After weeks of studying, I'm finally off to Istanbul! This is probably both the least and most I have ever been prepared for traveling. Most, in the sense that I actually researched cultural norms, history, power outlets, currency, etc. before going, but also least because going into this trip, I really don't know much about Turkey, Istanbul, or Islamic culture at all! Hence all the research.
Despite the advent of globalization, the birth of the internet, and Disneyland's shrill and nagging propaganda that the world is getting smaller, in truth only some parts get smaller, don't they? But with the dangerous side effect that we feel like we are actually much more worldly now. But all of those forums, articles, discussions that you spend all day browsing on the internet, they're all written in English. Written by people from all over the world, sure, but with poor representation from many cultures and countries that are largely non-English speaking.
Just a realization that I had as I was preparing to come here. I actually...don't know...anything about Turkey...at all! Istanbul is a city with such a rich history, a bridge between continents, fought over by countless empires, and yet my only impression of Turkey is from the Turkish ice cream vendors that troll you when you try to claim your sweet sweet ice cream.
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| This jerk right here. Look at him. He knows you're never going to get the ice cream. |
And so armed with the knowledge that I am heading off into uncharted territory, off I go!
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