My thoughts on Turkey so far, broadcast from the Quarantine Zone (AKA the hotel lobby with a mask on):
Towards the end of last week during our morning bus rides to the dig site, I started staring out the window and mentally planning my next trip to Turkey. I feel like it speaks volumes about my experience here so far that I’m already writing down day trips, restaurants, and sights that I want to add to my little imaginary itinerary. Before arriving in Turkey I was obviously excited, but Gazipasa honestly succeeded my expectations. I love all the small markets and grocery stores, and the random little ice cream coolers and smoothie stalls closer to downtown. I love waking up for work and hearing the call to prayer echoing against the mountains. I love the feeling of struggling with Turkish but succeeding in adding a couple more words and phrases to my vocabulary every day. I’ve even faced my long-standing fear of the ocean and swam very far out into the Mediterranean. I love working on the excavation and the rewarding feeling of putting in a (long) day’s work, but sometimes I wish I was here for longer so I could just spend more time in the city and surrounding area, because there’s still so much to see and experience that I won’t have time for!
Some little similarities and differences between Gazipasa and my hometown that I’ve noticed…
Similarities
- Little kids playing in random places — The other day I left the hotel to go to A101 for some groceries, and in the front parking lot there were three little kids playing together. The older boy and girl were trying to teach the younger girl to ride a bike, so they were holding on to her shoulders and the back wheel and pushing her around. I had to smile at that because it’s such a cute universal experience for kids. I hope the girl learned how to stay upright without help!
- Older ladies doing their grocery shopping early in the mornings — On the bus ride to the site I often see middle-aged or older ladies at the bus stop or walking down the street holding their bags. I’m not sure, but I assume they’re doing some shopping/errands before the sun rises and it gets too hot. It totally reminds me of my own grandma absolutely booking it to the grocery store near my house at like 6 AM. Grandmothers are the same everywhere.
- Families hanging out at the beach — Just another little universal experience that I’ve noticed. I know it’s nothing profound, but the other day while I was swimming I saw a girl who was maybe 10-12 walk to the shore with her dad. He counted down and then they both dived into a big wave together, and when they came up they were both laughing and the dad held his daughter up above the water. It’s totally something that my dad and I would have done when I was younger, and it made me smile to see a random dad and daughter from across the world having the same type of fun.
Differences
- So many motorcycles and mopeds! It seems like such a smart way to get around efficiently while not investing the same amount of money as you would in a car. However, sometimes I see the drivers and worry for their wellbeing, like when I see a literal child driving a moped or a guy holding his cigarette in one hand and talking on his phone using the other while also speeding down the road. But still, I admire their confidence.
- Very random, but in Turkey cashiers don’t bag your items for you like they do in America! I haven’t traveled outside of America very much, so I wonder if this is more of a unique American practice.
- Activity levels throughout the day — I work at a beach at home, and while in Gazipasa I’ve enjoyed comparing the activity levels I’m used to at the beach with people’s schedules here. At home, our peak busy time is usually 12-4 PM — people start rolling into the beach around noon, and within a couple hours it’s totally packed and my coworkers and I are constantly moving. In Turkey, those same hours are nearly dead, at least on the streets around the hotel. Nobody here wants to be out and about during the hours of peak midday heat, so I assume they stay home for lunch/chores/housework at this time. In America, everyone starts to leave the beach at around 7-8 PM. In Turkey, this is when everything is just getting started. While Americans are eating dinner at home and starting to wind down for the day, Turks in Gazipasa are sitting down at restaurants and cafes, or even JUST arriving at the beach. This inverse schedule was a little hard to get used to at first — my first weekend here, I was so confused as to why shops and restaurants weren’t open at 7 AM like they are in the US. But considering the climate and culture, the summer schedule in Turkey makes complete sense. I would be interested to learn if/how this schedule changes in the fall and winter months, when the average temperatures are cooler and it’s a little bit less painful to be outside during midday.