Yesterday, we took a ferry with Tania to Sultanahmet to visit the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market. It was fascinating! Since it's a holiday for the Turks, it was actually pretty empty which was quite nice. Tania introduced us to her rug, ceramic, silver, and leather people. It's so nice because the market is a place you're supposed to negotiate, otherwise you will get ripped off. Not speaking the language is a huge disadvantage. Yet at her locations, we just supposedly have to mention her name and get the in-price. I am quite proud of myself though. I wandered off and feel like I was able to negotiate a very good price for some pillow covers. We then ventured over to the spice bazaar and picked up some spices. The smells in the market were tremendous. We also all picked up some baklava at the dessert shop locals say makes the best baklava place in Istanbul. So far, by far the best I have ever had! Overall, the entire experience was so much fun. Just seeing all the shops was a blast. Towels, ceramics, fabrics, gold, silver, leather, t-shirts, perfume, underwear, socks, shoes, rugs, it was amazing the selection of items. Name brands were all over, but I am fairly certain all were knock-offs. Merchants (again all male) are quite funny. As we walked by, they easily targeted us as Americans and greeted us in English.
Some more observances that don't really go with anything:
- Being a tall, blonde female in Istanbul has been quite the experience. I have never in my life lived in a place where I stand out. I do notice more stares than usual when walking around nearby neighborhoods (of course, in tourist locations, I am the kind of person they expect so I am excluding them). It seems like for the most part, it is just curiosity. When I speak to people and make my attempts to greet them in Turkish, I get very warm receptions. Some attention, though, is not so positive. While there are many Turkish women wearing what you would see in a California coast town, it is not exactly accepted here yet. Being an obvious American woman, me wearing that would attract much more negative attention and so I play it safe. Many times, it seems unfair with this heat. While it is completely acceptable for men and boys to go swimming in the Bosphorus in Arnavutkoy in their trunks or briefs, I've never seen a female in the water or tanning on the edge like they do. Although I'll go running along the water's edge in my running shorts, I have yet to wear anything less than capris or a knee length skirt walking around. I am okay with that as an American, but as a female I feel a bit of outrage for the inequalities I see.
- Boys in Turkey are coddled by their moms. It's a heart wrenching thing for them to move away or even move out of the house. It's not unusual for sons to be still living with their moms until a later age.
- The Turkish schooling system is completely reliant on tests. At the end of the students' 8th grade, they take a test to get into the high school they want. RC can only accept students based on their performance on this test. This year, all the scores are either perfect or nearly perfect. The registration takes weeks and students have to register in a certain order, starting from the top at their top choice. Today should be the end of RC registration. In the end, we will accept 99 new girls and 99 new boys into our prep program. The same happens for university acceptance. Students must take a test their senior year. This is all that gets them acceptance into the Turkish Universities. The high emphasis on testing in Turkey puts a lot of pressure on the students. It is normal for wealthy students to go from their school classes straight to an evening tutoring school. Part of RC's goal is to de-program the first years from this rote learning that is emphasized.
- The staff at RC is unbelievably big. The English department has over 30 teachers for the 1000 students at RC. There are 11 in the math department. Overall we have over 100 teachers. Outside the teaching staff, the administrative staff is tiny with around 5. The business office has an immense amount of faculty, figuring out all the intricacies of dealing with foreign staff and the many living on-campus. In fact, there is one person whose one role seems to be to use his inside connections with all the major government controls. I went with a group of teachers to get our resident permits today. The place was very similar to a DMV, many people waiting, no workers. But the 10 of us waltzed in, he went right in to the adjoining office, called us all in, we signed and 5 minutes later we were leaving that roomful of frustrated people. This same guy did the same exact thing when we went to get our tax ID numbers. I really think it's his only job.
- There will be a barber on campus on the first day of school for us teachers to send any boys who need a hair cut. As you saw in the dress code, all boys have to have hair above their ears and collar. Also, all students cannot have facial hair. A trip to the school barber is the punishment the first day. After that, students must purchase a razor from the school's canteen and shave. Male teacher's too must be clean shaven. At most, they may have a well-groomed mustache. I have met several teachers here on campus enjoying the last days of their shaving freedom, knowing they will soon have to shave off the beard. The theater teacher has a good ponytail going and I'm guessing that too will have to go. It's actually kinda crazy the things I'm starting to think as normal after being here for just two weeks.
