yabancı (tur.) – a foreigner, an alien

I believe that everyone has a city that feels like it is part of one’s soul. It is not necessarily a city we were born in. Over the years I have heard people saying that Paris, London, New York, Tokyo, and many other cities are “their cities”. The magic of that particular city they have chosen, makes them feel at home. For me this is and has always been, Istanbul, the vibrant and sprawling metropolis that bridges Europe and Asia, a city where the ancient meets the modern, creating a unique mix of cultures, histories, and experiences. The city where one can experience a sensory overload.

There have been thousands of books written about the city. Guidebooks, history books, cookbooks, memoires, fiction novels, poems, and more. It is inevitable that at some point, in one’s life, one will stumble upon a book about Istanbul, or part of the story will be based in Istanbul, or someone in the book was passing through the city. To name the most popular ones, Agatha Christie wrote her famous “Murder on Orient Express” sitting in her room in Pera Palace in Beyoğlu district. James Bond came to Istanbul three times to do his 007 spying. Besides, who did not watch “Magnificent Century” and did not live through the overcomplicated love story of Roksolana and Süleyman the Magnificent?

Arriving in Istanbul for the first time almost two decades ago, I was struck by the city’s sheer energy. The soundscape of the city — a blend of bustling markets, the call to prayer echoing from minarets, and the rhythmic cacophony of honking —created an exhilarating atmosphere. Tourists are mesmerized by the iconic silhouette of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque but one has to sit on the bench by the Marmara Sea or by the Bosporus with a drink resembling a coffee bought in nearby Starbucks and observe. This is what made it “my city”. One day I sat on the bench by Bosphorus with a drink and a well-fed street dog by my legs and I inhaled…

After completing the move to Istanbul several months ago I felt like my life took another turn. During first few months I experienced a cultural shock. From a small Limassol to metropolis of population of twenty million. The energy, the chaos of daily traffic, the sea-buses crossing constantly between two continents, the history stretching across several centuries, the mixture of cultures, the seagulls screaming every day, millions of cats ruling the city, the never-going-silence noise, the simit sellers… There were moments I felt overwhelmed by all of it. It is a different feeling when one come to visit one’s friends or a family for two-three days, and it is completely different when one actually lives here. But there is sort of a charm in it. A fascination that I am not able to put into words.

Before moving to Istanbul, I had been visiting the city and Turkey for 15 years. I knew some places, but I had to learn how to live here. The first shock was the language. I know Turkish, and I thought it would be easy. I was so wrong. I had a wonderful teacher, and she has always been extremely supportive of me, but I had to face a “day-to-day” language. Forget about how they speak or what they talk about in Turkish tv dramas so popular these days across the globe (and do not believe in everything you see on television!). Sometimes Turks do not understand other Turks:)) They speak with a lightning speed, “eating” half of the words or they simply mumble. It took me few weeks to get used to this kind of Turkish. I still make mistakes when I speak however, once they hear that you are yabancı who communicates in their language, it all changes. They are appreciative that one speaks their language or at least tries to speak it, they are helpful and full of family stories going back at least three generations. Also, they tend to ask millions of questions per second.  It may be quite offensive for some foreigners by what may seem like an interrogation. Turks overload people they meet for the first time with enquiries, and some of them may seem rather intimate. But do not get offended. They are simply interested in you, and they want to know everything about you. I will give you an example. It is quite normal to ask why you are not married at the age of 28 or 35. They will listen to your reasons, but the same time in their minds they will run through their entire family, friends and friends’ families to check who is available and then they will try to set you up… or they will inquire why you do not have children… or even why you have only one child.

But they are friendly, and they will tell you that you are always welcome.

I feel at home now. I have my favourite gang of cats by the entrance to the building, I do not get annoyed by screaming seagulls at 6 o’clock in the morning, and I continue exploring the city. Istanbul lives 24/7.  Once someone told me that New York is a loud city and never goes to sleep. I dare this person to come to Istanbul! A true sensory overload. Besides there is always something happening somewhere, one cannot get bored here. Football fans gathering in Taksim Square, a volleyball game at Burhan Felek Spor Salonu, a live Sunday concert in one out of dozens of municipality gardens, another book fare, whirling dervishes show at Hodjapasha Cultural Center, or a show of old VW Beetle cars in Balat. One cannot forget the intercontinental marathon and a challenging Bosphorus swim.

The city is so big that I still feel I have not scratched the surface yet. Every weekend My Other Me and I plan a walk in one of districts, and we are yet to experience the fulfillment of the actual plan. Istanbul is this kind of the city where you plan one route, and one turn later you find yourself exploring or visiting places you had never heard of.  Everyone who plan to visit Istanbul plan to see usual places as Sultanahmet with Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar or Cisterns. I am not trying to discourage anyone to visit those beautiful places, but there are so many hidden treasures beyond the usual buildings. Obviously, I did my share of visits to the touristy locations. Last year alone I went six times to Sultanahmet, I took a Bosphorus tour in total of five times, and I got lost in Grand Bazaar three times. FYI, Google Maps do not work inside the Grand Bazaar. I know, I checked!

My recommendation is to consider diving into side streets to see the real Istanbul, to buy kökoreç sandwich in Kadıköy or balık (fish) sandwich with turşu (pickled) water by the Golden Horn before entering the boat tour on Bosphorus Strait, to have a coffee in one of the little artsy cafes in Balat, to be mesmerized by colorful little houses in Kadıköy* or to conquer beautiful old books stores in Beyoğlu.

More to come…

*there are famous colorful houses in Balat, but Kadıköy has its own version