OVER THE BRIDGE TO ASIA

Although I have only been in Istanbul for three days, it seems although I was made to live in this unique city brimming with winding alleyways, overcrowded and chaotic bazaars, the most delicious döner Kebap (pronounced: DU-ner not doner) this side of the Bosporus Strait. My first impressions of Istanbul were exactly what I had remembered from my short visit not even a year ago, however this time I was immersing myself in the dynamic beauty of this country from the eyes of a "short term local," as our program director refers to it. Because I am enrolled in a Signature Seminar program, a two week-three credit crash course that academically covers Byzantium to the beginning of the Ottoman Empire, and practically provides us with some orientation regarding not only this sprawling city but a gauge for Turkey itself. Our first six days in Istanbul, are spent in the intellectual neighborhood of Kadıköy (pronounced: CAD-i-koi) across the Bosporus Straight and Sea of Marmara on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. On Saturday, we began our schedule with more orientation information, and our first Survival Turkish lesson! Our language professor Idil taught us to introduce ourselves and began constructing our framework of the Turkish language.  After a walking tour of this part of the city and a beautiful walk along the Bosporus that ended with a satisfying cup of Çay (Pronounced: chai) in the drizzly European weather, my new friends and I began to explore the city! We lost ourselves among the vendors and eventually found ourselves having a fresh meal while watching a Turkish football match. Today we went on a private boat tour up and down the Bosporus, while learning about the various palaces, fortresses, mosques, and garrisons that litter the coastline.  After the tour we attended our first lecture with our Professor Alex Medina who will accompany us throughout this seminar and not only teach us in a classroom, but teach us while we tour around Istanbul and all the breathtaking and poignant sights it has to offer! Three days into the semester and I am already wondering how I am ever going to leave this city that has challenged me in more ways than I can say, yet has truly captured my heart.