Istanbul

Galata tower, next to where we are staying for the next few days in Istanbul

That welcome, unwelcome feeling is back. In a new place. In a new city. Lots of baggage. Lots of movement. At 6:30am this morning when jet-lag set in and I was up and wide awake at the sound of the first call to prayer, my mind started spinning.

Istanbul. I have finally arrived after months of anticipation and a hard last semester at UC Berkeley. It feels strange to be in another foreign place again, but then again I think I am getting used to feeling uprooted. And with the comforts of two good friends I met this Summer in Uganda, being in Istanbul does not feel so out of place for me.

I am here for only a week for an extended lay-over before my next journey begins in Accra, Ghana. During this time Hannah, Sara, and I hope to explore the large mosques, palaces, bazaars, as well as the best hidden restaurants and cafes, given as recommendations from Hannah’s friend.

Istanbul has long been a city that has mesmerized me and I can already feel the electric rhythm of the city, as my expectations have not let me down.

 

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