Category Archives: Meet the Students

Eastern Turkish Breakfast and Beyoglu Snacks

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(A little late, but today was memorable in terms of cuisine.)

For our first breakfast, we ate van kahevlti — a type of Kurdish, or Eastern Turkey, culinary style. Among the more familiar olives and orange juices was cucumber yogurt, rose jam and apricot juice, along with various breads and Turkish cheeses.

Around 10 a.m., we went down Istiklal, a main street and the heart of Beyoglu, and saw multiple food vendors and restaurants. But food that was literally on every corner was the kestane kebap that street vendors sold in little red and white carts. The roasted Turkish chestnuts, which are harvested in the fall and are sold throughout the year, are a common snack around town. If you want to see the chestnuts (and learn the pronunciation), click below for more.

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A Safe City

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I’ve read in numerous travel guides that Istanbul is a very safe city, and though I have only been here for two days, I feel completely safe walking around Istanbul. Of course I haven’t totally let myself loose by walking around alone or giving in to being lured into shops. Just like any other populous city, you still have to take safety precautions.

Besides the occasional pick-pocketer and purse-snatcher (which are the most common dangers to safety), it is best to always walk on the sidewalk (if there is one) and be cautious and aware of traffic because trust me, at the speed that motor vehicles are going, you might not make it if you were hit.

While exploring the bustling streets of Istiklal and Taxim in search of clothing shops and flea markets, I noticed that police cars constantly drove up and down the street. Seeing them gave me a sense of security while venturing into this unfamiliar area of Istanbul. I especially loved seeing them because they were driving the same car that I drive, a Mini Cooper! I could hardly take them seriously in these little toy-looking vehicles.

Monument of the Republic

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In Istanbul, there is a known landmark in the middle of Taksim Square called the “Monument of the Republic”. It is a statue that honors the Turkish Republic in 1923. There seem to be many protective element that ward off superstitious evil in Turkey, but this statue, like the Nazar (or evil eye) is thought to ward off reminent taboos from the Ottoman empire. The statue stands at 36 feet high and shows the founders of the Republic such as the well known Kemal Ataturk who faces northward. This side depicts he and his comrades in the earlier days looking toward the popular shopping street, Istiklal Caddesi.

Looking at Luck

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As you walk around Istanbul, there will always be eyes looking back at you. I wondered the streets with the popular American song, “Very Superstitious” by Stevie Wonder ringing through my head. Commonly known superstitions in America are if one breaks a mirror, or a black cat crosses their path they will get bad luck and need resolve the situation with different remedies. In Istanbul, Turkey as well as other countries, there is something called the “evil eye”. It is the belief that individuals can cause illness or harm to people and animals with evil if directed toward them. In order to protect people from this superstition, you will see a lot of blue circles with the shape of an eye in the middle of them.

This is to protect people against the potential evil by having an eye to face it back. In Turkish, these blue eyes are called Nazar Boncugu. They are usually found outside of homes, workplaces, on cars, or worn as beads. In Islam, however, it is believed that God is the sole protector against the evil eye. This belief within the religion may be fluid among different cultures, but I found this to be an interesting contradiction seeing that Turkey is a Muslim society. However there are other methods of warding off evil such as reciting different quotes from the Qu’ran or say phrases such as “Mash Allah” or “God has willed it”. No matter the superstition you believe in, friends do not let friends submit to evil. This blue eye is sold in shops all around, and it always makes for a nice gift as it brings protection and good luck to all.

Gülen Movement: Connection with Niagara Foundation

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Whenever I mention the Gülen movement, I get reactions like, “That’s controversial,” or “That’s a touchy subject.” So I want to explore it: I will be exploring the reason behind its controversy, its role in the democratization of Turkey, and its connection with the educational system of more than 140 countries.

I got a chance to learn about the basic ideals of the Gülen movement at the Niagara Foundation in Chicago. The Niagara Foundation is a Midwest organization that openly supports and embodies the values of the Gülen movement, by promoting fellowship and dialogue between cultures and nations. For example, the Niagara Foundation funds trips for Americans to visit Turkey to develop of more informed sense of Turkish culture. I sat down with the Niagara Foundation’s Assistant Director in Chicago, Hakan Berberoglu to get a brief overview of this movement.

My curiosity for this movement continues. I interviewed Professor Ihsan Yilmaz at Fatih University this afternoon. Professor Yilmaz currently serves as the Chair of the PhD Programme in Political Science and International Relations at Fatih University, Editor-in-Chief at European Journal of Economic and Political Studies (EJEPS), advisor at Journalists and Writers Foundation, and writes as a columnist at Today’s Zaman. He gave me more insight into the role that the Gülen movement plays in Turkish politics and democratization–video coming soon.

 

Turkish-Arabic Resemblance

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After a long, but pleasant ten hour flight, we have finally made it to Istanbul, Turkey! While on board Turkish Airways, I was trying to learn a few words of Turkish by listening to the airline stewards and flipping through the inflight magazine. I didn’t notice too many words that looked like English, but, while reading the menu they gave us in order to select our preferred meals, I realized that a lot of words in Turkish resemble Arabic words! I knew that the Arabic language influenced the Turkish language back when the Ottoman Empire adopted Islam, I just didn’t realize the extent of this influence.

When first boarding the plane, I noticed that the Turks greet with the word “Merhaba”, similar to the Arabic version of “Marhaba.” Just a side note…a man that we met at a cafe this evening, told us that in Turkish, “a” is pronounced like an “e.” Just a fun fact! Anyways, so as I was reading the menu on the plane, I discovered that I knew what a lot of the words meant before reading the English translation. These are the words that are similar to Arabic:

Turkish-Arabic-English

-Fasulye-Fasuleya-Green Beans

-Salatasi-Salata-Salad

-Makarna-Makaronya-Pasta

-Portakal-Bortakal-Orange Juice

Maybe I will be able to get by by speaking Arabic in Turkey after all!

Packing analysis

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As I’m double- and triple-checking everything I’ve crammed into my suitcase and carry-on, I’ve noticed a couple of pieces that reflect the Turkish culture and weather. These items are not too noticeable, but they’ll keep me from looking like a disrespectful and soaping-wet fool.

Skirts: I’ve packed a couple, not only because I’m going through a skirt phase, but also to cover myself up when we visit places of worship, and just to stay conservative in certain areas of town.

Head scarves: To further respect the culture when we go to mosques, I’ve brought along head scarves. Luckily, these weren’t too hard to find: my mom and I use them all the time to wrap our hair up at night.

Umbrella: It’s going to be raining for a significant amount of the days we’ll be in Istanbul, so a good umbrella is a must. I’ve also wedged in some Nike sandals. When it’s pouring, I can slip those durable babies on; then, when I get where I need to go, I can put on nicer slippers. (Note: extra sandals are also great for when you visit houses and need to take your shoes off.)

Water bottle: Make no mistake– it’s may rain, but it’s also going to be in the 70s many of the days. Plus, our house is on a hill, and I’m all about staying hydrated.

Apart from that, there are the general key things that travelers must bring (adapters, soap, visa, etc). Also, see Megan’s blog post on the journalism equipment we’re bringing.

When Food isn’t Just Food

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Turkish subcultures can be displayed in many different ways, but in my opinion, food is the most relatable way to do so. Everyone eats, everyone is hungry and everyone, though they may be hard pressed to admit it, wants to try food from different cultures.

What is really interesting me, though, is how resturants in America tend to be more generalized toward the countries as a whole. Rarely are there any “Tatar” diners or “Kurdish” coffee shops in Chicago, but rather, there are simply “Turkish restaurants.” This is surprising, especially when you take into account the amount of cultural groups that migrate to Turkey.

Granted, the United States is able to differentiate certain specific cultures from some countries—I’ve eaten at many Cantonese restaurants before in Illinois–but there are some countries that have subgroups lumped together in terms of restaurants in the states. What’s the difference between Cretan Turks and Anatolians? As of right now, I don’t know. But they are two different walks of life, so why does the cuisine have to be the same? My hope is to find that in Istanbul, the restaurants are sub-culture specific, something that is not the case here.

Of course, I had to first establish some background so over spring break, I visited “Turkish Cuisine,” a general Turkish restaurant located in downtown Chicago, on the ethnic strip of Clark Street. Between feeding the meters, and navigating I-88 going home, I had the pleasure of talking to Marina Cardak, the manager at that time. She said she brought Turkish Cuisine to Chicago because of the need for a Turkish restaurant in the area. Though Cardak is the first to admit that the menu is comprised mostly of Mediterranean and Anatolian dishes, she said that because the food is general, Turkish Cuisine is able to feed multiple people.

These are some of the pictures from Chicago. Check back soon for some more from Turkey. Hopefully, I’ll discover different cuisines that accurately represent the population breakdown of Istanbul. At the very least, I’ll be constantly eating, which is one of my more serious hobbies.