Latviskas Lieldienas turku gaumē

čau mazie!!
arī mēs šeit izdomājām, ka vajag pakrāsot olas un vairot prieku pasaulē (ani, sani!!)....

tāpēc ar Lieni katru nedēļu ejot uz pirmdienas bazar, vācām sīpolu mizas - turki pirms pārdošanas notīra no sīpoliem lielāko daļu mizas un met turpat zemē zem galda. un mēs kā mācēdamas mēģinājām ar savām turku valodas zināšanām un roku kustībām parādīt, ka mums vajag to daļu no sīpoliem, kas mētājas uz zemes. viņi tā diezgan dīvaini uz mums skatījās, bet beigās maisiņu ar mizām dabūjām....protams, ka apkārtējie par mums kārtīgi pasmējas, bet toties nakamājā reizē uz reiz saprata, ko vēlamies.

sestdienas vakars. visinteresantākā olu svētku daļa. uzaicinājām pievienoties Denis (čehija) un Quentin (francija), jo viņi nekad nebij dzirdējuši par sīpolu mizu magic! beigās ne es, ne Liene netikām pie olu krāsošanas, jo abiem pušiem tie bij lielie prieki. arī mūs flatmate bija starā, ka ar var jautroties virtuvē.  nosākuma tika izmantoti mazie ziediņi un lapiņas, ko es atradu tuvējā apkārtnē, bet pēc tam puiši jau rakājās pa visiem plauktiem virtuvē, lai atrastu smieklīgākās, stulbākās un garšigākās idejas. jums vajadzētu redzēt prieku un izbrīnu viņu sejās, kad tinām ārā olas....katra ola tika apbrīnota un apčamdita neskaitāmas reizes.

"tā ir kā spēlēšanās ar ēdienu, tikai šajā gadījumā mēs varam spēlēties ar ēdienu to nesabojājot. neviens mums nevar aizrādīt par to, ka ēdiens pēc tam vairs nebūs ēdams"   (par olu krāsošanu)

svētdienas rīts. tiku sista pēc visām čehu tradīcijām ar pomlazka, ko es pati arī iemācījos uztaisīt! (Dāvi tu tādas ar taisi un dzenā meitenes, lai viņas būtu veselas un apprecētos?!) tad sekoja Lieldienu brokastis, kuras, kā jau tas man ir pierasts Turcijā - zemē, kur nekas nekad nenotiek laikā, - ēdām ap 3 dienā. bijām diezgan raiba kompānija - 3 LV meitenes, LT meitene, mana interesantā turku flatmate, un pa puisim no TR, FR un CZ, - un sarunas par tradīcijām katra dzimtajā valstī....(piem., Francijā viņi ēd tikai šokolādes olas. miiiiilzīgas šokolādes olas!!!) arī olu kaujas viņiem patika...tikai viņi bija gaidījuši kaut ko brutālāku un sāpīgaku...mūsu flatmate no sākuma mums gribēja aizliegt svinēt Lieldienas, jo viņa domāja ka mēs skraidīsim pa dzīvokli un mētāsimies ar jēlām olām!!!
v'elāk, protams ar pārbāztiem vēderiem, devāmies arī uz bērnu laukumiņu šupoties un ripināt olas pa slidkalniņiem, kas protams nebija tā ģeniālākā ideja! pārējiem liekas, ka šūpoties ir stulba ideja! bet viņi jau neko nesaprot!!! beigu beigās turku jaunatne mūs brutāli padzina no spēļu laukuma ar savu pārlieku lielo uzmanības pievēršanu un jaukšanos pa vidu mūsu bariņā. nekaunīgākie puiši pat sekoja mums līdzi uz mājām (kas meitenēm ar pieredzi Turcijā un turku čaļiem, nemaz neliiekas jauki un smieklīgi)

nu jaaaa...manas Lieldienas bij tikpat krāsainas un raibas kā sakrāsotās olas turku sīpolu mizās!!!
 see ya

The Best Things About 8 Days Long Holidays

   1st Day
Our team: Denis & Jiri (Czech) and me & Liene (Latvia) and Whitty (Fiat Uno).
Our destination - Izmir.

In the evening, of all day driving, we ran out of gas. We were stuck on a hıghway about 20 km before Izmir. Nice! Only option what we had was to get our car backwards to previous gas station. It was interesting- it was dark and we saw only the lights from other cars which were passing by. Everything ended well because of helpfull people in Turkey :).

At the end we all came to conclusion that all this happened because we hadn't named our car. So, we did it! We called it Whitty and futher trip she behave good.

  
   2nd Day
Ephesos- a big complex of ruins of city from Ancient times.
In theatre we watched a performance by Denis!

(Adam, our Turk friend, was our guide for 4 days what we spent in Izmir.)

The best thing about Izmir:
The Eyes of Izmir- in the middle of dark mountain there are two lights that look like eyes. Theese eyes are watching what is happening in Izmir and we saw them from almoust everyplace in Izmir at night time.


   3rd Day
We had breakfest at seacoast where we were waiting for boat to Other side of Izmir. We ate our bread and also we shared it with pigeons around us.

Everytime when we stopped for tea or food, me and Liene, we ate a lot of sugar for energy. So, boys came up with idea that Turkish sugar makes us crazy! Why not?!!

The end of this day was very beautiful.
We saw the sunset in Izmir. It was amazing! Realy amazing

.

The Night.
At night Adam took us to a place which is his uncle's favourite place in Izmir. He showed us a different culture in Turkey. It was place where singers are gay people. It was my first time for this kind of place! It wasn't so bad to see something like that.

 
    4th Day
The main day of Bayram.

Adam took us to his family home. At the begining I felt little awkward because there were all his family members and they all were dressed up. But we just had our 'trip clothes'. But at the end it was good. His family liked us and we also had to be in family picture!


   5th Day   
In this day we went North from Izmir to Bergama. Our targets were Askleipieion and  Akropolis.

For me, Akropolis was the most beautiful ruins from all Ancient cities that I saw. This place is on top of mountain and all around where I looked the view was amazing. And we also saw a sunset there!

For all days only thing that was missing for us was few hours more with daylight. Everyday sun went down before 5 p.m., so all places for tourists were closed at that time.

Last evening in Izmir we spent sitting on seacoast and watching the lights of city in the night. Just relaxing...
I made two paper ships and send them to my country by putting them into the sea. Maybe around this time they are finally in Latvia!!! :)
  

   6th Day
On the morning we had our last view to Izmir from Izmir Castle.

Then we went futher to South. Our final destination was Bodrum.

On our way we stopped at Priene what is also a place from Ancient times. There we tried how it was to sit in theatre on chairs for the most important persons and watch the performances. While we sitting there we picked up an idea that we are like 4 elements. So, each of us choosed his/her element. (I was fire, Liene- earth, Denis - air and Jiri - water.)

The main thing for this day was to find candles because it was 18th of November and at this date we celebrate Latvian Independence Day. Ofcurse, we couldn't find them but in one shop we got something better than candles! - In last shop where we went in, there was 3 men and they were realy friendly and they also wanted to talk a lot with us. When we had answered all questions the owner came to us and as a gift gave some kind of Turkish sweets. And we asked what was that ( It would be better if we never ask!) and younger men were laughing and said: Eat it. It's good. It's Turkish Viagra!!!
Ouhh, Thank you!
(Ofcurse it was normal candy but the way how they presented it was really funny!)



The best part of this day was conversation about room in one of hotels in Bodrum:

   -Can we all, 4 of us, stay in one room with 2 beds?
     -Are you couples?
   -Yes. So, it is possible to stay n one room?
     -Are you crazy?!! In one room? No, I cant do that.

We realy shocked the guy but at the end (when we said that we are students and we have no money!) he let us to stay in one room with reasonable price.
In Turkey I have learned- sometimes there are situations that it is better to say that boy next to you is your boyfriend!!!


   7th Day
'Doing Nothing' day!

All day we spent on the beach. Laying in the sun, swimming in the sea and relaxing.


   8th Day
Direction- back home.
Noone of us wanted to come back...

On our way back we stopped at Pamukalle- beautiful but realy touristic place!

Around 11p.m. we returned safe back home at Eskisehir.
We had approximately 2000km of Turkey. And there are so many km to see more...

See ya!

Me and boys in Turkey

Hmm... my relationships with boys from Turkey..

Generaly, I dont have big problems with people from Turkey. I have been in some uncomfortable situations but always everything ends in a good way.

 I know one thing why all relationship-situations are not so complicated in my case:
When I meet new people, mostly they are thinking that I am from Turkey (ıf they dont know that I am Erasmus student). And when they fınd out that I am not from here, they still say that I am lookıng like Turkish girls! Maybe good, maybe bad for me...:)

•    Bad Example

We were talking with guys from one turkish rockband. It was realy nice and interesting conversation. Later they invited us to join them and go somewhere else. Liene wanted to go with them, so I had to go, too. But I said that I will go only if Denis ıs going because I started to fell uncomfortable in their company.
There was one man who paıd all his attention only to me and he tried to speak with me. But he know only some words ın English and it was hard to make conversation with him. Most of the time, while he was trying to talk, he 'stepped out of the line of friendly conversation'.
I asked Denis to help me: Be my brother, boyfriend, husband! Whatever you want to be. Just get him away from me!!!
So, Denis tried to explain the situation to Turk guy and at the same time acting like my boyfriend. Aaoh, that guy became mad and angry, and also agressive. He dıdnt lıked our ıdea that I have a boyfriend! All the time he tried to come closser to me but I was just hiding behind Denis.
At the end he wanted to have fight with Denis!!!

When we reached the other place there were 2 Turks who helped us to solve this situation.
Afterwards I felt realy confused and also bad. I dont want to have situation like this again!

• Good Example 

One day I was waiting for my flatmate somewhere in the center. After half an hour of waiting she called me and sid that she cant go outside because of the rain. I was smiling about it because it was only small rain, nothing to worry about.
At the same time one Turk man from a shop next to a place where I was standing, came to me and asked some bassic questions in English about me. Then he said that he want to talk with me, if it is possible, because he wanted to to improve his English.

I spent almoust an hour talking with him on the street next to his shop. (He also made a small tour around his shop for me!) We drunk a tea outside on the street- it was unusual  and suprising for me. But, why not?!!- the Turkish way! :)
When I get realy wet and cold because of rain ( I didnt want to stand inside in his shop because I felt uncomfortable there) and I said that probbly its better that I am going home, he gave me his business card. He said that I can call him if I have any problems here, in Eskisehir. It was realy nice from him.
And so we said godbye to each other...


All in all, I like those Turks whom I have met in shops or on the streets. Always they are friendly in a good way and they have lots of interesting things to tell. I like to have a conversation with them!

In my first days, weeks in Turkey it was strange, sometimes almoust difficult to contact with boys and men from Turkey. But now that all seems easy and good! - I have get known the way how to communicate with them and I also know what reactions from their side I can expected.
And my thoughts have canged, too. In a good way!

Turkish Markets

Since I am in Eskisehir, almost every Monday I go to market because it is on the street near to my flat.

When I am walking around I feel almost lost there. Everything around me happens in Turkish – sellers are saying out loud words in Turkish to catch other people attention; it seems that everyone there, I mean costumers, has his/her purpose for being there and they know what they are looking for. For me it’s different. I am just walking around with no purpose or destination and if something catches my eyes I will buy it.

But when I want to buy something it takes a time to do it. I haven’t met yet seller who speaks English. Because of that, I have to explain what and how much I want to buy with my hands. But I don’t mind because everytime it is working.

The most favourite part of Monday Market is after it, when everything is ended.

Every Monday evening around 9 p.m. I walk down that street to Delmundo for ‘Passport beer’. Everytime I see how it looks there. Always I am shocked about it. All street is a big mess of garbage. For me it is strange. I am not used to thing that people leave everything of their trash on the street. There are plastic bags, different types of paper and lots of smashed vegetables and fruits on the ground. The smell is not nice, too. I always have to watch my steps! But it is good that next morning the street is clean again.

All in all, I like to go there every Monday and buy some fresh vegetables or fruits!!!

Turkish Traditional Coffe Houses

On a sunny Monday day I and Liene went outside to go to the tea cafe near our house.

Since my first day in Turkey I wanted to visit one of traditional tea drinking places: sit on the street on a small plastic chair and drink a tea. (This homework was good opportunity to do that!)

First when we stopped outside of cafe I didn’t feel like going inside because place only with grown up and old men doesn’t look tempting for me. But then one man who is working there came outside and said something in Turkish to us. Thanks to his body language we understood that he is inviting us in. We followed him inside.

First feelings inside were quite strange but first impressions were good. I liked that everything was so simple and at the same time homely.

We sat down for tea and started watching around. Next to our table was a group of men who were playing ‘number game’ (gamed called Okey). At that time we had no idea about that game because they played it diffrent than I know how to play it.

In the middle of our first tea, after friendly invitation Liene joined the game table. But I stayed at my ‘safe’ place because for me it takes some time to feel comfortable in unknown place.

It was interesting to watched them. All men were talking in Turkish. In English they knew only some words, for example, ‘one, two, three’, ‘bad’ and ‘good’. Anyway, they tried to tell us something about the game. After some time watching them and drinking tea I understood the basic idea how to play. It became interesting and interesting to watch them in processs of playing.

The most I liked that they did every move connecting with game with a big sound!

I enjoyed our ‘conversation’ what was happening through the games. It’s interesting that in situations like this when different languages are like a wall between people, they can find other ways of communication.

We spend there more than 2 hours and I even didn’t noticed how fast time was going.

Now when I am passing over that cafe the man, who invited us in, greets me.

We definately will go there again to play games!