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Blue Mosque, Istanbul |
Greetings everyone! It has been a while since I have posted an update about the trip. While there has been plentiful internet, there has not been plentiful computers for me to spend time to get a post done. So I am doing a quick one here.
In short: The trip has been amazing. We've spent time in Istanbul, Izmir, Ephesus, Gaziantep, Mardin, and Midyat---that houses the world's oldest monastery. The other women left on Monday, and I have stayed on my own in Istanbul.
Rather than try to write out the entire trip, I am going to tell you just a little bit about my day today to give you a flavor of Turkish life and hospitality.
Today: I woke up at the hostel and came upstairs to a beautiful Turkish breakfast. Bread, jam, butter, chocolate spread (I'm not kidding), olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese croissants, soft cheeses and wonderful Turkish tea. I was more than satisfied.
On my way to the tram stop, I was looking confusedly at my map. A nice man stopped and asked if he could help me find something, and gave me good directions to the ticket booth office. Hooray! Then we chatted--his English was excellent but he said he'd like to improve it and visit the United States in a year or two. He asked how I like Turkey (love it) and where I've been. After a few minutes, he said that if I was not in a hurry, maybe I could join him in his family Turkish rug business around the corner. Hospitality here is legendary---this was a chance for him to get to practice his English and demonstrate the Turkish warmth. I enjoyed some wonderful tea amidst some beautiful carpets. I spoke with he and his cousin, and both were very hospitable. A curious feature of some of the people here is very blunt questions about family. For instance "Are you married? children?" me: "No". Pause. "Why not?" But when in Rome....
Then I departed to go to IIMP (the official name escapes me) center. This organization, in collaboration with Union Church, works with migrants, refugees and those seeking asylum in Turkey. This issue, as I learned, is huge and difficult, and like in America, involves a whole lot of red tape. The bottom line: It is very easy to get into Turkey but difficult and costly to leave. Many come here to escape political or volatile situations, and find themselves here without documentation, which many desperately want. Turkey is working on this issue, but slowly. The IIMP helps people learn English who wish to, provides some medical support (since migrants are not eligible for medical care), and helps them navigate the system to become documented if possible (for many it is not possible). There are literally many people here without documentation, who do not legally exist. I know what many of you must be comparing the situation to the USA---I did. But it really is apples and oranges, because many of these people enter Turkey legally with visas, but are unable to pay the exit fees to leave, plus a whole bunch of other complications. They also cannot work, and many become exploited by business owners who never pay them what is promised, for which there is zero recourse. Also, unregistered kids cannot attend school---so IIMP steps in to help.
Woman to Woman visited IIMP a week ago, and since I stayed on, I decided to go back. I assisted sorting clothes for the clothing pantry (separating men's, women's, kids, winter, summer, etc.). Then I sat in on the clients appointments to see what the issues are that they face. Talk about a friendly, warm group of people, even when they are facing poverty and incredible odds. Many people
walked to Turkey from as far as Syria or even Burma. And all the way to Istanbul---very far indeed. There was an incredible mother daughter duo who was there today who were Middle Eastern Christians. I do not want to tell too much of their story here, because it may not be safe for them to have the details of their lives plastered all over the internet. But the highlight of my day was helping them fill out forms to be granted official asylum in another country. The form was in English; the daughter spoke fluent Turkish and her home language; the mother spoke only the home language; and the Austrian woman in the room spoke Turkish and English---so we managed.
When I got back to the hostel, I was doing some computer work, and seriously, the hostel manager would not let me leave the room until I had some tea with everyone. So, more hospitality at work in this wonderful country.
I'm including a photo or two for you, and will write some more as soon as I can!