Istanbul

It is my last night in Istanbul, and I'm having lots of feelings about saying goodbye to this leg of my trip. For me, Istanbul is a city of contrasts. At times, so crowded (aka the shopping areas of the New District and Taksim Square). At other times, very personal and warm. I find that contrast with people too. The challenging moments have been some of the attention I have gotten as a single, white woman alone (they can't tell that I'm American, so that is less it).

 Inevitably, particularly in the tourist areas, I will be approached endlessly usually with a harmless "hello" escalating into someone who is encouraging me to stop by their store or asking about my travel plans. It gets exhausting sometimes. Today, I just had to ignore many people and their greetings, which isn't really my heart but felt like the only thing I could do.

 My least favorite moment in Istanbul was when I was in Taksim Square and noticed a man following me. I changed direction a few times, but there wasn't a good store to duck in to. Lots of people were around, but it still felt really scary. Finally, I walked into a little bus area in the middle of the square, but my back in the corner and just faced him. Between me shouting "no" and gesturing for him to go away, he did get the hint. I will say, that every time I have said no my wishes have been respected and the men have stopped. That said: I have met a number of warm, caring, terrific people in Turkey and those are the stories I hope to hold in my heart.

Shop owners encouraged me to sit and chat with them, offering me tea. A metal worker pulled out a chair and showed me what he was working on. Yesterday, I went on a cruise up the Bosphorous to a small fishing village. We had too much free time and there wasn't much to explore, so I wound up going to a cafe to drink a coffee and read. When I was leaving, the owner said it was no charge and it was his pleasure to have me. Today, just now, the store owner at the bodega shop across from our hostel today who waved away my money when I was trying to spend my last few lira before I leave and told me that "my shop is your shop, money or not."

Yesterday, I was sitting in the Hippodrome which is a park founded from an old Roman chariot grounds, and at two different points older Turkish women asked if they could share my park bench. I had a ton of Turkish delight, after going to a store and asking for a sample which then meant like 40 pieces, and I offered it to each of them. Some of those moments were just really great and I have a lot to think about in my own life and the warmth that I bring or fail to bring others. Tomorrow I leave for Poland, but I very much hope to be back soon!