This past weekend, I visited two important sites for the city of Istanbul. One of the sites that I visited was the Kariye Müzesi (Kariye Museum), also known as the Church of St. Saviour in Chora. The church dates back to the 11th century, with the translation of "in Chora" to "in the country" suggesting that the church originally stood in a rural setting. The mosaics and frescoes currently in the church were added by Theodore Metochites, a theologian, philosopher, and an elite Byzantine official of his day. He wrote that his goal when he restored St. Saviour was to relate how "the Lord himself became mortal on our behalf". His mosaic the Genealogy of Christ conveys this idea well. The mosaic is displayed in two domes of the church, and portrays 66 of Christ's ancestors. The life of Christ is also displayed in the Infancy of Christ mosaics and other mosaics. In his Life of the Virgin mosaics, the life of Christ's mother Mary is portrayed. The portrayal is based mainly on the apocryphal Gospel of St. James, which gives an account of Mary's life. The frescoes in the parecclesion are meant to reflect the parecclesion as a place of burial. This is prominently displayed in Anastasis. In it, Christ is shown dragging Adam and Eve out of their tombs. Under Christ's feet are the gates of hell, while Satan lies before him. The Last Judgment fresco in the vault overhead depicts the souls of the saved to the right and those of the damned to the left. The mosaics and frescoes displayed in the church are very nice to gaze upon, seeing how different lives and events are portrayed in them. More information can be found at http://www.choramuseum.com/, and I have a short video of the museum below:
The other site that I visited was the Eyüp Sultan Camii, or Eyup Sultan Mosque. The original mosque was built in 1458 by Mehmet the Conqueror in honor of Eyüp Ensari, who was a companion and standard-bearer of the prophet Mohammed. Because of his importance to Islam, this site and it's adjacent tomb are important places for Muslims. After it fell into ruins, the current mosque was completed in 1800 by Selim III. The inner courtyard of the mosque is a garden in which two huge trees grow on a platform. This platform was part of a sultan's inauguration from the days of Mehmet the Conqueror. The covering of the mosque is predominately gleaming white marble. Across from the mosque is the tomb of Eyüp Ensari himself, believed to have been killed during the first Arab siege of Constantinople in the 7th century. The decoration of the tomb is mostly in Ottoman Baroque style. The outer wall of the tomb facing the mosque and most of it's interior have a covering of tiles. Unfortunately, the tomb was closed to visitors. I did get to go inside of the mosque though, and once again witness practicing Muslims during namaste (prayer). I was also randomly included in a photo with a Turkish man, and had a short conversation with a man who spoke no English outside the mosque. Below, I have a short video of the mosque:
On Sunday, November 10, 2013, I visited the Sultan Ahmet Camii with my friend Hande (who made a great tour guide as she's Turkish and works in the area). The mosque is known worldwide as the Blue Mosque. Sultan Ahmet I had the Blue Mosque built with the intention of surpassing its neighbor the Aya Sofia in grandeur and beauty. The exterior of the mosque does rival that of its neighbor visually. It features prominent curves, six minarets (a tall spire with an conical crown), and the biggest courtyard of all the Ottoman mosques. The interior features thousands of blue tiles, which gave the mosque its nickname, 260 windows, and big central prayer space. Upon entering the courtyard, you see the main entrance where only worshipers can enter. Tourists use a separate door on the side of the building. To keep its sacred atmosphere, admission to the mosque is actually controlled.
Once you enter, your shoes are removed, and you are looked at to see if your dress attire is suitable to enter (ex. no showing of the legs). The interior of the mosque is definitely nice to gaze upon, with the its ceiling designs and tile designs that catch your eye. The most important part of the interior would have to be the mihrab. It is located in front of the prayer area. It is made of sculpted marble with a double inscriptive panel above it. It is also surrounded by many windows. To the right of the mihrab is the minber, or pulpit, where the imam stands when he is delivering his sermon at the time of noon prayer on Fridays or on holy days. As for Ahmet, who ascended to the throne at the age of 13, he died one year after the mosque was constructed at the age of 27. His tile-encrusted tomb rest in a separate building on the north side facing Sultanahmet Park.
Below I have a short video of the mosque, along with a bit of the spice market that Hande and I visited after.
On Sunday, October 20, 2013, I made my way to the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia, or Church of Holy Wisdom, is known as one the world's greatest architectural achievements. More than 1,400 years old, it stands as a testament to the architecture of the 6th-century Byzantine capital. It was built over two earlier churches and inaugurated by Emperor Justinian in 537. The church stood as the world's largest cathedral for nearly 1000 years. The church was dedicated to the Wisdom of God, the Logos, the second person of the Holy Trinity (hence it's second name). The building also witnessed the excommunication of Patriarch Michael I Cerularius on the part of Pope Leo IX in 1054, an act which is commonly considered the start of the Great Schism. In the 15th century the Ottomans converted it into a mosque. The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels and other relics were removed and the mosaics depicting Jesus, his mother Mary, Christian saints and angels were also removed or plastered over. Islamic features-such as the mihrab, minbar, and four minarets-were added. Until the construction of the nearby Blue Mosque of Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia stood as the principal mosque of Istanbul.
The museum stands in good shape today, despite being so old. It gives you quite a feeling upon walking in. You can see all the hard work that the architects of the building put in to make the building a holy place. I love learning about the history of places I travel to, so I try to always find a good museum to visit. I usually will spend hours inside, taking my time as I take in all the museum has to offer. This was definitely the case with the Hagia Sophia. Below, I will post a short video of some video clips and pictures I took while at the site.
Side-note: I didn't edit in any background music (as I don't have any new instrumentals), so feel free to mute the video to tune out the background noise.
Today is the first
day of my newest adventure, teaching English in Istanbul, Turkey. I think my
interest in Turkey began when I made a Turkish friend in South Korea. He treated his girlfriend, another
mutual friend, and I to Turkish food at a restaurant. I loved the dinner and
the desert that I ate! I also had Turkish food later during my time in Korea,
and loved it then also! Later on, I researched Turkey and learned
how much Turkey has to offer. When it comes to Istanbul, the
city was formerly known as Constantinople or New Rome (before being known as
Byzantium). It was the capital of the Roman Empire, under the Christian ruler
Constantine the Great who influenced the spread of Christianity throughout the
city and beyond. Later, the city was taken over by the Ottoman Turks which
resulted in the spread of Islam throughout the city (and also beyond), making Istanbul predominately Islamic today. Thus, Istanbul (and Turkey) is filled with history
from both beliefs. Today, Istanbul is known as the city that bridges Europe
and Asia, with one half of the city being more European and the other half more
Asian. As a result, both cultures are present, making Istanbul an interesting
city to explore. That will be one of my goals while living here. I want to explore the city’s multifaceted culture.
When I first arrived in South Korea,
I was pretty nervous when stepping in front of the classroom to teach. I had
never taught before and wasn't sure how I would go about it. Thanks to the
experience from teaching there, I am actually not nervous about teaching here
in Istanbul. I look forward to teaching the students, and to the experiences I
will have with them. The name of the school I will be teaching at is Fatih Koleji.
It is a big privately funded wealthy institution that oversees a college, high
school, and primary school. This institution not only operates in Istanbul, but
internationally. The institution is known for pulling students from wealthy
families (as the tuition is very high), and offering better education than
public schools (resulting in brighter students). I will be teaching at the
primary school level, with students ages 6-13. I believe I will be the only
foreign English teacher at my school, with their being Turkish English teachers
to offer any assistance I will need. I can only hope that I have well behaved
students!
I feel very blessed
to have this opportunity, and hope to make the most out of my time while
here. Keep me in your thoughts and your prayers!
On April 27, 2013, I was officially done with my year of teaching in South Korea, and boarded a flight back home. It has been almost two weeks since that day, so I've had time to settle in and maybe start to miss things in South Korea. I don't want to dwell on the negative, so what I mention going forward will mainly be positive:
My students!
Even though they drove me crazy most days, I miss my students (middle school kids). It took a while for me to get used to them, and for them to get used to me. As I settled into who I am as a teacher, I think the students settled into that as well. I began making my own lessons based on ideas I had, and tried out new tactics in the classroom. All of that worked, resulting in more enjoyable classes for the students and I. My relationship with them grew as a result, and there began to be more smiles and "love you" exchanges. Still, I had to face the reality that I was leaving them. I told them at the beginning of April, and they were not happy about it. Over the next few weeks, I received many "I love you"s, "I will miss you"s, hugs, and even tears.
Lunch Security (mainly to keep students from sneaking off); They always gave me a good laugh as a I walked by.
Punishment!
Ninja Summer Camp (although I may have made them look like terrorists, lol)
More punishment (they don't seem too upset eh...)!
Random video (basketball and ping-pong)
My friends (Korea)!
I had a variety of friends while living in Tongyeong, and I will miss spending time with them. Although the heavy drinking lifestyle is not for me, I will miss the expat community. I had fun times with the foreigners in my city from game nights to basketball to just hanging out. I also had a few Koreans friends, with one in particular, that I will especially miss using Korean/Konglish with and playing basketball with. During my time in Korea, I attended an English service at a Korean church. I will miss the services with the English speaking community there. Being a part of that service definitely helped to keep me afloat spiritually during my time in Korea. Overall, I am very thankful for the friends I made while living in South Korea.
My friends and family(America)!
Despite what I just said above, I'm so happy to see and spend time with my friends and family at home. I missed them a lot during the year overseas. Only a few people, including my mother, knew when I was coming home exactly. It has been fun surprising people! Over these last few weeks, I've had time to hear about what's been going on in each of their lives. I've gotten to tell them about some of my experiences, and how I feel I've grown as a result of my travel. Although my interactions with everyone feel fresh and in some ways different, they also feel like picking up where things left off. I plan to enjoy this time I have with them as much as possible!
Korean Society:
There are definitely some things I miss about everyday living in South Korea! Just today I went to the movies and paid $5 for nachos ALONE. In South Korea, I paid about that much for nachos and a drink! The ticket was less than 8 bucks too! Even though I love having my car back, I am getting tired of paying for gas already. lol. I liked just using the bus and walking in South Korea. Really, I just miss the overall cheapness of living in South Korea. Food was cheap, whether eating out or staying in. Traveling was cheap, whether traveling to a city close by or a city 4 hours away. Bills were even cheap, with the bill for my apartment at one time being less than $80! Safety was also big over there (I saw little kids walking home alone!) There was definitely some easy living to be had in South Korea.
Where I ate a lot of my lunches!
The owners (mother and daughter)
So good!!
American Society:
Although I've only been back for less than two weeks, I have really enjoyed being home. I have enjoyed seeing the different ethnic groups again. It has been very refreshing. I have enjoyed everyday conversation. It is great to be able to speak and be understood with just my words again. No more made up sign language! It has even been nice just to watch TV again. Also, I have been eating a lot of the food I have missed overseas (and subsequently making sure I work out). It definitely feels like I've just picked up where I left off here as well.
Overall, I really do feel like I've grown as a person over the past year overseas. I had a variety of experiences, and learned a lot along the way. As far as the mission mindset that I had going over, I feel that I did live that out through my involvement in the English service at the Korean church that I attended and through just "living it out" (with some good private talks). With all that being said, I've come to terms with leaving South Korea behind. I am glad to be home, and look forward very much to my next journey.
After a 10 hour sleeper train ride, I arrived in the capital city of Vientiane, Laos (officially named Lao People's Democratic Republic). I had originally planned on visiting Siem Reap, Cambodia, but chose Vientiane since it seemed less touristy. The city is pretty small for a capital, and as such has a small town atmosphere. The people are very friendly, with many speaking English like in Thailand. The atmosphere is very relaxed, so everyone seemed care free. As a bonus, the city is even cheaper than Bangkok. The hostel I stayed in cost $5.50 per night! Therefore, money was not an issue while there, and I could spend without worrying.
I had a small lunch while waiting to check into my hostel, and after I checked in I walked down a street with a map in hand. I was aiming for the Lao National Museum, as it was close. I made it to the museum, and chatted with some of the people who were also there waiting for it to open. After it opened, I entered inside and began to see many historical artifacts, pictures, and the like about the history of Laos. I did not know a lot about the country, so most of the information was new. I saw Lao's ancient art and weaponry. I saw it's relationships with France and the U.S. With the latter, I saw how much war and strife the country had been through to become what it is today.
After viewing the museum, I headed back in the direction of my hostel with Chris and Kate from the UK, who had also viewed the museum. After deciding to save some attractions for the following day, I took their invitation to join them for lunch. I have no idea what the Lao dish was called, but it tasted pretty good. In general, the city offered a nice variety of good food. I ate Lao food, Turkish food, American food, and French food I believe. Since the city is relatively small, all of the places I ate at were close to each other. Highlights were the chocolate pancakes with Lao honey, and the strawberry pancakes with Lao honey that I had! I hung out with Chris and Kate for the rest of the day, walking around the city and heading the Talet Sao Mall to look around. We also visited Wat Si Saket, the only temple in Vientiane to survive the pillaging of the city by the Siamese in 1828. The temple contained a variety of Buddha images with characteristics unique to Laos: "the standing or 'praying for rain' Buddha; or the pose with the armps up and palms facing forward, the 'stop fighting' or 'calling for peace' Buddha. The pose in which the Buddha points the right hand downward signifies a rejection of evil and a calling to mother earth for wisdom and assistance. Lao Buddhas also have exaggerated nipples and square noses, to emphasize that Buddha is no longer human."
The next day, I rented a bike and rode off to view different attractions in the city. One of these attractions was the Victory Monument. The monument is dedicated to the memory of Laotian soldiers who died during World War II and the Independence War from France in 1949. It was built with American funds and cement intended to build an airport. The monument draws many visitors, and offers a nice view of the city upon reaching the top. I also visited Pha That Luang, a gold-covered Buddhist stupa. Even though it has several reconstructions, it is regarded as most important national monument in Laos and a national symbol. A short bike ride from my hostel was Anouvong Park. There were many people in the park, relaxing on its benches, walking around, and jogging on its long jogging trail. By night, it was mostly covered with a market. The market was vast, stretching out further than I dared to walk. Within it, you could find food, drinks, clothing, electronics, and so forth. Therefore, it was packed with foreigners and natives alike. One of my major visits for the city was definitely the COPE Museum. COPE, which stands for Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise, is a not-for-profit organization that works in partnership with the National Rehabilitation Center and provincial rehabilitation centers to provide access to orthotic/prosthetic devices and rehabiliation services, including Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. It hopes to cover the cost of mobility devices and rehabilitation for people in Lao P.D.R. who cannot afford it. Due to bombings by the U.S., there are many bombs that did not explode upon impact left in the country of Laos. To this day, there are still deaths and injuries that occur due to people accidentally triggering a bomb left in the ground. These people are the main targets of the COPE organization. The museum is dedicated to this mission, informing it's visitors about Laos history with the bombs, ways that visitors can help the organization, and about the organization itself. I had never heard of the organization before, and was glad I got to visit the museum. The national museum let you know what Laos had been through, and this museum let you know in part what Laos is still going through. Upon leaving Laos, I definitely felt I made a good decision in visiting the country. It isn't a rich country, but from what I saw a lot of people are still enjoying life there. I'm glad I got to be around it's friendly and laid back atmosphere and people.
For my winter vacation, I decided to head to the countries of Thailand and Lao P.D.R. Upon landing in Bangkok on January 12, 2013, I got my vacation off to a great start by making myself look like a terrorist at the airport. I hadn't actually made a hotel reservation because I wanted to check out some places first, and the head lady at check in wasn't too happy about that. I couldn't think of any hotel names off of the top of my head, and that made her mad even more. Thankfully, another guy just wrote on my departure slip that I was heading to Laos the next day. I ended up staying in a nice hotel 10 minutes away from the airport, and got some good rest so I could head into the main part of the city the next day.
It was when I was in the airport shuttle service van that I met M and Da, a Thai couple vacationing home from there studies in China. We chatted on the way to and through the airport, and shared the skytrain into inner city Bangkok. It was with them that I first discovered that many Thai people speak great English! I didn't study the language before going to Thailand, but that was fine. No Thai? No problem! Therefore, we had nice, humorous conversation. As I rode into inner city Thailand, I saw how the infrastructure of the city consisted a wide array of tall buildings. I was hard-pressed to find one normal sized. Upon reaching another city line, we parted ways.
I walked down the stairs on the train station, and began to walk aimlessly up a city street. I had a map in hand for when I wanted to aim for a destination. Things that caught my attention were the many motorbike users on the streets, the street and clothing food vendors lined up throughout, and the smog that ran through the city. I came upon a mall complex named Siam Discovery, which I later discovered was only a section of this huge shopping mall. I walked around for a bit, looking at the various stores, and heading up to the top floor to have lunch. I headed back down and took a metered taxi to an popular tourist area with many temples. I took in the meter price at my stop, which proved to be useful later. I ended up getting persuaded into taking a Tuk-Tuk to explore different temples, drawn in by the cheap price... I really didn't know what I was getting into. Guess that's how tourist get scammed, eh?
After making it back from the Laos trip, I checked into my hostel and went off to explore various places. I visited the Grand Palace, which has been the official residence of the Kings of Thailand since 1782 (although the present king resides in a different palace). It is the most important tourist destination in Bangkok, and was therefore a tourist trap. Still, I enjoyed walking around the palace and viewings it's beautiful structures. The palace also houses the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, a beautiful chapel often incorrectly referred to as a Buddhist temple. It was beautiful inside, with no photos being allowed. I also visited the Buddhist temple Wat Pho. It houses the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, and is known for being the birthplace of the traditional Thai massage. After viewing the temples, I headed back to the Siam area. This is when I realized how big the mall complex really is. I was heading towards the movie theater (shouldn't be a surprise) in Siam Paragon which was a separate building from Siam Discovery. Both buildings held many shops and many floors, and together are called the Siam Center. Walking through Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon I saw many brands that I had never heard of before. I thought, "This must be where rich people shop." I headed up to the Paragon Cineplex and saw just how nice it was. It had many screen options, restaurants, bowling alley next door, and even an IMAX. I ended up seeing two movies that night. ^^
The next morning I headed to the Golden Buddha temple with Merlin, a German that I met during breakfast in the hostel (who is already traveling at 18). I once again saw how the temples try to make their ceilings and walls have beauty that matches the beauty of the main object being displayed. The Golden Buddha itself was great see, especially being solid gold. When we got back to the hostel, we were planning the next leg of our exploration when Sarah, from Canada, asked to tag along. The three of us spent the rest of the day together. We first headed to Jim Thompson's House. Jim Thompson is famous among Thai people because of what he did for the Thai silk industry. His house is so interesting because it is custom built to accommodate Thai and Western tastes. There is also an museum and many artifacts throughout the house. Next, we headed back towards the Siam. We went down to the food court of Siam Paragorn, and saw the impressive food court. I had many great options to choose from! After that, we walked back to the hostel, and that was the end of my day out. I had to get plenty of sleep so I could head out early to Koh Tao island the next morning, where I did my Open Water Scuba Diver course!
The course took place over 3 days with a small group that consisted of my instructor, sven, and cristina, and myself. We started by being filled with diving information through video. Then the next day, we practiced setting up the gear, and practiced different techniques in a swimming pool. Thankfully, I did these techniques well. By the end of the session, I told the assistant instructor that I was ready to see some sharks! We went for two dives later that day. I was doing fine in the first, and then my ears gave me trouble! I was unable to complete the 2nd dive due to pain, but thankfully was able to complete it the following morning. Even though my left ear gave me trouble throughout, I was able to complete the 3rd dive (where we went down 17 meters) and the 4th dive. It's a crazy feeling swimming around in the deep, but a feeling I loved! I saw a variety of fish, and we found these life size statues of a shark and octopus. Unfortunately, another group booked the videographer. Therefore, my group didn't get any video or pictures. I didn't see a real shark, but that is another reason to dive again! During my stay on the island, I walked around exploring and spent a lot of time with my diving group. I got to chill out on the beach and listen to good music by DJs. Overall, I enjoyed my time there!
After getting back from the course, my last few days were filled with Muay Thai fights, searching for souvenirs, eating more Thai food (delicious, but spicy!), and relaxing. Overall, I enjoyed my time in Thailand. ^^
