"Trabsgiving" at Trabzon

This year I spent another Thanksgiving away from my family. Thanksgiving is a special holiday in American culture; it’s not just about eating turkey and stuffing our bellies with lots of food, it’s about spending time with loved ones and creating memories. I have been fortunate to spend Thanksgiving multiple times with my host family from Bowdoin, and this year, I missed both Brunswick and Alexandria, places I call home.

Nick, Samer, and Christian.

Two groups of Fulbright students hosted Thanksgiving dinner this year: Lily and Casey hosted a “Konyacopia” and the three boys in Trabzon hosted a “Trabzgiving”. Since we had already visited Konya, Alex and I decided to travel to Trabzon this time. We caught a 6:30pm flight from Antalya airport and arrived to Trabzon at 8:10pm. This was our first trip to another city by plane. I guess the week must have been very busy for us, because we forgot to jot down important information such as our Trabzon hosts’ address and phone number. This, as you can imagine, posed some challenges after we landed. After drinking some elma soda (carbonated apple juice), we began ask strangers if we could use their phones to log onto Facebook so that we could contact our friends. After a few rejections, one nice young man let us borrow his phone and we were able to contact our hosts, get an address, and taxi to Arzum, a market near their house. Alas, we were saved!

There were about 20 Fulbrighters who traveled to Trabzon this weekend. It was a full house! It was nice to be around native English speakers again, it gave a sense of home and belonging, which is what Thanksgiving is about. Some Fulbrighters got an Airbnb apartment nearby to sleep comfortably in a bed, while majority of us found spots on couches or the floor to spend the nights. Samer, Christian, and Nick—the three boys stationed in Trabzon and hosting “Trabzgiving”—were very kind and generous to allow so many people in their house. They provided snacks and took on the burden for majority of the food and accommodations. They even gave up their beds to their guests and didn’t mind sleeping wherever they could find a place.

On Friday and Saturday mornings, everyone roamed and explored different parts of Trabzon. Alex, George, Caileen, her boyfriend Gordon, and myself formed one group. We ate a late lunch, drank Caribou coffee (what an American delight!), and visited the main meydan (square). We also visited a little ‘Ayasofya’, a mosque that was once a church. The cami (pronounced “jami”), Turkish word for mosque, had two back doors: one for devout Muslims to enter and pray, and the other for curious visitors to enter and observe. Since I did not have vudu (proper cleansing before praying), I did not pray and instead entered through the foreigner door. I observed Jesus paintings scratched out in the stone domes and walls, and instead adorned with large frames with Allah and Muhammad’s names in Arabic. When we returned home after dinner, we learned some folks went to Riza, the famous Turkish tea fields.

Even though Thanksgiving was officially on Thursday, we had our big Thanksgiving meal on Saturday evening. Everyone cooked something or contributed in one way or another. In the end, we had lots of food! There were deviled eggs, Turkish rice, fried chicken, sarmi (rice wrapped in grape leaves, a Turkish appetizer), mashed potatoes, chicken gumbo, salad with pomegranate seeds, spinach dip, hummus, and of course, lots and lots of etmek (bread). We even had apple and pumpkin pies for dessert! Talk about feeling at home. Everything was so delicious and it was so filling. Samer, Nick, and Christian had also invited some of their Turkish friends to this Thanksgiving meal, so the house was unusually full, with well over 30 people. Our Turkish guests served first, so we could show them American hospitality for once and share with them a piece of our culture. After all, food brings everyone to the table.

More than 30 people were at Thanksgiving in Trabzon.

At Boztepe with Caileen and Gordon.

The next day, people left at various times to catch their buses or planes back to their home cities. Some Fulbrighters ventured out to Boztepe, a hill with a gorgeous city view of Trabzon. Since our flight was at 4pm, Alex and I decided to have warm çay with Caileen and Gordon before taxiing to the airport. When we got there, we ran into other housemates who had arrived to Boztepe before us. It was a chilly morning, so a big bubbling teapot was perfect. Boztepe had a colorful view of Trabzon, a city known for its natural beauty. It is typically cloudy and gloomy in Trabzon, and this weekend was no exception. Every time I see a breathtaking view of cities, something overcomes me. I find myself holding my breath and staring out in the distance, amazed by the both humankind creations (houses, roads, towers) and God’s creations (mountains, trees, seas, the sky). Both creations blend into one another, like paint colors on a canvass. Maybe the feeling I get when I experience these heights is a longing to return my childhood hobby of painting. Some of the photos I have captured with my phone, I hope to turn into paintings when I return to the USA. 

That’s all for now, thanks for reading. Next stop: Istanbul!

Republic Day & Aşure

Long Weekend: October 28-29, 2015

At Mark Antalya on Republic Day with Lily and Alex.

Another weekend, another adventure. School week was short this week due to Republic Day. October 29^th is Turkey’s Independence Day, and in observance, school ended early on Wednesday, and was closed on Thursday and Friday. Election Day was also conveniently scheduled for Sunday, October 31^st. Alex and I rejoiced for the long weekend because we needed to hunker down and study for our first Turkish exam scheduled for Monday, November 2^nd; however we ended up spending majority of the weekend entertaining our friend Lily from Konya, who came down to visit us for the weekend.

In front of Hadrian's Gate.

On Thursday, we took Lily to Kaleici. Every time we go to Old City, we see another part of it, which is actually quite exciting for me personally because I love being a tour guide. Those who knew me at Bowdoin know how much I love tour guiding. I had been dying to see Hadrian’s Gate, and on this trip, we finally found it! Hadrian’s Gate is a triumphal arch, which was built in the name of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who visited the city in the year 130.
 

Aşure delight (Noah's Pudding).

On Friday, our lovely university representative Meltem invited us to her house for a tea party. She made aşure (pronounced “ashoo-ray”), which is a dessert cooked especially during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is similar to Noah’s Pudding in that it is a mixture consisting of grains, fruits, dried fruits and nuts, topped with pomegranate seeds and coconut. It was very delicious! Meltem Hanim also baked a yellow cake and scrumptious cookies. Asli brought her mother’s famous mercimek kofte (lentil meatballs), which were also enjoyed by everyone. All our colleagues were at this party and it was nice to relax at a home-style gathering.

Konya: Mevlana Rumi & Whirling Dervishes

Alex and I ventured outside of Antalya for the first time this weekend. Our destination? The quiet, chilly, and conservative town of Konya. When we told our friends and colleagues of our weekend plans, they all asked "but why?" Apparently Konya is not a popular destination for many Turks, let alone tourists. So, why did Alex and I take a 6-hour bus to this town? Because we wanted to see another face of Turkey. That, and because I love Rumi.

Since high school, I have read Rumi's poetry. Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi is a famous 13th century Muslim saint and theologian, Sufi philosopher and poet. While he was born in Persia, he spent a significant amount of his lifetime in present-day Konya. "Mevlana," as he is famously known here in Konya and Turkey, is a revered Sufi mystic; so much so that some consider him a "hazret" (prophet). To me, Rumi is an inspiration. Anyone who has read his poetry knows that the beauty of his work lies not in the rhymes, but the depth of his words. What makes his poetry and short stories so remarkable is the fact that there are layers of hidden meanings in them. On the surface, Rumi writes about his inexplicable love for God; but beneath the surface, this love extends to his companions, friends, and family. The religious undertone therefore paves the way for everyday love, compassion, and humanity that we ought to be showing each other. It is no surprise that around the world, lovers memorize his stanzas; students study it; theologians and philosophers contemplate it; and academics try to translate it. On so many occasions, Rumi has spiritually inspired me, philosophically enlightened me, and physically motivated me to new heights of life's adventure. My favorite poem by Rumi is "Guest House," which describes human emotions as guests who come and go. Each guest has a purpose and some guests are more pleasant than others. It’s so powerful.

Mevlana Rumi's tomb in Konya.

Mevlana's tomb is buried in Konya, and this weekend Alex and I got to see it in person. His casket is covered in velvet robes which are decorated with intricate Persian designs. Mevlana's big, elevated tomb was surrounded by smaller tombs of his family members and followers. Next to this "indoor graveyard" was a room full of artifacts including books in Arabic, writings in Persian, and clothes Mevlana wore during his lifetime. The walls were adorned with frames of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Allah's names, as well as the Shahada written in beautiful Arabic calligraphy. Some people prayed at his tomb to pay respects, and others took photos with their phones. I did both. I couldn't believe I was standing three feet from the white-bearded, black-robed, short and hunched-over man I had only seen on the covers of my poetry books.

Alex and I stayed with our Fulbright friends placed by Fulbright in Konya: Lily, Ben, and Casey. All three of them were very hospitable and showed us "their" city. On Saturday, Lily and Ben accompanied us on an excursion to the small yet beautiful village of Sille (pronounced "sea-lay"). There, we saw the former Greek Orthodox church of Agia Eleni and climbed a mountain to an archaeological site where ancient tombs were dug out from the ground. The smell of sheep stool and burned wood reminded me of my childhood growing up the village of Bandi Dhundan in Pakistan. A Turkish man showed me an ancient coin he had found, and after seeing my excitement in speculating the metal, he decided to gift it to me. I couldn't believe it! I can't wait to add this to my coin collection...it even has an Ottoman seal on it!

With Alex, Ben, and Lily inside the Greek Orthodox church.

Later that evening, Casey joined us for a performance of the Whirling Dervishes. At the show, we had a serendipitous encounter with Lizzie and Michelle (the two Fulbright girls from Eskisehir who visited us during Kurban Bayram). They were with their colleague who is originally from Konya. We all enjoyed the beautiful performance of Whirling Dervishes, who spun around and around in a religious tradition known as dhikr. Dhikr (also known as zhikr) is “a form of devotion, associated chiefly with Sufism, in which the worshipper is absorbed in the rhythmic repetition of the name of God or his attributes.” During this process, the worshipper is trying to achieve closeness to Allah. By whirling around, they reach an ecstatic state in which they leave the Earthly world behind and elevate to heaven for a spiritual connection with Allah. 

It is unfortunate that Konya is not on many Fulbrighters' list of places to visit this year. I am glad Alex and I went. I felt a special connection with Konya. It felt like déjà vu when I walked the vintage streets, heard horns of clunky cars, smelled fresh vegetables and fruits being sold in alleys, and saw Muslims dressed in sweaters, jackets, and scarves. I smiled every time I saw a man in a white topi (hat) and tasbih (prayer beads). It's hard to describe the feeling that overcame me this weekend. Imagine the air thick and heavy with whispers of prayers. It's hard to escape the religiosity of this atmosphere when you are in Konya. It's hard not to submit yourself to Allah. Just by being in Konya, I felt spiritually closer to Allah.