree. For example, romantic couples will kiss on campus as they do in North America, but in the city itself you would never see this behaviour. Even a couple holding hands in downtown Ankara is considered risque. I'm sure that as time goes on and I see more of campus, I'll fill you in with more details.
At the end of my first day of orientation, I took a bus home alone. It was nerve-wracking, as I had to wave down the bus, pay, and then recognize my stop alone at night, but doing so gave me a big confidence boost. Since then, I've traveled alone a bit more, and each time it becomes easier. Again, there is huge motivation to learn Turkish, since it is not needed on campus but is oh-so-critical in the city itself.
In terms of city exploration, it has been rather limited so far, what with me being so busy with orientation and other campus activities. However, in a block of free time today, a couple of international students and I headed to Kizilay, the downtown, for a few hours to check things out.
I would be lying if I said that I found downtown Ankara to be pretty or photogenic. The city is relatively young, having been turned into the capital only in the 1920s with the establishment of the Turkish Republic. Thus it has few of the architectural masterpieces downtown you might find in other great cities. The oldest part of the city, with the most tourist and architectural sites, is away from the city centre, and I haven't yet visited.
That being said, Kizilay is certainly not uninteresting. In fact, it is fascinating, watching cars and people interact. It was loud, with plenty of flashy signs and neon lights, and tons of shops. We ate simit, a traditional bagel-like food from a street vendor, and doner (basically a traditional Turkish meat sandwich) from a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. We also came across the Kotcatepe Camii, a huge white mosque which is often used as a symbol of Ankara. It seemed almost out of place in the bustling commercial city-centre, but the giant advertisement for Kiwis at a local grocery store hanging just in front of the entrance helped remind us that we were still in Kizilay. In fact, there appeared to be an entire shopping mall underneath the mosque, which was confusing and felt kinda cheap.
However, when we mounted the steps to the mosque platform, we left the commercialization behind. As stunning as it was from afar, the sheer size of the Kotcatepe Camii is overwhelming. The mosque is relatively new (built in the second half of the 20th century) but the architecture is stunningly gorgeous. While we were there, too, the call began from the minarets. It was fascinating to see the literal "call to prayer". People at shops and offices across the street ran up the steps as the call went out, and funneled into the mosque. I didn't go in, because I wanted to respect those that were praying, but I hope to come back and take a look inside because I hear it is truly spectacular.
I've already stayed up too late writing this post (I think I'm only just kicking the jet-lag now) so I'm going to have to let you go, despite the fact that there are a million more stories to tell already! -C
My second impression was that Esenboga Airport in Ankara smells of cigarette smoke. I have to assume this is a lingering smell, since there didn't appear to be anyone smoking inside, but I think it was an appropriate introduction to how much people in Turkey smoke (though it probably doesn't help these first impressions that I've been spending much of my time in the company of German exchange students who are also notorious for their tobacco consumption).
Getting through customs at the airport was (surprisingly?) smooth and easy, and then I waited at domestic arrivals for Yasin, my roommate, to arrive. Yasin is from Agri, a city in the east of the country, and he had been home for holidays like the rest of the university. It was rather fortunate that we were getting into the airport within an hour or so of each other, since it made my trek into town (much of which happened in darkness by the time we left the airport) much less terrifying.
My apartment is a real delight! Aside from the toilet, which is "Turkish style" - ie. a hole in the ground, familiar to those who've also traveled India and other parts of South East Asia - I adore every part of it. It's located in a short, rather non-descript-in-a-quaint-sorta-way building on a quiet, tree-lined street. I'm a big fan of the front door. There a shared kitchen, living room, shower room, and toilet room, and then three bedrooms. The decor is simple and a little bit retro, but since Turkey is in the midst of a rather rapid modernization process, it feels more "authentic" than some of the other more modern apartments Yasin has described to me. My room has a bed, a desk, a couch and a large wardrobe. It's small, but certainly plenty big enough for me. Comparing my living situation with that of the exchange students living on campus, I'm incredibly happy I chose the off-campus option.
University dormitories are either cramped with multiple roommates, or truly expensive (even by North American standards). I have another roommate, Mustafa, but he hasn't yet moved in yet since the regular semester hasn't started. His English, apparently, is not anywhere near as strong as Yasin's, but I'm hoping this will serve as a strong motivator to learn Turkish.
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| My room when I arrived. We've since added a desk. A little tight, but more than enough. I love the couch. |
On my first night, Yasin took me on a walking tour of Balgat, which is my neighbourhood in Ankara. While I still have a lot more exploring to do before I pass judgement on Balgat, so far it seems to be pleasant. There are a lot of small shops and restaurants, and the buildings are only a few stories high. At night, it remains well-lit but traffic quiets down completely, making it calm but safe.
The next morning, Yasin accompanied me to campus, for the start of my orientation. I've met a whole bunch of international students, from Slovenia, to Taiwan, to Kazakhstan, to the US. They are all friendly and as excited as I am, and there are a few with whom I've really hit it off. There's another Canadian here, too, from the U of A, which is kinda cool. I've been spending a lot of time with the exchange students, since my orientation week is packed from morning to night with information sessions and social events. A lot of the info is critical and it's great to network with the other internationals, but I'll be happy when classes start so that I can meet some real Turks and get going academically.
The Middle East Technical University (from now on, forever and always, to be referred to simply as METU) campus is unique, and not quite what I expected. First of all, it is huge. Truly massive. I don't know measurements, but trust me for now. It's also very isolated from the city. When it was first built, it was constructed completely outside the city limits, but the city has since grown around it. Nonetheless, it has maintained a feeling of being completely separate from the city, thanks in part to the large number of amenities (there is a shopping mall and a hospital, for example). It reminds me a bit of UBC in the way in which it is distinct from Vancouver. In fact, I'm learning that METU is culturally very distinct from Ankara. It is certainly more liberal, and behaviours that are not acceptable in Turkish culture are fully accepted on campus. I know that campuses are usually more liberal, but I have never seen it to this degree. For example, romantic couples will kiss on campus as they do in North America, but in the city itself you would never see this behaviour. Even a couple holding hands in downtown Ankara is considered risque. I'm sure that as time goes on and I see more of campus, I'll fill you in with more details.
At the end of my first day of orientation, I took a bus home alone. It was nerve-wracking, as I had to wave down the bus, pay, and then recognize my stop alone at night, but doing so gave me a big confidence boost. Since then, I've traveled alone a bit more, and each time it becomes easier. Again, there is huge motivation to learn Turkish, since it is not needed on campus but is oh-so-critical in the city itself.
In terms of city exploration, it has been rather limited so far, what with me being so busy with orientation and other campus activities. However, in a block of free time today, a couple of international students and I headed to Kizilay, the downtown, for a few hours to check things out.
I would be lying if I said that I found downtown Ankara to be pretty or photogenic. The city is relatively young, having been turned into the capital only in the 1920s with the establishment of the Turkish Republic. Thus it has few of the architectural masterpieces downtown you might find in other great cities. The oldest part of the city, with the most tourist and architectural sites, is away from the city centre, and I haven't yet visited.
That being said, Kizilay is certainly not uninteresting. In fact, it is fascinating, watching cars and people interact. It was loud, with plenty of flashy signs and neon lights, and tons of shops. We ate simit, a traditional bagel-like food from a street vendor, and doner (basically a traditional Turkish meat sandwich) from a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. We also came across the Kotcatepe Camii, a huge white mosque which is often used as a symbol of Ankara. It seemed almost out of place in the bustling commercial city-centre, but the giant advertisement for Kiwis at a local grocery store hanging just in front of the entrance helped remind us that we were still in Kizilay. In fact, there appeared to be an entire shopping mall underneath the mosque, which was confusing and felt kinda cheap.
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| The first view of Kotcatepe Camii. Note that kiwis are on sale. The top of the kiwi ad is actually the bottom of the raised platform which the mosque sits on. |
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| Looking back on the city from the Kotcatepe Camii platform. Nothing special, no, but just past those apartment buildings, down that road of red lights is the bustling commercial heart of the city. Also note the snow. Everyone's complaining about the cold and I'm finding it rather balmy. |
However, when we mounted the steps to the mosque platform, we left the commercialization behind. As stunning as it was from afar, the sheer size of the Kotcatepe Camii is overwhelming. The mosque is relatively new (built in the second half of the 20th century) but the architecture is stunningly gorgeous. While we were there, too, the call began from the minarets. It was fascinating to see the literal "call to prayer". People at shops and offices across the street ran up the steps as the call went out, and funneled into the mosque. I didn't go in, because I wanted to respect those that were praying, but I hope to come back and take a look inside because I hear it is truly spectacular.
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| Trying to capture the enormity and beauty of the Kotcatepe Camii, |
I've already stayed up too late writing this post (I think I'm only just kicking the jet-lag now) so I'm going to have to let you go, despite the fact that there are a million more stories to tell already! -C
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