Istanbul, One Year Later

Whoa! It's been awhile...

The news of riots in Istanbul, Turkey have prompted me to write again because I've been thinking about my time in Istanbul last year.  I was there at the end of May 2012. I absolutely loved being in Turkey. The culture was amazing. I had been away from my home in Nebraska for about three months, traveling throughout Europe. However, Turkey felt the most different from any place I had been to yet.
  The Turkish people have such a strong sense of culture and belonging, you couldn't help but love the atmosphere. From their food, to their clothing and their every day daily life, life in Turkey revolved around their culture.
  My mom had been in Istanbul 34 years prior, and was shocked when she returned with my dad and I at how Westernized the city had become. Yes, there were McDonalds and Pizza Huts located every few blocks, but they were only a minor blemish on the cityscape that holds the magnificent Blue Mosque and the legendary Bosphorus Sea. Of course the people and the cities of Turkey would develop and things would become more commercialized than they were three decades ago.
  However, despite American companies and brands being present, the Turkish people have not, and will not, forget their traditions. While we were there, the government wanted to transform one of the mosques into a museum for tourists. Praying would no longer take place in the mosque. Instead, it would hold daily tours. This outraged the people of Istanbul. See, for anyone that hasn't visited the city, it is so hard to imagine the atmosphere within Istanbul. When the call of prayer comes over the loud speakers, the prayer is blasted through the streets and can be heard from almost anywhere. It is a spiritual connection that is held over the entire city, not just confined within the building of the mosque. I witnessed a protest, as the people of Istanbul took to the streets and marched, standing up for their beloved mosque and doing everything they could to save it from becoming just a museum. I recorded it, and you can watch here:

As you can see, the people of Istanbul feel strongly about their heritage, their culture, this part of their every day life. However, despite the chants, it's clear this was a peaceful movement. Watching the protest in person gave me goosebumps, as I watched hundreds and hundreds of people march for something that was so important to them.  It seemed unfair they would have to struggle with anyone trying to monetize their sacred building. 

  This leads me to today. The people of Istanbul are protesting the demolish of the Gezi Park. The park is in the city center, and it's the last green space left. Istanbul is an astonishing 13+ million people in population, and the amount of buildings on top of buildings is truly remarkable. This last peaceful pristine place is planned to be turned into a shopping mall by the government. Understandably, the people of Istanbul are upset, and began peacefully protesting, sitting in the park, and doing their best to stand up for their space, yet again. 

Have you seen this photo? It's protesters in the park practicing yoga together. Not too intimidating, are they? 

Associated Press photo

The Turkish government has responded by blasting the protesters with teargas. The protests have since become violent, prompted by angry protesters and angrier riot police. To date, over 3,195 people have been injured in the protests. That number is almost unimaginable to me. This photo, and article, explain better than I can:

Read the article by The Guardian here.

It makes me sad that the people of Turkey have to struggle so much in order to stand up for what they believe in. It's a good time for all of us here, in the safety of Nebraska and elsewhere in the United States, to remember how fortunate we are.
  One of the biggest things to me about this issue is the fact that I'm not sure many of my peers would care at all if the government changed one of our churches into a museum or a park into a shopping mall.  It's a good lesson in remembering what's really important in life and to always respect and honor our traditions and culture.

Thinking of you, Istanbul.

XO