March 25, 2010
-acne cream (I know it’s here, I’ve seen commercials o.o;; )
-index cards (Dr. Paces gave me some from Istanbul though, yay!)
-extension cord (I just need a single plug, can only find multi-plugs)
-peanut butter (it apparently exists in Yuz.Yil, but only creamy)
-One-A-Day Women’s (they have Men’s…they have Over 55…they have Weight Control…no Women’s)
-plastic spoons & knives (got forks!!!)
This all amuses me. =)
~Han
March 13, 2010
Today we went to Ankara Kalesi and the Anatolian Museum of history. I looked up the names of these places in Turkish so I could get around alright, and we departed for our adventure at about noon. We took a dolmus to Ulus and taxi’d to the Castle.
We wandered and explored the castle some.
Much of the stone used to build these walls were taken from other buildings. Somewhere around this place, there’s a toilet in the wall xD
Amazing views of Ankara from here.
We went to the market right outside, where we ran into Ali, Keka, Merve and an architechture class on tour! That was so random. We hung out in the area so Cynthia could see some of how the professor taught.
We spoke with Ali some, and his friend from England (who is Turkish, and had a veeery interesting English/Turkish accent).
After, we walked to the museum and explored. It was so cool–the main building was an old bazaar! I got a Muze Kart, or Museum Card, which is a 10TL card that I can use to get into any museum in Ankara for 1 year pretty much for free. I only had to pay the cost of the card. They scanned my ODTU ID and put that picture on my card, so there’s a Study Abroad stamp across my face, hahaha.
No idea what these pots are do.
We walked back to the taxis and hopped one to Kizilay because I wasn’t quite sure how to get to Kizilay from where we were. We walked some and found the Ankara mosque, it was so amazing and impressive.
On the way to get the dolmus back to ODTU, I saw this store. The name made me laugh so hard. xD We went back, took a rest, and then went for dinner in the Carsi. Then we walked next door for some cay/coffee, since she had to stay up until around 3 to board her plane. After that, we wandered to Arkabace for a final baklava, and so Cynthia could grab some food for on the plane. We talked a lot about study abroad requirements and such, and we decided that days like today, where I had to get us around based on what I’ve learned, language barriers and such, should be worth credit as well.
I made sure she had my number in case she got in trouble, since her plane was leaving at 4 and she would have to get there via mostly public transpo. I didn’t hear from her, so I assume she got home safe. =)
~Hannah
March 12, 2010
I needed to go out to Çankaya today to get my cell phone from Mustafa. I had an idea of it, but I wasn’t positive so…I headed out. ;D
Took the Kizilay dolmus out and looked around the dolmus depot for the name of a dolmus that my roommate had given me. But as I was looking, I found a Çankaya dolmus! And it had the other name Mustafa told me to look out for, Yildiz! So I hopped that and rode it all the way out to the neighborhood they live it. It looked very familiar so I got off and started walking. I wasn’t positive where I was going. xD I walked around for maybe an hour or so and finally found their apartment building, but they weren’t home. ^^; So I went up to Rahime and Gokcer’s apartment, and Rahime called Mustafa for me. He was at his office, not too far away. So we walked out to there as well. And now I know exactly how to get to his office and to their house. I feel soo accomplished! It was rather exhausting though, I will say that, haha. So I retrieved my cell phone and Mustafa dropped me off at the Y.Aryanci dolmus stop, which goes straight to METU.
When I was walking around Çankaya though, I saw this “thing.” I’ve never seen anything like it. Rahime says people use it all the time….to move into apartments! The movers place stuff on that flat thing at the bottom and then lift it up using a mechanical pulley system. So cool!!
I conked in my room a bit after returing, and then picked up Cynthia for dinner. We got pide at a restaraunt in the carsi (shopping market on campus) and some baklava at another place. By 8PM we were both exhausted and went our separate ways. And now I’m ready for sleep =)
~Hannah
