Most people usually think of skyscrapers and lake parties when they think of Chicago. I, however, always get stuck on how freezing cold it can be that my mind refuses to think of anything more. One of my friends is an international student there, and I decided to take a trip and see her– only because it’s summer-time. In fact, I told her she probably won’t see me again until next summer because I refuse to freeze to death up there.

So, I booked a ticket.

I arrived in the evening at the Chicago O’Hare airport. Someone told me it was a beautiful airport but I wasn’t impressed. I was also peeved because the car rental spot was far from the terminal. There was transportation provided so that helped.

From there, I caught an Uber to her place in Schaumburg. We stayed up and talked for a while– it’s always a pleasure to spend time with Ozge. I think we fell asleep around 1:00am and I was already beat! So, I slept in the next day. We went to an Asian bakery and cafe for breakfast. We both tried something new. I loved it, she didn’t lol. She explained that Turks don’t usually have sweet breaded foods in the morning, but have savory ones instead.

I tried to see as much as I could (we’re talking “affordable to free” kinda budget). I was able to see several spots but of course, there was still plenty more to discover.

We figured it’d be best to rent a car instead of ubering to from and throughout downtown Chicago. Plus, we’d have more freedom and we’d be able to better optimize our time.

Our first stop was Montrose Beach. There were pockets of people enjoying time with their friends and families on the grassy knoll with a small grill. Different music genres in various languages filled the air.  Up ahead, there was plenty of sand between the greenery and lake – it was low tide. We took a long stroll and found a couple spots for great pictures. I’m sure the pics would have turned out even better during sunset.

We worked up an appetite and began searching for vegan-friendly deep dish pizza. Earlier one, before my trip, I found highly rated places for deep-dish pizza and cookies but I lost the list! We found a place called Giordano’s – Famous Stuffed Pizza. Fresh Italian. They didn’t have vegan cheese so I ordered a greek salad and fries. My friend ordered a thin-crust veggie pizza.  I tried her pizza and it was so good. *begins salivating* I can’t believe I didn’t get vegan cheese pizza while I was in Chicago… *sigh* The fries were good, but it was waaay too much for one person. I accepted the challenge anyway.

 

The next day was much busier. The first stop we Garfield Park Conservatory. It was a hot

day so the air conditioning was definitely bumping.  It was free, though they kindly suggest a donation, of any amount, to help with maintenance. I could have spent a few hours there. I mean I could live in a conservatory.

The best places for relaxation often have natural lighting, greenery, and the sound of trickling water. I’d also recommend this place for a date.

Having a hitlist of places you want to check allows you to see more of the city and surrounding neighborhoods. I happened to see three buildings in a row just like the one I dreamt about not too long ago. If you know me, you know I don’t believe in coincidences 😉

 

Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain was the next stop. It’s apart of the Chicago Park District. This was the only part of the park I stopped at but I was able to glimpse at other sections. Next time, I’ll be sure to scope the entire park out.  The fountain is in the middle of a large plaza accompanied by a couple food vendors and benches for resting. As you’re walking up to the fountain, you’ll notice the immediate backdrop is the blue sky and when you pan to the left, you see downtown Chicago. More of the park is to the right but the aforementioned views are photo-worthy.

Parking downtown wasn’t as difficult as I anticipated, thankfully! But it can be pricey, especially because there are time limits and you can easily go over (or under) the predicted time of your visit. There were a couple locals who saw us struggling with whether or not the car was in the correct zone – each time, it wasn’t. I imagine if I were in

 NYC, I wouldn’t be so lucky.  

On to lunch! We stopped at Plymouth Restaurant and Bar. I sat outside and got to admire the surrounding architecture while enjoying my veggie wrap with a side of fruit. There was a subway that came around about every 10 minutes. This was my first time watching one move throughout a dense population and positioned above traffic. Mist would spray about every thirty minutes along the perimeter of the patio. It was thoughtful, but no one wants a shower while eating their food.

 

With my newfound energy, I checked out Millenium Park (where you can find The Bean aka The Cloud aka The Gate), strolled along the riverwalk, and grabbed some delightful ice cream… mind you, I am against dairy but it was hot outside and the sample was to die for, so I did the right thing and bought that doggone ice cream. Fannie May is where I got my cowmilk dessert along with some tasty Mint Meltaways for my family.

Chicago is my favorite big city, thus far. I know I’ll be back, so stay tuned because next time I want to find hidden treasures and less touristy locales.

I promise there are other places I’ve been to and that I’m interested in exploring. It’s just that I’ve been longing to come back to Turkey. At the time, I was in a place where I didn’t have much to lose and decided to take advantage of the moment.

So, your girl bought a ticket and waited for May 31st to roll around.

***I used this website called “Airfordable” to reserve a flight. It allowed me to make payments over time because I wasn’t gonna spend $950 upfront if I didn’t have to. That link will give you a $25 credit, btw. ***

I put money aside for upcoming bills and I did as much independent contracting as I could to fund my 18-day trip.

Full disclosure: I still touched some of my savings and had assistance from my amazing friend, Julian.
Thanks for looking out!

The Departure

Raleigh, NC to JFK New York
JFK New York to Sheremetyevo, Moscow
Sheremetyevo, Moscow to Istanbul Airport
Istanbul Airport to Anakya Hatay

I flew with JetBlue, Aeroflot, Pegasus and Turkish Airlines during my entire time abroad. New York to Moscow was about 9 hours (and the noisiest international flight I’ve ever experienced – thank God for earbuds). Oddly enough, I began to feel overwhelmed and claustrophobic during the last hour (I had a window seat). The flight attendants were great and I was never hungry – so that’s a huge plus.

A few things to keep me sane:

• a book (Woman Who Run With the Wolves)
• laptop with downloaded Netflix movies,
• a journal,
• Duolingo app

I wish I’d bought a kindle along and a larger power bank for my laptop because there were no three-pronged charging ports. They only had the one for USB  – which charged incredibly slow on the plane. But I survived, lol. After landing, I headed to baggage claim but mine was nowhere to be seen. I saw a couple familiar faces waiting and I later learned that anyone flying from JFK usually experiences delayed baggage if your connecting flight is in Moscow. What a pain, indeed. No worries though, because I kept all essentials in my carry on – including a bathing suit 😉
There was a three hour break between my arrival to Istanbul and my last flight of the day to Hatay. I watched a couple episodes of She’s Gotta Have It and took a nap in the middle of the airport on a large circular cushion. I balled myself up and got comfortable. After long flights back-to-back, you care a little less about what others may think because you’re so t i r e d and the only things on your mind is personal space, comfort and rest.

İskenderun, Hatay

Before I proceed, I gotta give a big thanks to the lovely, Özge Turhan! She is such a great host and friend (Turks are pros at hospitality). Spending time with her family was a heartwarming experience – one I’ll never forget. I’ve never visited Hatay before and I was excited to fly into Antakya, formally named Antioch. I was greeted by Özge, her sister and brother-in-law. We had a dish called hatay tava with a yogurt drink called ayran.

Disclaimer: I usually do not consume dairy and I rarely eat meat (especially red meat) but I had to ease up a little bit.

 

Jet lag was taking its toll on me, so we kept activities light for a couple days. Özge and her family moved into their vacation home and we walked around the neighborhood. I checked out the Turhan Furniture store and I was so mesmerized. The quality was perfect and I kept finding sets (on each floor) that I’d love for myself. I wonder if IKEA has anything on them? If they ever begin shipping overseas, I want to be the first to know. I met cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. I tend to be shy at times, but for some reason I felt super comfortable around new these new faces. I had 0 social anxiety – I wasn’t fidgeting, no nervous sweats, and my throat didn’t feel like it was closing up. I’m sure there were a few factors which played into my comfort… Oh, and my taste buds were finally reunited with Turkish breakfast! I feel nostalgia now as I reminisce.
One day, I’ll prepare a small version after I learn how to make gözleme.

 

If you’ve never been to a hamam, then you’re missing out. Public bathing should still be a thing in the States. Maybe it is, and I’m just in the dark about it *shrugs*.
We went to the V.I.Park Spa & Wellness and came across more than I anticipated. This place was decked out. There were massage rooms, a steam room (I’ve learned I strongly dislike these), a sauna, a relaxation room and of course the hamam. After changing, we took advantage of the steam room & sauna. The lady who washed us was Moroccan and made light conversation. It was just us three and this large beautiful room where anyone could spend hours. The bathing experience was different from the last because there was a sudsy wash at the end (after the exfoliation) and then a shampoo. When we were through, we retreated to the “Rest Room”… haha.. for turkish çay and coffee.

 

Afterward, we went to the food court in a nearby mall and I ordered kumpir. It wasn’t like kumpir from Ortaköy but it was still tasty. It’s a baked potato loaded with your favorite toppings, though they usually mix butter and cheese before you begin (I decided to opt-out). We went to a salon, Aysha Zumrut, for mani/pedis. It all seemed promising but little did I know… there was pain up ahead. The place just opened, but now that I look back, I don’t recall seeing any cosmetic licensure posted anywhere. This was a telltale sign of the quality of service I was soon to receive. My pedicure was so painful, they cut way too low, I saw flesh 😦 They only applied one coat of polish and no base or topcoat. I refused to get a manicure but Özge endured. We were definitely better off without this experience. If I ever decide to get my nails done in Turkey again, I’ll be sure to be thorough and super picky about where I go. She’ll get the spa experience she deserves when we meet again! We had this rosewater dessert that evening called bici bici (pronounced “bee-gee bee-gee”) that allowed us to forget the pain… for just a moment.

 

June 5th was my last full day in Hatay. There was a wedding in the evening but earlier that day there was “Henna Night”, though this one was held during the day. I marveled at the staircase in the groom’s home. I don’t see marble staircases often, so you’ll have to excuse me. We went to the mall midday and ate at Big Chefs. Özge got a mouth-watering quesadilla and I ordered a colorful bulgur salad (but somehow it lacked flavor). We relaxed for a bit and then headed to the wedding. I was afraid to dance (told ya I’m shy!) but Özge’s mother encouraged me, so I went up. I’m glad I did, otherwise, I would have regretted it. Initially, I was moving to the music the way I normally would but I didn’t want to draw attention so I attempted to blend it. I still felt out of place but I was reassured I danced well, after I took my seat again.

 

The next morning I left for Istanbul. I’ll see Özge again in Chicago (I’m looking up flights in a separate browser as I type!).

Istanbul 

Oh, my long lost Istanbul. The largest, most over-populated, sensory overload destination, chaotic, busiest and overwhelming city I’ve ever visited. Some things never change.

Fun Fact: It can take your body 3-5 days to recover from jet lag. I started to feel normal after 6 days… until I got on a plane again.

source: medicinenet.com

When I landed at Sabiha Airport I met my friend Ömer and we took a loooong bus ride back to the European side. All I wanted to do was stretch out and rest because I felt exhausted. But instead, we met some of his friends at a hookah lounge and later tried some lokma (fried dough balls with super rich melted chocolate).  Later on, we raced go-karts. I was hot and tired and afterwards I had a splitting headache but I ‘m pretty sure I came in first place 😉 so it was well worth it. I met his sister, brother in law, niece, brother, and mother while I stayed in Istanbul. A quick side note: meeting so many family members during my trip made me realize how much I want (and need) to spend more time with mine…

 

One thing I didn’t get to do during my time there in 2015, was see Miniatürk – which is a park that features all the sightseeing locations in Turkey, on a small scale. It takes a couple hours to see everything and read the descriptions. I planned on going to Trabzon this time around but that didn’t happen, unfortunately, due to poor planning and other reasons. I wanted to see the Sümela Monastery built into the side of a cliff! I was able to see it in Miniatürk though, I suppose that will do for the time being.

 

I lived in Ataşehir, which is on the Asian side, while I studied abroad. My studio was right next to Yeditepe University and there was a coffee shop called Kafeinhouse where I spent plenty of time. I couldn’t wait to go there and see familiar faces – Sinan and Mert. Mert wasn’t working at the time but Sinan was there! He wasn’t sure it was me at first, but after four years, what are the chances? He gave me a free slice of cheesecake! I didn’t care that it was cheesecake – I had a sweet tooth and I was in one of my favorite places while feeling immense nostalgia! In the evening, Ömer and I went to the Watergarden. I should note that around this time, I began feeling uncomfortable (no worries! nothing too crazy) and wanted to travel alone. I made plans to check out Antalya!

 

I returned to the Kafeinhouse to meet my other friend Çağan. It was so refreshing to see him! We had so much to catch up on and it felt as though we never stopped talking. I hope we continue to stay in touch over the years. He caught a taxi with me and took me back to where I was staying and we planned to meet later that night with his friend. There was a bar called “Lâl” in Kadıköy and the vibe was perfect – also not too many people were there, which I loved. When it was time to say goodbye I cried… I truly wish I connected to more people at home the way I connect with people in different countries. I was sad to say goodbye but also overwhelmed with happiness that I was able to spend quality time with an old friend.

During our conversation, I realized (in the most innocent way possible) how I have a tendency to fall in love with everyone I meet.

 

Antalya

A Breath. Of Fresh. Air. I want to say that I was finally able to be alone while here but that wouldn’t be entirely true. I stayed in two different hostels and met some great people in shared rooms and I also met some interesting characters (well, one in particular) while exploring the area. I stayed in Old Town Kaleiçi, at Marina Hostel first. My room had 4 beds and there wasn’t much space. The first day I spent walking around trying to learn the area. I quickly realized it was like a maze, with my poor sense of direction. I found the Marina and sat there for a while.  A couple guys sat next to me and offered me some roasted sunflower seeds… Emrah figured I didn’t know how to eat them and showed me how. I laughed on the inside. His friend was more subtle and laid back. These two were like day and night: Emrah was animated, passionate, eager, assuming and annoying at times while his friend was calm, articulate, and observant. Needless to say – I felt 80x more comfortable when his friend was present.

 

And the next day is when I began to feel like I’m actually on vacation again. I planned to meet my newfound acquaintances at Konyaaltı beach. I decided to walk there (it would have taken an hour and thirty minutes). While on my way,  I saw a kitten sanctuary outside and it was absolutely adorable. I can’t believe I didn’t take a picture! There was a donation box available. The funds were used to help support the stray cat families in the area. As I continued, I felt a tap on my shoulder and there was Emrah’s friend! What were the odds?! He let me know that Emrah was at the beach already and that we had a long way to go… so I tagged along with him on his moped. My cell phone was in my back pocket and for some odd reason, I felt like it’d be safe there since I was sitting on it but noooo. My phone slipped out of my pocket and fell on the street. A lady in a black car pulled up to let us know. I was forever thankful. We turned around, found it and continued down to the beach. The screen was shattered and barely functional. I refused to let it bother me because I had so much newness around me to experience and explore, plus, I wasn’t too far from my hostel to worry.  The water was frigid and the pebbles were warm. The friend ended up leaving early so it was Emrah and I but he said another friend would come soon. This other friend also turned out to be more cool, calm, and collected than Emrah! His name was Kadir. They swam a bit as the sun began to set and then we went off to get some waffles! I love waffles with fruit topping and chocolate syrup <3. I didn’t realize it until I was halfway done that Emrah had stopped engaging with us. Kadir and I were chatting more and exchanged Instagram names.

It’s almost as if everything I went through happened so I could meet this man.

 

The next two nights were spent on Konyaaltı beach with Kadir. I had good company, midye, moonlight, and the Mediterranean Sea. The most intriguing thing was how we had to be intuned and aware of each other’s energy – mainly because we didn’t speak the same language. Thank God, for Google Translate. But even that had its limitations. We were both careful not to offend each other and to tried our best to communicate clearly. Kadir was observant and made sure I was comfortable while in his company. It’s a delicate dance, learning new people. It’s even more fragile when there are language and cultural barriers but we learned to navigate it all… and that’s the silver lining.

 

 

Reflection

Overall, I think 18 days was too long but I don’t regret any of it. I just know next time I would do some things differently, most of all – speaking up for myself. I also realized how much I internalize my emotions and that it’s okay to let some things show. It’s interesting because I feel like I’m an expressive person but not so much when I’m offended, angry or feel disrespected. Most of the “bad” or “negative” emotions I experience, I try to keep to myself. I’m still learning how to be my own advocate. Another thing I learned is to not argue with ignorance. It’s a complete waste of energy – no matter how much you want to shed light on a thing, it will only exhaust you. Trust me. This trip also reconfirmed a few things:

• I like love my space,
• transparency is non-negotiable,
• and when you feel butterflies – act, don’t hesitate.

That’s all I’ve I got! Who knows when I’ll be back but I know I’ll return again.