The Reasons Why

In case you haven't heard the news, I've officially resigned my position here. 

There are a lot of reasons and all of them are personal. It took me a long time to accept the fact that personal/emotional reasons were enough to leave a good job behind.

Reason One, "The Most Important One": 

My mood is so unstable here that it's not good for my emotional health. When I first decided to leave, I was wracked with indecision because one day I was ready to hop on a plane, and the next day, I thought it wouldn't be so bad to stay here a year. The changes were so severe and so unpredictable that I felt like I couldn't plan anything in advance because who knows how I would feel when the actual date rolled around?

Reason Two, "The Official Reason":

 

My Visa. Or lack thereof. When I came here, I was told that I wouldn't be getting a resident's visa or Iqama as it's known in the Arab world. I was fine with that. Iqamas took four weeks to get, you had to go back to your home country to get them, and your employer has the right to keep your passport. I've learned too much about human trafficking to be comfortable with someone taking my passport for safe keeping. 

The visa I came on was a three month, multiple-entry visa that would expire into a single entry visa after three months. Meaning that I could come and go as I pleased the first three months, but after that, if I left, I couldn't get back in. I was told that in January, I could go home and renew this visa in order to travel for another three months in the area. 

The laws of the country have been changing – in the last couple of months, actually – and these visas are no longer available.

I had just bought my plane ticket to go home (after informing my employers this was my intention and receiving positive acknowledgement in return) when I received an email that stated there were no visas, that no one would be able to leave during the school break. I was understandably pissed off. But I didn't cancel my plane flight.

For several days, I sat and stewed. Finally, the CEO came to face us and tell us that, he has Iqamas available, but he wasn't going to give them to us. He said he needed them to bring new teachers in that would replace the teachers who already left. We asked him why he didn't try harder to keep the teachers he already has (i.e.: give us the visas) and he simply shrugged his shoulders. At which point I told him, very calmly, my position: I have paid for a plane flight in January. I will be on that plane, out of the country. If you want me back, then you can get me an Iqama.

I don't think they are going to offer me one, but they may. In which case I would seriously consider coming back.

Reason Three, "The Obvious":

 

Not being able to leave the house by myself is taking a serious toll on my sanity. Left to my own devices, I like to take long walks by myself to just think. In the Kingdom, I have to walk in circles on my roof inside the high walls like a prisoner. All I see every day is the four walls of my apartment, the four walls at the university, and the things I can glance out the tinted windows as we drive to work.

Reason Four, "The Company":

The way the company treats us has been intolerable from the start. Things like telling us to be ready to go shopping at 6:00am, and then phoning us up three hours later to tell us the trip has been canceled. No other explanation. Like it doesn't matter that we've gotten up ridiculously early and been waiting for three hours. This is only one example of many that include safety issues both in transit (they stranded my friend in the middle of the night on the side of the road without explanation), and at home (our accommodation has only one doorman, who is a string bean of a man, and glass doors). Also a problem is their habit of not paying us so that we can access our money in a timely manner, and not allowing the proper amount of sick days (we have been told, several times, that if we are sick, we should just suck it up and go to work).

Reason Five, "My Goals":

 

I had certain goals when I came here. They were, in order of priority – be creative, write, learn Arabic, travel to the nearby countries, explore Kingdom Culture, get university experience, and make money.  Being creative and writing is almost impossible when I never see anything new in my life. I was promised free Arabic lessons which have never materialized. I've honestly learned more Urdu than I have Arabic working here. I would do better with Rosetta Stone. Obviously, the visa situation makes travel impossible and I've been out and about in Kingdom Culture for about four months now.  The experience is great, but now I have a semester, so that goal is more or less accomplished. That leaves making money, and doing this only for money is something I suspect I will regret in the future. 

Therefore, I have nothing left to gain by being here.

            UPDATE: They have offered me an Iqama when it seemed that I was serious about going home. I had a couple hours of indecision about why I was really leaving and would my problems really be fixed with an Iqama. I finally decided that getting the visa didn't really make a difference. I am leaving anyway.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today's my birthday, guys! Happy birthday to me!

I always strive to do something interesting on my birthday since arranging parties always seemed a little too self-congratulatory for me.

One year I went with one of the professors from my school and caught turtles in the Itchetuknee River; another I went SCUBA diving with some sharks in an aquarium in Busan. This year I'm not doing anything as interesting, unless you count being in Istanbul interesting, which, I guess, it is. I was considering having another massage or going to the baths again, but, in all honesty, I would rather not spend the money.

Maybe I'll go to the Bazaar and buy something crazy for myself. Last time I was there I bought what I thought was a Ukulele, which turned out to just be a tiny guitar (Ukuleles have four strings, guitars have six). Which I suppose is for the best because I know kind of how to play the guitar, but not the Ukulele.

I could go get a haircut – wild and crazy person that I am. Or just spend the day around town sketching architecture. I guess I am just glad to have some relaxing time to myself after the craziness of the past couple of months.

All in all, I consider relaxing an adequate thing to do on my birthday, though I would rather be surrounded by family and friends. o_O

UPDATE:

What I ended up doing was just relaxing. I've come to the point in my vacation where I would rather be home. Not because the Kingdom is so hopping or anything. But because I miss being able to sleep in a room alone or sit on my bed all day without getting judgey looks from my roommates.

I went to the baths again with my new friend Janet. I bought a bunch of crazy jewelry from some stores, and had the best kebab in all of Turkey from the stand down the street.

I have one more day left in Turkey and I intend to spend it straight up chilling.

The Joys of Following Random People

Here is a great example of why I love staying in hostels:

I met this lovely woman here (Janet) who is an artist fresh from an artists residency in Capadoccia (images.google it – it's spectacular). She said that she knew of a drum recital going on in Taskim – which is where all the Turkish people go to party/shop.

Though I'm not really that into drums, I like music and I haven't been going out that much since I've been here, so I decided to go.

To find this place, we had to go into this unremarkable building and up three flights of half-lit stairs. I was just starting to think this is how human trafficking happens when we start to hear drums.

Turns out the 'school' is just a studio space in an apartment building where this woman holds week long intensive courses on the darbuka, the traditional Turkish drum. The recital was supposed to be a celebration of the end of the course and a chance for all the students to play together.

I felt very honored to be there, because me and Janet were the only ones who were not in the course in attendance.

It seemed like a chill session more than a concert and the students had clearly not counted one anyone showing up to be entertained. The teacher had to play about an hour before the students would touch a drum but eventually we were being serenaded (can you serenade someone with a drum?) with the most intricate drum beats.

The teacher than took out what she described as a 'spike fiddle' and started playing. Now, this thing looks like a black widow spider, but sounds like an orchestra. The music sounded like it was coming from the depths of someone's soul. It had a large amount of sympathetic strings, like a citar, but unlike a citar, you play this with a bow, so it resonates deeply. I can't describe it any better than that. I just hope the sounds comes through on the video better.

I could have sat there all night and listened to her play that thing.

One of the girls in the class was really into Balkan folk music and started singing along. It was unreal this mix of cultures that worked together so well.

I ended up having a lot of fun, met some really nice people, did some yoga, and learned a lot about Turkish and Balkan folk music.

What more can you ask out of a school music recital?

Some Tips for Hostel Living

I haven't really spent all that much time in hostels, though it is my preferred method of accommodation when I actually have to pay to sleep somewhere. I am lucky enough to have lots of friends in lots of countries so I often get to stay places for free. But those few times I have had to stay in a hostel, it has been a great experience.

1. Always get to know your roommates, as much as you can.

Some people go to hostels and don't want to talk to anyone. This however, is not the norm. The quicker you get to know your roommates, the quicker you can trust them to watch your stuff.

2. Always take the bottom bunk if you can.

Though I prefer the top bunk in most situations, grabbing the bottom bunk in a hostel allows you not only to lay claim to any wall sockets nearby, but also all the space around your bunk to keep your stuff. If you are worried about security while you sleep, having a top bunk means you have to share the bed with all your luggage, whereas having a bottom bunk means it can be under your bed. Also, you don't have to climb over anyone when you go to bed or wake up. Always a plus.

3. Keep your ear to the ground.

Always listen to the gossip and the scuttlebutt (best word ever) among your fellow travelers. People who stay in hostels generally know their way around and probably know of some crazy/interesting/off the beaten track thing that you've never heard of.

4. Make friends with the people who work at the hostel.

The people who work there are great resources and generally will help you out if you ask. They, too, listen to gossip and will know the best way to do everything. Watch out, though, because they may just direct you to their own personal travel agency. This may be a good deal and it may not.

5. Never leave your clothes on the floor of the bathroom when you shower.

No matter how much it looks like they will stay dry, they won't. Just don't do it.

6. Label all the food in the fridge that is yours.

I typically go with the classics. Labels that say things like “Science Experiment” or “ Poisonous” or “For My Enemies”. I suppose you could just write your name, if you want to be lame.

7. Always bring an eye mask and a flashlight.

You never want your illumination requirements in the hands of other people. You want to sleep and your roommate wants to read? BAM. Eye mask. When you come in the room late at night after everyone's asleep and can't find your toothbrush? BAM. Flashlight.

8. Make someone take responsibility.

There is always a risk to traveling in general. But I truly believe that people are generally good and will look after you if you ask. But only if you ask. By that I mean, if you are going to leave your luggage unattended in the common room, ask someone specific to look after it for you. If you make someone personally responsible for your things, even if it's a complete stranger, it will be looked after. If you say to the general room, 'don't let anyone touch my things' there's no guarantee.

9. Always be aware.

Like I said; inherent risk and all that. Obvi.

10. Take advantage of any free meals.

Some hostels will give you breakfast and if that's the case, then eat as much as you can in the morning. If you have a huge breakfast, chances are you won't be hungry for lunch i.e.: you won't need to pay for lunch. That's two meals free.

In general, hostels are the bomb diggity, so I would recommend them to anyone looking to travel on the cheap. Sure, hotel rooms are more private, but who needs privacy when you can have sleep-over style chats well into the morning?

Social Experiment

 I am conducting a social experiment on the people of Istanbul.

This city is such a swirling mix of peoples and cultures, it's often difficult to pinpoint where someone is from. I have been addressed in the street by touts in the following languages: English (obvi), Turkish, French, Spanish, Italian (possibly because I have a sweater that says 'Italia' across the back), Greek, Arabic, Hindi (probably because of the nose ring), and Hebrew. There are probably more languages that I didn't recognize.

These next two weeks, while I'm on vacation, I'm going to fine tune what provokes these kinds of responses. Today, I'm going to try for Arabic. I'm thinking, lots of eye make-up, hijab and glittery jewlery.

What? That's weird you say? Well, how do you spend your vacations?