Dorm Cats

Ohhhh dorm cats. We hate you. Sorry bout it. Our windows don't have screens, and it's hot here so yes they're going to be open. No you can not keep trying to get in. This is a serious issue.

Can't believe we thought you were cute and funny the first day. How wrong we were!

Yesterday we enjoyed a cup of tea at a cafe overlooking the good 'ole Bosphorus in downtown Sariyer. Incredible views.

I want to talk about how little I know about the transportation here. Only because I think it will be hilarious to read at the end of the trip haha. We think that we're getting pretty good at the dolmus (mini bus) but there's really no description of how to do it anywhere because it's such a locals only type thing. You basically hop on, pay the driver (we usually guess 1TL, and if he start talking we hand him another haha). What I mentioned before about the dolmus was the very first time we got on one, it was packed full of people and they all started handing their money to other people to hand it up to the front to eventually get to the driver. It was this crazy sea of people handing things up and then handing back change and Emily and I were just kind of lost in it. It was great! Such an incredible moment of community.
Other than the dolmus, we are good at getting the shuttle from west to main campus, and we have tried the big public bus once (we don't have istanbulkarts, and you can't pay with money, so a guy paid with his card for us and we tried to pay him back and he just waived us off. So nice). We almost tried to do a ferry today, but ended up napping and it got late. Tomorrow we'll take a bus to the last metro stop, then take the metro into the center of Istanbul.

We're doing very touristy things tomorrow, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia etc. I can't wait. Yes I'll take lot of pictures, mom.

Food again:
We had street corn yesterday! I was like a giddy child. So wonderful. Then we got hit on while just trying to mind our business and enjoy a typical street corn while gazing out at the Bosphorus. Some people.

And here is a typical cafeteria lunch at work. So amazing and they are actually giving us meal tickets now so it's free.99 (that usually sounds better out loud, hopefully it's understandable). The small green things are the fruit that I was describing the other day, I believe it's a type of plum.

Me at work with the classic Turkish tea cup. They are EVERYWHERE! So good for my British roots.

Gorusuruz,
M

P.S. Attaturk is tied with tea for abundance. The man was obviously an OG.