Silifke [Greek: Σελεύκεια, Seleukeia, Latin: Seleucia ad Calycadnum] both a municipality and town in Mersin Province which is home to some fabulous sites of antiquity, many of which can be explored freely on foot, or observed passing by on newly paved highways and village roads. The quality and variety of objects on display at Silifke's city museum is thus … Continue reading Silifke Museum
Category: Turkey
Last summer I visited Uzuncaburç, an ancient settlement with a handful of local inhabitants located in Silifke distict of Mersin province four kilometers from the larger ancient regional capitol of Olba. A Hellensitic settlement which served as a place of worship within the Olba territory, what I found compelling visiting this place was the vivid … Continue reading Uzuncaburç
I’ve been writing this for a long time. I remember sitting and sobbing on my balcony in Southwest So scared Sure, I was excited Today I’d call it heycanli But fear of the unknown Of non comprehension Of safety Clouded my eyes “What am I going to do?” I implored to sometimes roommate, sometimes guru, … Continue reading Sitting on a Balcony / Refractions / You Can’t Go Home Again
I was given the opportunity to speak at a symposium organized by the International Relations Department Student Organization at my host university two weeks ago. Though very excited for the chance to talk about women's status, I was more than a little intimidated at the prospect of doing so in Turkish. I wrote an original … Continue reading Ortadoğu Kadınlardaki Statüsü: Gözlemler ve Engeller
To celebrate Thanksgiving 2014 I visited the central-eastern Turkish city of Tokat, joining a group of Fulbrighters for a potluck dinner. While in Tokat I was able to spend some time sightseeing in the city center while spending plenty of time in fellowship (pun intended) with my fellow grantees and our Turkish guests. Before I … Continue reading Tokatsgiving
I make okra. What? The Egyptian Lenten fast is 55 days long (out of about 210 days in the year... The Copts take their religious dietary restrictions seriously, it seems). The fast calls for an entirely vegan diet over those 55 days, excluding all dairy, meat and fish products. I'm not a regular practitioner of … Continue reading I don’t always follow the Coptic Lenten fast, but when I do…
A cohort of Fulbright ETAs, myself included, descended on Istanbul once again this fall to participate in the Istanbul Marathon. It was a great weekend of re-connection with Fulbrighters at the two-ish month mark (and a homegirl from last year flew in for it, lucky me!) as well as a time of reflection. Last year's … Continue reading Istanbul Marathon 2014
Over Halloween 2014 weekend I traveled to the Aegean coast to celebrate the holiday and do some sightseeing. I stayed with a friend in a unique area of Izmir called Bornova, which I had yet to visit. I had a great time spending a day wandering and site-seeking Bornova's famous Levantine architecture. I'm always intrigued … Continue reading HallowIzmir and a Day-trip to Çeşme
Winter has truly arrived here in Kirikkale. Frigid temperatures and a blanket of snow have descended on the city, prompting my hibernation and hot plate to go into full gear-- roads haven't been plowed and a trip down the street to the grocery store seemed daunting and fraught with slip-potential. I decided to make do with … Continue reading Yabancı Chicken Freekah Soup
This meal combines tastes and adapted recipes from the Maghreb to the Levant to Anatolia. Nohutlu pilav, or rice with chickpeas, is a street and home cooked staple, often served with boiled shredded chicken. Because I used canned chickpeas, I began by preparing the rice and then added the chickpeas on top towards the end … Continue reading Easy Vegetarian dinner with tastes of the region
tess m. waggoner 