I wished to go to Istanbul because for me, it was one of the „exotic“ cities, which are reachable with Erasmus+. I applied for the project, which took place in Kütahya, Turkish city in Asian part of Turkey.

 

I didn’t know where to sleep, but fortunately, Serkan, my friend from Cercedilla project gave me contact to his friend Süleyman, who was teacher as well. In the beginning, I was very afraid of that, because I did not know, if I can trust him or not. But finally, It was great.

 

DAY 1

He picked my up at the airport and took my directly to Hagia Sophia. We left my luggage in the car and went to the centree. Hagia Sophia was already closed, so we visited Sultanahmed (Blue Mosque). They borrowed me shal on my head and also long „skirt“ too. The mosque was amazing. I was a little bit scared, that we did not understand each other so much with Süleyman, because his English was on very low level, but finally, we managed pretty good. Next to Hagia Sophia, I found some old muslim school of caligraphy where there were very nice people, offered us turkish sweets and turkish tea and explained us many things about Quran, the symetricity of „Allah“ sign in that book and also introduced us to a professional caligraphist. I also got some book about God. It was verz pleasant experience and I was totallz excited to explore more. Later we went to Gran Bazar which was supposed to be super cool attraction but in fact, it was just very ready for tourists so if I wanted to buy pistachios, they were much more expensive than they should have been. In the evening, we had dinner at some Kebab place (It was meat, sauer cucumber, french fries and some tiny bread which was good, but not delicious I would say. Than we went back to the car, listened Turkish pop and were dancing. Finally, we came to some coastal part of Istanbul, where we later met Suleyman’s flatmate and his girlfriend (journalist). It was very funny experience because none of them could speak conversation level of English. But that evening I learned at least few things:

1. Turkish people don’t mind caffeine and tein (The girl drunk coffee and tea without problem-for me it is ok, but in Czech, almost nobody would do it)
2. Turkish hookah is very strong (I did not feel so much ok after that)
3. There is some superstision in Turkey, that if you turn around your (empty) cup from coffee, you can read from the “lógr” your future. (This girl made two pictures, one of the cup and second of the plate and somebody from there would say her future)
4. These people were very very nice (Even if we did not understand each other, I consider it as a very good meeting)
5. They are not so much interested in politics
6. It is very cool to be in local Turkish bar

 

In the evening, me and Süleyman were drinking tea and eating pindaakas, pipas and roasted chickpea together. He wanted to plan my next day perfectly, so he put also timing on the attractions. I was supposed to go with his friend. At first, I didn’t find it as a good idea, but in the end, it was such a cool day with him!. I also learned how to really eat pipas, but I still find it very annoying.

DAY 2

I woke up shortly before 9 because I was sure, that he will not come on time. In the end, he came at 9:30 and had breakfast (some Turkish rounded bread, looks like big bagel). Firstly, we went to Hagia Sophia museum which costed 40TL (10 Euros). It was not really museum how I thought it wouold be, It was just the mosque/church. But very interesting, this combination of church and mosque together. After that, we visited Jerebavan, the cistern and water deposit of Romans. It was super cool, very dark. Everywhere there were some people who sell you, that they will take picture of you in Turkish costumes. I was very hungry, but we decided to go to Topkapi before lunch. Topkapi palace was really huge. But worthy, many exhibitions about cuisine, guns.. small rooms, amazing view.. When we went out, I was dying of hunger but there was a small risk, that our next station, Galata tower will be closed, so I bought just some almonds and apple in the shop near the parking place (Otocar) and was happy having it.

The neighbourhood of Karaköy was really cool. Huge street full of shops. There was big queue to the Galata tower so we decided to go there later. In the meanwhile, we had some döner, I bought psychedelic shoes, yellow backpack and “plátěnka” as well. We drank also coffee, because I was running out of energy that time.

DAY 3-Moving to Kütahya

In the morning, I met Dale in the bus station. It was really really weird , I had never ever seen before nyone with so strange voice and literally no emotions. Somehow, I managed to ride with him that bus till we reached Kutahya. On the way, we stopped in some kind of “Motorest” and I bought there my very first fresh Ayran in my life.It was great! Dale was still angry and bught some discusting chicken with french fries. 😀 We arrived to Kutahya around 8 and from the first moment, I knew that I will not have anything what to do there that night. And suddenly, I saw in front of our hostel big sign: “Black Gym”!! Exactly for me, I really wanted to go at least to the gym on fucking bad project. And finally, it showed up, that it was one of the best ideas, that I did during that week. There was very nice gym (haha) where I met Muhammed, guy that gave me kiss in the very first moment of my stay in Turkey.

NEXT DAYS…

The programe was terrible, the participants not so cool. The coolest people on the whole project were girls from my room. Unforgetable experience, never ending talks about everything, mostly sex haha. Péťa, Anička, Klárka.. <3 It was very exciting to meet 3 girls from different places from Czech and have so many thing in common. What I liked in the hotel the most was the receptionist. Guy who used to live for 30 years in Germany so he spoke better German than I did. We went one day to a market, where I bought chestnuts for my mum, nuts for me and also a loot of fruit. I don’t know why, but this guy didn’t talk to me since that time. Maybe because of his wife? 😀 I don’t really know. I forgot to mention, that when I was running the very first day, I felt really happy, free. The maountains around where beautiful. One day, we went with girls to the mountain where we had real Turkish tea in a very extraordinary restaurant, which was turning around so you could see the whole panorama. After that, we went for kebab, where some guy asked me if I want to go out with him. He was old. I did not want. I went to pee to the mosque as well, where you needed to pay 1 Turkish lira and they did not even have toilet papers. But ok. It was doable.

In Kutähya, they are making a loot of porcelain. And I bought almost 6 items for only 27TL. I need to admit, that the quality was quite shitty, but two bowls, that we have with Javi, are quite good. Yeah, actually perfect, beautiful (not really for yoghurt and müssli, since they have kind of 3D pattern:D.

Two last nights, I spent with Mohammed. I really liked it. We were talking a a lot, especiall the first night, The second day, we went together for breakfast and than to the university, because I wanted to see it. I came very late to the programme, but I actually didn’t care. It was worthy. For sure. We were holding our hands and I felt really beautiful. Far from home. The funny thing was, that I did not tell to girls, that I am going out with him and than they came to the same restaurant like we were having food with Muhammed. But luckily, they didn’t see us.

I also spoke about God with Yalcin and I think, that from that time, he started to like me. He is not bad person, or at least, not that bad. He just was not motivated at all to speak English. I met also Burak there, which was Turkish guy, who had amazingly long wimpers. He was our leader for 3 last days. He was very smart, but we did not talk to much. I wrote him message after the project on Facebook, but I don’t really believe, that we will meet again. Duminica (old woman, who was leading the Romanian group) told me, that I should “be myself but not impolite”. I was bit sad from that, because she meant that because of my short dress, I did not respect the culture of people in Turkey. But it is ok.

In the airport, there was Javi waiting for me with a big sign “Lenka” and some veggies in his bag and I knew, that here, with him, it is the right place where I want to be or at least, where I should be. It is safe, beautiful, loving.