The word “away” is personal. I can feel “away” only a few miles from home, but also be “away” living in London, yet still feel at home. However, the farthest away I have ever gone, and the farthest away I have ever felt, was during my recent trip to Turkey.
Studying abroad for the year has given me the opportunity to explore some of Europe’s most amazing cities. Yet not until traveling to Istanbul did I experience a city truly unlike anywhere else I have been before.
Prior to moving to London, I made a list of all the places I wanted to visit this year. On top of that list was Istanbul. I was always attracted to its acclaimed mixture of both Eastern and Western cultures. Referred to as the gateway to the Orient, Istanbul, with its culture, food and history, is an amalgamation of European, Asian and Middle Eastern influences.
My favorite aspects of Istanbul were the markets. The more touristy market, the Grand Bazaar, was a completely overwhelming maze of beautiful scarves, jewelry and clothing. The Bazaar is most notorious for ripping off tourists so that when bargaining (as you do for everything in Istanbul) you have to begin by cutting the price in half. Though my friend and I were able to barter for some great finds, I much preferred the Spice Market to the Grand Bazaar.
The Spice Market is equally astonishing, but much less touristy since it’s where most Turks come to do their shopping. Beyond huge barrels of spices, the market presented copious amounts of nuts, fish, Turkish Delight and dried fruit. The fact that you can sample absolutely anything you want may have made me love it even more.
Bartering is a quintessential aspect of life in Turkey. During my three days I bartered for cab rides, free appetizers, prices for a boat tour and, of course, for goods at the markets. As someone who looks very Western, I expected to get ripped off, but I was determined to get the best prices possible. By the end of my trip, I realized the best tool in bartering is simply walking away.
Throughout the trip, I also learned the difference between a “deal” and a scam. When trying to pick a place to eat dinner the first night, my friend and I were eventually swayed by an offer of free apple tea. Little did we know that apple tea is virtually cheaper than water in Turkey. Throughout the rest of our meals we were brought free apple tea even if we didn’t ask for it.
No matter how far “away” you travel, home or abroad, you become a better traveler in the process. Turkey opened my eyes to a whole other world. Traveling in Turkey may have presented the largest learning curve of all my travels thus far with the bartering, drastically different currency and abrupt evidence as to how Western I truly am, but it was also my favorite trip of the year.
Though I am so happy to have been able to experience the gateway to the Orient, I hope that someday I will be able to move beyond the gateway and experience even more Eastern culture.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
