Hagia Sophia: Church of Holy Wisdom

     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.

Istanbul, Turkey!!

                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!