Cumhuriyeti Video

Today was Cumhuriyeti, which I guess means Republic Day. This year's Republic Day was particularly nationalistic, some friends told me, because of recent attacks by PKK rebels on Turkish soldiers. It was very interesting. The parade, which really consisted of thousands and thousands of people walking down one of the main thoroughfares, began in Ortakoy, where I live, and ended in an area called Besiktas. There were a lot of Turkish flags and a lot of chanting, but overall it was pretty festive. I guess the chants had something to do with their soldiers dying, Turkey remaining a secular democracy, long live Ataturk, etc. The fireworks were actually better than anything I'd seen in the U.S., and it was very cool to see how much Turks love their country. Sometimes I wish young people in the U.S. had such a sense of ardent patriotism, but I suppose right now there isn't much to foster solidarity. Turks seem to see the usefulness in demonstration as well, and I think that's something that we're missing in the U.S. too. The last time I remember so many people taking to the streets were the immigration protests in the summer of 2005. I hope we never forget our right to dissent.

I posted some pictures of Cumhuriyet on my facebook, and you do not need to have facebook to see them. The link is:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055376&l=429cf&id=26310454

It's basically a bunch of flags and lights. My photos make it look much less interesting than it really was. Also, I posted video on youtube.com but right now the video is still loading, and I need to go to bed. I'll post the link tomorrow. Well, I hope everything is going well with all of you. Feel free to email me any thoughts, comments, criticisms, etc, at chip_hubbell@yahoo.com. Chao for now.

Wow, a post!

Ok, the blog is back! I have to apologize for not keeping in touch with you all, but I didn't have internet in my apartment until a week ago. So, you're probably struck with a mild interest in what is going on with my life here in Turkey; otherwise, why would you visit this site, right?

Well, work is going ok. I teach 9 1/2 hour days, and it's starting to wear on me. Because of the extraordinary trafic problem in Istanbul, an otherwise 30 minute commute to school in the morning turns into a one hour+ commute home in the evening. I don't get home til after 6pm, and I feel like that's really no way to live. My solution? We will see.

I generally spend my weeknights at home reading a lot, writing a little bit, or trying my hand at traditional Turkish cuisine once in a while. Weekends I spend with friends, but this weekend is huge. Do you know why? Because the Red Sox are back in the WS, baby! I've been getting up at 4am to watch the games, and while I'm dead tired during the day, I'm wicked excited at night because we are just bashing teams all over the field.

News about Turkey: it's hard to imagine Turks being any more nationalistic than they already are, but in the last week there's been a wave of ultra-nationalism that ranks right up there with immediate post-9/11 America. Turkey has recently moved into Northern Iraq to attack PKK terrorist camps, against the advice of the US. That combined with Monday being Republic Day (celebration of the founding of modern Turkey) results in an insane amount of Turkish flags, hanging from houses, cars, lightpoles, trees, skycrapers, bridges, etc. Also, American sentiment is pretty low right now because of the Armenian genocide bill going through the US House.

Anyway, it's Sunday and I'm about to take a walk along the Bosphorus. It's been very cold and rainy lately, so today is a nice change with lots of sun.

That's all for now. Kendinize iyi bakin! Sizin seviyorum!