Day 1: Istanbul






         As we adjusted to the time change and our new surroundings, the first stop of the morning was AltinbasUniversity, where we enjoyed some coffee for only ₺5 (about $0.30). The campus we visited is a part of Altinbas University, which is our host institution. A warm welcome and introduction was then presented from our generous hosts, followed by a roundtable talk with faculty and the head of their International Relations Department. We discussed Turkish politics and foreign policy. A few topics mentioned were issues they had faced in recent years with war in surrounding countries as well as current issues with climate change, migration, and inflation of the Turkish lira. 

Our gracious hosts spent the day giving us a tour of some of the local sites like the Dolmabahce Palace, which served as the court for the late Ottoman period. We were able to walk around and explore the art museum. Beautiful oil paintings were displayed throughout the museum, each captioned with the artist along with a description. 


Istanbul is a gorgeous, lively city with much to observe. Our day continued with a stop at a local café for refreshments and then on to a park full of plant life (and many stray cats!) and some great scenery. Here, we took pictures, relaxed, and got to take in Istanbul’s beauty. To end our first full day, we ventured to a shopping mall near our hotel where we got to enjoy supper and get to know our fellow students better. It was a fantastic start to our trip and I can’t wait to see more of what the lovely country of Turkey has to offer!

 

Megan Linke




Comments

  1. PaulaMay 17, 2022 at 1:39 PM

    Sounds like the most wonderful day! Can't wait to hear and see what tomorrow's adventures bring!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michael GondaMay 18, 2022 at 1:01 PM

      Thanks Paula! It's been an excellent trip so far. Megan is doing great!! Very happy she came along.

      Delete

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