Almost one month into "project Turkey"! Crazy how the time flies. I am finally getting into a groove living here - or as much of a groove as I will probably ever get into while living in such a different culture. My American habits and routine are beginning to blend into a new Istanbul routine with American touches. Blending rather than changing is much easier to handle and makes life here so much more comfortable. We found a gym tonight, for example - it was amazing. I wore shorts (unheard of outside of the gym) and I ran to American music. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but gyms are few and far between in Turkey and shorts are mostly taboo. Any American-esque experience I can get usually makes my day. The Turkish culture is great and nice to experience for a visit, but it's a bit much to jump into head first.
Last week was a busy week. My co-workers and I are filling our schedules with meetings, learning where to go to meet people, and exploring new cafes, sites, and areas of the city. Last week I had my first meeting in ASIA! Ok, so it was just on the Asian side of Istanbul but hey - I have finally stepped foot on the Asian continent :)
So far every meeting I have attended has been an entirely different experience. Entirely different from any meeting I have ever attended, ever. Of course that's the thrill of working across cultures. You always have to be on your toes as you never know what to expect. For example, we had a meeting last week with a mining company. It was a family owned company, which became immediately apparent. After walking into a grungy apartment building us three young American women (my co-workers and I) found ourselves in a small room with six Turkish men - all smoking cigarettes, none speaking English. It's an interesting feeling to be an American woman sitting in a meeting with Turkish men who find the majority of their business with Iraq, Iran, Syria, and other countries that have an ominous recent history with the U.S. - a bit unnerving as how to act.
We waited a few minutes until their English speaking brother entered to talk with us. Unfortunately there was no big sale. The uber-nationalistic brother was not interested in branching into China bud did share his ideas on America and Iraq/Afghanistan. All after telling us he didn't want to talk about such issues, us not asking about them (or wanting to talk about such issues), and him talking about them anyway. Then, after a 30 minute schpeil on different marble colors we were finally sent on our way to the next meeting - of course with the taxi driver cousin. Always interesting!
A drink is somewhat essential after some of our crazy meetings and my co-workers and I are quickly improving our knowledge of Istanbul nightlife. We've found it's a great advantage to be foreign when going out here. We now stick mostly to more upscale bars, as those are where English speakers can be found (and they feel safer). As all of us are extremely sociable, being able to talk to the people around us is a huge plus. Last week we attended an event at the W hotel. I think there's an arrow hovering over our heads telling everyone we're foreign, but after being spotted by the bartender we didn't have to pay for drinks all night (a major plus for the budget). The bartender's generosity led my roommate to a drunk stumble landing her 2 feet from the sea. There was a dock at the club we were at, Anjelique, as it was outdoor on the Bosphorus (sea). Had Jill been just a bit closer she could have had the story of a lifetime ;) We all made it home dry and in one piece - probably for the best. Another post coming tomorrow so the length of this one doesn't get too out of control. Life's an adventure! XO
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