Hello Again! I’m planning my next adventure and thought I’d start blogging now in this planning and learning stage, as this is really where the trip begins for me! People talk about whether they are planners or just “go-for-it” when it comes to travel; and I must say that I am a planner. But, for me it isn’t the planning of the details of a schedule of events, rather it’s learning about the place I am going and figuring out what highlights I want to see and what experiences I want to have. How it all works out when I get there isn’t as important to me as being familiar with the place so I can get the most out of my experience there.
So, over the last few months I have been working hard on figuring out where I want to go next and what I want to do there. I have learned that I enjoy getting to know the people and participating in the daily life in another culture is quite intriguing to me. I don’t want to just pass through a place as a tourist anymore – well, ok, some places – but I also want to experience the culture. I also like “giving back”; doing something that can help the local people one way or another. One way is through education which is what I have focused on in my prior trips. Ok, so….
I am starting out on this adventure in Turkey in September. I will start with a Rick Steve’s tour in Istanbul and travel through Ankara and then the Cappadocia region and then over to the Aegean Coast. At this point, after 13 days of travel, I will say goodbye to the travel group. I have then signed up for two different, four week home-stays in which I will teach English to the family for 15-20 hours per week in exchange for room and board. I have requested one stay in Izmir and one stay in Turkey, but I won’t know until the partner agency in Turkey identifies family availability for the times when I will be there.
What’s inspired me to get started blogging now is the “research” I am doing to become familiar with the culture, sites, religion, and government. I really know very little about Turkey; its history, current culture, government, or the Islam religion. Actually, I’m a bit embarrassed because really I know so very little about Islam that I am pretty much starting from scratch.
So, where am I starting? Well, my very first thing is guidebooks. I’ve been reading Lonely Planet’s book on Turkey, a Let’s Go Europe’s section on Turkey, a book on the Hagia Sophia that I found at the library, etc. And, of course Rick Steve’s webpage with its recommendations and podcasts are an invaluable wealth of information. I have come to love podcasts and their availability whenever I am in the car or walking somewhere. I probably look pretty funny sometimes walking down the street with a grin on my face or breaking out in laughter.
So, if you want to go on this adventure with me, it starts NOW! Today I listened to the most fascinating program: “Outsiders in the Muslim World” from September, 2009. I’d recommend though that before you listen to this one, that you download and listen to a few others of Rick’s podcasts, http://www.ricksteves.com/radio/archive.htm#154 For a novice on Turkey and Istanbul, this is a good start:
Istanbul City Guide
Airdate: April 10, 2010 (Original airdate: May 3, 2008)
Program 133a
After many centuries, Istanbul still one of the world's greatest and largest cities where neighborhoods retain an intimate character and echoes of past generations remain evident in its narrow streets and ornate monuments. Tan and Lale Aran join Rick and take listener calls for a full hour devoted to Turkey's capital.
· Listen to the entire show (Windows Media)
