Anaokulu and Cultural Visits

This morning we casually crossed over a bridge and into Asia to visit a Anaokulu, a kindergarten for children ages 2 to 6 that supports active learning and creative thinking. The building is an old Turkish mansion with a large garden wrapping around the school. The school itself is only four years old and it is a private institution where the families have to pay for the services each month. There is a full time chef that makes all the food with fresh ingredients and breakfast and lunch is provided for the children each day.

Children that attend the kindergarten come from Turkish, Russian, Japanese, and French descent. The families are primarily middle class, with a few upper class. There is at least one field trip each month where the children have the opportunity to visit art museums, parks, and the beach among others. Children can attend the kindergarten from 9am until 6:30pm.

In order to become a kindergarten teacher, you must graduate from a university. You don't have to take the classes, but a formal exam is required. Although this isn't a Montessori school, the children are still asked what they want to do in addition to having some structure to the academic curriculum. The teachers listen to what the children have to say and respect their opinions when planning daily activities. There is nap time after lunch, but it isn't forced. Children don't have to take a nap if they don't want to. Although the kindergarten isn't formally recognized as a Montessori school, there are underlying examples of this framework of independence and freedom within limits. When the children fight or do something against the rules, the teachers try to encourage the children to determine what they did wrong on their own in order to avoid this conflict in the future. When a child is upset, the teachers will nurture the child if necessary. Another reason this anaokulu chooses to not be a Montessori school is because these ideas go against the Turkish culture. When entering primary and secondary school, the structure will become increasingly more structures and strict, so it is unrealistic to have a Montessori kindergarten when it isn't a true reflection of future educational experiences. This is also true for the home; children have more restrictions and limitations, so it wouldn't work to have a Montessori framework. This anaokulu was an interesting balance between the Danish system similar to a Montessori style of education and the highly structured American education system.

It was interesting to observe the separation of children while playing. The children were able to decide what they wanted to do and who they wanted to play with, so it was interesting to see most of the boys together playing with blocks and most of the girls together having a tea party with the cooking set. I'm curious how much Turkish culture plays into this natural division on the playground. It is understandable that the children would want to play with others of the same gender, but it is different when the children are taking up traditional gender roles. The playground is a place to transfer information and behaviors learned in the home, so I suspect typical gender roles are still evident in the home. 

The most important thing at the kindergarten is that the children are happy while growing. After the question and answer portion of the visit we went to observe the children play. A lot of the games were unique and had a clear objective and purpose. The first game we observed was a race to see who could pin the most clothespins to their partner. After time was up they would all count the clothespins together and decide who won the race. Afterwards the children played musical chairs. In other parts of the garden you could find children reason, playing with clay, or playing the memory game with cards. There were so many options and all the children seemed to be enjoying themselves. 

Before lunch was served we played the Turkish version of duck duck goose where you put a napkin behind the person you choose to chase you instead of calling them a goose. Only a few people from our group played the game and I was one of them. A little girl placed the napkin behind me, so I got the chance to run around the circle chasing her before choosing a different child to chase me. It was a lot of fun participating in the games and communicating with the children by playing, regardless of the language barrier. 

Again with the Turkish hospitality, the teachers offered us to stay for lunch. Staying for lunch also allowed us to spend more time observing and playing with the children, so we happily accepted the offer. The children are very lucky to have such delicious meals each day. The United States has a bad reputation for cafeteria food, but everything here was so fresh and flavorful. We had rice, beef, tomatoes, and potatoes. They also served a traditional Turkish drink of yogurt mixed with water. It is really healthy, but I didn't particularly like it. I'm not much of a plain yogurt eater in the first place.

It was sad saying bye to our new friends, but I had an incredible time at the kindergarten. I made some interesting observations and learned a great deal from the teachers and the children. We made it back to the hotel long enough to apply more deodorant before heading back into the smoldering heat to have our cultural visits. 

We started at the hippodrome which was built by Septimus Severus as a chariot racing venue. With four horses per chariot, men used to race around the arena. Today three monuments remain on the Spina or raised medium: Theodisus, Serpent Column, and Constantine Column. Originally from present day Egypt, Theodisus is 3,500 years old and still contains original the granite. However, Egypt is not able to claim the statue because at the time it was part of the Roman Empire. The statue was supposed to be taller, but it wouldn't stand up, so a marble base was added in the 4th century to help it stand.

The first major city established in the area was around 700 BC. Greek colonists from Megara sailed and settled in Calchedon, what is modern Kadıköy and a district on the Asian side Istanbul, and Byzas established a colony. There is a legand that Chalcedon was the city of blind because they settled in Kadıköy instead of the Golden Horn which was a natural port. Byzantium was a trade colony on the sea routes from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and was conquered by Roman Emperor Severus in 196. Byzantium was a city that believed in mythology and would often consult Apollo and the oracles for insight and advice.

At the end of the Hellenistic period around 300 BC, Byzantium formed an alliance with the Roman Empire until the city was destroyed and reestablished by Septimus Severus following the Roman war. Constantine defeated the Roman Empire's successor and became emperor in 324 AD. Constantine reunited the empire and was the first Christian emperor establishing Christianity as the religion. Temples were recycled and mythology withdrew. He moved the capital to the shores of the Bosphorus and built gigantic walls around the city. In 330 AD the city was dedicated as New Rome, but was soon called Constantinople. 

After Theodosius II's death in 450 AD, Justinian succeeded as emperor. During the 5th and 6th centuries the capital grew in wealth and strength under the rule of Justinian. During the Nika Riots of 532, Justinian beheaded more than 30,000 rioters in the Hippodrome as an example of his power. For the next couple hundred years the Roman Empire slowly began to decline, while still claiming power in Constantinople because no one was able to break through the city walls. The First Crusaders arrived in 1096 and the Second Crusaders in 1146. In 1204 the Crusaders attacked, broke through the walls, sacked, and pillaged the city. It was a time of hostility and the Byzantine rulers were not able to hold the city, later leading to its collapse.

In 1453 the Ottoman Sultan used the biggest cannon balls in history to break through the city walls and take over the Byzantine Empire. The sultan was only 21 years old when he led his army to victory. Constantine, the last emperor of Byzantium, died fighting on the city walls. The Ottoman Empire ruled until the end of World War I when Atatürk lead the Independence War. Atatürk helped create a secular, democratic country. He gave girls the right to vote which was 10 years before France. He changed the language from Arabic to Turkish improved the literacy rate from 5% to 87%. The protests today are the real claiming of democracy. Atatürk gave these rights to the people, but now it is time for the people to fight for these rights themselves. Istanbul has been the capital of three empires, four if you count the Latins during the crusade in 1204. The history of this city is very dynamic and contains elements and stories from many different periods. 

From the Hippodrome we went to visit the Sultan Ahmet. The Sultan Ahmet became known in the west as the Blue Mosque because of the blue coloring of the paintwork and tiles inside. The Blue Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 under direction of Sultan Ahmet I. It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. It is the largest mosque in Turkey, second largest in the world.

A mosque is not only a temple, but it is also seen as a gathering place to form a community. Once you hear the call to prayer, or adhan, it transitions from a gathering place to a place of worship. You can pray anywhere, but while praying you must face the Mecca direction. In Istanbul and Turkey, the Mecca direction is southwest. He five daily prayers performed by Muslims are central to the practice of Islam. Before the prayer begins, parts of the body are washed and then a set of movements and recitations from the Qur'an spoken in the original Arabic are completed. The lengths of prayer is determined according to the movement of the sun and changes with the seasons which means there is not a single moment in the world without prayer. Prayer involves the body, mind, and soul. 

The person who makes a mosque gets all the prayers for the afterlife, but money should be earned to fund construction. Sultan Ahmet I used tax money to build the Blue Mosque, so the people punished him by not coming to pray in the mosque for 100 years. 

In Islam, God was never born and never gave birth. Muslims prefer to use the Arabic name for God, "Allah" because it has no plural, feminine, or diminutive that could be associated with idolatry. God is everywhere and is the creator of everything. There are no human figures in a mosque because that would be like putting something equal to God which is a sin. No one can make something in the name of God because that would be putting yourself equal to him. Sins and graces are recorded throughout your life through angels. No one can punish you or forgive you, you must clear all your sins by yourself. After a Muslim dies, people join together to pray for the last time. Even if they don't know the person who has passed, people will gather outside the mosque and pray for you so no one goes to the afterlife alone. Once everyone dies, the angel will blow his horn and judgment begins. God will judge. You can go to heaven if you pass over hell on a thin bridge. If you do good deeds throughout your life, the bride is widened for you to walk across. There are two shortcuts to heaven: being a baby or being martyred. There is great interpretation in the Qur'an in regards to being martyred and what this entails. In the United States especially, Muslims as a group are often feared, loathed, and judged because of the events on September 11, 2001. Americans, myself included, often fail to see people as individuals and instead judge an entire group of people based on one tragic event. Being in the Blue Mosque was eye opening for me because I was able to better understanding what Muslims believe and what Islam is.

Entering the mosque, we had to leave our shoes outside. When Moses was told by the angels that he would meet with God, he was told to take off his shoes. After asking why he must take off his shoes, the angel's response was that Moses must wipe off the worries of everyday life and clean himself in the presence of God. We were also required to cover our hair, shoulders, and knees. It was 90 degrees outside, so I wasn't too happy about covering myself up, but it is a way to show respect for the religion. One of the reasons women do this is to make themselves unattractive and to be accepted. If the intention is to make yourself unattractive, I'm curious why women wear colorful scarves and/or add lots of eye makeup. I would consider colorful scarves and makeup attractive attributes to a woman. One reasoning is that women are attempting to establish an identity for themselves in what little way possible. Technically black burkas are not allowed since Atatürk defeated the Ottoman Empire and established the new Republic, but people often turn a blind eye and claim freedom of religion. I've been very curious about how women function while wearing a burka. If women aren't allowed to show any part of their body other than their eyes, how do they drink water and stay hydrated? How do they eat? Do they swim? How do they pass through airport security? All these questions have a reasonable answer, but it is still had for me to understand what these women experience because I grew up in a community never having seen a woman in a burka. I was so quick to judge these women and their lifestyle without recognizing their perspective. No one can force you to become a Muslim, it is completely by choice. It is the same for wearing a burka, this lifestyle is the woman's choice and it is important to respect this choice.

 After spending time in the Blue Mosque and learning more about the Islamic tradition, I had a new respect for the Muslim way of life. There is still a lot I could learn, but I'm now more open to the possibility of continuing this learning. To be perfectly honest, there was part of me that was scared and hesitant about visiting a Muslim dominant country, but I've learned that it is a quite beautiful religious tradition with meaningful ceremonies. Sitting in my parents bedroom watching television at 6am on September 11, 2001 has clouded my perspective of the Islamic tradition and had made me live in fear. Visiting a predominantly Muslim country like Turkey is opening my eyes to the beauties of the Islamic tradition rather than the mistakes of a few disturbed individuals who decided to take their lives and many more on that dreadful day 12 years ago. 

The Hagia Sophia was the next stop on our cultural visits. Hagia Sophia was first constructed in the period of Eastern Rome Emperor Constantine the Great, but was burnt down in riots and reconstructed during the time of Emperor Theodisius II in 415. This second construction of the building was also burnt down during the Nika Riot in 532. Emperor Justinian rebuilt Hagia Sophia for the third time in 537 which is the building that is still standing today. 

We walked in through doors that were built 300 years before Christ. I felt so small in comparison to the changing of the times this building has witnesses. It has seen things people never would have imagined it would see and it will continue to see many more lifetimes. We spent some time walking around the building and learning about its history. We walked by a column that was here 500 BC. The reason it has been able to stand for so long is because of the lead rings at the top and bottom allowing the column to move during earthquakes. We walked around the place where every Byzantine emperor was coronated. We walked by mosaics of Constantine and Justinian dedicating the city walls and the Hagia Sophia to baby Jesus. I could have spent hours walking around the beautiful building. 

Two floors and the dome are covered in mosaics where more than 1,000 masters and 10,000 slaves worked on it. To provide perspective, the Vatican was built 1,000 years after the construction of Hagia Sophia and took 120 years to complete. Hagia Sophia took only 5 years to complete, mosaics and all. Salves were used during construction which aided the process; regardless, the speed in which this church was constructed is still quite incredible. Mosaics take time and great precision. One misplaced tile and baby Jesus would have had a broken nose. 

Hagia Sophia is the 4th biggest dome church in the world and has been a Christian place of worship for 916 years. It was converted to a mosque upon the conqueror of Istanbul by Mehmed and served Muslims for 481 years. Today you will find Christian and Islamic symbols side by side throughout the building. When the Ottoman Empire took control, all mosaics of Christian icons were covered by plaster. After Atatürk liberated the Turkish people from the Ottoman Empire and converted Hagia Sophia to a museum in 1935, the mosaics have been restored. The Hagia Sophia has survived structurally for so long because of the silicon sand used during construction. The refusing of the sand after cracks has allowed the building to heal itself after earthquakes. During the changing of the empires, this was a very diserable building because of its size and beauty. 

On our way to the spice market, we had the opportunity to walk through the Grand Bazaar. Each day, half a million visitors pass through these markets that have been opened since 1461. There are over 4,000 shops spread out over 60 streets, needless to say it would have been very easy to get lost. We were told not to make eye contact or engage with any of the vendors. They specialize in recognizing who you are, drawing you in, and overcharging you. Walking through the Bazaar was overwhelming and there was a lot to look at and take in. Spices, shoes, scarves, purses, jewelry, food, clothing stores and many, many more shops were sandwiched into the allies. Similar to the fish restaurants under the bridge last night, shop owners would stand outside and draw you in using whatever technique they possibly can. I was even offered a boyfriend free of charge, but that might have been for reasons other than visiting a shop.

The spice markets were a short distance from the Grand Bazaar, and on our walk over we saw men outside the mosque walking themselves in preparation for the afternoon prayer. Now that we have more information about the Islamic tradition, I was able to identify the reason for these washing stations. Once inside the spice markets, we went to three of the shops that Koray suggested were reasonably prices and good quality. 

 

My step mom, Jennifer, loves to cook, so I thought bringing home delicious, fresh spices would be a great gift. I was indecisive at first and not sure what to get, but the men working were all very helpful and knew just what to offer and how to push you to buy more than you need. He let us taste and smell all the different spices in order to get an idea of what we preferred. They were incredibly hospitable, even though it was a busy shop. They brought us hot tea and Turkish delight samples and even threw in extra spices when it came time to pay. I was overwhelmed by the choices and finally decided to get Jennifer dried vegetables and an all spice, BBQ seasoning called Ottoman BBQ. The dried vegetable can be added to olive oil to make pasta sauce (the oil needs to be hot before adding the vegetables), all types of soup, or grilled vegetables. The all spice can be used as a marinade and to add flavor. Jennifer likes cooking and my dad likes barbecuing, so I figured this would be perfect. I got my aunt Karen some saffron because she is always investing in organic health foods and saffron can be widely used; I think it is especially good on rice. I got a spice called Ottoman Salad for my grandma Carol (Mom's Mom). This spice tastes like a mild chili with incredible flavor that was advertised as an addition to salad, but I imagine it would be good with many other dishes as well. Lastly I got some pomegranate tea that we were able to sample in the shop; it was light and refreshing. I'm going to have this at my apartment in Vermont to share with my roommates and friends when they come over in order to exemplify a little Turkish hospitality. 

We had dinner a block away from the spice market at Hamdi Restaurant, apparently the best kebab place in town. We sat in the upstairs room that had a beautiful open window overlooking the waterfront. Once again there was way too much food and I was way too full by the end of the meal. We started with cheese, bread, soup, a fried meatball that had cashews inside with the meat, and a mini pizza-like appetizer. The main course was chicken and beef kebabs, of course, with rice and a grilled tomato. We finished our meal with baklava and Turkish tea. I swear I'm going to gain at least 10 pounds by the the end of this week.

To end the evening we went to see the HodjaPasha Dance Show, live music and dance show. This show features a variety of folkloric and oriental dances as well as live music samples of the region by the alarurca band. The dances are from different regions of Anatolia; in addition, there are solo oriental dances with modern choreography. The theater is a 550 year old Turkish bath that has been restored to accommodate the theater. It was built by Hodja Sinan Pasha, a teacher and vizier to Fatih Sultan Mehmet during the 1470's. In 1988 the Turkish bath closed and began it's transition into a theater. 

The show was a combination of dance and musical performance. The bad had all sorts of instruments that aren't generally played in the United States, especially together in a band. There was an accordion, drums, tamborines, an instrument that looked like the bells but with strings like a harp, and a woodwind instrument that looked like a mix between a clarinet, a base clarinet, and a bassoon. The range on that instrument was incredible and the musician was a true artist playing with such ability. All the musicians were absolutely incredible. At one point the man on the bongo drum was soloing and he sure could move his hands. It was unreal how incredible the drumming was. Each finger took turns tapping on the drum, all in perfect time. The position of his hands changed the pitch of the sound. I have never been so entertained by a drum solo, and I've seen a lot during my marching band and winter percussion days.

Now to get to the dancing. After the band started with an opening song, all the dancers filed out from behind the curtains in outfits of every color. The opening dance appeared to tell the story of a man and woman getting married followed by a celebratory dance of joy and happiness. There was a lot of hip shaking, shimmying, and leaping through the air. Our seats were in the front row, but it was a circular theater with only a few rows, so there was no bad seat in the house. Because it was such a small theater, the performance was up close and personal making me feel involved and invested in the dance. 

Another incredible dance was with two different groups of men sword fighting. When the metal swords touched, sparks would fly. The rhythmic sounds of the swords clanking and feet stomping created an exciting performance. The movements were fluid and there was great elegance as they jumped, skipped, and leaped through the air.

Even the men knew how to shake their hips. A man dressed in full length blue unitard with rhinestones and sparkles came out for a solo. I've never seen a man shake his hips so well. He was dressed very femininely with beautiful eye makeup. We were curious whether this was part of the culture or whether his intentions were to be feminine. Either way, I was very impressed by his moves.

 

Another impressive performance was a woman all in blue belly dancing. Apparently something about the color blue brings out the dancer in you. As the show came to a close, it was nice to see everyone out on the stage together enjoying what they were doing. Dancing is very similar to music in that it is a universal language. There may be different styles of dancing that have evolved, but once you put on your dancing shoes just let the music take it from there.