Yamur Adam! (It's Raining Men)

hahaha. not really. mostly just rain! The past week has been a lot of fun though. It feels like we've been here forever! Sadly, bagaj yok (still no bags for me)...which reminds me, I need to buy some more Turkish underwear today! But also, I am still borrowing Allie's computer to get on the internet. So, while my pictures are on my computer (I really am photo-recording this trip!), they won't be online for you all yet. Soon, I promise!! I am calling British Airways / Air France today to see what we can find... On saturday we went out for a waffle breakfast (mmm) and then Allie Julia and I made arkadas (friends) with the fruit stand boys and bought some portakal (oranges) kivi (kiwis) & muz (bananas). Then we got cellphones from Turkcell and made friends with the store owners too haha. That night Tim Allie Julia & I we ate at Ufram Ocakbesi (mmmm) which just happens to be the best kebap place around & went to Taksim, to an "Aydish Bup" - a place our Superdorm security friends recommended. It was actually an Irish Pub with live music and it was really great. We're probably going back for Allie's birthday in march. The next morning, the Turkcell guys (or men I should say) took us (julia allie TIM - we were safe i swear - and me) out & paid for Sunday brunch (super traditional Turkish food! Balkaymak seveyorum! I love honey yogurt!) Whenever we mention to people that we've eaten balkaymak they are really impressed (: That night one of the exchange students hosted a "tea party" (chai) in her Superdorm room and almost all the Superdorm exchange kids were there! It was great to meet more 'foreigners' all from france, the netherlands, germany, etc! Then on monday a big group of us went to the Grand Bazaar in the Old City. WOW! It is absolutely huge. It wasn't tents, like I was picturing, it was actually a full blown huuuge building, like a maze, filled with shope after shop selling carpets, chandeliers, lights, jewelry, antiques, spices, shoes, purses, and even jeans - I bought a pair of "Armani" haha and they actually fit really well! So I'm kind of surviving this whole bagaj yok situation (: On tuesday we finally met Arican (ahreejan... c sounds like a j here) and his friend Ege (she is so cute!!) and they took us to the Dolmabahce Palace, where the last Sultan of Turkey lived and died in 1938. WOOW! It was unbelievably beautiful. One of the chandeliers in the main hall weighs 4.5 tons! And, mom, they love trompe l'oeil (: their paintings made all the celings look twice as high. From there we made it to orientation with the Student Xchange program. Our tour guide Silcuk was great. All the students bussed out to the water for a fancy dinner and then to the Tophane district for group nargileh (hookah). Our group just played Backgammon for a while (: Tavlah that is, it's Turkey's favorite pastime. Then we took Silcuk with us to Taksim to meet Arican and Ege. It was Arican's friend's birthday party at a Mexican restaurant (with incredible music!) and we danced forever! They even played Elvis and the Beach Boys haha (: Allie Julia & I all tried Turkish Raki - tastes like black licorice so Julia & I are fans... On wednesday we registered online for classes which was a nightmare, met Elif for lunch (she lived in the superdorm last year with our WashU friend Eric and she is sooo great and helpful and wants to take us to do everything!) then we painted our nails in Allie's room while we waited for Arican to call. We met him & his friend Emre in Bebek for a delishhh dinner and then back to Taksim for some HILARIOUS dancing. Seriously, Julia Erin & I OWNED that dance floor. Especially when It's Raining Men came on (: That was last night, & boy are we exhausted. Since I don't have running shoes, I'm waiting here and updating the blog & emails & fb while Julia Erin & Allie go on a run. Today we are going to campus to find our classrooms and buy some sweet Bogazici spirit wear. It's raining again & it's suppposed to rain tomorrow, so maybe we'll even rent a movie... And hopefully we'll go back to Ufram Ocakbesi for absolutely delicious kebaps!! More to come (: