Report on Turkey — Life on the Bosphorus

and generally clean. (Always ask to see
the bathroom first and make sure they have
water.) These trips offered me a great
chance to take some interesting photos and
much to write about when I returned to
Istanbul. I eventually had a story on
tourism published in the paper and a photo
or two.

The salary I received for my summer's work,
though very small by our standards, enabled
me to live quite well. This was largely
because Turkish hospitality is such that I
was simply not allowed to pay my own way
when I was with my family, friends, or
work mates. Even total strangers will give
you everything from bus tickets tomeals as
an extension of their hospitality.
Hospitality to foreigners is second nature
to most Turks, both in the cities and
especially in the countryside. If you pull
out a map or look puzzled, as I did on
many occasions, you are literally
surrounded by people wanting to help you.

I also found the Moslem religion very
interesting, and though its power in the
city is beginning to wane, it still affects
every aspect of life in the country.

. Though I am not a religious person myself,
I found that if you really want to
understand the Turks, a reading of the
Koran or at least an understanding of Islam
is a must.

What struck me first about Istanbul was,
of course, its size and energy level.
About eight million people live in Istanbul
and the crowds are unbelievable, as is the
traffic problem. Even with the crowds,
noise and pollution that this many people
bring, Istanbul still has a charm and
beauty to it. It is bristling with
historic buildings and mosques. Its
biggest asset is the Bosphorus that
divides the city into the European side
and the Asian side. I lived in Asia and
worked in Europe and you cannot help but
like the way that sounds. It is atotally
foreign city. European cities have :an airof
familiarity, but I found none of that in
Istanbul. Even the sounds, like the call
to the faithful which sounds throughout
the city five times a day from the many
mosques, are exotic and mysterious.

It is also impossible not to miss the
military presence in the major cities of
Turkey. There are heavily armed soldiers
all over Istanbul. Do not let this throw

you—it is quite necessary, as Turkey has
some of the most disagreeable neighbours
of any country in the world, as well as
the second largest army in NATO (after the
Americans). An armed presence is seen as a
necessary deterrent to terrorism, of which,

If you pull out a map or look -puzzled,
as I did on many occasions, you are
literally surrounded by people
wanting to help you.

I might add, there is little. These police
and soldiers proved to be quite friendly
and helpful, and after a few weeks you
hardly even know they are there.

You will also notice statues of Ata Turk
wherever you go in Turkey. He was the
founder of the Turkish Republic and the
man who resurrected Turkey from the ruins
of the Ottoman Empire. He is loved by most
Turks and is the undisputed father of the
country. (Ata Turk literally means Father
of the Turks.) Though you may get tired of
seeing his idealized face everywhere you
turn, he should always be talked about
respectfully.

The Turks are a proud and intensely
nationalistic people. The flag flies
everywhere and they are very aware of their
history. They know what it is like to live
under martial law and military dictators
and are very proud and optimistic about
their newly re-established democratic
government. They are also aware of the bad
press they have received world-wide, and
go out of their way to show their good
side. Their customs may seem old-fashioned,
such as their dislike of wearing shorts
except on the beach, but if you respect
these customs they will respect you in
return.

I had a difficult time saying goodbye to
this country and its people and miss my
host family and friends very much. I also

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