Travel and the first days in Istanbul!

Well, at long last, here is my first update from Turkiye.  I cant use computers all that much so I dont know how much I'll be able to post, but I should have more chances once life settles down a little.  I have so much to say about this whole experience so far that it might take a few posts to get through these first few days here.  Plus I should be doing my homework anyway...

Day one was just travel, nothing terribly exciting happened.  On the flight to Amsterdam I sat next to a really cool Nigerian man who had just been to America for the first time, he liked everything but the food.  Mexican food was particularly horrible I guess.  The lady sitting next to me on the other side spilled wine on me :P  And I was right in the middle of the plane so I didnt get to see anything from the windows :( I'm hoping I will on the way back.  So, on Friday afternoon I reached Istanbul and got my Visa and my luggage sans problem.  I also managed to get some money changed, phone the hotel and get a taxi into the city.

Scary.  They drive pretty maniacally here.  It sorta reminded me of Mexico City drivers only its faster and I think they have more accidents.  Im not really sure because I dont know what Mexico's stats look like.  I just heard that Istanbul's were pretty high.  It was scenic though, we went along the Bosphorus and there were old buildings and parks and ruin-y things most of the way.  Anyway, despite the driver not knowing where my hotel was, the whole drive went relatively well too, we didnt crash anyway.  I can see where it might be problem finding it actually.  My hotel was in the old city which is a place just crammed full of small buildings, narrow streets and pedestrians.  There are so many hotels like the one I stayed in all over these little roads.  After asking a few passers-by the way, we arrived and I naturally didnt have the correct change to pay.  Haha, so the guy at the hotel reception kindly payed him for me and I paid him back later.  

My hotel was pretty cool, I would definitely stay there again.  It wasnt all crazy and high class or anything but it was pretty alright, there was a TV, a fan and even an elevator!  Actually I had a balcony too, but the view was of a really gross building right next to us and some old metal siding heaps below.  This also reminded me of Mexico City :D  The doors all locked and there was a shower, that was the main thing, plus! the people there spoke good English, but Im pretty sure that receptionist guy thought I was crazy or something.  I managed to miss alot of the match because I fell asleep twice, but Turkey won and that was the main thing!  (Im definitely going out to watch the one tonight though!)  I didnt really go out much because I was kinda scared, although looking back, I dont think there was much reason to be.  I did go up to the little food shop to buy some bottled water, since you dont generally drink tap water in Istanbul. I also walked along the main road to look for an exchange office that the guy told me was there, but I never found it.  Breakfast was included in the room price so in the morning I ate bread, some cheeses, olives, cucumbers, and something that I thought was coffee at the time, but Im thinking now it was probably Turkish style tea, or cay, which is another good topic for later :D

So the receptionist guy called a taxi for me and I was on my way again.  This driver just wouldnt listen to me.  He wanted to drop me off at the main campus, not on Ucaksavar campus where my dorm is, I tried to tell him a few times, in English and Turkish but.. whatever, it wasnt my lack of communication either.  Luckily some girls on the campus set him straight finally but he never really found the dorm I was at, just one really really close.  

I got checked in with no problem and got up the stairs with my suitcase without major disaster.  I knocked over a potted tree actually....  I dont know that I would call the rooms "nice" but they are not bad.  Each one consists of a bathroom, a "kitchen" and two separate bedrooms.  The so-called-kitchen is just a fridge, sink and cabinets, as any form of cooking is not allowed in the room.  My room actually has four beds, desks and closets in it, although Im the only one staying there.  My roommate's is for two people, but she's also staying there alone.  We also have balconies!  I love it.  Since I've been waking up at 3:30 am-ish Ive been hanging out on the balcony and watching Istanbul go by.  Its also pretty nice because in spite of the blazing hot weather, the wind coming through the balcony door is always cool.  I can also see the sports field from mine, which to my horror, had an American football game on it the first day I was here.... I also slept alot that day, and ate out for the first time since I got here.  My roommate, Alyssa and I went out exploring around campus that day.  

Monday I had a placement exam and I placed in the lowest class as expected! Today was my first day of class and it was pretty crazy.  I think I'll have lots of homework but hey, Im here to learn so thats ok.  We have Saturdays off and we are going on the first of 3 organized trips on this coming Saturday.  Its a tour of Istanbul!

Anyway, Im already up longer than I should be and I still have homework to do for tomorrow.  Im having a sensory overload here and I just keep writing whatever comes to mind.  Hopefully I will eventually get to everything but if anyone has any specific questions about ANYTHING at all, please ask me so I can cover it next time.  I really want to keep writing.. about food, and life and class and campus and everything, but I think I'd best call it quits for now.  Look forward to these fantastic topics in the hopefully near future!