Approaching the holiday season was a little difficult for me because I have the most wonderful holidays in the States with my Champaign family and also with the family at my Uncle Sam’s. This year, I was preparing myself for a blank holiday season. I knew it would be a lot different and had tried to focus on my work and not so much on what I would be missing.
However, for the Muslim holiday of Kurban Bayramı *sacrafice holiday* I planned a trip back to Vienna, Austria with my friend and co-Fulbrighter, Christina. We had both lived and studied abroad there years before. We thought it would be an amazing thing to just go revisit the city.
So when the weekend rolled around, I took a bus out to Istanbul, where I was reunited by several other traveling Fulbrighters. It was really fun to hear all the different stories and experiences- though many were more “bitch-sessions” where we would all talk about the hard positions we have been placed in. However, after a good rant, we all had great stories of success and great times. I was also able to spend some time with my travel partner at the Turkish palace and harem. It was so different from a European castle…it just flew better and was obviously built for comfort more than ceremony.
On the Sunday before we flew out to Vienna, we had a big night out on the town that resulted in a VERY early next morning. We had a shuttle pick us up at our hostel at 7am or so which was tragic since we got back to the hostel around 4:30am! Let’s just say that it was a long difficult road to get from the hostel to the airplane :/ but we were in good spirits because we were going to Vienna!
It is hard for me to describe Vienna. It has a special special place in my heart for some reason. I feel so at home when I walk the streets and interact with the people. Christina was in charge of booking our hostel and she got us a realllly nice one, the Wombat. I recommend it to all! It is close to the main shopping road, across the street from the West Bahnhof (train station/ metro stop) and just a most welcoming place! A lot of my friends in the States don’t know what hostels are and think of that horror movie that came out a few years ago, but they are wonderful. Do your homework, read the reviews and book responsibly to enjoy a cheap way to sleep while traveling!
When we go our stuff unpacked and a little nap out of the way, we were delighted to find the city had turned in to a Christmas wonderland. The whole city was like being inside a snow globe. Yes, it’s kitschy and touristy, but it was great! There were Christmas markets all over with trinkets and hot Glühwein, spiced (mulled) redwine - so nice on a cold night!
We made friends with some people at the hostel and went out one night with them. We were in the Museumsquartier drinking hot wine for a long time. It was magical.
I got to meet up with a couple of friends while there! My friend Dani, a native Austrian who had been at U of I the year before, joined us for some Turkish food as we had to locate the Turks of Vienna out of curiosity.
Speaking of the Turks of Vienna, I was told that of the very large population of Turks in Vienna, some 80% of them come from my area, Yozgat! That is crazy! I also got this number from my former Turkish roommate, Can (Pronounced John). I met up with him after 3 years. He was more than impressed that I could speak his language. We all went out for some Glühwein and a beer. It was with him that I experienced something very interesting… it was the looks I got from others when speaking Turkish. Of course to the untrained ear, I could be speaking gibberish, but I could tell that when people heard me speaking Turkish they acted a little differently and I even got some ugly looks! Just in the few short hours that we were talking in Turkish made me want to return with a more refined Turkish and do a little study on how I would be treated in Vienna as a Turk vs a German speaker. I think I could trick the Viennese to believe I were native enough to come up with some interesting results!
I was also able to reunite with my former Head of Dept. back at UIUC. She and a few other profs were in Vienna coincidentally at the same time for a seminar, also coincidentally, put on by Fulbright. I got to have dinner with them and discuss my endeavors here in Turkey. Small world J
Christina and I spent many magical moments in Vienna and were sad to leave. Some of our moments we shared together, though, were hilarious. We noted how ruled-oriented the Viennese are vs the Turks. The concept of waiting for a pedestrian light was almost ridiculous to the both of us as in Turkey you look twice and RUN!!! We also had a big laugh when we were walking around late and came on a place where we thought we would have to make a little jump only to find the clever Viennese had put a small step… something that would NOT exist in Turkey. We laughed about it!
We got back to Istanbul to have a few more great moments there. It was sad to part. I doubt that will be the last time we travel together this year!! Before going back to Yozgat I had the opportunity to attend a Beşiktaş soccer game. That is one of the 3 main teams- all of them from Istanbul. The team actually lost based on some really bad officiating. The crowd definitely let them know how they felt at the end when they were throwing anything and everything that wasn’t attached onto the field! Good times.
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