So I've been back in the States for a while-- if you've been a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that I'm terrible about updating when I don't have people nagging me for information about my adventures abroad. As I'm not really having adventures, the blog has lapsed... but I'd just like to give a quick update to anyone who's still reading.
This year is going to be crazy. Awesome, but insane. First of all, I'm a senior. Thanks, school, for sending out graduation information before the first day of classes to reinforce this! I already have appointments for career counseling, practice GREs, and other nonsense, but I don't know if I'll ever quite be ready to graduate. At the same time, after traveling and seeing the whole wide world that's out there, I don't think I'd be content to spend another couple of years in school. So here I go!
The other overwhelming thing about this year is this school group I'm involved in-- a student-run nonprofit called GlobeMed. This year we're implementing a lot of changes, most of which I think are for the better, but they'll all take some getting used to. I'm also co-running the educational portion of the group and my partner in crime is going abroad next semester. I know it'll be a ton of work, but it'll be totally worth it. I can't wait to see where our chapter ends up by the end of the year.
Even with all this, I'm excited to see what this year has in store. I'm living with five other great girls, and I'm really making an effort to invest in relationships this year (I don't need to sleep, right?). Wish me luck as I start on a different kind of adventure-- a marathon this time, not a sprint.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
The Beginning of the End
We returned from our last trip out a community yesterday. This time we were in Malacatoya 1 installing the water filters with a delegation. It was really cool to see the beginning of the water filter process, especially since we've been supervising this whole time, but it was quite different to be with a delegation. We brought a cook along, for example, and didn't eat with a family. We also slept in a big tent since the school was a 45 minute walk from the health promoter's house; not the best night's sleep I've ever gotten.
I was also working as a translator this time. In the past, I've often gone out with guides and staff who didn't speak English, but understanding for myself and translating for someone else are two entirely separate things. Surprisingly, I actually did all right. I guess I've learned quite a bit of water filter-related vocabulary since I've been here!
We did quite a bit of walking on this trip, but I think that the previous trips have helped us get into shape because Sarah and I kept up with our guides pretty well, especially compared to the delegation members. All in all, it was a good trip and I'm sad to be nearing the end of my time here.
We've been wrapping up loose ends here in Managua-- we have quite a few evaluations to work through-- so it's just been us and the staff here at the base. The delegation comes back tomorrow, and we leave on Sunday. Unbelievable!
I was also working as a translator this time. In the past, I've often gone out with guides and staff who didn't speak English, but understanding for myself and translating for someone else are two entirely separate things. Surprisingly, I actually did all right. I guess I've learned quite a bit of water filter-related vocabulary since I've been here!
We did quite a bit of walking on this trip, but I think that the previous trips have helped us get into shape because Sarah and I kept up with our guides pretty well, especially compared to the delegation members. All in all, it was a good trip and I'm sad to be nearing the end of my time here.
We've been wrapping up loose ends here in Managua-- we have quite a few evaluations to work through-- so it's just been us and the staff here at the base. The delegation comes back tomorrow, and we leave on Sunday. Unbelievable!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The Delegation has Arrived
The past couple of days have been kind of weird-- the delegation from Kansas has arrived here in Managua and one of the longer-term volunteers left yesterday. It's been interesting to look at the city and this organization through newcomers' eyes. Some of the volunteers have been coming here for years, but it's the first time for several. It's also been funny to have members of the delegation look to Sarah and I when they have questions about where things are or what it's like in the communities.
We're leaving for the campo tomorrow, but we'll be back on Thursday to wrap up loose ends.
We're leaving for the campo tomorrow, but we'll be back on Thursday to wrap up loose ends.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
More of Sarah's pictures
This is Jessica, who I've been writing about, and a family's pet parrot; I've seen quite a few parrots while supervising filters here.
Going over the results of the health stations and filter tests with the health committee.
Playing with one of the neighborhood kids.
A skinny little cat that hung around the clinic where we stayed.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Long time, no see...
Hey everyone, sorry for the lack of updates-- I've been a little under the weather lately and my bed has been winning out over blogging lately. But I thought I'd let you all know what I've been up to over the past week or so...
We had Monday off this week-- it's the day of the patron saint of Managua (probably). This was especially nice since it meant we didn't have anything to do in Managua, but other areas of the country were still open for business. Sarah and Monica (a girl who has been doing a 6-week internship here) and I decided to go to Grenada, a colonial town on Lake Nicaragua, and the Laguna de Apoyo, a nearby crater lake. Grenada is only an hour away from Managua, so it was an easy bus ride, especially after our commute out to El Obraje.
I wish I had all kinds of exciting things to tell you about the weekend, but we spent most of our time relaxing. Both hostels we stayed at had some really great hammocks, and the Laguna had a wonderful cool breeze.
This week we're staying in Managua (thus the Internet access). We've been working on standardizing protocols for the water filter activities-- taking and processing samples, training the health committees in the communities, etc.-- to make sure everyone who has a filter is getting the exact same information. Hopefully this will improve both ends of the spectrum-- the action of the community members and of the staff here-- to eventually wind up with some really beautiful water. Not the most exciting sounding activity, maybe, but it's nice to be working on something that will continue to be used long after I've left here.
There's a delegation coming in tomorrow-- it'll be weird to have eleven extra people here after having the place to ourselves for so long! We'll be heading out to a community with them on Monday to install some filters. I'll be working as a translator between one of the Spanish-speaking technicians and the English speaking delegation members-- wish me luck!
Finally, check out the GlobeMed blog for Sarah's post about the weekend and some awesome pictures. Now I really wish she had been in Turkey with me last semester, because my pictures look so dinky next to hers.
http://globemedatrhodes.wordpress.com/
Look for another update on Sunday :)
We had Monday off this week-- it's the day of the patron saint of Managua (probably). This was especially nice since it meant we didn't have anything to do in Managua, but other areas of the country were still open for business. Sarah and Monica (a girl who has been doing a 6-week internship here) and I decided to go to Grenada, a colonial town on Lake Nicaragua, and the Laguna de Apoyo, a nearby crater lake. Grenada is only an hour away from Managua, so it was an easy bus ride, especially after our commute out to El Obraje.
I wish I had all kinds of exciting things to tell you about the weekend, but we spent most of our time relaxing. Both hostels we stayed at had some really great hammocks, and the Laguna had a wonderful cool breeze.
This week we're staying in Managua (thus the Internet access). We've been working on standardizing protocols for the water filter activities-- taking and processing samples, training the health committees in the communities, etc.-- to make sure everyone who has a filter is getting the exact same information. Hopefully this will improve both ends of the spectrum-- the action of the community members and of the staff here-- to eventually wind up with some really beautiful water. Not the most exciting sounding activity, maybe, but it's nice to be working on something that will continue to be used long after I've left here.
There's a delegation coming in tomorrow-- it'll be weird to have eleven extra people here after having the place to ourselves for so long! We'll be heading out to a community with them on Monday to install some filters. I'll be working as a translator between one of the Spanish-speaking technicians and the English speaking delegation members-- wish me luck!
Finally, check out the GlobeMed blog for Sarah's post about the weekend and some awesome pictures. Now I really wish she had been in Turkey with me last semester, because my pictures look so dinky next to hers.
http://globemedatrhodes.wordpress.com/
Look for another update on Sunday :)
Friday, July 29, 2011
One trip ends, another begins
This week was another big trip, this time to a town called El Obraje in the department La Pimienta. This town was quite a bit further than El Roblar-- closer to 3.5 hours in the car-- but more easily accessible; we pulled the car right up to the clinic, no hiking necessary!
Our first big activity were the health stations that we did on Tuesday morning and stretching into the afternoon. Our partner takes statistics like the height, weight, and hemoglobin levels of children under five and other at-risk individuals and compares them from year to year. Sarah and I were put on the anemia-checking station, which means that we collectively pricked 74 children and tested their blood for hemoglobin in portable machines. Jessica, the staff member we've been working the most closely with, told us that we should explain to the mothers that anemia is not an incredibly serious disease to make sure they didn't become overly upset; our partner tries to treat it mostly with changes in diet, though vitamins are sometimes available.
We spent most of the week supervising water filters as we did in El Roblar. Though we had many more to do in El Obraje (over 70 as opposed to 22), the task went much faster as the terrain was quite flat which made it easy to walk around.
On Tuesday night, we processed some of the water samples we had taken earlier in the day. We had some "PetriFilms," a kind of mobile petri dish and agar which allowed us to grow the bacteria in the field and see how effective the filters actually were. As in El Roblar, we had mixed results with some families drinking completely clean water and others drinking water more contaminated than their original well. While these results were obviously disappointing, it gave us a good idea of how to direct the community meeting on Thursday afternoon.
The meeting, or asamblea, wasn't quite what I was expecting. The staff and the health committee took equal parts in leading the meeting. The health promoter himself was pretty shy, but Jessica felt that some information would have a greater impact if it came from him. Additionally, he's the one who will follow up on progress-- cleanliness of water filters, for example, or weighing children found to be malnourished-- after we leave, so the community needed to see that he was capable in this regard.
The community seemed most interested in the results from the anemia test, which is perhaps not surprising since it was certainly the most dramatic. The team and the health community worked hard to present all of the data in an interesting manner, however, from posters of nourishing foods to skits of how to care for the water filters, so hopefully the community members were able to take away most of the information.
Since this was the longest time we'd spent in a community, we got to try some interesting new foods, and especially new beverages. One of the most memorable is called avena. It's made from oats, specifically oatmeal, dissolved in water with a great deal of sugar. There's so much sugar that you can't really taste the oatmeal, but it's still not something I'd like to drink every day. Nicaraguans, however, are just as perplexed by North American-style oatmeal (cooked with sugar, berries, etc). It's a funny little culture clash I wasn't quite expecting.
And today at breakfast back in Managua, a couple of the staff cut down some fresh mangoes and shared with us. They were juicy and sweet, but the men had inexplicably piled salt on them. Sarah and I tried a couple of bites, but wound up wiping most of the salt off when no one was looking.
Sorry for the super long post, but I had a lot to catch you all up on! We're also going away for the weekend, so expect a new post on Monday or Tuesday. I'll be around next week, however, so maybe you'll get some more regular messages after that.
Our first big activity were the health stations that we did on Tuesday morning and stretching into the afternoon. Our partner takes statistics like the height, weight, and hemoglobin levels of children under five and other at-risk individuals and compares them from year to year. Sarah and I were put on the anemia-checking station, which means that we collectively pricked 74 children and tested their blood for hemoglobin in portable machines. Jessica, the staff member we've been working the most closely with, told us that we should explain to the mothers that anemia is not an incredibly serious disease to make sure they didn't become overly upset; our partner tries to treat it mostly with changes in diet, though vitamins are sometimes available.
We spent most of the week supervising water filters as we did in El Roblar. Though we had many more to do in El Obraje (over 70 as opposed to 22), the task went much faster as the terrain was quite flat which made it easy to walk around.
On Tuesday night, we processed some of the water samples we had taken earlier in the day. We had some "PetriFilms," a kind of mobile petri dish and agar which allowed us to grow the bacteria in the field and see how effective the filters actually were. As in El Roblar, we had mixed results with some families drinking completely clean water and others drinking water more contaminated than their original well. While these results were obviously disappointing, it gave us a good idea of how to direct the community meeting on Thursday afternoon.
The meeting, or asamblea, wasn't quite what I was expecting. The staff and the health committee took equal parts in leading the meeting. The health promoter himself was pretty shy, but Jessica felt that some information would have a greater impact if it came from him. Additionally, he's the one who will follow up on progress-- cleanliness of water filters, for example, or weighing children found to be malnourished-- after we leave, so the community needed to see that he was capable in this regard.
The community seemed most interested in the results from the anemia test, which is perhaps not surprising since it was certainly the most dramatic. The team and the health community worked hard to present all of the data in an interesting manner, however, from posters of nourishing foods to skits of how to care for the water filters, so hopefully the community members were able to take away most of the information.
Since this was the longest time we'd spent in a community, we got to try some interesting new foods, and especially new beverages. One of the most memorable is called avena. It's made from oats, specifically oatmeal, dissolved in water with a great deal of sugar. There's so much sugar that you can't really taste the oatmeal, but it's still not something I'd like to drink every day. Nicaraguans, however, are just as perplexed by North American-style oatmeal (cooked with sugar, berries, etc). It's a funny little culture clash I wasn't quite expecting.
And today at breakfast back in Managua, a couple of the staff cut down some fresh mangoes and shared with us. They were juicy and sweet, but the men had inexplicably piled salt on them. Sarah and I tried a couple of bites, but wound up wiping most of the salt off when no one was looking.
Sorry for the super long post, but I had a lot to catch you all up on! We're also going away for the weekend, so expect a new post on Monday or Tuesday. I'll be around next week, however, so maybe you'll get some more regular messages after that.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Domingo = Deathly Hallows
I finally got to see Harry Potter today! Totally worth the wait, and the AC in the theater was really nice as well.
But I'm mostly writing because I'm leaving tomorrow for the whole week; we're going to another department called Chinandega where we'll be working on the filters and doing health stations. I'll try to give you an update this weekend :)
But I'm mostly writing because I'm leaving tomorrow for the whole week; we're going to another department called Chinandega where we'll be working on the filters and doing health stations. I'll try to give you an update this weekend :)
Surprise! Some pictures!
As I'm sure you've all figured out by now, I'm not much of a photographer. Fortunately, I'm traveling with Sarah who has a fantastic camera and took a bunch of pictures from the trip. She gave me permission to post a couple up here so you all can get a better feel for the trip. Enjoy!
The hike down to the car on Thursday; it had been raining on-and-off all morning and we were all pretty wet and muddy.
The lovely Sarah looking skeptical about the whole experience
We had to go through lots of barbed wire fences because there were so many cows in the community. I'm not sure if the mist made the community more beautiful or just hid the spectacular vistas.
Testing one of the filters.
Our "shower" for the week. It was more enclosed than this picture shows, but it was still a bit of a challenge!
The hike down to the car on Thursday; it had been raining on-and-off all morning and we were all pretty wet and muddy.
The lovely Sarah looking skeptical about the whole experience
We had to go through lots of barbed wire fences because there were so many cows in the community. I'm not sure if the mist made the community more beautiful or just hid the spectacular vistas.
Testing one of the filters.
Our "shower" for the week. It was more enclosed than this picture shows, but it was still a bit of a challenge!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Back in Managua!
Hello everyone, I'm back in Managua with both internet and running water! What a luxury.
I spent the past couple of days in El Roblar, an extremely rural and isolated community in the department (state) of Boaco. Our team was taking samples of water from filters installed in March of this year, and also from the original water source (e.g. river or well) and the receptacle in which the family keeps the water.
It was interesting to see the challenges of a mobile laboratory in the middle of nowhere; for example, the water samples had to be put on "Petrifilm" (like a mobile, less finicky petri dish and agar) and kept between 35-35 degrees Celsius (86-95 degrees Farenheit). Since El Roblar is up in the mountains, it was quite chilly so we had to use hot water bottles and a cooler as a makeshift incubator to try to maintain a constant temperature.
The water filters were often in varying conditions, as were the receptacles where the families kept the filtered water. Some of these buckets had flies and dust floating in them, while some were covered and washed daily. It's hard to tell if people didn't understand the consequences of keeping their water clean, didn't know how to do it properly, didn't have the time to keep the water clean, or just didn't have the inclination to do so. We left the samples with the health committee, however, so they'll explain to the community members the danger of drinking water from a dirty receptacle, even if it has passed through the filter. The committee will also explain how to keep the water clean and keep track of any filters that aren't working properly.
Overall, the trip was fantastic. It was a really cool chance to see a rural community and to see how difficult it is for the community members to access health care. The situation is better now that our partner has trained a community member as a health promoter (community health worker), but it's still quite a trek from one house to the next, especially now that it's the rainy season. I did my laundry today, and I must have spent ten minutes trying to scrub the mud off my pants! I admire the health committee so much-- they make an effort to reach out to the whole community on a regular basis even though it's really quite difficult to do so. Hopefully the water filters, in addition to training about their care and maintenance, will make their jobs just a little easier.
Sarah will be posting some pictures on the GlobeMed blog today: http://globemedatrhodes.wordpress.com/
I spent the past couple of days in El Roblar, an extremely rural and isolated community in the department (state) of Boaco. Our team was taking samples of water from filters installed in March of this year, and also from the original water source (e.g. river or well) and the receptacle in which the family keeps the water.
It was interesting to see the challenges of a mobile laboratory in the middle of nowhere; for example, the water samples had to be put on "Petrifilm" (like a mobile, less finicky petri dish and agar) and kept between 35-35 degrees Celsius (86-95 degrees Farenheit). Since El Roblar is up in the mountains, it was quite chilly so we had to use hot water bottles and a cooler as a makeshift incubator to try to maintain a constant temperature.
The water filters were often in varying conditions, as were the receptacles where the families kept the filtered water. Some of these buckets had flies and dust floating in them, while some were covered and washed daily. It's hard to tell if people didn't understand the consequences of keeping their water clean, didn't know how to do it properly, didn't have the time to keep the water clean, or just didn't have the inclination to do so. We left the samples with the health committee, however, so they'll explain to the community members the danger of drinking water from a dirty receptacle, even if it has passed through the filter. The committee will also explain how to keep the water clean and keep track of any filters that aren't working properly.
Overall, the trip was fantastic. It was a really cool chance to see a rural community and to see how difficult it is for the community members to access health care. The situation is better now that our partner has trained a community member as a health promoter (community health worker), but it's still quite a trek from one house to the next, especially now that it's the rainy season. I did my laundry today, and I must have spent ten minutes trying to scrub the mud off my pants! I admire the health committee so much-- they make an effort to reach out to the whole community on a regular basis even though it's really quite difficult to do so. Hopefully the water filters, in addition to training about their care and maintenance, will make their jobs just a little easier.
Sarah will be posting some pictures on the GlobeMed blog today: http://globemedatrhodes.wordpress.com/
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Amor, Paz, y Vida
Today I went on an adventure!
It all started when we met two other volunteers here on the compound, Cassie and Sarah (hereafter referred to as "the other Sarah"). They invited us to make banana pancakes with them-- they were delicious, if decidedly unorthodox. Then they invited us to go with them to see the crowd at the Plaza.
Today is the anniversary of the success of the 1979 revolution, the date when the dictator Somoza finally left the country after more than four decades of rule. The current president and candidate for the election in November, Daniel Ortega, was scheduled to speak at the Plaza at 4 in the afternoon. We didn't leave until 3:50 so we figured we'd just catch a bus for the five-mile trip.
In retrospect, I can't believe I thought the dolmus trips in Turkey were crowded. This was by far the most jam-packed bus I'd ever been on. I heard the word "sardinas" (sardines) tossed around quite a few times, and the woman standing next to me said that if there's an accident, nothing will happen (because we were so crowded in). Incredibly, I saw a man in front of me holding a baby which was fast asleep!
The speech at the Plaza was somewhat underwhelming; we missed Ortega's speech and heard someone else talk about development, the environment, and the army for a while. I didn't have a great idea what was going on because the crowd was so distracting-- people sold food, talked loudly, even shot off fireworks.
We caught a cab back and took wonderfully refreshing (though cold) showers.
We're heading to a community tomorrow, so don't expect to hear from me until Saturday (or Sunday if I'm feeling particularly lazy).
Sorry for the repetition if you're following the GlobeMed blog as well (http://globemedatrhodes.wordpress.com/) but I think my version has a bit of a different flavor so they're both worth reading :)
It all started when we met two other volunteers here on the compound, Cassie and Sarah (hereafter referred to as "the other Sarah"). They invited us to make banana pancakes with them-- they were delicious, if decidedly unorthodox. Then they invited us to go with them to see the crowd at the Plaza.
Today is the anniversary of the success of the 1979 revolution, the date when the dictator Somoza finally left the country after more than four decades of rule. The current president and candidate for the election in November, Daniel Ortega, was scheduled to speak at the Plaza at 4 in the afternoon. We didn't leave until 3:50 so we figured we'd just catch a bus for the five-mile trip.
In retrospect, I can't believe I thought the dolmus trips in Turkey were crowded. This was by far the most jam-packed bus I'd ever been on. I heard the word "sardinas" (sardines) tossed around quite a few times, and the woman standing next to me said that if there's an accident, nothing will happen (because we were so crowded in). Incredibly, I saw a man in front of me holding a baby which was fast asleep!
The speech at the Plaza was somewhat underwhelming; we missed Ortega's speech and heard someone else talk about development, the environment, and the army for a while. I didn't have a great idea what was going on because the crowd was so distracting-- people sold food, talked loudly, even shot off fireworks.
We caught a cab back and took wonderfully refreshing (though cold) showers.
We're heading to a community tomorrow, so don't expect to hear from me until Saturday (or Sunday if I'm feeling particularly lazy).
Sorry for the repetition if you're following the GlobeMed blog as well (http://globemedatrhodes.wordpress.com/) but I think my version has a bit of a different flavor so they're both worth reading :)
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Domingo
Today was my first full day here. I was pretty tired, though not sure if that was because I didn't sleep much Friday night (2 hours!) or because I didn't have time to make coffee this morning... probably both. But I made up for it with a three-hour nap this afternoon!
Sarah and I went to church this morning with a staff member named Jessica, her husband, and another volunteer named Monica. I was surprised at how much of the service I was able to understand; it was entirely in Spanish and I was doing pretty well, though I did have to concentrate quite hard. It was also fun to see how similar the service was to those I've been to in America, if a little more informal-- people were talking through much of the beginning, though there was dead silence when it came to the sermon.
Nothing much going on for the next couple of days, we have some articles to read but the staff here has a couple of days off because Tuesday is a national holiday.
Sarah and I went to church this morning with a staff member named Jessica, her husband, and another volunteer named Monica. I was surprised at how much of the service I was able to understand; it was entirely in Spanish and I was doing pretty well, though I did have to concentrate quite hard. It was also fun to see how similar the service was to those I've been to in America, if a little more informal-- people were talking through much of the beginning, though there was dead silence when it came to the sermon.
Nothing much going on for the next couple of days, we have some articles to read but the staff here has a couple of days off because Tuesday is a national holiday.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
In Nicaragua!
Hello everyone! Once again, I apologize for the long absence, but there's not a whole lot to write about in Nashua. But now I'm in Managua, Nicaragua with GlobeMed, a school group. I'm visiting our partner, a community-based, prevention-based health care NGO, with another student, Sarah. I arrived in Nicaragua today, and have yet to adjust to the humidity. It's the rainy season here, and it feels like I'm swimming.
I'm really excited for this month, I think it'll be a good opportunity to reconnect with our partner and get a good look at the daily workings of an NGO. I'll try to post regularly, but don't get your hopes up about pictures, Sarah's got an awesome camera and will be taking a lot.
I'm really excited for this month, I think it'll be a good opportunity to reconnect with our partner and get a good look at the daily workings of an NGO. I'll try to post regularly, but don't get your hopes up about pictures, Sarah's got an awesome camera and will be taking a lot.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Some more pictures
Hey everyone, I know I'd said I would be posting when I came back, but I've been back for a week and a half already, sorry for my absence. I could say I've been busy unpacking, but I've really been catching up on sleep and re-adjusting to the eastern time zone. But I'm back, and I'd like to recap my trip with some exclusive, never-before-seen photos.
From Mom's visit-- "Take a picture of both of us, the way your sister does!"
An impressively European-looking building from my trip to Bulgaria
Stormy day and fairy chimneys in Cappadoccia
View of the Bosporus from near the Black Sea
The inside of the Blue Mosque from my first trip into the old city.
From Mom's visit-- "Take a picture of both of us, the way your sister does!"
An impressively European-looking building from my trip to Bulgaria
Stormy day and fairy chimneys in Cappadoccia
View of the Bosporus from near the Black Sea
The inside of the Blue Mosque from my first trip into the old city.
Monday, June 13, 2011
The end...
I'm leaving Turkey today... my cab arrives in about an hour and a half. I don't have time to do a comprehensive what-I'll-miss-about-Turkey post, mostly because that would be incredibly difficult. Although I'll be back in the States, I'm planning on uploading some pictures and final thoughts over the next couple of weeks so feel free to keep coming back if you run out of things to do on the Internet.
Anyway, it's been an incredible semester, and I've loved sharing it with you all!
Anyway, it's been an incredible semester, and I've loved sharing it with you all!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Photos, as promised
Today is many of my exchange friends' last day in Turkey-- we went out for a wonderful breakfast and took our time sipping tea and reminiscing.
As promised, I'm uploading some pictures from Ephesus. Unfortunately, almost all of my pictures somehow got erased so my friend Anna let me use hers (you may notice an increased photographic quality...). Anyway, it was a fantastic trip, the pictures can't really demonstrate how great it was!
At the Ephesus museum... can you imagine how big that statue used to be?
Ancient toilets...
The view from the top of one of the stadiums
Anna and me at the library
The library... supposedly it's not usually as crowded as it was that day, I guess some cruise ships had docked and unloaded about a zillion American passengers, which was weird.
As promised, I'm uploading some pictures from Ephesus. Unfortunately, almost all of my pictures somehow got erased so my friend Anna let me use hers (you may notice an increased photographic quality...). Anyway, it was a fantastic trip, the pictures can't really demonstrate how great it was!
At the Ephesus museum... can you imagine how big that statue used to be?
Ancient toilets...
The view from the top of one of the stadiums
Anna and me at the library
The library... supposedly it's not usually as crowded as it was that day, I guess some cruise ships had docked and unloaded about a zillion American passengers, which was weird.
Friday, June 10, 2011
The last roadtrip
As you know, I spent the last couple days in Selçuk, a ten to eleven hour bus ride from Istanbul. My friend Anna and I arrived early Wednesday morning, dropped our bags at the hostel, had a quick breakfast and borrowed some bikes to head down to Ephesus, about a three kilometer journey.
We got in free with our museum cards, but I would have paid to see it if I had to. The ruins were very well maintained; there was one sign that said there were about 14,000 people who worked on the restoration! Even though it was filled with tourists, it was easy to imagine what it would have been like to live there 2000 years ago.
On the way back we stopped at the shrine of the Seven Sleepers. According to legend, seven young Christians were persecuted in Ephesus and took shelter in this old crypt; they woke up 200 years later, when Christianity was the majority religion of Rome. The site was actually closed for archaeological work, but there was a nice little restaurant nearby where we stopped for a bit. We also saw the last remaining pillar of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world. The pillar looked like it had been recreated to some extent from fragments lying about, but was over sixty feet high; there were once 127 of them. Pretty impressive; most of the stone went to the building of mosques and churches like the Hagia Sophia.
In the afternoon we hiked up a hill to the ruins of a church built over the supposed tomb of the apostle John. It had a gorgeous view, and it was nice to get a breeze after the heat and sun of the day.
Yesterday we saw the house where Mary lived, according to legend; it's not really something you'd think would be in Turkey, but there were definitely a lot of people on pilgrimages of sorts. We sipped some water from the spring, lit a candle, and tied a wish to the wishing wall they had their.
Later, we went to a mosque near St. John's church. Unlike most mosques, this was rectangular (most are square); it was kind of fun to see the different architecture. Our bus didn't leave until 10:15, so we spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach which was a short bus ride away.
Of course, this trip had some of the best Turkish food I've had yet-- pide, a kind of flatbread with cheese and optional meat or egg on it (I know, it sounds weird, but it's delicious!) and spinach and cheese gosleme-- there's really no way to explain it, you'll just have to find some for yourselves!
I'll save the pictures until tomorrow so you'll all have something to look at while I begin packing!
We got in free with our museum cards, but I would have paid to see it if I had to. The ruins were very well maintained; there was one sign that said there were about 14,000 people who worked on the restoration! Even though it was filled with tourists, it was easy to imagine what it would have been like to live there 2000 years ago.
On the way back we stopped at the shrine of the Seven Sleepers. According to legend, seven young Christians were persecuted in Ephesus and took shelter in this old crypt; they woke up 200 years later, when Christianity was the majority religion of Rome. The site was actually closed for archaeological work, but there was a nice little restaurant nearby where we stopped for a bit. We also saw the last remaining pillar of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world. The pillar looked like it had been recreated to some extent from fragments lying about, but was over sixty feet high; there were once 127 of them. Pretty impressive; most of the stone went to the building of mosques and churches like the Hagia Sophia.
In the afternoon we hiked up a hill to the ruins of a church built over the supposed tomb of the apostle John. It had a gorgeous view, and it was nice to get a breeze after the heat and sun of the day.
Yesterday we saw the house where Mary lived, according to legend; it's not really something you'd think would be in Turkey, but there were definitely a lot of people on pilgrimages of sorts. We sipped some water from the spring, lit a candle, and tied a wish to the wishing wall they had their.
Later, we went to a mosque near St. John's church. Unlike most mosques, this was rectangular (most are square); it was kind of fun to see the different architecture. Our bus didn't leave until 10:15, so we spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach which was a short bus ride away.
Of course, this trip had some of the best Turkish food I've had yet-- pide, a kind of flatbread with cheese and optional meat or egg on it (I know, it sounds weird, but it's delicious!) and spinach and cheese gosleme-- there's really no way to explain it, you'll just have to find some for yourselves!
I'll save the pictures until tomorrow so you'll all have something to look at while I begin packing!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
One last trip
Sorry for the lack of posts-- I had an exam on Sunday and another today. But this evening I'll be leaving for Ephesus, one of the places I most wanted to see before coming to Turkey. I won't be bringing my computer, but expect lots of updates on Friday when I return!
Friday, June 3, 2011
A museum and a picnic
Yesterday I went to the archaeological museum with a couple of friends; it's a huge building with artifacts from all the civilizations that have lived in Anatolia. Since I've been here, I've heard a lot about the Ottomans, but you forget everyone who was here first-- the Hittites, the Byzantines, the Greeks, the Romans... there were marble statues everywhere. There were also lots of sarcophagi which I hadn't realized were popular in the area. We also saw a couple of mummies-- crazy!
In the evening, some of the exchange and Turkish students had a potluck picnic. I brought bread, as previously mentioned, and kaymak, a kind of honey butter. You buy the thick cream (it has a consistency a little softer than butter), and pour the honey on top-- delicious, but terrible for you. It's a Turkish classic, and one of the things I'm going to miss most when I come home.
In the evening, some of the exchange and Turkish students had a potluck picnic. I brought bread, as previously mentioned, and kaymak, a kind of honey butter. You buy the thick cream (it has a consistency a little softer than butter), and pour the honey on top-- delicious, but terrible for you. It's a Turkish classic, and one of the things I'm going to miss most when I come home.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Ekmek Odamda
It's getting close to the end of the semester now-- I'll be home in two weeks! My friends and I are starting to have goodbye events since people are beginning to leave; we're having a potluck picnic tomorrow. I'm bringing bread, a staple of any Turkish meal. I got some in town this morning since I'm planning on hitting some museums tomorrow. I clearly didn't think this through, though, since now my whole room smells like bread! It's one of the things I'm going to miss most when I leave; I guess I'll just have to have as much as I can while I'm here.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
A taste of home and of Istanbul
Yesterday I went with a couple friends to find a museum downtown and go to the Grand Bazaar to pick up some souvenirs. Unfortunately, we couldn't find the museum; we decided we had been using an outdated map and the museum has since been relocated since no one in the area had any idea what we were talking about.
The Grand Bazaar was crazy as always; it gets a little overwhelming in there with everyone shouting at you since you look so foreign. But on the way back, we stopped at a cafe run by a Canadian expat and had some real French toast North American style. It was great to taste some "American" food, and the cafe was really cozy, the kind of place I'd go to even at home.
Today was one of my favorite days in Turkey. Some friends and I got invited to an engagement ceremony; our Turkish conversation tutor asked us to come as a cultural experience. It was in a very non-touristy part of Istanbul, somewhere we'd never go on our own. At first it was kind of awkward since we didn't know anyone and couldn't really communicate; since it was our friend's sister's engagement, he had to help out and couldn't translate all the time. But the actual ceremony was really cool-- the parents were the ones who agreed to the engagement, then all the relatives came by and gave the couple gifts; gold bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and pinned some coins and cash on white sashes they had put around their necks. Our friend later explained it's a way to show how happy you are for the marriage, to show that it's important. After a cup of Turkish coffee and an awesome dinner (meat and eggplant, borek, and cake), we sat with the family while they opened the gifts from the bride's family. Apparently the gifts are a way to make the families closer together; the mother got a headscarf and some linens, for example. Our friend's mother also gave us gifts-- I got a really nice pair of homemade Turkish slippers! (Don't worry, Mom, we made sure to bring them flowers).
Afterwards we went to a cafe that had a great view of Istanbul and drank tea and talked some more about the evening, the differences between Turkey and the US, and Turkey in general. It was a long but fantastic day!
I don't have any pictures now-- I thought it would be a bit awkward to take them at a stranger's engagement. The family insisted we get a picture with the bride and groom, though, so hopefully I'll get a copy!
The Grand Bazaar was crazy as always; it gets a little overwhelming in there with everyone shouting at you since you look so foreign. But on the way back, we stopped at a cafe run by a Canadian expat and had some real French toast North American style. It was great to taste some "American" food, and the cafe was really cozy, the kind of place I'd go to even at home.
Today was one of my favorite days in Turkey. Some friends and I got invited to an engagement ceremony; our Turkish conversation tutor asked us to come as a cultural experience. It was in a very non-touristy part of Istanbul, somewhere we'd never go on our own. At first it was kind of awkward since we didn't know anyone and couldn't really communicate; since it was our friend's sister's engagement, he had to help out and couldn't translate all the time. But the actual ceremony was really cool-- the parents were the ones who agreed to the engagement, then all the relatives came by and gave the couple gifts; gold bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and pinned some coins and cash on white sashes they had put around their necks. Our friend later explained it's a way to show how happy you are for the marriage, to show that it's important. After a cup of Turkish coffee and an awesome dinner (meat and eggplant, borek, and cake), we sat with the family while they opened the gifts from the bride's family. Apparently the gifts are a way to make the families closer together; the mother got a headscarf and some linens, for example. Our friend's mother also gave us gifts-- I got a really nice pair of homemade Turkish slippers! (Don't worry, Mom, we made sure to bring them flowers).
Afterwards we went to a cafe that had a great view of Istanbul and drank tea and talked some more about the evening, the differences between Turkey and the US, and Turkey in general. It was a long but fantastic day!
I don't have any pictures now-- I thought it would be a bit awkward to take them at a stranger's engagement. The family insisted we get a picture with the bride and groom, though, so hopefully I'll get a copy!
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