In a Melistocratic World…

It has been a great opportunity to be able to come to Istanbul for a few days. My job sent me here to recruit MBA students at the World MBA tour. They asked me just a week prior to the trip, and of course I said yes!

I arrived at the Ataturk airport in the early afternoon. I was warned that taxi drivers might see that I am an American tourist and take me on the long route to my hotel, just to hike up the meter. Even though work is paying for my transportation, I couldn’t see being finagled out of the money! I took the Havas shuttle bus to my hotel for only 8 ytl (turkish lira). That’s a bargain Of course, I didn’t know where I was headed but Taksim Square, where I am staying, is a popular destination, and the driver was very helpful.

One of the first things i saw leaving the airport were military personnel carrying machine guns. It was a startling sight, and I have continued to see them here and there. Currently, there are tensions on the Iraqi/Turkish border and it’s been all over the news here. Condoleeza Rice just happened to be visiting the Turkish Prime Minister yesterday morning. I was a little worried when I first arrived because Turkey was threatening action against the Iraqi rebels, but now that i see all of these Turkish people walking around without worries, I decided not to be worried either.

So, what can I say about Istanbul so far? It is the only city to be situated on both the continent of Europe and the continent of Asia, and it used to be the capital of Turkey but lost that honor to Ankara many years ago. Still, it’s considered the political, social and cultural hub of Turkey, and it’s easy to see why. It is so cosmopolitan! It’s buzzing with people all of the time, lots of young, stylish people. I can’t understand a word of what the people on the streets are saying but they are animated, happy and full of life. It’s exciting to be here.

I worked today for 4 hours and had a great time doing so. I got to meet a lot of very talented Turkish students, many of which have studied law, marketing, finance and engineering here in their country. I really enjoyed having the time to speak with so many interesting people. And I will now look forward to the rest of my time here being free time!

Tonight was the second night I left the hotel to walk around on Istiklal Caddesi, the main strip in the Beyoglu neighborhood. My Time Out tour book told me where the fish markets are and where the hippest area to eat is, and I was lucky enough to snag a table on the second floor balcony overlooking the crowds. It was people watching at its best! My waiter was SO nice, despite our communication issues He brought out a huge tray of mezzes (turkish tapas) and I chose eggplant w/ tomatoes, spicy cheese, fried squid w/ a garlic yogurt sauce, and dolmades. The food was delicious! I had a small bottle of raki, which is the traditional Turkish drink. It tastes like aniseed, and it’s very similar to Greek Ouzo. It is a clear drink, but once you pour a little water into it, it turns cloudy and white. Not bad, though not something I’d drink every day.

Tomorrow I will be touring the city and seeing the major sites. I have a tour guide and driver picking me up at 9:30am. It’s a privilege for me that work has agreed to let me stay an extra day to take in the beautiful architecture of the Ottoman empire. Lots of photos to come!

So far, I am really enjoying this trip. It would have been nice to have some company to share this with, but I feel very safe on my own and have been impressed by the friendly nature of the Turkish people I have met.