I just got back from Istanbul, Turkey last evening and all I can say is WOW! What an experience. I am so happy I went, and I had the time of my life. I can honestly say that Istanbul was THE most beautiful city I have ever seen in my life! London is a great city, but holds nothing to the awes of Istanbul, the Doorway to Happiness.
I left Heathrow Airport on Thursday morning at about 11:30. On the plane, I had some delicious food and a Turkish bira (beer) called Efes. It was a 3 1/2 hour flight, so not too bad. We finally made it out of customs and to the hotel at around 8. All 37 of us went out to eat at a restaraunt and enjoyed some Turkish cuisine (I ordered Chicken Shish). After that, we were on our own for the night. Some people I met that day and I went to the Ramadan celebrations that were happening in the Hippodrome. We watched a concert and went to a Tea and Hookah place. Obviously had some Turkish Tea and hookah. It was fantastic. Then we went to a local bar and had an Efes, then hit the hay due to exhaustion.
In the middle of the night (well, 5 am), the Call to Prayer went out. For those of you who don't know, in Islam, a Muslim must pray 5 times a day and the first one occurs at 5 am. The prayer leader goes on a microphone in a mosque and it blares from the speakers on the minarets all throughout the city. I woke up and was so mad because all I wanted to do was sleep! It was the equivalent of 3am London time, so you can only imagine.
Anyway, the next morning, bright and early, we woke up and had breakfast on the rooftop terrace of our hotel. Walking out there on a sunny Friday morning, we have a magnificent view of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Bosphorous Strait. It was a breathtaking sight. We went on a tour of the Blue Mosque, and took our shoes off. We walked in a saw an amazing sight inside. High ceilings with chandeliers and traditional Islamic art. It was great! Then we walked to Hagia Sophia. This is what I have been waiting for. The Hagia Sophia was built as a Catholic Church during the Byzantine Empire after the fall of the Roman Empire. It was later converted into a Muslim Mosque when the Ottoman's built their empire. I love it so much because not only is it a beautiful building, but there is a mix of Islamic and Christian art inside. The Ottomans never destroyed the Christian art and today you can see Jesus and Mary on the walls right next to Allah's name inscribed on huge circles. The whole place was my favorite.
Later that day, we went to the Grand Bazaar, which is like a huge flea market for pretty much anything you could ever want. And you get to haggle the shop owners for the cost. It's pretty much great! I spent over 5 hours in the Bazaar and probably only went through half of it. I bought my very own hookah, made in Turkey of Hand Blown Glass and an authentic Turkish Prayer Rug. Both are really cool. Maybe they sound lame to you, but just wait until you see them!
That night, we enjoyed the luxuries of our favorite Hookah and Tea place after the server from the previous night chased us down and yelled, "My friends, My friends, come back here tonight!" So we went back and he gave us a discount on what we got and watched out for us and made us laugh. He was so funny. We took pictures with him and he had a professional photographer come over a take a large group picture that he is putting in a frame at his house to remember us by. His name is Yazmil. What a goofball. He tried getting this girls number, but he wasn't so lucky!
Anyways, the next day we saw the Cisterns, Topkapi Palace, and the Bosphorous boat tour. I was so neat to see all of the amazing architecture, artwork, and sheer brilliance this city offers. I took 235 pictures of my time there (most of them of buildings, doors, ceilings, tiles due to their beauty). I honestly cannot wait to go back to Istanbul. It is one place I will never forget.
But it did feel nice to come back to London. I moved back into my apartment, which is now shit-free. The carpets and bathroom were all replaced and are smelling lemony fresh. It's nice to be home.
I also got placed for my internship, however it is not with Parliament, sadly. I was placed at a non-profit organization called Penal Reform Institute. It deals with ridding the death penalty globally and finding alternatives to jails and prisons to rehabilitate. Although I think it sounds interesting, it is not what I signed up for. I am upset a bit that I didn't get Parliament like I was told, and then didn't get what my second choice was. Or my 3rd for that matter. But oh well, it will be a learning experience, and who knows, maybe I will walk away loving it!
Alright, sorry for this ridiculously long post, but I just wanted to share with you the most amazing time I had in Istanbul. I hope to walk through the Doorway To Happiness again sometime real soon!
Justin
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
"There's Shit Everywhere!"
Today was one of the most unusual days I have ever experienced. A little stressful, a little chaotic, and quite comical. So last night, in my flat, right before bed, my roommates and I noticed a smell. It smelled like raw eggs or something gross. But it wasn't extreme or anything. So we thought nothing of it and went to bed.
The next morning, I am so tired as it's my day to sleep in, my roommate turns the light and starts yelling to our other roommate. I wake up, furious, to see what was going on. I look down at the ground and there is a HUGE puddle of marshy carpet. I instantly noticed the smell; it was overwhelmingly one of sewage! I almost vomited right then and there. If you stepped on it, it was bubble up around your feet and it was right next to the door so you had to step in it. It was so bad that I had to get up and go to the other room to get away from the fumes. They were giving me a headache and I constantly felt like I was going to throw up.
We called the emergency number for our 24 hour reception and reported that someone needed to come immediately. Well, about an hour and half later, someone showed up and they were utterly disgusted. The poor guys worked through it though and found out that the pipe from the toilet had broken and it seeped through the wall and pooled on the carpet and tiles. A while later the Head of Facilities showed up to assess the situation. She came back to us and said she was going to check to be sure, but she was almost positive that we would have to be moved temporarily out of that building. YOU THINK?!
An hour later, the facilities workers were noticing the smell stronger from another room. They looked out the ledge and noticed that there was 3 feet of standing water, urine, feces, and toilet paper right outside this window. It seems it wasn't just our toilets problem. Those poor men had to wade through it to sweep it out and drain it somewhere. I had to leave for class and thank god! The smell was so bad.
After class, we talked to the Head of Facilities and she confirmed we were being moved. She gave us our room assignments and told us to leave ASAP. We had to pack up all of our belongings and move them to another building in London. What a hassle! Two of my roommates are living in this really sweet flat, while I am living in a single room in another building that is worse than a Motel 6 room. My other roommate is in my building but 3 floors down. We are to be staying here until Saturday when we get to move back in. Which is not technically so bad, as I am leaving for Turkey on Thursday, so only one day in this place is ok.
So now, we are trying to get compensation for some of our possessions that have been damaged by literally having been shit on. And if they won't do that, then they should pay to have ALL of our clothes cleaned and possessions cleaned. Everything I own has that vile odor that makes me want to barf. It's only fair that they do that.
But looking at it all, it's quite comical. I have laughed hysterically about this pretty much all day, even though it is seriously disgusting and potentially hazardous. It could've been a lot worse, especially if we were the ones who were responsible for cleaning it up. So now I must live away from everyone for a couple days and then re-unite in a (*hopefully*) shit-free zone!
The next morning, I am so tired as it's my day to sleep in, my roommate turns the light and starts yelling to our other roommate. I wake up, furious, to see what was going on. I look down at the ground and there is a HUGE puddle of marshy carpet. I instantly noticed the smell; it was overwhelmingly one of sewage! I almost vomited right then and there. If you stepped on it, it was bubble up around your feet and it was right next to the door so you had to step in it. It was so bad that I had to get up and go to the other room to get away from the fumes. They were giving me a headache and I constantly felt like I was going to throw up.
We called the emergency number for our 24 hour reception and reported that someone needed to come immediately. Well, about an hour and half later, someone showed up and they were utterly disgusted. The poor guys worked through it though and found out that the pipe from the toilet had broken and it seeped through the wall and pooled on the carpet and tiles. A while later the Head of Facilities showed up to assess the situation. She came back to us and said she was going to check to be sure, but she was almost positive that we would have to be moved temporarily out of that building. YOU THINK?!
An hour later, the facilities workers were noticing the smell stronger from another room. They looked out the ledge and noticed that there was 3 feet of standing water, urine, feces, and toilet paper right outside this window. It seems it wasn't just our toilets problem. Those poor men had to wade through it to sweep it out and drain it somewhere. I had to leave for class and thank god! The smell was so bad.
After class, we talked to the Head of Facilities and she confirmed we were being moved. She gave us our room assignments and told us to leave ASAP. We had to pack up all of our belongings and move them to another building in London. What a hassle! Two of my roommates are living in this really sweet flat, while I am living in a single room in another building that is worse than a Motel 6 room. My other roommate is in my building but 3 floors down. We are to be staying here until Saturday when we get to move back in. Which is not technically so bad, as I am leaving for Turkey on Thursday, so only one day in this place is ok.
So now, we are trying to get compensation for some of our possessions that have been damaged by literally having been shit on. And if they won't do that, then they should pay to have ALL of our clothes cleaned and possessions cleaned. Everything I own has that vile odor that makes me want to barf. It's only fair that they do that.
But looking at it all, it's quite comical. I have laughed hysterically about this pretty much all day, even though it is seriously disgusting and potentially hazardous. It could've been a lot worse, especially if we were the ones who were responsible for cleaning it up. So now I must live away from everyone for a couple days and then re-unite in a (*hopefully*) shit-free zone!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Wheatus Rules!
Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't posted in over a week. I intended too, but keep forgetting. Alas, here I am today to recap so far.
Last weekend was the Mayor Thames Festival along Thames River. It was really cool. It took several hours to walk through it all, filled with vendors selling everything from food to clothing to books; it was just about everything. There were also river races and concerts, and yes, even fireworks. The festival, in a way, signifies the end of summer for Londoners; however, in an ironic twist, this week after the festival was the most summer-like since we have been here. It has been high 60's and no rain, with partly sunny skies. You could have laid out and gotten burnt! That's pretty surprising for London this time of year, or so I am told.
Then I have had classes all week and that's just always exciting (sarcasm?). I haven't had a single thing to do for homework yet, but soon (aka this week) I have to write a paper and prepare for an exam. This Thursday I will leave for Istanbul, Turkey with my Islam class. I am super excited to be going! There are planned trips to Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, and even a Harem. Add in some free time and we get a fascinating trip to the gateway to the East. Pictures, of course, will follow.
Speaking of pictures, I haven't been able to upload many to this blog, but you can check out my Facebook for pictures or conveniently click the link on the right hand side under Other Study Abroad links and it goes right to my Shutterfly website where I upload all my pictures. Check them out. I have to upload some newer ones from this past week I have taken.
Oh, almost forgot! I took a tour of the Houses Of Parliament on Tuesday! Of course, I found it completely fascinating. I would venture to say that I enjoyed it even more than the US Capitol. It must be all the extra history it provides. There were soo many things about it that made Parliament amazing: architecture, history of the rooms, the Queen's role and mores, and being in the same room as so many Kings and Queens, let alone PM's. Hopefully I get to go into Westminster Abbey, as that is one of the oldest buildings in London and one of the most amazing Gothic architectural buildings I have ever seen!
As for the title, my roommates and I went out to a pub last night and a band was playing. They were all 40+ men who were rockin out to a whole bunch of songs and it was a great time. They also played a cult fave, Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus. It pretty much made my night.
Finally, I have discovered that London is now a place I can call home. It's only been 3 weeks! I picked up Michael from the airport yesterday and took him to his college. I was talking to him about all these different things about London, mostly insider tips like stand on the right side of the escalator. I realized that these trivial things I have become accustomed to. I don't really have to worry about where I am, because I know I can find my way back in a heartbeat. When we talk about our flat, I call it home. These things, which may seem really little and obscure, mean to me that I am adjusting to life in London and claiming it as my home. Let's hope it stays that way.
Alright, I am off. Next time, you'll get to hear all about Istanbul!!
Justin
Last weekend was the Mayor Thames Festival along Thames River. It was really cool. It took several hours to walk through it all, filled with vendors selling everything from food to clothing to books; it was just about everything. There were also river races and concerts, and yes, even fireworks. The festival, in a way, signifies the end of summer for Londoners; however, in an ironic twist, this week after the festival was the most summer-like since we have been here. It has been high 60's and no rain, with partly sunny skies. You could have laid out and gotten burnt! That's pretty surprising for London this time of year, or so I am told.
Then I have had classes all week and that's just always exciting (sarcasm?). I haven't had a single thing to do for homework yet, but soon (aka this week) I have to write a paper and prepare for an exam. This Thursday I will leave for Istanbul, Turkey with my Islam class. I am super excited to be going! There are planned trips to Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, and even a Harem. Add in some free time and we get a fascinating trip to the gateway to the East. Pictures, of course, will follow.
Speaking of pictures, I haven't been able to upload many to this blog, but you can check out my Facebook for pictures or conveniently click the link on the right hand side under Other Study Abroad links and it goes right to my Shutterfly website where I upload all my pictures. Check them out. I have to upload some newer ones from this past week I have taken.
Oh, almost forgot! I took a tour of the Houses Of Parliament on Tuesday! Of course, I found it completely fascinating. I would venture to say that I enjoyed it even more than the US Capitol. It must be all the extra history it provides. There were soo many things about it that made Parliament amazing: architecture, history of the rooms, the Queen's role and mores, and being in the same room as so many Kings and Queens, let alone PM's. Hopefully I get to go into Westminster Abbey, as that is one of the oldest buildings in London and one of the most amazing Gothic architectural buildings I have ever seen!
As for the title, my roommates and I went out to a pub last night and a band was playing. They were all 40+ men who were rockin out to a whole bunch of songs and it was a great time. They also played a cult fave, Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus. It pretty much made my night.
Finally, I have discovered that London is now a place I can call home. It's only been 3 weeks! I picked up Michael from the airport yesterday and took him to his college. I was talking to him about all these different things about London, mostly insider tips like stand on the right side of the escalator. I realized that these trivial things I have become accustomed to. I don't really have to worry about where I am, because I know I can find my way back in a heartbeat. When we talk about our flat, I call it home. These things, which may seem really little and obscure, mean to me that I am adjusting to life in London and claiming it as my home. Let's hope it stays that way.
Alright, I am off. Next time, you'll get to hear all about Istanbul!!
Justin
Thursday, September 11, 2008
All You Need Is (London) Love
Well it's been a week since I have been here!! It's so crazy to think that!
**Caution: This may be a long post!**
First of all, I will tell you about my living situation a bit more. I live in a 5 story building, where I live in the basement level, which is directly across the road from Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. For those of you who don't know what that significance means, it is roughly the same as living in a high rise overlooking Central Park in NYC! Basically, you have to be very, very, very rich to live here. This house costs 5 Million Pounds to own (that's roughly $9 Million!!!!) In our area is the former home of Princess Diana, Kensington Palace. It is literally a five minute walk from my doorstep. On August 31st was the 11th Anniversary of her death, so the palace gates and grounds are covered still with flowers and memorials and tributes to her legacy from people from all over! It's quite neat. Everything in this area has so much history. A few doorsteps away is the former homes of Freddie Mercury, Sir Winston Churchill, Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliott, etc... So I am pretty privileged to live in quite a fancy and extremely nice area!
My roommates are all from New York and have the strong New York accent (except one from NC). So I am pretty much the hillbilly once again in London! HaHa. It's quite an interesting time with them! :)
My classes started on Monday. We have classes for 3 1/2 hours at a time! YIKES! It's quite long! I am taking Understanding Civilisations: Islam and the West, British Life and Cultures, and British Politics. In the Islam class, we learn about the foundations of the religion that is Islam and how it relates to the "west." It's ok I guess, nothing too special yet. British Life and Cultures is very interesting. We discuss what it is that makes up British Life and Culture, obviously. We are taking several "field visits" to tour the Houses of Parliament, see old St. Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern, and Shakespeare's Globe Theater. It's going to be very interesting I think. In British Politics, we already are learning about the British government and Prime Minister roles. We also learned all the traditions about the Queen and her figure-head roles of the government. Now that's my kind of stuff! (I bet I just got 20 different eye-rolls from people reading this! lol)
Famous Abbey Road Crossing
It's really cool to go out and see all these neat things in and around London. Today we went and saw Abbey Road! That's the famous studio and crosswalk where the Beatles recorded their most famous Abbey Road album. It was really neat to see the building and what everyone writes along the gates to the building. I found a lot of really cool things people had to say. I was also going to write something, but I got there and realized I forgot my marker! Darn it!
As for traveling, I have already set up 2 trips so far. The first one is in 2 weeks and I am going to Istanbul, Turkey for 4 days. We are going with my Islam and the West class. I cannot wait to see all of those sights in Turkey and be in a totally new culture. What a great experience. Secondly, today my roommates and I signed up to go to Edinburgh and the Highlands of Scotland for 4 days with this International Student House organization. It's a pretty sweet deal; we get transportation, 6 meals, housing, and a tour guide in historic Scotland all for 130 pounds (that's about $275! What a great deal!) I was impressed by the cheapness of a lot of those things. That will be October 10th-13th. I am also in the midst of trying to figure out plans for my trip to Italy (Rome and Florence) for my week break. A trip to Paris for the weekend sometime in November or December will also be in the works.
I have tried several times to upload my limited pictures on Facebook, etc for people to look at, but our internet is not very fast at times and it doesn't work. Sorry! :( Hopefully soon they will be up!
As for now, it's been nice blogging for you all this evening. I should now go to some reading for tomorrow's class or watch some weird British tv.
Justin
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Taking It All In
So I have now been in London for 2 days, going on my third. What have I been doing?
Well... After going grocery shopping (where I bought food that will make me look like I am surviving nuclear holocaust), my roommates and I pretty much chilled out the first night. We went out to a nice pub and had a pint. It's pretty ridiculous to pay the equivalent of $7 for a pint. Pretty pricey. The food wasn't too bad if you buy the generic brand of everything.
We have had a lot of orientations to FIE and what not. Mostly boring and standard stuff. I also bought a cell phone to use while in London. It was $60 and pay as you go for what you use. So I guess it's not that bad of a deal. If anyone who is coming to London wants to buy a phone when I return, just let me know. I can get you a good deal on mine.
So far, we have seen a lot of sights in London. Last night, my roommates and I went out and saw Big Ben and British Parliament. We also took in the London Eye, as well as Buckingham Palace. Today we just got back from a bus tour of London which we all took for an orientation session. It was pretty sweet. Saw a lot more like the London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and a lot of neat shops and districts within the city.
So far it just seems like I am vacationing in London and not actually living here. I guess a lot of study abroad people feel that way too. Classes start on Monday, but again, it doesn't feel like I should be starting them so soon. It's a weird feeling. But all in all, it's a great time here. Hopefully soon I can get some pictures on here. I didn't take too many, but it's early. Ok, gotta go and clean my dishes from lunch.
Best wishes from London!
Jusin
Well... After going grocery shopping (where I bought food that will make me look like I am surviving nuclear holocaust), my roommates and I pretty much chilled out the first night. We went out to a nice pub and had a pint. It's pretty ridiculous to pay the equivalent of $7 for a pint. Pretty pricey. The food wasn't too bad if you buy the generic brand of everything.
We have had a lot of orientations to FIE and what not. Mostly boring and standard stuff. I also bought a cell phone to use while in London. It was $60 and pay as you go for what you use. So I guess it's not that bad of a deal. If anyone who is coming to London wants to buy a phone when I return, just let me know. I can get you a good deal on mine.
So far, we have seen a lot of sights in London. Last night, my roommates and I went out and saw Big Ben and British Parliament. We also took in the London Eye, as well as Buckingham Palace. Today we just got back from a bus tour of London which we all took for an orientation session. It was pretty sweet. Saw a lot more like the London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and a lot of neat shops and districts within the city.
So far it just seems like I am vacationing in London and not actually living here. I guess a lot of study abroad people feel that way too. Classes start on Monday, but again, it doesn't feel like I should be starting them so soon. It's a weird feeling. But all in all, it's a great time here. Hopefully soon I can get some pictures on here. I didn't take too many, but it's early. Ok, gotta go and clean my dishes from lunch.
Best wishes from London!
Jusin
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Finally Here...
Hey all,
Just wanted to let you know that I have finally made it to London and in my new place. I am living in the basement of this awesome old building. It has its own bathroom and kitchen and common room. I am in a bedroom with 3 other guys, too. Anyways, don't have much time to talk. Just here to let you know I am here and safe.
Justin
Just wanted to let you know that I have finally made it to London and in my new place. I am living in the basement of this awesome old building. It has its own bathroom and kitchen and common room. I am in a bedroom with 3 other guys, too. Anyways, don't have much time to talk. Just here to let you know I am here and safe.
Justin
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tomorrow's the big day!
At roughly 8:30 tomorrow morning, I will be on my way to Chicago O'Hare International Airport to make my way to London. My parents are taking me to the airport, and my flight leaves at 4:10 pm where I fly to Washington Dulles Airport. I have a brief layover and then I am leaving the States and setting sail (so to speak) to Heathrow. It is going to be a long journey, but not too bad hopefully. I leave at 7 or so at night and arrive at 10 am in London (that's 4 am Central time)!
Hopefully I will not lose my luggage or be seated in the middle of loud children or overly large individuals who will hog my space! Let's cross our fingers :)
I am pretty jittery and anxious to leave. I am also a bit scared and nervous, but nothing too overwhelming. It should be a great time!
Well, I should be off. I am trying to get a decent bit of sleep before my journey begins.
Cheerio,
Justin
Hopefully I will not lose my luggage or be seated in the middle of loud children or overly large individuals who will hog my space! Let's cross our fingers :)
I am pretty jittery and anxious to leave. I am also a bit scared and nervous, but nothing too overwhelming. It should be a great time!
Well, I should be off. I am trying to get a decent bit of sleep before my journey begins.
Cheerio,
Justin
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