Hablamos muchas idomas en Istanbul

Today was probably the best day we've had here. Number one: we can do what we want because we have money.

We overslept so we didn't get the early start we were planning on. This is likely due to the fact we stayed up until 3-4 am hanging out with some Turkish students living in the dorms, just down the hall. Most of them are really nice and try to help us pick up some Turkish. However, I also learned not all Turks are nice... one of them called me fat and proceeded to go through the pictures I have posted online for facebook and pointed out pretty much every flaw I've ever noticed on my body in those pictures. Awesome. He was just mad because he looks just like Dylan Cimock and when I showed him the picture of Dylan dressed in a bright red muscle suit he got really offended. Whatever, I ate a billion pieces of Turkish Delight and had McDonalds today -- at least fat is delicious.

So today we went down to the Bazaar area. First of all, we run up to the bus and hop on... only to realize we have 1.70 Lira, not enough for us both to ride. Thankfully the driver let us stay on... but since we needed a bus and then a tram to get to that part of town we got stranded halfway through our trip. Armed with a Turkish phrasebook we asked for a money exchange place. Of course, there is not one. So we walked, which was actually quite nice. We were able to see everything we had ridden by before and got some good pictures of the afternoon sun shining on the Bosphorus. At the Galata Bridge we found a bunch of restaurants with waiters who knew of a exchange place. After changing money we sat outside and had fresh fish (Sea Bass, which reminded me of Dumb and Dumber, haha). Our waiters were obsessed with us because we were the only people in the restaurant and also because we were American girls. It was really fun because we got out the phrasebook and traded language tips. Sarah and I both received carnations and marriage proposals. Unfortunately we had to turn them down...

After lunch we kind of wandered around and found the outskirts of the Grand Bazaar and then the Spice Bazaar. At the Spice Bazaar they have huge amounts of lokum (Turkish Delight), loose tea (we bought Love Tea today, it smells so good), and a ton of other spices. At one of the places we stoped we met Antonyo a Greek/Spanish shopkeeper who, once he found that Sarah is fluent in Spanish, told us about the tons of people who speak spanish in Turkey. It was kind of sweet because I've never really used my high school Spanish before and I was able to keep up with the conversation and even talk some. So boo-yah to everyone who wanted me to study in Spain. I'm gonna be tri-lingual. We used our limited Turkish around the shops, and drank enough elma cay (apply tea) to fill a swimming pool (not kidding.)

At one point we were shopping for jackets and we were bombarded by the shopkeepers wanting us to come in. After deciding a particular shop didn't have what we wanted we made to leave and the increasingly touchy salesman grabbed my hair, looked deep into my eyes and tried to go in for the kill. I honestly think I saw moss growing in his teeth while we were talking to him so I did what any sane girl would do -- screamed and ran. In my disorientation I ran to what I thought was the door, but was actually a full length mirror. Then when I made it through the real door I stumbled down a cobbled staircase in front of all the other shopkeepers and Sarah, confused at all the commotion. As I ran away giggling with nervous laughter I could still hear everyone shouting at us to buy coats. And after this one kid was on a mission to help us find a coat, so he took us all around, and when we finally tried to ditch him he wouldn't be ditched. Finally I found "Stop! Get away!" in the phrasebook, which worked. So today I practiced: sprinting, evasive maneuvering, and saying the following in turkish: How much? Yes/No, No thank you, Get away, stop. Honestly, not a bad vocabulary to start with.

We also had our exchange/special student orientation yesterday. We met quite a few more students, mainly from the US who are here this semester. Sarah is more interesting than me because with her dark hard and skin everyone thinks she is Turkish or from the Middle East. But even being Latin American she is exotic so all the Americans love to talk to her. So I usually get the shaft because, ya know who wants to meet another American (ex convo Sarah: I'm Russian and Guatemalan; Enthralled Student: Wow, and you (me)?; Me: Ummm I think I'm like German or uhhh, well I'm just American). But don't worry, the people we meet around Istanbul are always in love with me because I am exotic to them. Sarah and I decided we are the perfect duo -- she will attract exchange students around school, and I will attract the Turks -- the ones that don't think I'm fat :). Anyways at orientation we went to Tophane for "Tea & Talk" which was smoking nargile (hookah for all my Michigan people), playing backgammon, and drinking the ever present apple tea. It's way fun and relaxing, we actually went again with Antonyo and his friend, where I proceeded to lose 3 times in backgammon (they call it something that starts with T...). I actually won a game of chess which I was proud of.

Um ok I think I am writing a novel. And crap, I'm up until 4am again. Well anyways, we're going to the Asian side of Istanbul tomorrow so I'm very excited. I added more pictures to the Istanbul album so check it. Peace dawgs (yea I said it).