Long Weekend in Bodrum

First blog for year 2 in Tarsus, Turkey.  It has been quite the whirlwind start to the school year this time around.  I am happy to be teaching fourth grade with my teaching partner from last year.  A new kindergarten-4th grade campus has just been finished (about a month behind schedule).  A few weeks into the school year and finally all of those students are getting settled into this new campus.

About a month ago, there was a long weekend for everyone in Turkey in honor of Victory Day.  My friend Athena and I took advantage of this long weekend to go to Bodrum, Turkey.  I have been itching to go to Bodrum for a while now.  All of the Turkish people I know rave about how it is a wonderful place to visit with beautiful seaside views.  We got in late on a Thursday night and were scheduled to go on a day trip to Kos, a Greek island just off the coast of Bodrum the next day.  Unfortunately, due to visa issues, we were not allowed to leave Turkey to go on this trip.  Thankfully, the company we booked with were able to put us on a day cruise around the Bodrum harbor.  It turned out to be a really beautiful and relaxing day in the sun.  The captain stopped a few times for swimming breaks in the sea, which really just can't be beat.  Here are a few photos from the boat cruise:

One of the harbors where the boats are docked

Bodrum Castle

The white buildings on the hill facing the sea were absolutely picturesque

Just a beautiful day out in the Mediterranean

Cool sunset to end the day

The next day, Athena and I woke up bright and early to go on an all day tour of Ephesus.  Ephesus is an ancient Roman city, the largest eastern city of the empire.  We were really lucky to get an excellent English speaking Turkish tour guide.  Our guide was full of facts and information about the history of Turkey and Ephesus.  He spoke very candidly of his compulsory military service, which I had never heard anyone do before.  At Ephesus, he first took us around the section of the city where "regular" people lived.  Historians estimate that 250,000 people lived in Ephesus.  Around fifteen perecent of the city has been excavated by archaeologists.  Here are some photos of the "regular" people's section of the city:

Ready to see Ephesus

Walking through one of the old streets

Sitting in the commoner's amphitheater

Ruins from a two-story temple

Frescoe of Nike

Ruins of the Roman bath house

The second part of the tour featured the "VIP" section of Ephesus.  The first look at this part of the city from the top of the hill is truly spectacular.  

Sweeping view of VIP Ephesus

One of the statues lining the road

One of my favorite parts of Ephesus, this used to be a fountain

The massive library

Entrance to the VIP bathhouse

Community toilets.  Our guide said the VIPs had slaves who warmed up their seats in the winter.  

My favorite picture from Ephesus

Cheers to our awesome guide!

The 25,000 seat amphitheater, the largest in the ancient world.

Our day trip to Ephesus was incredible, and most definitely recommended to anyone visiting Turkey.  There is still more that I wanted to post about Bodrum, but I will have to put it in another entry since this one got really long.

Turkey, Year 1: Top Ten List

This past week has been filled with so many good byes and endings as the school year has wrapped up.  It has been a busy week filled with packing, parties, football games.  It has also made me reflective of my past year here in Turkey.  So here it is...my top ten list of  living and teaching in Turkey, year 1.

10.  Turkish treats

It has been really fun discovering and trying all kinds of Turkish food this year.  Food varies so much from region to region, so that is always a must do when visiting a different part of Turkey.  My favorite Turkish food though has to be baklava.  Thanks to my dear friend Kerry, I have tried more kinds of baklava this year than I ever thought I would.  Chocolate baklava (aka choclova), baklava with kaymak, and then of course the traditional kind ooozing with honey and pistachios.  The best baklava comes fresh and hot from the pan, so gooey that you need a handful of napkins afterwards.  Best baklava I had this year:  the choclova pictured, found in Istanbul.

9.  Relaxing at Kiskalesi

Kiskalesi is a beach area about an hour and a half from Tarsus.  It is a fun beach with amazing views of the castle, which is a swimmable distance away from the shore.  I went a few times last fall when I first arrived and then this spring stayed overnight at a hotel ran by an American guy.  Relaxing and enjoying the sea breeze, taking a dip to cool off, and of course ice cold drinks delivered to your beach chair....Kiskalesi is a trip I will be making many times next year as well.

8.  TAC/SEV Parties

This year, we had two big school parties, filled with excellent food, drinks, music, and of course dancing.  The first one was for teacher appreciation night, and then recently an end of the year party.  It is really fun to see all of the high school and elementary school teachers dressed up.  The spread is always fantastic.  And it doesn't take long once the music starts for everyone to get up and dance.  Watch a video that is shared on my Facebook wall to see for yourself how fun these parties are.  

7.  Long weekend in Antalya

In May, I went to Antalya, a resort town on the southern coast of Turkey, for a three day weekend.  It is a short flight from Adana, and I was relaxing in the sun by noon.  The water and coast is beautiful, and it was amazing to be able to jump right into the water at the private beach we stayed at.  Historical Antalya is very nice and well-maintained, with a lot of history and character.  I look forward to going back to Antalya at least one more time to enjoy the beautiful beaches and charming old town.

6.  Antakya road trip

This spring, Donna, Kerry, Stacey, and I went on a road trip to the historical city of Antakya.  Although the mosaic museum ended up being a little disappointing because of renovations, it was a really fun trip filled with lots of laughter, fun, and a few wrong turns here and there.  I wrote a more comprehensive blog entry about Antakya earlier.  It was very satisfying to know that we could travel to a less-touristic part of Turkey and be able to communicate, get around, and have a successful trip.  

5.  Cappadochia

Cappadochia is definitely a must-see place to visit in Turkey and I will definitely be going back next year.  The landscape is just something you have to see to really appreciate.  I loved staying in Goreme at our hotel built into the rock.  It was also in Cappadochia where I found my patchwork rug, which will be a Turkish souvenir that I intend to enjoy for many years.  Very cool place indeed!

4.  Turquoise Coast Blue Cruise

Everything about this trip was fun, fun, fun and absolutely beautiful.  The best way to see the beautiful southern Turkish coast is by boat.  Kerry spent the first few weeks of school organizing our 4 day, 3 night blue cruise from Olympos to Fethiye.  Every day was filled with beautiful sights, relaxing in the sun, and stops at picturesque coastal towns.  I loved everything about the cruise and would definitely recommend it to anyone travelling in Turkey.

3.  Istanbul

When it comes to history and sightseeing, Istanbul takes the cake.  If it isn't on your list of cities to visit, add it and put it towards the top!  I went to Istanbul several times this year.  One time for the teacher's orientation, another time in December with friends, and then again took Nate in April during the beautiful tulip season.  And I have not seen everything there is to see in the city!  I loved the Aya Sofya, Blue Mosque, and Bosphorous boat cruises (see photos).  Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, and the Underground Cisterns are other awesome places to see.  I will definitely be going back next year.  

2.  SEV Third Graders

Based on what I share on this blog, it can probably seem like I am not actually doing any teaching or working here.  Of course, that is the reason that I came all the way to Turkey in the first place.  I was so lucky this year to teach this group of third grade students.  They are a sweet, caring, fun, and eager bunch.  It has been so awesome to see and hear how their language skills in English have progressed over the year.  Every day, I would get hugs, smiles, little compliments from my students.  We had a lot of fun in our lessons.  It's because of them that I woke up feeling positive and ready for work each day. It was truly a joy to teach them, and I look forward to seeing them next school year...hopefully as their fourth grade English teacher :)

1.  SEV English Department Teachers

To top off the list....the BEST part of my first year in Turkey has been working with and getting to know the teachers in the SEV English department.  I love all of the foreign faculty that arrived at the same time as me.  I will miss Kerry next year so much, both as a co-worker and a friend.  The foreign faculty in the SEV English Department have all supported me and one another throughout this year.  And of course, the Turkish faculty are in a class of their own.  I don't have words to express the level and depth of their support and hospitality.  It boggles my mind that year after year, they welcome us foreign teachers, knowing that we will be saying good bye after a few years.  My teaching partner, Gulcan (see bottom picture), was the most amazing person to work with.  Without her, I know would have made mistakes or run into problems when it comes to dealing with student behavior, communicating with parents, doing report cards, etc.  All of these aspects of teaching are so intertwined with the culture, of which I was just learning.  Our Turkish co-workers help all of us to be culturally sensitive and appropriate.  They are always willing to listen and answer our questions.  Without them, I feel like my first year would have been a disaster.  When Gulcan went on her maternity leave, her substitute Aylin stepped in and did an amazing job from day one.  It is an honor to work with all of the teachers in the top photos.  I will miss Kerry, Stef, Christy, and Nurhan, who will not be returning next year.  But I look forward to one more year with the rest of the team.  Living in a foreign country that is so different from your home has it's difficulties, but when you have wonderful people around you, it makes all the difference.  

I am excited beyond words to be going home for the summer....and while I know it will be hard to say good bye again and it's always hard coming back after being home, at least this year I know that I will be returning back to an amazing group of people.

Weekend trip in Cyprus

This past weekend, I went on a weekend trip to Cyprus with another teacher to explore the Greek and Turkish sides of Nicosia, the capital.  Cyprus is a very interesting country to travel and visit, particularly from Turkey.  If you are like me, you may not be aware of some of the divisions in the country (I learned about it when I first arrived in Turkey).  Southern Cyprus is predominantly Greek and is recognized as a country by the international community.  It is also a part of the European Union.  Northern Cyprus is predominantly Turkish and is only recognized by Turkey as an independent country.  From Turkey, it is only possible to fly into Northern Cyprus.  Athena and I arrived late evening at the Ercan airport and took a taxi to our hotel on the southern side in Nicosia.  When crossing, you have to show your passport and go through the border patrol.  The two sides are extremely different when it comes to the kinds of shops, restaurants, etc.  It was interesting to stay on the Greek side and see all of the Greek signs.  It has a more European feel than the northern side.  

We went to the Cyprus museum on Saturday morning in Nicosia, where we saw a lot of pottery and other archaeological remains from various parts of Cyprus.  People have been living on Cyprus for over 10,000 years.  It has been a part of the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and a few other empires mixed in there as well.  After the museum, we walked along the pedestrian walkway and enjoyed the familiarity of different foods and shops that you can find there.  

Typical shop buildings on the walkway

A Greek Orthodox church.  Unfortunately, we couldn't go in because there was a wedding taking place.

The next day we crossed over to the Turkish side via the Ledra street border.  Immediately, the differences were noticeable.  It felt more familiar as we took in the Turkish signs and shops.  One of the places we visited was the Saint Sofia cathedral.  It is now used as a mosque.

Outside of the Saint Sofia.

Inside the mosque

Another view of the outside

We also went to a marketplace that used to function as the city's inn.  The rooms are now used for artisans and artists to show and sell their goods.

Athena and I

We continued our walking around Turkish Nicosia and came across a hamam.  Since we had some time and felt like being pampered a bit, we decided to take advantage.  The hamam was relaxing as usual.  Here are some photos of inside the hamam (usually I am unable to take photos since it is being used and therefore not appropriate to take photos).  The stone in the middle is what you lay on while you are being scrubbed and sudsed.  The two rooms behind it are where you sit and steam before being scrubbed to soften the skin.

Inside the hamam

After our hamam, we walked back to the Greek side and enjoyed some comfort foods and Starbucks before getting ready to leave.  It was a great first experience in Cyprus and I look forward to going again soon.  I would love to do more exploring of the south side when I have more time to get around.  I would also love to take advantage of the short flight and do some exploring around the northern side for a weekend trip next year.

Musicians performing on the walkway...love the guy with the upright bass!

Weekend in Antalya

Last weekend was a long weekend in Turkey for the Youth and Sports Day Holiday.  On Saturday morning, I flew to Antalya, Turkey for a long weekend.  I had flown into Antalya once before, when I went on the blue cruise in October.  I didn't do any exploring since we had to get on a bus right away to Olympos.  Antalya is a premiere tourist area in Turkey and I really enjoyed my time there.  I arrived and checked in to a nice hotel near Lara beach.  By 11:30 a.m., I was lounging on a private beach.  The water was a stunning shade of blue.  It was perfect beach weather, very hot and sunny.  When you started to get too hot, you could jump right into the sea to cool off.  It was an incredibly relaxing and enjoyable Saturday!

Beautiful blue seas and rocky coastline

The next morning, I went on a tour of the Antalya old city and archaeological museum.  It turned out I was the only one on the tour, and I enjoyed a nice few hours getting a private tour with Nasli, a very nice Turkish woman.  Antalya was an important port city during the Roman empire, and later during the Ottoman empire.  The old city has been very well preserved.  The streets are filled with old Ottoman houses that have been made into hotels, restaurants, or shops.  The first stop was at an Ottoman bell tower.

Ottoman bell tower

Next we walked down to the historic marina.  From here it is possible to arrange for a boat ride along the coastline in Antalya.  Many of the boats are made to look like pirate ships.  There are also fish restaurants and shops down by the marina.

Lots of theme ships in the marina.

From there, we continued on and saw more views of the beautiful Antalya coastline, as well as an old Ottoman fortress.

One really interesting part of the Old City tour was a ruins spot.  It is called the Broken Minnaret.  The ruins at one point were a Roman temple, then a Christian church, and finally a mosque.  It always astounds me how long and how many thriving civilizations have lived here in Turkey over the past few thousand(s) of years.

Roman temple/church/mosque

Broken Minnaret

We continued on to the main Roman entrance into the Old City.  The three arches are a beautiful example of Roman architecture.

A street scene in Antalya old city

Posing in front of the arches

Next we took the tram to the archaeological museum in Antalya.  Before going to the museum, I got to see beautiful views of Konyaalti beach, a famous beach in Turkey.  On my next trip to Antalya, I hope to stay in the Old City and take the tram to this beach!

Konyaalti beach

 The archaeological museum has been ranked one of the best museums in Europe.  There are many rooms filled with Roman sculptures, sarcophogi, and other artifacts.  From Antalya, it is possible to take day trips to many famous Roman ruins sites.

On Monday, I went back to the beach and relaxed before flying back to Adana.  It is only an hour flight between the two cities.  I would definitely recommend Antalya as a travel destination if you are living in Europe or travelling in Turkey.  It is a wonderful mix of beach, relaxation, history, and sightseeing.  I can't wait to go back next school year to do some of the day trips and spend more time in the Old City.

Antakya road trip

A few weeks ago, Donna, Kerry, Stacey, and I rented a co-worker's car and drove to Antakya, Turkey.  Antakya is an important historical place in the country.  We stayed at a very nice boutique hotel that used to be home to the Syrian president in the 1920s.  We first went to the Antakya bazaar where we enjoyed some shopping and the local kebap.  Antakya is known for kunefe, a Turkish dessert made with cheese and sugar water (it's kind of like a sweet mozzarella stick).  After lunch, we began the hunt for the best kunefe in Antakya.  We then made our way to the mosaic museum in the city.  Unfortunately, many of the mosaics were covered and several rooms were closed for restoration.  We did see some amazing examples of mosaics found in the area.

We then wanted to go see the cave church right outside Antakya, but were unable to due to restoration.  Donna drove us around until we could find a decent view.  The arch-holes in the rock you can see are the remnants of the cave church.

After the mosaics museum, we drove to the nearby town of  Harbiye to explore some more.  While the others were doing a waterfall hike, I explored some of the "ipek" shops on the silk road.  Harbiye is known for having the best kunefe and food in the area, so we took a recommendation from a Turkish friend and went to a restaurant to enjoy a nice meal.  I got there just in time to enjoy a beautiful sunset.

Mezze plate, with humus, eggplant dip, olive salad, yogurt, and other starters

The following day, we drove all around the area trying to find many of the historical sights.  We started off by walking around the Antakya city center in the morning to find the churches and synogogues; unfortunately, they were not open at the time we wanted to go inside.  We did see the oldest mosque in Turkey, Necci-de-Habbab mosque.

Inside the mosque

After our city center walk around, we ventured out to find St. Simeon's monastary.  Donna drove us up around and all over a mountain before we got to our destination.

Driving around some windmills.

This monastary's claim to fame is that St. Simeon sat on a big pillar for 40 years.  The reasons for him doing this are still not clear to me but hey, people did strange things a long time ago.

The famed pillar

Just want to see what all the fuss is about....

After visiting the monastary, we made our way to Vikifli, the only remaining Armenian village in Turkey that still has only Armenian people living in it.  There we visited the church, which is the only church to be built in Turkey since 1923.

After the village, our final stop was to the Titus tunnel, which is what the Romans used for transporting water from the mountains to the city on the port.  

Beautiful views on the way to the Titus tunnel

Sunset over the sea

Inside the tunnel

The group who made it to every sight in Antakya!

After a jam packed weekend of sight-seeing, we finally made it back to Tarsus.  First Turkish road trip....a success I would say!