The PA System of Istanbul

So apparently, everyone in the group was roused early by the call to prayer, except me...because I sleep like a rock. I was most excited about hearing the call early in the morning, but alas, I missed it. Although, it is broadcast over the most ridiculously loud PA system on every minaret in the city five times everyday.
After being woken up by my phone's alarm at 8am, I shuffled up to breakfast on the fourth floor terrace that overlooks the old city and the Sea of Marmara. After a filling meal of bread, cheese, yogurt, and olives...just kidding I was still starving...we got on the bus with our guide Erman. We took a lovely panoramic tour of the city and stopped at various locations to acquaint ourselves with Istanbul. The most memorable of stops were the Grand Bazaar, the largest covered bazaar in the world, and Taksim Square (where the October suicide bombing was).On the last day of the year, I indulged in my favorite food, rice wrapped in grape leaves and some baklava. Mutlu Yillar! (Happy New Year)


-Tinkerbell

Around the world in 19 hours

After boarding the airplane, I watched the Lufthansa screen map until we left United States airspace.  Approximately 7 hours later we landed in Frankfurt.  The plane landed on the tarmac and we disembarked on stairs, immediately heading onto a bus which took us to the terminals.  The bus doors closed and the bus started, jerking all of the passengers backwards and forcing them to clutch onto the handles and poles on the buses, and in my buddy's case, my arm.  Once we arrived in the terminal, we sat in a large circle, blocking all of the traffic coming from the terminal's entrance.  A while later, we made it through German security, and after a few refreshments, we boarded a two hour plane to Istanbul.  We arrived in Istanbul without the Turkish professor, and soon found our bus.  The bus took us to the opposite side of the city, to Sultanahmet, where we would be staying for the next week.


-Major

The Amazing Race pt. 2

My Turkey buddy was gone…. Wheel and I packed quickly after receiving the news that we would be leaving on the 8:30pm flight. We made plans to travel with another student on the trip to the airport. I hastily returned the movies, DVD player, sheets, blankets and pillows to the Senior Assistant Director and gave her a quick call to let her know that we were leaving. We would be getting a ride from some friends and after bullying them into leaving around 3:30pm, we were on our way. After an entertaining trip to the airport, Wheel and I got in line to check our bags, however upon surrendering our passports the Lufthansa folks told us that we did not have confirmed seats on the plane and that we would have to go talk to the reservations desk. We got in line at the reservations desk and waited for a good 10 minutes before anyone could help us. In this time we saw two other classmates running to make the 5:35 plane to Frankfurt. The reservations attendant told us the same thing as the Lufthansa people and after some haggling on both sides we were given seats on an earlier flight: the 5:35pm…it was 5:17. We were rushed back to Lufthansa where our passports were scanned, our bags were checked, and we were given boarding passes. An attendant was provided to escort us to the gate, and we made it through security in a record 5 minutes. We were dropped at the gate, only to discover that our entire class was sitting in the waiting area and that the plane had yet to board and had been delayed due to gate availability. And so, the buddies were reunited, and everyone was flying together except for our Turkish Professor.


-Tinkerbell

The Amazing Race

Just as Tinkerbell, Wheel and I solved the Word Strength puzzle for the day (customized) my phone rang. An unknown number, with a familiar area code appeared. "Hello?" I answered. It was the Art Professor wife. She instructed me to pack my belongings and meet in front of the Arts Center in 15 minutes! I quickly threw my clothes into my bag, as I explained to my roommates that I was leaving to catch a flight in merely 3.5 hours. However, they wouldn't be, instead leaving on a later flight. I departed telling my roommates that I would miss them.


While waiting for my ride to arrive, I met Rafi, a senior on the trip. A few minutes later, the Art Professor and his wife arrived, and we departed for Newark again. After arriving, we found the group members who had already arrived. For the next hour, we fought with Lufthansa to get tickets for the plane. Cutting it very close to our 5:35pm departure, we headed to the security check, and made it through unscathed. At the gate, we discovered that our flight was delayed 45 minutes. While waiting, I received a text, We're here. Looking around, I spotted my former roommates standing at the gate!


- Major