Life's a short trip...

Between Konya and Spring Break, there were classes, midterms, an excursion to the Asian side and basic everyday life.  This where you two choices - start to settle into life in Istanbul or  decide you want to go home now. For me I settled into life. Don't get me wrong I love and miss miss miss my friends and family (the best birthday present would be to just have a night with my sisters), but I also have routine here that really works for me.

I have decided what foods I like, where I like to drink, what stand to buy my chips at. No longer are the crowded buses something that could get me completely lost and swallow me whole; now they are just crowded buses on the way to friend's apartment or night out. It's working out well. There are no real surprises anymore. I'm just comfortable here, which has led me to ponder some things. Should I be thinking about living abroad after school? What about grad school? and all those other questions that pop with those decisions.

I have come to the conclusion that I do want to have some time to explore things before I head to grad school. I'm pretty sure that I want to study international relations in some type of form. I do not know in what concentration yet. Perhaps I'll come back and work for NGO or go somewhere else. I don't know but I know none of these decisions need to be made now. I just know that this experience has given me more options and more confidence... both are good things.


I promise I'll post about my spring break in the next few days. I'm thinking one post on each country - Syria, Jordan, Egypt. For those of you that don't know, I and friends backpacked from Istanbul to Cairo and back in about 11 days. Originally, we had plans to go to Syria, Jordan, Israel and Cyprus, but two days into the trip we got word that boat ride from Israel to Cyprus would be too expensive so we went with our back up idea and loved it!!!! so check back soon

When it came time to leave Cappadocia, Arielle and I were headed in different directions. With a midterm on Monday, Arielle took the night bus back to Istanbul and I headed to Konya.

Konya is known as a very conservative and religious city in Turkey. Some consider it to be the most conservative city* So I had some preconceived notions before I arrived. Some were right and some were wrong.

First, I went to the Whirling Dervishes museum. The Whirling Dervishes (Mawlawi Order) are a sect of Sufi order of Islam. The order started in Konya in the 13th century. They are known for their elaborate dances, which are in remembrance of God. The museum is pretty cool. You have to treat it like a Mosque. You must take off your shoes and wear a headscarf a well. Many people go to the Museum to pray at the tomb of the founder of the order. Konya is the type of place that attracts Turkish tourists rather then international tourist.

Then I got lost. The guidebook makes things look so easy sometimes and sometimes they just aren't. I was looking for a certain street that had many of the other tourıst attractions on it, but I was failing miserably. I tried to ask two police officers where the street was. They understood what İ was askıng but didn't know how to give directions that I would understand. Eventually this led to these two people who barely spoke english taking me to the street I was looking. In fact they called another friend spoke a little bit more English and spent the rest of the day showing me Konya.


They became my Konya tour guides making sure I eat the things ( aka meatbread) Konya was famous. They took me to all the parks in the city. It was awesome. We were able have to conversations about Turkey, America and family. They showed me all the cities I should visit and the places I should see around Turkey. Sometimes people are so nice especially in Turkey!

I have come to love traveling because of moments like that. I was lost, asked for directions, and out of nowhere I made friends. I got a taste of Konya that I wouldn't have otherwise. I had a not met my new friends I would gone to some museums and left Konya no problems. Instead I got to see the city for what it really is, rather then just saying yea its a conservative city in Turkey. Of course it is an religious center and you can see that upon your arrival, but it also filled with beautiful parks, great food and wicked cool people.

more to come on spring break and all....

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I last posted! I just got back from backpacking through Syrıa and Jordan to Ciaro. I will post about that and life in Istanbul over the next few days...Stay Tuned!