Impression of Istanbul After learning about the dormitory of Istanbul University (an ordinary shop for 20 people), I decided to rent a house outside.
I booked a youth hostel in the old city, stayed for two nights, and after 30 kilograms of luggage a year left, I began to contact the landlords who informed me in advance online. According to the standard of doing things in Turkey, sure enough, only one of the three people contacted asked me to look at the house according to the contract, and the other two either went back on their word or went up in smoke.
I got on the light rail tram, from the old city full of historical sites and strong sightseeing atmosphere to the new city. The main hub connecting the old and new urban areas is Galata K? Prüsü). When you first see this bridge, you will be surprised by its versatility. In addition to allowing cars to pass and pedestrians to walk, the two-way light rail tram runs in the center of the bridge. The double-layer design of the bridge itself allows the lower floor to accommodate a whole row of seafood restaurants.
The most special thing is that no matter whether it rains or blows all year round, you can always see groups of fishermen on the busy sidewalk on the bridge deck, waiting for their prey to bite. Most of the anchovies caught here are relatively small anchovies, and some fishermen fill a whole bucket of fish and sell them directly to restaurants under the bridge. But many times, these restaurants don't like the people above, whether it's just for fun fishing or to earn extra money. When there are too many guests fishing on the bridge deck, the beautiful seascape of the restaurant will be affected. I have also seen the embarrassment of fishing lines hitting waiters.
You can enjoy the fish you just caught in the open-air seat of the restaurant under the bridge, accompanied by the clang of light rail trams passing by the bridge; Across the sea, enjoy the undulating buildings on the hills along the Asian coast and the city ferry that shuttles back and forth at dusk. Thick black smoke emitted from the chimney of the ferry. At this time, the new mosque in Golden Horn Bay (Yeni Kami) is quietly broadcasting the call for worship.
In the center of Istanbul, you can always see the sea, the streets are always full of traffic, and all kinds of people are mixed in the alleys without urban planning. It is hard for newcomers not to be attracted by Istanbul's unique religious atmosphere, modern but ancient, beautiful but chaotic.
The landlord Matt got off at the second stop after sliding into the new town, followed the map route, climbed a small slope and found the apartment. I was greeted by Matt, a 26-year-old Turk.
The first and second floors of this five-story apartment for the elderly are antique shops run by the elderly. Matt just rented the third floor here not long ago, and the two extra rooms were also rented out. But on closer inspection, it turns out that he separated the living room with a large number of apartments as his bedroom, and the other two were the real rooms. He showed me the big one.
Although the layout of this room in Qiping is irregular, it has a whole outside window and good lighting. I can look out of the window and see the landmark of the new town in the distance-galata. The furniture in the room is also minimalist, especially the walls of the whole apartment, including my room, are painted in beautiful gray blue, giving people a very calm and comfortable feeling.
I praised the beautifully decorated apartment and asked about his occupation.
"This is all my friends and I painted together. Matt said, "I graduated from the product design department of Istanbul University of Science and Technology. After military service, I went to work in a design company, but I wanted to do more projects of my own, so I went out to start a business with another classmate. This is our base. 」
This area is Beyo (Beyo? Lu) Cihangir community, with Taksi Mu and Independence Street (? Stikal Caddesi), which can be reached in ten minutes' walk. Even so, it is a quiet community with convenient living functions. The downstairs of the apartment and the nearby streets are antique shops, and local Turks or tourists will come here to look for treasure.
Matt said that in the 1970s, Cihangir was still a dilapidated community, but because of the low rent, it began to attract some artists, writers and intellectuals to settle in, and restaurants and teahouses were gradually established nearby. In recent years, due to the change of work style, many designers like him have begun to gather in this area, and trendy coffee shops and various small shops have also opened.
Time can change what we see, hear and feel. Under this constant common sense, the style has changed, the taste has changed, the values have changed, and finally people have changed. The fate of Istanbul seems to be the best interpretation.
Sudden surprise: I think all kinds of stereotypes and prejudices about Turkey in eastern and western countries are due to its strange country name, Turkey in English, with the same name as the delicious turkey on the Thanksgiving table in the United States. Ancient china was rich in porcelain, so English China became synonymous with China, which has been used until modern times; Japan has developed lacquerware, and the English word Japan for lacquerware has since become the name of Japan. So, why is Turkey called Turkey? Is it because turkey is native to this area?
Totally wrong. Let me explain it separately.
The word "Turkey" has been used as "the land occupied by Turks" since14th century, that is, from the period of Ottoman Manchu Empire to Asia Minor (or Anatolia) where the Republic of Turkey is located today.
In neighboring East Africa, there is a bird called Zhuji, which looks like a turkey. It has colorful feathers, a bald head and a red sarcoma on its neck, but Zhuji is relatively small, and there are not so many sarcomas on its neck. At that time, guinea fowl was introduced to the European continent from East Africa via Asia Minor. Europeans think it is a native variety of Otto-turkey, so it is called turkey-hen or turkey-rooster for short. In fact, turkeys are native to North America. When the colonists brought the turkey back to Europe from North America, because it was so similar, Europeans mistakenly thought it was a guinea fowl from Asia Minor, so they mistakenly called it a turkey. Because of this series of misunderstandings, Asia Minor, originally called Turkey, shared this name with Turkey. I think the Turks are also very helpless.
English names have such a problem that Chinese translation is not much better. In ancient China, Turks were called "Turks", meaning brave and good at fighting. In modern times, we call them "Turkey".
Most of the translations of country names are transliteration, some are literal translations in English, some are based on local languages, and some are based on meanings. Finland, for example, is transliterated from English Finland (Finnish is Suomi). These two words are very positive when taken apart, and people will associate them with beautiful images such as fragrance and orchids. Another example is the German Republic, which was translated from German Deutschland, rather than from English to German. Germany, literally, gives people a sense of perseverance. As for Iceland, it is taken from Iceland, not the island.
It is unknown who made this provision, but since there are so many choices in the translation of country names, the translation of the name "Turkey" is not ideal in my opinion.
The interesting thing about Chinese is that words with the same pronunciation may have different meanings. When we see the word "earth", it is usually not very elegant and beautiful. Students who study Turkish are often ridiculed that we are friends of "natives", speak "local dialect", eat "local dishes" and go to "local country". I wonder if the translator has a particularly negative impression on this country.
If translated from Turkish Türkiye, "Turqiye" may be the closest; But if the literal meaning is too vague, I think "Turk" will be a better choice. Because living in this country, there will be "sudden surprises" occasionally. Does it sound dreamy and interesting?
"So, what do Turks know about China and Taiwan Province Province?" I asked matt.
"In fact, I just ran to the toilet and read Wikipedia information about China and Taiwan Province Province with my mobile phone. You speak Chinese, too, and you have a historical relationship with China. In addition, I only know that Taiwan Province Province in China is an island in the Far East. You don't know what you eat, what customs and culture you have. " He replied with a smile, "but after knowing you, I think I will gradually begin to understand, which makes me feel very happy." I have never been so far away. 」
Istanbul has a pleasant climate in September. Sunlight shines into the room through the whole glass window, and the air is filled with the smell of seawater. Occasionally, I can hear the clear and loud cries of seagulls. I found my home for the next ten months on the antique streets of Istanbul's European coast.
The cost of each stay should be registered at the International Student Affairs Office of Istanbul University before the start of school. There is a beautiful Islamic archway at the school gate, but it is blocked by an ugly fence because of the new subway station. I am not allowed to enter the campus through the underground passage of the noisy construction site. When I came to the building of the International Affairs Office, the guards stopped me as soon as they saw me and asked me what I wanted. I said, I'm an exchange student and I want to register.
"Where are you from?" "Taiwan Province Province, China." "ah! How is your kung fu? I love Jacky Chen! Uncle said happily, posing for a fight. Several other guards at the door also leaned in.
Generally speaking, Turks think that there is no difference between China, Hongkong and Taiwan Province, China. The impression of Chinese people is that Jackie Chan plays martial arts movies, but I don't know anything else. When they see the Japanese, they always say in a frivolous tone, "Wow, pick it up." Knowing that you are Korean, I immediately jumped "Gangnam Style" in front of you; Sometimes when you see Asians on the road, many people greet you indiscriminately in various ways. After a period of psychological adjustment, I have become numb to this situation. I said half jokingly, "I'm going to beat your teeth all over the floor!" " "They are very happy.
In fact, these guards are all good people. They told me which floor to go to, and I have to tell them when I come to school in the future. Although it's a bit puzzling, I think their work is really depressing and they need to have some fun. Say that finish, this group of guards with black tea, smoking at the door.
When I came to the office after a farce, the clerk just said, "Oh, are you the new exchange student?"? Journalism department? Then you go to the Communication College and ask. " Send me away. I went to the student affairs office of Communication College and asked, and they also said, "This is not our situation. You must get the student documents from the Office of International Affairs. 」
After returning to the international affairs office and conveying the words of the person in charge of the School of Communication, I called impatiently to confirm, accused the other party of improper handling on the phone, and finally quarreled; I had to stand in the office innocently and watch the undertaker handle your papers with a dirty face.
One of the best tricks of school staff is to "kick the ball" and play you around. The boundaries of job responsibilities are not clear and there is no so-called standard. Then I learned my lesson. When they start kicking balls at each other again, I will say, I have just been to that unit and they want me to come over. Although it is inevitable to see them questioning each other into the microphone, at least someone will deal with it eventually.
This is Turkey. Anything can happen. A few days later, I took my student id and related materials to the foreign affairs police station to apply for a residence permit. I went there four times before I officially handed over the information. They won't announce the latest demand for application documents, and everyone can only ask around like a secret recipe.
At the school briefing, the Turkish student in charge of guiding the application process said awkwardly: "The policy changes from time to time. For example, you don't need to attach a rental contract last week, but you need it this week. Even if you go to different windows, the police will ask for different documents, so help yourself. I am surprised that they can throw such an irresponsible answer.
When you enter the police station, there is no sign telling you where to go and how to get there, so you have to ask people everywhere, and the other party will only give you an uncertain or irrelevant answer like "go there" or "ask him".
Finally, I saw a room with a large number of foreigners gathered at the door. There was no number plate to draw and no staff to greet me, so I took the initiative to arrest a policeman and told him that my appointment was at nine o'clock. He looked at his watch, wrote a big number 3 on my file, and then walked away quickly. At the peak of the long queue, the undertakers left their jobs and playfully moved to the rest area to play with their mobile phones, leaving the processing window empty and letting us outsiders wait outside.
When it was my turn, I saw that many foreign students had study partners to help them. I asked the foreign student next door what school he went to. He said it was private, while his Turkish study partner said that public universities like Istanbul University are not managed by their study partners, and students usually solve them themselves, unlike some private universities that even help international students apply in a unified way.
What makes me even more ridiculous is that no one can speak English in the institution that specializes in foreigners' residence permits. I saw someone speaking English to the police, but was answered, "No English." The foreigner was speechless on the spot. Then, the police asked me to act as an interpreter in a very arrogant tone, and he took it for granted.
When I finally got the papers ready and came here for the last time, I found that he was not there, and there was a very beautiful girl in a floral dress sitting on his seat. She picked up my certificate, checked it and accepted it, telling me that the residence permit would be sent to the school in fifteen days. At this moment, the policeman came over with tea and a smile, kissed his girlfriend and greeted me. People who have been bossing me around with a straight face for the past three times should say hello to me. He must be in a very good mood because of his girlfriend's presence.
When you go to the Istanbul office, you will see the parents, boyfriends, brothers and sisters of the staff visiting from time to time. At this time, they will put down their work at hand, completely ignore the people who come to handle affairs, and talk directly in all directions.
This kind of behavior is really pleasing and often makes people jump, and Turks are not ashamed to laugh at their country's casual attitude. When faced with a situation, they always shrug their shoulders and say, "That's it anyway. Or take a cup of hot tea, sip it slowly and say to you helplessly, "This is Turkey, and anything can happen. 」
When you come to Turkey, the first thing you experience is "patience", and then you have to find a solution calmly. I find that many Turks are still stuck in bureaucracy, especially in public institutions. They think, "I am the boss here. If you want to find me a job, you must look at my face first and deal with it when I am happy. 」
Living in Turkey, I learned to read minds and tried to "fight feelings" with them. Whether you go to a government office, eat in a restaurant, buy a ticket and so on. Talk to them more, especially as a foreigner. Turks are actually hospitable and enthusiastic by nature. When you enter their circle, they will be happy to help you solve your problems and even want to make friends with you. Although the method of "fighting feelings" took a little more time, the effect achieved was very worthwhile and tried and tested.
As for the wayward, reneging and inefficient behavior style, it will really drive people crazy, but on second thought, this is reality. It's no use being angry again. You can only do more homework in advance, consult more experienced people and travel by yourself. The problem will eventually be solved. If you change your mind, the impact on your life and mood will be much smaller.
For several months, I have been dealing with and tracking some trivial matters. Whenever I come home, Matt and his designer friend who is working will tease me: "Did you get the residence permit?" 」
This sentence became their greeting when they saw me that year, and I was not angry at all: "Now, if someone asks me why I came to Turkey, I will answer that I am here to cultivate my self-cultivation. They smiled and said, "Welcome to Turkey. 」
Why learn Turkish? Because of Matt's work, I can often meet some local architects and product designers at home. People come and go, and they are also interested in the fact that there is a Turkish-speaking province in Taiwan Province, China in this apartment, but most of the questions are: "Why do you want to learn Turkish?" "Why did you come to Istanbul?" "What are you going to do in the future? 」
Every time I am asked, I always think to myself, "Being asked in Taiwan Province Province of China is not enough. Even if you come to Istanbul, you have to be investigated. But I can understand that this is a suspicion or prejudice in almost everyone's mind, regardless of nationality, and some people even find it incredible.
Nigeria's friend Matt returned home after graduating from Harvard University. He stopped by Istanbul for business reasons. He listened to my story, stared at me with bright white eyes and said, "A province in Taiwan Province, China, learning Turkish? What are you thinking about? 」
Seeing this reaction, to be honest, I was disheartened. During my four years in college, I have been constantly questioned by this kind of question, and my original enthusiasm for learning foreign languages and cultures has been constantly worn away. I asked myself several times, do I know what I am doing? Also influenced by others, consider changing the runway.
But my father said to me, "Keep studying and have a chance to visit Turkey. Although you may not be engaged in related industries, this process will be a nutrient for your future life. 」
He said that no matter what subject you study, four years in college or your future career, it is nothing more than cultivating and mastering these three abilities: communication and adaptability, cross-disciplinary and diversity, and problem-solving ability. What kind of department to learn, or what kind of work to do, will certainly focus on these three abilities. We only learn and present these abilities in different ways or angles according to our personal interests.
I agreed, and I began to adjust my mentality and get rid of the utilitarian departmental myth that "what I read must be finished".
Being in different countries and cultures, there are indeed some rules that are offensive or beyond our standards. As my previous experience. In this process, I have been adapting to the Turkish style and trying to solve the problem. When renting a house outside, try to communicate with people of different nationalities, both good and bad. Because of Matt, I came into contact with unfamiliar design knowledge and unconsciously crossed into another field. All this happens naturally in life, and it is also the best learning opportunity.
Turkey is a country with a long history and profound cultural heritage. Because of its geographical location, demographic characteristics and ethnic and religious diversity, it has also brought many positive and negative influences to this society.
We are in Asia, but we often look at some countries that we think are backward and war-torn from the perspective of western mainstream media. For example, when it comes to India, stereotypes are a society with frequent news and distorted caste system, and then criticize with high attitude, but rarely think seriously. They are overtaking China step by step. Why? When it comes to Turkey, it will be associated with radical Islamic terrorists and equated with danger, just because most of them believe in Islam?
The French are lazy, we will say it is romantic; Middle easterners are lazy, so no wonder they are so poor. Many impressions are influenced by consequentialism and the media. For a long time, the thinking mode of people in Taiwan Province Province of China has been kidnapped by the media, and they are habitually extreme or superficial. I don't want to live in this shadow. I don't think I am a natural anti-bone, or a person who emphasizes that everything should be special. I just want to really understand the world, choose different places to go, and learn and hone myself through the most practical contact.
After I say what I think, whenever Matt sees me being asked a similar question again, he always helps me answer before I speak: "We can learn English and German. Why does learning Turkish seem to be a special function?" 」