Lale May - June 2019

FUN IN THE SUN

A MAGAZINE FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN

Issue 05 May - June 2019

CONTENTS 02 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LALE FEATURES 04 KEYSTONE SCHOOLS TORONTO INTERVIEW 14 GOURMET BAKLAVA AT KARAKÖY GÜLLÜOĞLU 16 WALK ON THE WILD SIDE GALATA IN-DEPTH 30 STUNNING VIEWS ISTANBUL’S SUNRISES AND SUNSETS

LALE LIFE 03 FROM THE KITCHEN Making Mujaddara 06 IN YOUR WORDS More Time 08 WORLD REFUGEE DAY Helping Refugees in Turkey 09 GLOBAL DAY OF PARENTS New Motherhood 10 CELEBRATE Ramadan and Eid/Bayram 20 HANDICRAFTS Nine-Patch Project 24 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY Homemade Products 26 POETRY CORNER Emotional Verse 32 MOMS N KIDS Colorful Butterflies 36 IWI MEMBER PROFILE Celia Zeilberger 38 HIDIRELLEZ Istanbul’s “Cinco de Mayo” 42 RECOMMENDED READING Suggestions for Bookworms 44 TRAVEL Myanmar and Bodrum

LALE AROUND TOWN 12 FIRST IMPRESSIONS A Visit to Istanbul 13 HAZY DAYS Istanbul Fog 22 MANY NEIGHBORHOODS Across the Bosphorus 28 VEGGIE DELIGHT Cooking Class 29 PASTRY PERFECT Class with Amanda Erdogan

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34 WOMEN’S DAY IWI Walkathon 34 WELLNESS LOUNGE Relax and Unwind 40 OUR CITY Istanbul Diversity 41 CALENDAR May and June Events and Activities 50 COFFEE MEET-UPS Asian and European Side Bonding 51 MOMS N KIDS Weekend Forest Walk

LALE DIRECTORY 52 CLUBS, GROUPS, AND ASSOCIATIONS 54 CLASSIFIEDS 56 POLICIES

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letter from the editor

As the seasons change once again, the days get longer and the weather gets warmer.

April showers have brought May flowers, the blossoms have bloomed, school is out, and now it’s time for some fun in the sun!

It’s a good time to introspect on how far we’ve come and where we’d like to go. It’s also a good time to appreciate our accomplishments and reward and encourage ourselves for the achievements we’ve made.

And it’s the perfect time to plan a getaway, have a picnic, start a new hobby, or pick up a new book. Whatever your interests are, we hope that these exciting pages can give you some ideas and inspiration.

Happy Summer from the LALE team!

Sara Hassan LALE Editor lale@iwi-tr.org

BOARD of LALE IWI Office Hours: First Wednesday of the month, 10:30am to 1:00pm. Answering service available every working day Adres/ Address: Esentepe Mahallesi, Büyükdere Caddesi, Ecza Sokak. Pol Center No: 4/1, Levent, Istanbul – TURKEY Telephone: 0212 705 6215 www.iwi-tr.org

Dergi Adı / Magazine Name: Lale Yayını Yapan / Publisher: IWI International Women of İstanbul, Dernek Kod: 34-64/027

Adres/ Address: Piyalepaşa Bulvarı, Kastel İş Merkezi B-Blok Kat 5 Kasımpaşa-Istanbul Sorumlu Yazı İşleri Müdürü / Responsible Editor: Yasemin Kunze Adresi / Address: Piyalepaşa Bulvarı, Kastel İş Merkezi B-Blok Kat 5 Kasımpaşa-Istanbul Yayın Türü / Issue Type: Yerel Süreli Tasarım / Design: Marlet Corporate Publications www.marlet.com.tr +90 216 386 32 16

İrtibat Adresi / Address: Esentepe Mahallesi, Büyükdere Caddesi, Ecza Sokak. Pol Center No: 4/1, Levent, Istanbul – TURKEY

Matbaa / Printer: Marlet Print Solutions Fener Kalamış Caddesi: No:30 Kalamış / İstanbul www.marlet.com.tr +90 216 386 32 16

İmtiyaz Sahibi / Licensee: Yasemin Kunze

Basım Tarihi: 24.04.2019

Official Facebook page: facebook.com/lale LALE MAGAZINE TEAM Advertising Coordinator Berenice Kafui advertising@iwi-tr.org Features Editor Sara Hassan lale@iwi-tr.org Cover photo by Pixabay

LALE MAGAZINE is a bi-monthly publication for international women. Our aim is to connect women, to share information, and to help the city feel like home. We cover a range of topics from the arts, business networking, culture, food, health, travel, social responsibility, style, and more!

To learn more, contact lale@iwi-tr.org

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From the Kitchen

Recipe and photos by Nancy Jibbe

MAKING MUJADDARA If you’re looking for a quick and savory dish to serve this summer, try cooking this simple and healthy recipe. Nancy Jibbe shares with us the easy steps to making mujaddara, a mouthwatering delight popular in the Levent region of the Middle East.

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups short grain rice (or 1 cup coarse bulgur) 1 cup black or green lentils 3 cups water 4 small onions Olive oil 1/2 tsp cumin 2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS Wash your grains before cooking. There is no need for soaking. Boil the lentils until mediumsoft. Add the rice, cumin, and salt to the boiled lentils, and then add two tablespoons of olive oil. Let the rice cook until the water has fully evaporated. Ensure that the rice is fully cooked before serving. Add more water if needed. In a side skillet, caramelize the onions that have been sliced into thin strips in olive oil. When the mujaddara is ready, garnish with the onions and serve with plain yoghurt or a side of shepherd’s salad.

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Keystone Canada

Feature and photos courtesy of Keystone International Schools

INTERVIEW WITH DOA DEMIRSU Keystone International Schools have their main campuses in Istanbul. But they also have a North American school based in Toronto, Canada that follows the Ontario curriculum. Here is an interview with the school’s Director that sheds some light into their program.

Doa, would you kindly tell us who you are and what you do?

I grew up in Turkey until the end of middle school and moved to Montreal to continue my education. After completing my secondary school in Montreal as an international student, I went on to complete my Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Massachusetts. During my university years, I completed internships in Switzerland and China. Upon completion of my degree, I realized that Canada felt most like home to me, so I moved back and started my first permanent job at Scotiabank, one of the four largest in Canada. I worked in various positions, including on the investment, mortgage, and commercial banking sides. I always knew that one day I would run my own business; corporate life was a learning experience. I volunteered in various non-profit organizations that had different mandates, from social justice to health to education. I moved to Turkey to help my mother as the Keystone International Schools were growing at new locations.

I mostly worked in organizational development, and curriculum implementation, before starting Keystone International Secondary School in Toronto.

How did you come up with the idea? Why did you decide to start a school?

It was a natural progression for me. I started to feel passionate about education while working at the schools in Istanbul. I understood the curriculum and observed the delivery and constantly contemplated about how it could be done in a better way. I believe that there is a very high correlation between curriculum delivery and student success. Especially during the teenage phase of their lives, it’s important to keep them motivated. Students do better if they understand the whole picture; why they are learning what they are learning.

If they can relate the material to their own lives or their surroundings, they will remain interested.

Apart from the curriculum delivery, the most important piece that contributes to their success is their emotional well-being.

Nobody wants to go to work where they don’t have a healthy relationship with their boss or their coworkers. Teenagers feel the same way towards school. It’s important that they feel happy and rewarded. When they feel that way, they will naturally excel.

Could you tell us about your school briefly? What makes Keystone unique?

Keystone International Secondary School is a young, dynamic, boutique secondary school, located in the heart of Toronto.

We are inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education on a regular basis. Although all Ontario ministry inspected schools

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teach the same curriculum, the delivery of the curriculum differs based on the vision of the school.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I will learn.”

We strive to involve students in their own learning experience.

Teachers are not lecturers but are facilitators in the classrooms. Furthermore, whenever we can get away from the classroom (weather permitting), we make sure to do so.

Every subject has a relation to the real world; it’s far more interesting to go check out some super structures and think of the physics behind them, see live art pieces and discuss them at the museum, or play card games to calculate probability for math class. For demand and supply in economics, we observe a product over time to see the effect on sales. All these experiments keep students interested and make learning easier, fun, and most importantly, permanent.

I also think that we are unique because we have a really great mix of local and international students, from Montenegro to Japan to Iran. Furthermore, our classes have an average of 12 students in a close-knit community atmosphere, this is really important because each student is accepted as a natural member. This ensures that each of their international and cultural views and values are accepted and appreciated equally while their rights and opportunities are also equally protected and reserved.

Students generally have no idea what they want to do in life, how do you ensure that they choose the right path for themselves?

Honestly, it’s very early for most teenagers to be choosing at 16-17 what they will do for the next 40-50 years of their lives, but this is the education system. Having said that, I think that the world is very different now from when I went to high school, with so much more access to information, and we ensure that we utilize it to show students that there are many professions out there beyond what we were exposed to during our youth.

Keystone is located in the heart of Toronto, renowned as the financial capital of Canada. As part of our program, students get the chance to make visits to the world’s top companies, meet high-level management teams, and witness real life success stories. Getting an insider look at the various different roles at work, students are able to make sound decisions for their future studies and chosen areas of expertise. They visit laboratories to observe researchers, see the fun working spaces of tech start-up companies, and hear the life stories of doctors.

Thank you. Do you have a final message for families or students who may be considering continuing their education in Toronto?

If you are considering continuing your education in Toronto, I would advise to start high school as early as possible.

Students adapt a lot easier at earlier ages; understanding the education system, getting familiar with the universities, their programs and the requirements. This puts them at a much better advantage of understating their options and getting accepted to their programs of choice. Furthermore, getting a high school education in Canada definitely will ensure their continued success in their university years in North America.

Another important fact is that friendships form in high school as well as in university. Therefore, it’s important that they start building those in the places they may choose to live in the future. I am extremely thankful to my parents for helping me choose this path early on, and I hope to be there for other parents to guide their children in their journeys.

How do you prepare students for university? How do you ensure their continued success?

Students acquire critical thinking, inquiry, and research skills when they are involved in their own learning. Another important factor in continued success is learning time management and people skills, and those are harder to acquire by the time they are in high school. Understanding expectations as per the timelines on their course outlines, delivering multiple presentations on every subject, doing mock interviews and debates, they get to practice for life after school.

Being walking distance to many universities, colleges, and the world-famous University of Toronto, they attend our regular trips to these institutions, meet students and staff, and find opportunities to ask questions, make personal observations, participate in open house events, and attend classes to help make up their minds for their next step into the future.

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IN YOUR WORDS

Photos by Pixabay.

June 21 marks the longest day of the year. If you had one extra hour in your day to do anything, what would it be?

I would love to get a massage -Reyhan I would meditate and try to learn another language -Aysh I would walk in the sunshine -Safa I would take a nap -Rabiya I would sit in the sun with my cat and a cup of tea -Safiyyah

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I would go to have a cup of coffee with my friends -Gizem I would either sleep or do some exercise -Zeynep Every 10 minutes, I would do something different -Yumna If I had some extra time, I would sit and do absolutely nothing -Abeer I would spend more time with my best friend in the whole wide world.

-Nabila

Social Responsibility

Written by Nusaiba Mubarak. Photos by Pixabay.

WORLD REFUGEE DAY June 20 marks World Refugee Day. Turkey hosts some of the largest numbers of refugees in the world. Nusaiba Mubarak gives us an overview of the situation.

“Syria is the biggest humanitarian and refugee crisis of our time, a continuing cause of suffering for millions, which should be garnering a groundswell of support around the world.�

- Filippo Grandi, UNHCR High Commissioner Turkey is home to one of the largest refugee populations in the world, including 3.6 million registered Syrian refugees - actual numbers may be higher. While the international community assumes that Syrians live in refugee camps, 90 percent of refugees in Turkey live among Turkish people.

Turkey hosts about 360,000 refugees and asylum-seekers from other countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.

(UNHCR) Despite Turkish and international aid, many Syrians are still in need of basic humanitarian assistance. The second most important priority for Syrian refugees is education. From primary school through college, many children and teens are forced to work to provide for their families, preventing them from receiving an education. Other challenges to receiving an education include the language barrier, a lack of accelerated learning for students who have lost years of schooling, and a lack of school buildings and teachers. Some estimates record 40 percent of school-age refugees in Turkey as not being enrolled in school.

From a national level, the most important concern is including refugees into national systems and creating pathways for

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resettlement. As for an individual who's interested in getting involved, start in your neighborhood. Meet with refugees in your area, and see how you can help provide or enroll refugees in language classes or in school. Engage other people in the refugee crisis, and remind them about the importance of integrating refugees into society.

Mums N Kids

Written by Khadija Qamar. Photo by Betje.com

GLOBAL DAY OF PARENTS New Motherhood

During late-spring to early summer, many countries around the world dedicate special holidays for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. June 1 combines both and marks the Global Day of Parents. Khadija Qamar spent most of her pregnancy in Istanbul, and tells us what it’s like to be a new mother.

A year ago, when I told friends I would be attending graduate school in the fall, they looked down at my baby bump and gave me a skeptical, sympathetic smile. It was easy to ignore the questioning looks from veteran moms because, after all, girls of my age live by the maxim “Women can have it all.”

This is a central creed of the modern West, informed as it is by capitalism, individualism, feminism, and liberalism.

Liberalism in particular is telling of our modern mindset. Liberalism has made it a self-evident truth that the ultimate human good is to realize an autonomous, free self devoted to a “true purpose,” unbound by societal custom or tradition. By implication, what a person accomplishes for themselves has much greater value than what they do in service for others.

And yet, this is in direct contradiction to the roles that women have held for centuries of nurturing and caregiving.

In fact, a key failing of this mindset is its dismissal of the human need for relationships in favor of a complete reliance on a heroic self. And yet, humans thrive in family and community settings and find deep meaning in strong connections.

These simultaneous realities came into play the day I had to return to class and leave my two-month-old son with my husband for three hours – the first three hours we would spend apart in his life.

As much as I have grown up on ideas of personal ambition and achievement, my notion of what is important flipped that day. While graduate school has been intellectually enriching, real joy is in cradling my smiling baby, in taking neighborhoods strolls with my young family, in watching us grow more in love with each other every day.

I’ve realized that the phrase “women can have it all” needs more context.

Perhaps, “women can have it all -

education, career, friendship, and family - but it won’t be easy and there will always be trade-offs.” Even more importantly, if women choose to have only certain priorities and not others, they should still be honored for their choices. After all, the search for an authentic self shouldn’t be dictated by misplaced ideas of self-worth. What women do in the world is not inherently more important than what they do at home.

And yet, I still struggle with the idea of accomplishment, and what it means for me to be a young mother who wants to also research, write, and teach.

Although I am critical of the implications of the liberal mindset – it invariably outsources women’s self-esteem to the world – I am a novice in the journey of finding that balance between role and purpose, responsibility and desire.

Above all, I am grateful that I have these choices at all, and that I have a beautiful family to make them with.

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Life

Feature by Nazanin Rahmani. Photos by Pixabay

RAMADAN The Islamic year is based on the lunar calendar. This year the holy month of Ramadan begins in the first week of May. Nazanin Rahmani tells us more about what it entails

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is the holy month of fasting. It begins and ends with the appearance of the first crescent after the new moon.

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, and is obligatory for adult Muslims, except those who are suffering from an illness, travelling, elderly or pregnant. During fasting hours, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking any kind of liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations, from just before dawn until sunset.

It serves as a means of controlling one’s base desires, resetting one’s life priorities, and coming closer to God. Fasting all day also helps people understand the plight of the poor and less fortunate. The month ends with the fulfillment of another of the five pillars, alms giving to the poor.

Pre-fast meals before dawn are called suhur, while the postfast breaking meals after sunset are called iftar.

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After the sunset prayer, Muslims gather in their homes or mosques to break their fasts with a meal that is often shared with extended family, friends, and the larger community.

Muslims believe that spiritual rewards within this special month are multiplied. Fasting for Muslims during Ramadan typically includes the increased offering of prayers, reading the Quran and an increase of doing good deeds and giving charity.

Muslims are also instructed to refrain from sinful behavior that may negate the reward of fasting, such as false speech (backbiting, lying, etc.) and fighting except in the case of self-defense.

Islamic tradition states that on the 27th night of Ramadan, which is called “Laylat al-Qadr,” God first revealed the Quran, Islam’s holy book, to Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel as a guidance for people.

Ramadan ends with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. Muslims are required to wear new, or their best, clothes. The day starts with the Eid prayer at local mosques. People prepare special meals and pastries, adapted to local cuisines. Children often receive money and gifts from their elders. And it is encouraged to visit family and friends. In many traditions, people also visit the graves of their relatives.

Celebrate

Feature and photos courtesy of Verena Ringe

BAYRAM BALLOONS One of the exciting things about Bayram in Istanbul is the happiness spread across children’s faces. Verena Ringe gives us a glimpse of the colourful joy of the holiday.

Public Holiday

Over the waters of the Bosphorus, a small boat travels from the other side. As you watch, it looks strange from far away, colourful with high sides, not really boat shaped.

Closer and closer it comes, and you recognise the height is not real, but it is actually towers of bright balloons, held tightly in the fists of stern and harsh-looking men. Dark, Anatolian, weather-beaten men with great moustaches and sparkling eyes. Low grey clouds and pewter-coloured waves are at the bow of the small, fast boat. But as the boat reaches land, the men jump lightly ashore, looking up to their mountains of coloured balloons and a lighthearted and carefree laughter lightens the faces of the balloon sellers. A lift of a hand, a short greeting, and the boat turns back, fast and expertly using the currents of the waters.

The balloons and their keepers walk off to the parks, along the promenades on the Bosphorus, where numerous families and excited children celebrate a day out, a public holiday. A good profit is certain, as are happy faces wherever the balloons go.

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Around Town

Feature and photos by Sayeda Ekra Faiz

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Istanbul is home to many people, but it’s also a popular tourist destination, especially in the summertime. Sayeda Faiz gives us her first impressions of the city.

Istanbul has been on my bucket list of travels for a while.

With its enticing aesthetics, lively culture, and bright colors everywhere, it’s a city that’s well advertised on social media.

I traveled alone to Istanbul for a week, and was worried that I might be a prime target for scams and rip-offs, being a young minority woman in my early 20s. Though I was constantly aware of my surrounding, I never actually felt unsafe. My research warned me to be aware of pickpockets in crowded and touristy areas, such as the grand bazaar. So I avoided this by simply being aware of my belongings, especially pricey cameras and my bags.

Istanbul has so much to offer. From the small family-run coffee shops in Beyoğlu to multi-level restaurants by the sea in Karaköy, friendly conversation and hospitality are in abundance. This city has a unique relationship between the old city and the new. The beautifully-preserved Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia, are amongst many of the cultural time capsules of the past. But they are located just minutes away from the busy and modern Istiklal Street in Taksim, which is filled with name-brand products and those of prominent Western designers.

Istanbul also has its own time machine - the tram - which literally transports you between ancient art to modern nightlife. But although the flair of Istanbul changes depending upon location, the hospitality remains a constant throughout the city, even outside the tourism industry.

And much like its hospitality, Istanbul has a plethora of flavors that can be found everywhere. Turkish cuisine has its staples, such as bread, kebabs, coffee, and sweets. Personally, aside from the casual flatbread for breakfast with shisha and teas for dessert, the “home cooked” cuisine was one of my favorites. There are several, well-hidden hot bar-style eateries throughout the city that provide comfort homestyle dishes such as, chicken and rice classics, bulgur, and lamb.

These are the epicenters of Istanbul’s warmth and daily social culture. Such places are easier to find in the quiet of the Asian side of the city, possibly because that side is more residential and much less of a tourist hub. With mosques on every street and cats guarding them, Istanbul is a traveler and photographer’s dream.

Avoiding skeptical strangers, especially in clubs for the nightlife goers, and learning to bargain with shopkeepers in the bazaars will seamlessly make anyone look invisible to the eye of the average Istanbulite. I guarantee I will be returning even if it's just for a wet burger or a döner at Dönerci Şahin Usta.

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Around Town

Feature and photos by Verena Ringe

ISTANBUL FOG The seasons bring many types of weather to Istanbul. Even slight changes in atmosphere can change the ambiance of the city. Verena Ringe gives us a poetic description of a foggy day.

Driving over the bridge, on your right is brilliant sunshine, some light grey clouds – to the left is a dark grey wooly substance, not at all unlike a cloud that seems to have dropped from the sky, fallen into the valleys, down to the ground. Or perhaps the cloud had grown out of the parks and houses and streets. Filling the valleys of Istanbul up with impenetrable greyness, moving in a continuous flow, up and up until it towers over the hills. Behind the grey is nothing. A void, like an erased drawing.

The bridge with its swift flowing traffic, with cars in motion, is like a knife through light and dark without contours. The waters far beneath are untouched by the land visions left or right of the bridge. The bridge is only a swift shadow over the ships. The brilliant light lingering on boat decks far past the darkness. The colour becomes everything and nothing. Dark, yet light above, soft yet hard as steel, green-grey, blue, mauve, white – all is mixed yet separate.

Words are never suitable to express the eye and all it perceives.

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Gourmet

Feature and photos by Becky Altinman

BAKLAVA AT KARAKÖY GÜLLÜOĞLU Members of the International Women of Istanbul (IWI) had a chance to participate in the process of making baklavas under the guidance of experts. Becky Altinman tells us about the experience.

What is Baklava?

Baklava is a rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped pistachios or walnuts, ladled with clarified butter and sweetened with a sugar syrup mix.

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A few of our members had the rare opportunity to participate in a baklava demonstration at the Karaköy Güllüoğlu Baklava factory on the 20th of March. The main highlight of the program was seeing the actual production of the paper-thin filo dough from scratch and the preparations of the iconic sweet treat baklava step by step until it is baked. It is a sight to see the baklavas literally afloat in the hot baking tray as it gives a sizzling, cracking sound once the sugar syrup mix is generously ladled onto the baked baklava.

Our members were greeted by Mr. Nadir Güllüoğlu who personally guided the tour of the baklava factory and gave the hands-on demonstration on baklava making. Our members were able to try out rolling the filo dough and preparing the fillings, a difficult task indeed. We all had a great time enjoying a variety of savory dishes (börek) and the grand finale of baklavas with pistachios, walnuts, and chocolate. The baklavas were just so delicious. We were all gifted with a piece of baklava boxed with the national flag of each member. We are very grateful to Karaköy Güllüoğlu for hosting and providing us with this memorable baklava experience. Çok teşekkürler Karaköy Güllüoğlu.

FACTS: The people of Istanbul were first introduced to baklava in 1949, when Mustafa Güllü, from the Güllü family in Gaziantep, opened the first baklava shop in Istanbul, in Karaköy. The Güllü family has been in the baklava business since the 1800s. Güllü Celebi spent six months in Damascus and Aleppo in Syria, both very famous for desserts, learning the trade of making baklava. After his death, the business was continued by successive generations, and finally brought to Istanbul. Karaköy Güllüoğlu started as a small shop and now has the first baklava factory in the world. Specialists in baklava come to this shop from all over Istanbul. Customers of Karaköy Güllüoğlu have come and gone since 1949, but Karaköy Güllüoğlu is a continuous presence with its unique desserts.

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Around Town

Photo essay by Jeanne Quinn Fernandez and Lisa Hayhoe

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE IN-DEPTH

Earlier this year we brought you a taste of some of the amazing artisans working in the Galata neighborhood of Istanbul. We now present you a more in-depth look at the creativity found in the area. Jeanne Quinn Fernandez and Lisa Hayhoe worked together to produce a photo essay of the creative treasures that can be discovered there.

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Around Town

Photo courtesy of AyĹ&#x;e Slevogt

Glasst - glass studio and gallery

Masterpiece - art classes

Zen ceramics - and classes

Selcuk Derinoz - artist and sculptor

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Crash - t-shirt and workshop

Parazitka - seamstress, clothing designer, tutus for ballerinas

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Gdesign space - ceramics

Aphorism - jeweler and ceramics

Storyditoy - found-object-art, and string instruments

Moira - handmade leather bags

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Handicrafts

Feature and photos by Nazanin Rahmani

PATCHWORK Pick up a new hobby this summer and try your hand at patchwork! Nazanin Rahmani gives us a step-by-step guide to starting your first project.

Nine Patch

Patchwork or pieced work is a form of needlework that involves sewing together pieces of fabric into a larger design. The larger design is usually based on repeating patterns, built up with different fabric shapes and colors. These shapes should be carefully measured and cut into basic geometric shapes, making them easy to piece together.

I will now introduce you to patchwork by teaching one of the easiest and basic forms of patchwork blocks called “Nine Patch.”

Supplies Needed: • • • • •

Two different colors of cotton fabric Sewing thread Mat, Cutter, Ruler Sewing machine Iron

After choosing two different colors of fabrics, iron them and start to cut one strip from each color with a width of 6.5cm. Then cut each strip into three strips with a length of 30cm. You should have three strips, each one in the following size: length 30cm by width 6.5cm (pictures 1,2,3, and 4). Here we have pink and blue fabric. As shown in the picture, you should make two sets of strips.

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Here we have two different sets of fabric strips. In one of them, the blue fabric is in the center and in the other one, the pink fabric is located in the center

Before starting to sew with the sewing machine, set the width of the seam into 0.7mm. Now put two strips with two different colors on each other and start sewing with the seam of 0.7mm (picture 5).

Now it is time for ironing each strip set. For ironing the strip sets, it is very important to remember that you should always iron the seam of fabrics toward the dark fabric, which here is the blue one (picture 6).

Now we put three sections together, and because we have ironed these sections onto dark fabric, when we put them together, they would just lie together nicely because they all have ironed onto the dark one.

Cut these strips apart. We are going to cut each strip into 6.5cm sections. Cut one section from the strip set which has the pink fabric in the center and two sections from the strip set which has the blue fabric in the center (picture 8).

Match the corners together and sew them with the sewing machine, with the 0.7mm seam (pictures 9 and 10).

Finally, iron the seams into opposite positions and now you have your nine-patch block in front of you (pictures 11 and 12).

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Around Town

Feature and photos by Verena Ringe and Pixabay.

ACROSS THE BOSPHORUS Divided by two continents, Istanbul has many ancient and modern wonders to explore.

Verena Ringe takes us on a boat ride giving us a picturesque view of the city’s many different neighbourhoods.

An hour of peace and joy in the heart of this hectic and crowded city.

You are in a thick and fast-moving crowd, impatiently jostling amidst buses, cars, taxis, and street vendors. You need a break and fast! If this is Beşiktaş, for instance, go to the quay, the iskele, where smaller passenger boats leave not by schedule, but by the time they are full. Step onboard and move upstairs in sunny, warm weather to sit with a light breeze outside, or choose the lower, fully-enclosed deck if it is raining or in the winter. To be ferried across the ancient crossing of the Bosphorus has not lost its demand in modern times to bring people to and from the Asian shores. So, you find a place with a view and the boat starts. Seldom are these waters choppy enough to cause discomfort, the ride is mostly smooth.

On your right, the view over the water gives out the magnificence of old Byzantine. The Golden Horn purs into the Bosphorus just below the jut of rocky land on which, wince ancient times, this city was settled. The thick, unmistakable minarets of the Hagia Sofia with the world’s oldest and flattest dome, survivor of many earthquakes and almost 1,500

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years old. Close by, the small church dome of St. Irene and the square tower of the harem, noting the highest point of the

old Ottoman palace, the seray, surrounded and interspaced by the green of old trees in Gülhane Park. The silhouette behind is of the world-famous Blue Mosque with six slender minarets.

The boat reaches Üsküdar, a religious center, with many interesting mosques to visit. But not on this short trip. This is to relax and wonder at what this city can offer in the space of an hour with no extra physical effort.

But as the boat reaches the middle of the journey, the gaze is held further inland, along the Golden Horn with roofs of old buildings and some waterfront palaces, and many small and large mosques, to old Pera with its steeply climbing, narrow streets, layer upon layer crowned by the old watchtower, the Galata Tower, and the bridge, connecting these two oldest parts of the city. The harbour buildings of Karaköy, are often dwarfed by sleek and white enormous cruise ships. They lead the backwards glancing eye to the waterfront art academy and then to the Dolmabahçe Palace, and all the small boats busy along the shore from Kabataş, Karaköy, Eminönü, and Beşiktaş.

You step from the boat and turn left. A small park with many benches invites you to stroll for a short while. And then you turn back to the boats. Perhaps you buy some flowers at the many flower stands. The next boat will leave shortly.

This time you choose your seat to look north-east, where the waters stream down from the Black Sea. The Boshporus Bridge holds your attention. From this angle you look up and marvel at the height and industrial beauty of what we drive over thoughtlessly so often. Underneath on the European shore lies the village of Ortaköy. A charming place with old wooden houses and one of the most photographed mosques of Turkey. The square by the waterfront offers many cafés and tea houses. Your gaze wanders to the new Çirağan Hotel and the Old Çirağan Palace, and the big old buildings along the shore towards Beşiktaş: academies, schools, guesthouses, and universities. Behind then stretches the Yıldız Parkı, a green haven year-round.

Perhaps you brought a simit, some börek, or a sweet bun with you, and now is the time to indulge and also buy some tea, salep, or freshly-pressed orange juice from the staff making their rounds onboard. A cheese toast can also be procured.

Now gaze ahead and the world opens its wavy way to the Marmara Sea where huge container ships enter the narrowness of this crowded channel in strictly-timed measure, full of contra-currents, which need excellent seamanship or a pilot to be able to traverse. The cranes and towering hulls of the cargo harbour of Harem disappear fast behind the charming white Kiz Kulesi, or “maiden’s tower.”

On its rocky outcrop, this iconic site has inspired songs and poems, which have flourished over time, and has become a favourite spot for young lovers.

Again a steepness, that of Üsküdar, with the military academy on top, where once Florence Nightingale administered care to wounded British soldiers who fought in the Crimean War.

Before reaching Beşiktaş, you view the length of the Barbaros Boulevard, up the whole straight line to Zincirlikuyu and to the new skyline, as with all modern mega-cities, to the clumps and pinnacles of the high-rise office landscape.

You are now back an hour’s joy from where you started.

With a little luck, you made new acquaintances along the way, discovered the ever-changing hues of the waters of the continents dividing the channel from grey to turquoise to pink to blue to gold. A little more luck and the right season, and some dophins might have even swum alongside with you part of the way.

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Sustainable Living

Feature and photos by Jodie Harburt

HOMEMADE HAPPY HEALTHY PRODUCTS World Environment Day is on June 5. There are many ways you can live your life more environmentally consciously. Your actions can be as simple as making sure not to litter in the streets to starting a campaign to create a better recycling system in your neighborhood.

You can also improve your daily life by using products that come from natural ingredients, as well as eliminating the plastic containers they come in. Jodie Harburt gives us the secrets to making your own products at home.

To combat the horrendous problem of plastic waste we have to approach it from three points. The 1st point is at the production and design stage, but sadly the corporations are lagging in terms of ethics and planetary preservation urges.

The 3rd point is disposing responsibly, but sadly even diligent recycling practices are simply not enough, so this takes us to point 2; consumer responsibility and our potential to activate change and sway those pesky manufacturers.

frothing, sweet toothpaste that was squeezed out of a plastic tube. The salty taste of the homemade toothpaste takes a little getting used to, but I actively prefer it and I think it's better for my oral health

DEODORANT

In an attempt to curb my contribution to planetary destruction I have made quite a few changes at home.

Like everyone else I'm stretched for time and would much prefer to just buy what I need, but until really good versions are available in stores, I'm sticking with homemade. The reasons for making my own products are simple: 1. Bought products often contains harmful (to us) ingredients.

Skin and lungs absorb them so we want to know they are healthy.

2. The harmful (to us) ingredients are also harmful to our planet. For instance, palm oil is present in virtually every form of shampoo, soap, and cleaning material.

3. The packaging is most often not recycled or becomes toxic during a high embodied energy processes which defeats the point.

4. We can assume all products are or have previously been tested on animals, and this is not something to tolerate for the sake of shiny teeth or hair!

So here are some of my tried and tested homemade recipes: TOOTHPASTE

Clay - 2 tbsp (I found dermatological clay but recipes call for what they call Kaolin Clay) Coconut and/or Olive oil -1 (or 2) tbsp (or enough to make it into a kind of paste) Mint oil - a few drops (I use China Oil as that is what I have at home) Mix up and keep in a small glass jar. (I jab my dry clean toothbrush in, but the more fastidious among us can use a small spoon or such to apply) I am happier to use olive oil as it is local to Turkey and longdistance shipping of coconut oil is not kind to our planet. I can't say if my teeth are whiter or not, they seem the same to me and I am VERY happy to NOT have my mouth full of

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Bicarbonate of soda - 1 tbsp Corn starch - 4 tbsp Coconut oil - 2 or 3 tbsp (less in summer, more in winter) Essential oil - A few drops (I used Tea Tree and Lavender oils) Mix up and keep in a small glass jar, apply with finger tips to clean armpit by rubbing a pea-sized amount in.

I have not yet tried to use olive oil instead for this (I'll let you know when I do!), but I have been using the coconut oil version all summer. It's quite hot and humid here and I've had many a cause to perspire. Apparently I'm not a very smelly person so I'm not the best tester, however I'm an absolute convert, I still have some roll-on Nivea in my bathroom, but won't touch the stuff, my armpits smell great and they also seem quite smooth, I've heard that this recipe also works well on hairy armpits. Apparently bicarbonate of soda can irritate some skin types so kaolin clay is recommended instead.

Lale Community LIQUID SOAP

LAUNDRY POWDER

Washing soda Soap (Hard natural) Optional essential oil White vinegar as softener.

I couldn't find washing soda (which is sodium carbonate) so I made some by spreading a 2cm thick layer of bicarbonate of soda onto a baking tray and baked in oven at 220 C for an hour, (stirring twice).

Blend or grate approximately half a bar of soap then mix with 2 cups of washing soda.

Store in a jar or air tight container. Use as you would normal powder in your washing machine.

Pour some white vinegar to the softener slot.

This powder seems to work well except on some stubborn grease splats and our whites still seem the same brightness of white. (Though I took a break from using the homemade stuff for a while so my test may not be accurate until I try using over several months without interruption) There is dispute as to whether the soap will clog the machine after a while, which is why I use less than other recipes recommend.

HOUSEHOLD CLEANER For Liquid soap you simply grate a bar of soap into a pan of boiling water. One bar to around 4 glasses of water but it depends on the soap. Then after you have mixed it all in simply add as many drops of lavender oil or whichever oil you prefer for the scent (Lavender also has relaxation qualities) After you let it cool add to a large jar and then decant as you need to your soap dispensers. (I use old ones that I took the labels off... Reuse - Recycle!)

This green soap looked wonderful when I first made it but over the days it became stiff (impossible to pump up) so I simply dissolved it in some more hot water and we used it all up gradually) I'm not sure why this happened, I was told that palm oil has that result however though I can’t recall the brand I know there was not palm oil listed on the ingredients, anyway I persevered and tried new soap... and I'm very happy with the results.

This liquid soap is our hand soap, our body wash, our shampoo (except my dyed hair) and it can be used as washing-up detergent.

MOISTURIZER

I apply oil to my skin occasionally BEFORE I wash and this keeps my skin soft. (I use the oil after I shower if I have forgotten) I ABSTAIN from buying any face or body products.

My skin isn't great, I'm 49 years old, so a few wrinkles are to be expected and I still get spots (I never entirely grew out of that!) but I find a simple wash with soap and water (and some oil to moisturize if necessary) is just as good as all the other stuff I've tried over the years. I use a tinted sun cream outdoors, and in the winter I have been gradually using up my supply of E45 cream which has been great for chapped and sensitive skin, but soon I'll try out a natural recipe. (In most cases it makes ecological sense to finish what you have rather than throw it away) Chapped lips are a problem in the cold windy months in our family so any ideas on that one will be appreciated!

Lemon or (other citrus fruit) slices or peel White vinegar Bicarbonate of soda Water to dilute Leave the lemon slices in the vinegar for a day and then discard the lemon.

I mix the above ingredients in various measures (lots of bicarb for toilet cleaner, leave out the bicarb for window cleaner and while dusting). I have old cleaning product spray bottles that I use for my homemade products.

Note: bicarb and vinegar bubble up a lot when mixed.

I am trying out new ideas for homemade products and will be updated my blog post soon. You can subscribe to stay updated. www.multitudeofones.com

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Poetry Corner

Photos by Pixabay

Poetry allows for expressions of joy and grief, love and heartbreak, anticipation and reminiscence. Our literary talents show us the vastness of human emotion. Labiba Hassan extends a warm welcome to summer, while AyĹ&#x;e Elmoghny opens her heart through emotional verse.

Fun Days Linger in my Memory

By Labiba Hassan With the dripping of dew from the green leaves To the dripping of sweat onto the brown earth, With the cooing of the singing birds And the full-throated nightingale, thrusting her voice into the air, With the buzzing of the swarming bees And the marching of the working ants all in search of food for winter days, With the power of the vigorous, yellow scorching sun Emitting its heat and vitality in full force, And with the emerging of Van Gogh's canvas Waiting for the sunflower to be painted We know that summer has finally begun.

Oh the exotic flowers – The roses, violets, gardenias, Jasmine, daisies, and marigolds, All standing up tall and proud.

Sometimes bathed by the sun, sometimes by the rain.

The colorful flowers across the rainbow spectrum Celebrate with the rainbow, spreading their cheerful hue.

They dance along with the peacock's gorgeous plumes And the breathtaking butterflies.

It all fills my heart with joy like a gushing fountain.

The long hot summer days are full of love and play.

How I love building sand castles And running on the beach.

Watching the turbulent waves Splashing and back-splashing along the shore.

Kites go swirling through the air Reaching for the horizon.

I want to savor these sweet memories In their full and glorious splendor With languor, love, and laughter As I savor the long hot summer days!

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Poetry Corner

You’re no longer my daughter

By Ayşe Elmoghny A story “You’re no longer my daughter.”

These words pierced through my heart It’s been nothing but broken and hurt since baba told me those words You must be wondering, girl what did you do?

What brought upon you the wrath of your papa I swear you’ll find out Just read on boo

This can’t be my Baba I thought He would accept it, I honestly thought But instead, he detested this thought And there he cut our happiness short ….

He said, The man I loved, he was a crime I gave my heart to someone not from our kind “Our kind” is overrated Baba I promise he’s the most loyal man alive

I said Baba, Here’s my love, he’s a marvel He might not be on our level But I swear he’ll treat me right He’ll guard me with his life

It’s been 7 years, since he shooed us away Because I did it, I got married anyway And I know he loves me, heck I love him too Hear me out Baba, I have something to say

He’s the one baba, I’m not messing I came here to get your blessing I need him as my husband I love him and to you, I’m confessing

Yes I sidelined you, I made my own mind But you’re my Baba, so strong yet so kind I need you in my life, I need you by my side Without her father, no daughter feels just fine

Baba, God does not condemn this, So please give us your blessings We’ve done nothing against Him Let’s have a family wedding

Please hear me out, Baba I need you in my life Wallah, I need you Don’t let me suffer without you by my side

His reaction Baba didn’t like those words I thought in an instant he turned With anger he shut us all down “Never see each other again,” he screamed out

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Gourmet

Photos courtesy of Ayşe Yücel

VEGETARIAN COOKING CLASS Ayşe Yücel hosted a Turkish-style vegetarian cooking class at her home in March. On the menu were chestnut-stuffed cabbage leaves, stuffed zucchini flowers, and baklava. Here are some of the dishes from the event.

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Gourmet

SPRING BAKING

Photos courtesy of Ayşe Yücel

Last issue, we introduced our readers to pastry chef Amanda Erdoğan. After gaining acclaim in the US and Europe, she moved to Istanbul, where she now shares her talents. Here are some fancy creations from her recent class.

“We were treated to a wonderful day of delicious desserts

by Amanda, a professional pastry chef from Los Angeles.

Her professionalism and expertise in her demo showed throughout the day.

We thank you Amanda for sharing your recipes, tips, and techniques with us.”

-Ayşe Yücel, IWI Board Member

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Around Town

Feature and photos by Bérénice Kafui

FROM DAWN TO DUSK: ISTANBUL’S LOVE STORIES WITH THE SUN Summer brings with it plenty of sunshine. And Istanbul has a special relationship with its magnificent sunrises and sunsets. Bérénice Kafui takes us on a picturesque stroll through the city.

When one looks for the top sunset places in the world, anyone who has ever visited or lived in Istanbul is not surprised to find our beloved seven-hill city listed alongside Bali, Mongolia and El Salvador, as offering some of the most breathtaking and unique sunsets. I would further argue that what makes Istanbul really special in this regard is the fact that it also offers the most vibrant sunrises. So, from dawn to dusk, Istanbul seems to be the world’s stage for the sun’s entrances and exits. Why is it so? Is this due to the high level of spirituality in the city, with its history of religious tolerance and diversity, attracting divine mercy and kindness, finding expression in the unique radiance of the sun shining over it?

Or are there more prosaic explanations to these recurring, yet once-in-a-lifetime, phenomena? As with everything, I believe that a bit of both is needed for miracles to happen.

Moreover, to reach our eyes, the rays of light are never unhindered, as our atmosphere is neither pure nor empty.

On their way to us, the rays of light encounter particles and molecules, creating a so-called scattering effect. This means that not all the light reaches us at the end of the journey. In the case of sunrises or sunsets, the sun is the furthest away from us as it is only starting or ending its revolution in the sky. This means that only some of the longest-wavelength rays of light will reach us at these special times of the day.

These long-wavelength rays happen to belong to the redcolor spectrum – the darker the red the longer the wavelength (while the shortest ones belong to the blue-color spectrum of the rainbow – the darker the blue the shortest the wavelength).

Therefore, the predominant colors of the rising or setting star come in mind-blowing oranges, pinks and reds. The colors might actually intensify if the sky is cloudy – while not entirely covering the sun as this will mean that light has encountered more particles than it would have had it travelled through a clear sky. Mystery solved from a physics perspective!

But what about visual aesthetics? As hinted before, a flat horizon with a clear sky might indeed make for a full panoramic view of an incredible sunrise or sunset (as in deserts or on the sea), but its beauty is often enhanced by the contrasts emerging from various shapes and lines in the scenery, be they clouds, or elevations, or buildings. This is where the uniqueness of Istanbul shines.

While I will not dwell on the spiritual recipe attracting the sun in such colorful manners here, as the recipe is unique to each one of us, I want to explore a little bit of the physics behind Istanbul’s beautiful parading sun before sharing with you a few of my favorites spots to appreciate its daily miracles.

While there is no denying that the very appearance and disappearance of the sun along the horizon is always a spectacular show in itself, some of these occurrences are more memorable than others. This is so because of the rare spectrum of colors they create (vibrant pinks and oranges and at times reds) as well as the ballet of shadows that they imprint on the clouds or the nearby terrestrial/ water formation. While a clear-sky sunrise or sunset is the guarantee for maximum radiance of our own very special star, it is not always the best configuration for the most stunning occurrences of dawn and dusk settings. Indeed, the physics of sunset (which also apply to sunrise mechanics) teach us that it is, before everything, mainly a question of light and distance. The sun emits white light which is made of all the colors in the rainbow. However, each color of the spectrum has a different wavelength, or put differently, will only get to express itself at a certain distance from the viewer.

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In addition to harboring rather dry weather (which allows for few overcast days), Istanbul is a city built around a unique variety of natural reliefs with the seven hills, or man-made with the hundreds of mosque minarets and domes, elegantly and softly towering above the openness of the Black Sea on one side, with the Bosphorus in between and the Marmara Sea on the other.

Besides, as the mythical bridge between West and East, the city is therefore perfectly located in relation to the sun’s revolution: when it rises, the European side of Istanbul can wonder at the breadth of its futuristic development on the Asian side, while, when it sets, the Asian side can remember the wonders of its long and rich past. To this, you add the dozens of small and large boats navigating the surrounding waters and the thousands of seagulls soaring above it, and you end up with the most complex, picturesque, travelling of time and space.

Sunrise-wise, anywhere on the western shore of the Bosphorus is always a good and easy-to-reach option to see the pink disc rise behind the Asian side of the city. For some breathtaking elevation, do make friends with people living on the Ulus hill (with a view on the Bosphorus) or alternately, just walk by the main road in the Çamlıtepe area and find the open views there. For a different experience, watching the sun rise from the Prince’s Islands is always a wonder (anything experienced on the Islands is already a wonder!).

Sunset-wise, a long stroll on Üskudar’s jetty is a spot favored by a lot of locals, but not known to tourists. While it tends to be very crowded, it is definitely worth the attempt, as it gives you a full view over the historical peninsula and the fires started by the sun setting behind the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia, and Topkapı Palace, in addition to the orange light pouring over the facade of the Dolmabahçe Palace in Beşiktaş, and the great contrast of the shadows cast by boats as they enter or exit the Bosphorus. Kadıköy pier and/ or jetty, as well as Bostancı jetty are other beautiful spots for a sunset-on-the-sea experience.

I have a few favourite spots to recommend. However, before listing them, I want to encourage you to find your own favorite spots, as the city is as wide with plenty of new places to discover. One wintery Sunday morning, I was even lucky enough to admire the pink-orange wonder of a late sunrise reflecting on the glass towers of Levent while I was on the bus. The whole time, the sun rising behind the Çamlıca Mosque was hidden by buildings, but its vibrance was burning on the empty windows of the CBD and made for a rather unique visual experience.

What I personally love is to be on a boat coming back from the Asian side, and in particular from the Islands, at the time of sunset – the views, and the fact that there is nothing else to do but to take in the slowly changing scene from the inside of the purring cabin, is such a soothing and spiritual experience.

Sunsets are also easy to appreciate from the Galata bridge or Karaköy pier, from Beşiktaş’ pier, or Ortaköy’s Mosque plaza, by the water.

Other times, I have experienced sunsets through the type of light the sun shines on the buildings facing my windows: my whole neighborhood is caressed by a dark golden light before it gradually shifts to a soft pink; it is as if the sun was mutedly singing us a lullaby, and an appeasing and enchanting one at that.

Lately, I have discovered that sunsets are also breathtaking on the Black Sea, by Kylios. While they are less orange than what you would see “in town,” the contrast between the darkness and the light is quite stunning. Last but not least – and still on my bucket list of places to try – is the top of the Çamlıca hill, the highest hill in the city (located on the Asian side). It is said to be the best spot for sunset viewing, its pretty park offering the widest and highest views of the European side, and certainly a promise for more sun-related miracles to unfold!

This I hope will make you want to pay attention to all the ways in which Istanbul’s love stories with the sun keep blessing us every day, wherever you are, even by the Metrobus. But if you want to make sure you get the full-frontal technicolor experience, here is a list of my favorites spots to do so.

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Mums N Kids

Feature and photos by Sara Hassan

MAKING COLORFUL BUTTERFLIES Everyone comes out to enjoy the sunshine in the summer, including nature’s beautiful flowers and insects. Bring some life to your home by making your own colorful butterflies.

The best part is, by the end of the project, you’ll have a whole box of newly-sharpened crayons!

What you will need: • • • • • • • •

Used wax crayons in your favorite colors 2 sheets of tracing or wax paper 2 sheets of regular printer paper Butterfly shape cut-out Crayon sharpener Pencil Scissors Iron

Directions:

Step 1 – Trace two butterflies with the cut-out onto tracing or wax paper

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Step 2 – Cut out the shapes

Lifestyle

Written by Kristina Dontcheva. Photo by Pixabay

Step 3 – Peel the wrapping away from your used crayons

Step 4 – Sharpen the crayons

Step 5 – Collect all the crayon shavings

Step 6 – Place the shavings onto one of the butterfly cut-outs

Step 7 – Place the second cut-out on top of the shavings

Step 8 – Place one printer paper sheet underneath

Step 9 – Place a second sheet on top and iron over the paper with dry heat

Step 10 – Tape your butterfly on the window so the sun can shine through the pretty colors!

33

Women’s Day

Photos courtesy of Becky Altinman and Ayşe Slevogt

IWI WALKATHON The International Women of Istanbul (IWI) held its annual walkathon for Women’s Day on March 8. Women from the various neighborhoods of Istanbul came together to mark the day. They chose from 1km, 5km, and 10km options. It was a chance to get together for some fresh air and exercise, enjoy the beautiful weather and each other's company, and commemorate a special day in honor of women and sisterhood.

Join us for the 2nd Annual Wellness Lounge 8 May 2019 from 10:00am to 2:30pm Istanbul Marriott Hotel Sisli

Come and unwind with the International Women of Istanbul at the Annual Wellness Lounge at the Marriott. There will be special speakers and you can visit the various stalls that will be available.

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t e g s ’ Let

Together

Your Neighbourhood Community Meetup (NCM) administrator organizes meet-ups and activities in your area.

This is a great opportunity to connect with other women and discover what IWI has to offer.

Unsure what area you are in and who to contact? Ask us at community@iwi-tr.org

MACENTA (Beşıktaş, Levent) macenta@iwi-tr.org

PEMBE (Bebek) pembe@iwi-tr.org

SARI (Sarıyer) sari@iwi-tr.org

BEYAZ (Ortaköy)

Vacancy, beyaz@iwi-tr.org

MOR (Nişantaşı, Beyoğlu) Vacancy, mor@iwi-tr.org

TURKUAZ (İstinye)

MAVİ (Göktürk) mavi@iwi-tr.org

YEŞİL (Yesilköy, Bakirköy) yesil@iwi-tr.org

TURUNCU (Çengelköy)

turuncu@iwi-tr.org

LACIVERT (Beykoz) lacivert@iwi-tr.org

KIRMIZI (Kadıköy, Üsküdar) kirmizi@iwi-tr.org

turkuaz@iwi-tr.org

New To Istanbul?

Every month we hold Newcomer Coffee Mornings where you can learn more about IWI and Istanbul. Contact us to find out more.

EUROPEAN SIDE newcomerseurope@iwi-tr.org

ASIAN SIDE newcomersasia@iwi-tr.org 35

IWI Member Profile

Interview by Sara Hassan. Photos courtesy of Celia Zeilberger

CELIA ZEILBERGER Globe-trotter Celia Zeilberger moved to Istanbul recently with her husband.

She tells us about her new home and gives us a peek into her many adventurous travels.

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What brought you to Turkey?

My husband is a diplomat, and we've been here since August.

I've always dreamed about an Istanbul post, so it's great to finally get to live here!

How do you like living here?

I love it! Istanbul is so rich with history and culture and natural beauty, and there's so much to do, especially now that it's getting warmer.

You’ve traveled around the world a bit. Tell us about the places you’ve been.

I've always loved to travel, and now that I am married to a diplomat, I move to a new place every few years. Even before my marriage, I loved living abroad – I actually met my husband in Alexandria, Egypt. I've lived in eight countries on four continents: North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. I've also been lucky enough to get to travel a lot for leisure. I've been to 50 countries on every continent besides Antarctica. Now that I'm living in Istanbul, I hope to travel even more, especially across eastern and southern Europe.

Luckily, it’s easy to travel from here since Turkish Airlines goes everywhere.

Which place do you like the most?

I can't choose just one! Every place has unique things that make it amazing, as well as its unique challenges. I love the history and hidden alleys of Istanbul. Before moving here, I lived in Ghana, where I was captivated by the country’s vibrant local culture, and also loved the year-round sunshine and white sand beaches. I also love southern Italy as a vacation destination where I just eat everything!

What’s been your biggest challenge over the years?

I used to live in Yemen, which is now in the midst of a war. It's so hard to see my friends there suffering.

What made you decide to join IWI?

I had just moved here and it seemed like a great way to connect with other women from around the world.

What’s your favorite part of being in IWI?

The people! All the women I've met through IWI have been so fascinating.

What do you hope to see happen with IWI?

I hope it continues to grow and bring together the women of Istanbul in fun and new ways.

What are some of your hobbies?

Creative writing (my secret dream is to become a novelist), reading, learning about history, traveling, exploring cities by foot, eating at new restaurants, and boating (as a passenger, I don't know how to sail – yet!)

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Celebrate

Feature by Catie Funk. Photos by Pixabay and Karar.com

HIDIRELLEZ Cinco de Mayo is largely an American holiday celebrated on the 5th of May. Catie Funk tells us all about Turkey’s “Cinco de Mayo” known locally as Hıdırellez.

Americans widely celebrate Cinco de Mayo, the 5th of May, no matter where they live in the world. This Mexican holiday, which isn’t even widely celebrated in its home country, drives people to restaurants in the states in search of Mexican food and salt-rimmed lime margaritas.

Let’s chat about what Cinco de Mayo actually is. This holiday commemorates Mexico’s victorious battle against France in the 1862 Franco-Mexican War, even though France continued to occupy the area for a few more years.

The battle is still remembered in the little town of Puebla, but that is about it.

Through the growing civil rights movements in the 1960s, MexicanAmerican activists picked this underdog victory to be their day of pride. Now, often mistaken by Americans as Mexico’s independence day, Cinco de Mayo is widely commercialized and more of an American holiday than a Mexican one.

If there is one food my husband and I dearly miss here in Turkey, it’s a good Mexican restaurant with authentic

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food. But even in the semi-mediocreMexican-food-style-type restaurants found in here, Cinco de Mayo cannot be forgotten.

However, Cinco de Mayo holds a completely different type of celebration here. One a little more dangerous than drinking Mexican beer. Turkey’s ‘Cinco de Mayo’ is called Hıdırellez.

Hıdırellez celebrates the beginning of summer. The story has two main characters: Khidr and Elijah.

Khidr, literally meaning ‘The Green One,’ symbolizes freshness of spirit.

Some say he was a person while others say he was an angel. He is popular in Islamic lore as the person who found the fountain of life and now lives to give wisdom and guidance to those who call on his name.

Elijah was a prophet of God who was sent to ancient Israel and told them to repent of their sins and return to God. The story tells us that on the day before summer starts, Khidr and Elijah meet on Earth and fulfill the wishes of others.

But in order to get your wishes fulfilled, you must jump over a fire.

The origins of this tradition are very unclear. Contradicting sources seem to portray that this holiday was celebrated long before Islam, and in the Balkans, Iran, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia. Now is it widely considered a Turkish-Islamic holiday with traditions stemming from different regions.

Hıdırellez’s celebrations usually take place near green, wooded areas, and possibly by tombs. Fresh spring vegetables and lamb are the traditional choice of food. Prayers are generally traditional and are recited. Wishes are hung under a rose tree with slips of paper or ribbons. Some believe you must say the Hıdırellez prayer for the wishes to be accepted.

The most common tradition is to light a fire and jump through it. Jumping through the fire on this day is a sign of goodness and will protect you from diseases and injuries. Because of the prayers and fire-jumping, it is believed that Khidr will bless you in the places it touches.

Turkish is full of special sayings for all types of celebrations.

Here are messages you can send to your Turkish friends for the day:

• Hıdırellez bayramınız kutlu olsun!

Happy Hıdırellez Holiday!

• Havalar gibi yüreğinizde hep sıcacık olsun.

Always be warm in your heart like the air.

• Hıdırellez’de dilekleriniz kabul olsun.

May your wishes at Hıdırellez be accepted.

• Aylardan Mayıs, günlerden Hıdırellez; gününüz hep güneşli talihiniz hep bol olsun. Hızır gününüz kutlu olsun.

From May to May, from day to day; Always have plenty of sunshine for your day. Happy day!

I lived in Istanbul for two years and never heard or saw this holiday celebrated. But now an expat living in Izmir, the ‘Cinco de Mayo’ of Turkey, is hard to miss. The parks and coastlines are filled with friends and families picnicking well into the night, sharing the finale of jumping through the flames together. So if you get the chance this ‘Cinco de Mayo’, head out with your margarita in one hand and your wishes in another and watch some people jump over fire.

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Around Town

Feature and photos by Verena Ringe

ISTANBUL, OUR CITY Istanbul is full of life, culture, and diversity. It is a bustling city with much to offer.

Verena Ringe weaves a tapestry of the many different kinds of people who have made up the city.

Everybody living in Istanbul forms the city, its energy, its fun, and its overall atmosphere. We are all together in this. It is OUR city.

Perhaps you may think that as you are only staying a few years, it has nothing to do with you, you are just an observer – not a component – but you could not be more wrong. Even in this city’s early days, 1,700-2,000 or so years ago, the Romans came from Italy with soldiers and followers and merchants from all over the ancient world.

Not all of them settled here for good. Many just stayed as long as their mission or business lasted, the same as you.

This international bustle shaped the city. Over the centuries, exiles and merchants and disbanded soldiers chose to stay here and formed their very own communities, the biggest groups were from the city-states of Italy, such as Venice and Genoa, who settled in Pera. Also, religious pilgrims came in droves, as this was and still is, the centre of the Orthodox Church. During the Ottoman Empire, Jews came from Spain, speaking their own language, “ladino,” still spoken today in Balat. Bureaucrats and fortune seekers arrived from Egypt, Morocco, Arabia, Iran, Jordan, Bulgaria, Russia, and many more countries, and made their home here. This city welcomed them all, as it was realised that both intellectual and financial wealth was gained here. It was the most civilized city for many centuries.

Be it in old Byzantium, Constantinople, or Istanbul, everybody contributed to this human diversity, something that has never stopped. Our cultures, our languages, and our moods,

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needs, and laughter belong here in the fabric of Istanbul.

It is, therefore, OUR city. The “natives” contribute ancient diversity, and the old values and traditions of Anatolia, a hint of nomadic tribes and warriors, of old intellectual families; the newcomers contribute ideas from all over the world. Together it is a city for everyone.

So, don’t see it as a strange place, foreign to your homeland and culture, but see it for what it is – people from all different countries who have all found this place good enough to settle hundreds of years ago, and then left traces for you to feel like you belong.

It is like weaving a kilim. If one strand of colour is missing, the design changes. We are the colourful strands who change the art of the design, the picture of the finished cloth.

Calendar Monday

May 2019

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

1

2

Saturday 3

Sunday 4

World Press Freedom Day

6

7

8

5

Cinco de Mayo

9

10

11

12

16

17

18

19

25

26

Ramadan begins World Red Cross Day 13

14

15

European Side Coffee

Asian Side Coffee

20

27

Monday

Cultural Diversity Day

21

22

23

24

28

29

30

31

June 2019

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday 1

2

Global Day of Parents

3

4

Eid al-Fitr/Bayram

10

5

6

7

8

9

World Environment Day 11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

Longest Day of the 28 Year

29

30

Asian Side Coffee

World Refugee Day European Side Coffee

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Bookshelf

RECOMMENDED READING

Photo by Pixabay

Summer is here! Whether you’re just lounging in the sun, or taking a trip to faraway, exotic places, don’t forget to take your favorite book with you. Here are some suggestions from Celia Zeilberger, an avid reader and a member of the International Women of Istanbul (IWI).

CELIA’S RECOMMENDED READS Where’d You Go

By Maria Semple

This hilarious best-selling novel about a harried Seattle mother who goes missing is told through emails, documents, and letters. Read it before the movie, starring Cate Blanchett, comes out this summer.

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EDITOR’S PICK

Three Daughters of Eve The Count of Monte

By Elif Shafak Cristo Elif Shafak is one of Turkey’s most famous and widely-read novelists. This is her latest novel and it centers on a beautiful, wealthy 30-something-yearold Turkish woman with deeply-held secrets. It toggles expertly between the past and the present and raises questions about the nature of faith, love, and identity.

By Alexandre Dumas

This classic adventure is about a young man who is about to marry his fiancée, when he is thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit. It’s a story of love and revenge, and the creative lengths Edmond Dantes goes through to take back his life. You may have seen the movies based on this book, but the novel is a thrilling page-turner and a must-read.

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Travel

Feature and photos by Catie Funk

INLE LAKE, MYANMAR

Summertime has so much to offer. School is out and the weather is warm. It’s the best time to pack some sunscreen along with your passport and visit some new places. Catie Funk shares with us her trip to Inle Lake in Myanmar.

Inle Lake’s rich history and the wide variety of sights continue to help it grow into a major tourist destination. The village makes an easy 2-3 day side trip for travelers visiting central Myanmar. For those who want a completely different look of Myanmar, Inle Lake is the place! It forces you to stop and slow down; enjoy letting the boat captain guide you through the vast waters while you breathe in the fresh air and soak in the sites.

After our short 30-minute flight from Mandalay to the Heho airport, a taxi drove us the remaining one-hour drive to the town of Nyaungshwe. It is scrappy, but a well-equipped touristic hub for Inle Lake and its surrounding areas, providing accommodation and transport not just for tourists, but for locals too. Visitors can rent bikes for the day for a few dollars and easily explore all that the city has to offer – a few restaurants, Buddhist temples, and the weekly market.

The local tour companies arrange all lake transportation and day tours. A standard day trip costs K15,000 to K18,000 (12USD to 15USD) per person. The extra tour out to the distant Inthein and Shwe Inn Thein Payas, costs another

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K10,000 per person. The boats carry up to five passengers and are equipped with seated chairs, umbrellas, and life vests. Boat taxis out to the hotel and back are K20,000 total, but with a combined tour and hotel transfer, you can negotiate your rate down by K15,000.

Inle Lake provides plenty of excellent touristic opportunities.

Nestled among the hazy Shan Mountains, 900 meters above sea level, Inle Lake is fringed by marshes and floating gardens that contain stilt-house villages and Buddhist temples rising above the water. Throughout the day you can witness the Intha, (“sons of the lake”), fishermen standing at the very tip of their long slender boats, propelling themselves along with their unique leg-rowing technique.

Only twelve feet deep at its lowest point, Inle Lake boasts thriving fishing villages on stilts, bustling local markets, and comfortable hotels and resorts. It’s one of Myanmar's best locations for finding authentic culture and local life.

The best way to fully experience and explore Inle Lake’s watery world is to stay at one of the many lake hotels or resorts that are only accessible by boat. The boat travelled to our hotel on the calm, serene waters of the 13.5-mile-long and seven-mile-wide lnle Lake. For $50 to $100 per night, guests stay in a villa suite with a private view of the sunset and sunrise over the massive lake. With no option but to dine at the hotel at night, guests are forced to relax and absorb the experiences of the local villages.

Further away, and well worth visiting, are Inthein and Shwe Inn Thein Payas complexes of over 1,000 crumbing, hilltop pagodas, that overlook the water down below. A narrow, vinefilled canal winds through the reeds to these lakeside villages, dotted with stupas dating back a few centuries.

The distinctive hilltop pagodas continue with the worshipping traditions they have practiced for centuries. Although a little off the beaten path, Inthein is one of the busiest and most lively stops due to its location on the market circuit.

Where to stay:

Golden House Hotel - in Nyaungshwe Sky Lake Inle Resort - on the lake Shwe Inn Tha Floating Resort - on the lake

Where to eat:

Sin Yaw Restaurant - in Nyaungshwe The French Touch - French pastry and coffee shop in Nyaungshwe Inn Shwe Kyar Restaurant - on the lake

Bike Rentals: Scattered along the lake, sights include traditional floating villages. Along with fishing, traditional handicrafts play an important part of the local economy. You’ll see local tradesmen plying their crafts with hand-made cheroots (traditional local cigars), silver jewelry, and local longis (skirts), woven from lotus stalks that are harvested from the lake.

Active & Authentic Travels and Tours

Some of the Intha villagers have planted floating gardens that grow a variety of vegetables and flowers, for their own consumption and to export around the country. This method of agriculture is another unique aspect of life on the lake, as the villagers have harnessed nature to develop these gardens over many generations.

As with all of Myanmar, religion plays a large part in everyday local life; numerous atmospheric pagodas and monasteries are situated on the lake and along its shores. The oldest pagoda on the lake, Alodaw Pauk Pagoda, is an impressive and large gem-encrusted golden shrine.

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Travel

Feature and photos by Catie Funk

BODRUM, TURKEY Catie Funk takes us to one of Turkey’s gems. Home to beaches, castles, and one of the ancient wonders of the world, Bodrum lies along they country's southwestern coast. Turn this beautiful destination into your next vacation spot.

Bodrum, located on the south-western tip of Turkey, has long been well-known for its beaches and summer travels. It is so frequented by British visitors that the prices on products are sometimes even written in pounds instead of liras. Bodrum is well known for its white houses that line the coast and run through the city and up into the hills. The white buildings are splashed with colorful window sills and fabrics.

Whether visited during the off-season, like we did, or during the high-season, tourists will have no problem finding open hotels, restaurants, night-clubs, and sites to visit.

From Izmir to Bodrum, travel by car takes around 3.5 hours.

Traveling by car allows flexibility for stops along the way. The route from Izmir to Bodrum passes the large, beautiful Bafa Lake, dotted with lakefront restaurants perfect for a halfway break. No matter what the season, the lake can be slightly foggy in the mornings, but the views of the lake and the surrounding mountains are worth the stop.

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Our favorite stop, the Çeri Restaurant serves a huge, traditional Turkish breakfast of jellies, village-made cheeses, and vegetables. Alongside the breakfast feast, the restaurant gives you the option of ordering a ‘domlek’ of tea. They bring out the candle warmer, a hot water pot, and the top domlek kettle with the strong steeped çay. The Turkish tea here is done with a two-story kettle, similar to the one pictured. The bottom kettle heats the water, and you then pour the water into the top kettle that has the tea. While the tea is brewing (about 10-20 minutes) you reheat the water in the bottom kettle as well. Since the top kettle has strong tea, you can choose how dark or light you want your own personal tea to be by combining the tea and hot water.

Bodrum’s population, even with its high popularity, is only around 40,000. During the off-season, it can seem somewhat deserted, but like some other popular seaside cities, it has a stable year-round population.

Along the waterfront, the Bodrum Castle has long been the biggest historical site Bodrum has to offer, and also offers the best city views. Tickets are 30TL each. If you have a MüzeKart, the entrance fee is covered.

Inside the Bodrum Castle are exhibits about old life in Bodrum, an underwater museum about discovered shipwrecks, and an old chapel/mosque. From the castle walls, one can see several stunning views of the white homes that line the coast. The castle is deceivingly large. I would suggest wearing good walking shoes and blocking out around two hours for exploring and learning. In the summer months, the cafe in the middle of the castle grounds opens to visitors and provides a shaded area to rest and enjoy a cup of tea.

The harbor near the castle continues to curve around the bay.

This next area is a mix of ‘old town’ with narrow pedestrian streets lined with little white washed shops with colorful shutters and décor stuffed full with local goods and other promising touristy items for purchase. Visitors enjoy a break from walking at one of the many cafés with a view of the sea.

We then proceeded to wander the streets and coast line.

On one of the narrow side streets, a Spanish restaurant, La Pasion Restaurant, charmed us inside. After a warm chat with the bartender and a complimentary sangria, the atmosphere invited us to reserve our table for later that evening. The restaurant’s menu offers several options from tapas to entrees. The staff provided great descriptions of the menu items and offered wonderful selections. The portions come small, but enough for four people and allowed us to try 6-7 dishes that the restaurant had to offer. But if you’re hungry, the waiter suggests to order fewer tapas and skip to the entrée, which comes with considerably more food.

Sundays in most small towns start slower and generally give more room to breathe and relax in the morning. But by noon, most visitors step out to start the day and find some type of little street bazaar of local handmade items. Avid runners and sports lovers enjoy the waterfront for morning jogs and walks.

Even the winter provides gorgeously sunny days and a little more warmth. In the spring, Bodrum hosts the Global Bodrum Run 10K.

Further inland and uphill lie two other historical sites in Bodrum: The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and the Ancient Ampitheater.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is one of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World. The word “mausoleum” that we use today started from this structure. However, the site itself is very underwhelming. Since most of the bigger pieces have been confiscated for use in other structures over time, the rest was just scattered around on the ground, unable to create any recognizable formation. Museum curators created a short video program showing how the archaeologists learned about the structure and some pictures in an effort to make the ruins more interesting.

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Following the yellow theater signs from the mausoleum, the Ancient Ampitheater is a short, but steep, 10-minute uphill walk through the narrow streets of a neighborhood. The path can only be used by pedestrians, mopeds, and bicycles.

Once you make it up out of the neighborhood, you find one of the best views of Bodrum’s Castle and the city ascending out to the sea. The theater also has some great views if you climb up to the top of the rows, which is said to hold about 4,000 people. What’s better is that there is no fee for visiting this site. It’s a good idea to come here at sunset to wrap up your adventures in Bodrum!

When to go:

The summer months, end of June through August, are highseason. The streets bustle with excited and happy tourists and spirits are high. The beaches and weather call for you to join in on the outside activities. For a calmer, more relaxing trip, the book-end months of high season offer a more personal experience. Instead of standing in line or pushing through the hustle and bustle, visitors tend to learn more about the ‘real’ life, and spend time meandering the back streets.

How to get there:

Turkish Airlines or Pegasus Airlines both offer one-hour flights to Milas Airport near Bodrum.

Public transportation is cheap, frequent, and well-used in Turkey. If traveling from Izmir, the Izmir Otogar sends buses to Bodrum at all hours of the day.

Where to stay:

Bodrum wraps around a bay area and ascends up the surrounding hillside. Most hotels are within walking distance of some type of coastline. Airbnb.com and Hotels.com are both great websites for finding accommodation. Hotels, even

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in the off-season, found on the main coastline of the city may also be close to a nightclub. A few streets set back from the waterfront and up the hill may mean a little walk, but also will ensure you a better night’s sleep.

Entrance fees - MüzeKart:

If you are a long-term visa holder (one-year residence or work permit) or a student, you are eligible for a MüzeKart. A onetime 70 TL payment museum card allows you entrance into most museums in Turkey for a whole year.

Bonus Stop:

If driving from Bodrum before returning to Izmir, the detour to Cennet Köyu, aka Paradise Village, will not disappoint.

Visitors enjoy the crystal-clear waters and the views of the bays and nearby hills – a unique little local treasure that most tourist miss.

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Neighborhood

Photos courtesy of Ayşe Yücel and Ayşe Slevogt

IWI COFFEE MEET-UPS Members of the International Women of Istanbul group meet once a month on each side of Istanbul for coffee and bonding.

Asian Side Coffee:

European Side Coffee:

Monthly meeting of Kırmızı and Turuncu neighborhoods on the Asian side.

March 12th at Zamane Kahvesi.

Meet and greet at the European side newcomers coffee gathering.

Meet ups are on the second Tuesday of every month

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Meet ups are on the third Thursday of every month

Mums N Kids

Written by Carina Deegan. Photos courtesy of Rana Baroncelli.

WEEKEND FOREST WALK The Moms N Kids group of the International Women of Istanbul organized a weekend Forest Walk in March.

Carina Deegan tells us about the event.

Our first spring Moms N Kids outing brought our young families to Belgrad Forest in Sariyer. Despite the cold weather on the day, it was wonderful to be out of the city enjoying some fresh air and beautiful nature. Once the sun came out, we enjoyed a picnic, some fun in the playground and then it was off for a very enjoyable walk on the trail.

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groups and associations Have a particular passion or want to learn one? There are different social clubs and associations to get involved with in Istanbul. It is a great way to expand your community, make new friends, and find support!

ART & CULTURE FRIENDS OF ARIT ISTANBUL Friends of ARIT, was established to support the ARIT (American Research Institute of Turkey) in Turkey; and runs a year-round programme of tours and lectures for members and guests. Membership is open to all interested residents of Istanbul. Contact: 0 (212) 257 81 11.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB The photo club, a group of international members of varying skill levels (basic to semi-professional), and share the common desire to capture the world in a photograph and explore Istanbul while doing so.

Contact Tammy Ni: photoclubofistanbul@gmail.com.

BIBLE STUDY & CHURCHES UNION CHURCH OF ISTANBUL Union Church of Istanbul is an international, interdenominational church that offers services in English.

Contact: ucistanbul.org

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY International Women’s Bible Study group meets Tuesdays from 10:00 until 12:30. Contact Vicki Günay: 0 (532) 314 1134.

KIDS BOY SCOUTS Boy Scouts & Cub Scouts of America are youth programmes for character development and leadership training.

All boys holding a foreign passport are welcome. Cub Scouts: boys ages 6-10.

Boy Scouts: boy ages 11- 18. Contact Vicki Günay: 0 (532) 314 11 34 or graygunay@gmail.com

GIRL SCOUTS Girl Scouts is dedicated to helping girls build leadership skills through the development of strong values, social conscience and conviction about their own potential and self-worth. Girls ages five and up are welcome. Contact Kat Bekham: 0 (542) 300 24 92 or usagsoistanul@gmail.com

SPEECH BUBBLES Speech Bubbles Theatre, is a drama group composed of amateur and professional dancers, singers/musicians from the international community; which also runs a part-time school of performing arts for children and adults on Saturday mornings.

Contact: tom@speechbubbles.org

TOASTMASTERS INT’L ISTANBUL The English-speaking Istanbul Toastmasters Club helps members improve their communication and leadership skills in a supportive environment. Contact: vpmembership@ istanbultoastmasters.org

PAWI (Profn’l American Women of Ist.) PAWI is a network of American and Canadian women living in Istanbul that strives to empower and support members by promoting personal and professional growth. Contact: pawimembership@gmail.com

NETWORKING INTERNATIONS InterNations is where globally minded people have the opportunity to network and exchange valuable tips and topics regarding expatriate subjects. For information visit our website: www.internations.org

SPORTS OTTOMAN RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB Players of all ages (17+) and all levels of fitness are welcome. We practise Saturday 16:00-18:00, except on game days. www.ottomansrugby.com

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ISTANBUL RUGBY CENTER Rugby Club in Istanbul has coaching for children and teenagers. Turkish, English, French and Spanish are spoken. www. istanbulrugbycenter.com

iTEAM An Expat Football Community of amateurs who enjoy playing and learning football. Ages, skills and experience welcome. Facebook: @ iTeamFootball

NATIONAL GROUPS AMERICAN WOMEN OF ISTANBUL AWI is a social network open to American and Canadian citizens in Istanbul. Contact Monisha Kar or Sia Israfil; awiistanbul@gmail.com BELGIUM FRIENDS OF ISTANBUL The Belgian Friends of Istanbul gather every month for social (such as drinks, brunch, or dinner) and cultural activities. Contact: bfistanbul@gmail.com CHICAS (Spanish Women of Istanbul) CHICAS unite Latin Americans, Spaniards and others Spanish speakers to socialise and help each other in a friendly environment. Contact: chicasestambul2016@gmail. com

CIRCOLO ROMA (Comunità italiana) The Italian Association organises social activities, Italian/Turkish conversation classes, and much more.

Visit our website for more information: www. circoloroma.com

EAST ASIAN LADIES OF ISTANBUL The East Asian Ladies of Istanbul is a nonprofit social group for ladies from East Asia living in Istanbul.

Contact Kim Cakirkaya: kim. cakirkaya@gmail.com or 0 (533) 463 69 30

ISTANBUL ACCUEIL Istanbul Accueil provides the French speaking community in Istanbul information on events and activities.

Contact: istaccueil@gmail. com or Website: www. istanbulaccueil.org

DIE BRÜCKE Die Brücke, a platform for the German-speaking community, organizes social activities and provides information on education and immigration. www.brueckeistanbul.com

NVI (Dutch Community of Istanbul) Dutch Club Istanbul keeps typical Dutch festivities alive and organizes activities for Dutch-speaking community.

Contact Lisette Ruygrok: info@nvi.online

LUSO BRASILEIRO Portuguese speaking group.

Isabel Ponte Gulpan: 0 (532) 274 16 53

DNSI (Dutch School of Istanbul) DNSI provides Dutch language and cultural lessons to students (3-16 years old); and a one-week Dutch summer school.

Visit our website for more information: www.dnsi.nu

FRIENDS OF INDIA ASSOCIATION Friends of India Association (FOIA) connects Indians in Istanbul through various social events. Contact foia. istanbul@gmail.com

C@RMA C@rma is a social initiative promoting dialogue between professionals and NGOs. We have volunteer opportunities that require various skill set on our platform, www.4carma.com, and also organise events where NGOs present their projects and brainstorm with other professionals. For more information, contact info@4carma.com.

FRANSIZ FAKIRHANESI LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR Contact Mother Mary: psdptr@gmail.com or 0 (212) 296 46 08

SOUTH AFRICANS IN ISTANBUL For information please contact: esbie@hotmail.com SWEA (Swedish Women Edu. Assoc.)

SWEA, a world-wide network for Swedish-speaking women, organises events and activities; and welcomes everyone who speaks Swedish. Contact: istanbul@ swea.org

SUPPORT ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS& AL-ANON For more information and a full listing of all Englishspeaking AA meetings in Turkey with local contacts can be found on the AA Europe website: www. aa-europe.net and www. istalanon.blogspot.com.tr.

Al-Anon meets Thursdays 6:30pm at the Dutch Chapel Union Han, 237-239 Istiklal Caddesi, near Tünel in Beyoğlu.

SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Looking for the support of other parents of children with special needs; and additional resources for your child?

Contact Carol Crous: 0 (533) 730 71 48

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL CLUBS BOOK CLUB The Book Club meets on the 3rd Tuesday. For details, contact Mary Akgüner: books@iwi-tr.org

BRIDGE GROUP Bridge group meets on Fridays at 10:30. All levels welcome! For details, contact Sandra: 0 (532) 483 5319.

CRAFT GROUP For details, contact Gaye Hiçdönmez: crafts@iwi-tr.org or 0 (532) 700 0693

MAHJONG CLUB Mahjong group meets every Monday at 10:30 - 16:00.

No previous experience required! For details, contact Gesa Horna – gesahorna@ aol.com 537 362 4912 Mimo – mimokhanoflynn@ gmail.com 5362732489 MUMS ‘N KIDS MEETUPS IWI has weekly meetups and playgroups organized according to children’s early years ages. Please contact mumsnkids@iwi-tr. org for more information and resources.

ROLLER-BLADE & BIKE GROUP This is an Asian-side meetup. Bikes can be rented, but bring your own rollerblades.

It’s lots of fun.

For details, contact Gabriele Sailer: gsailer@paradisefruit.eu.

ISTANBUL & I Fostering dialogue and connecting young leaders to projects that help disadvantaged and displaced communities. İstanbulandi.org TAILS OF ISTANBUL A volunteer network to help stray animals in Istanbul, and to promote animal welfare in Istanbul, Turkey and beyond.

Tailsofistanbul.org

RUNNING GROUP Running Group is a monthly membership. Thursdays 19:00 & Sundays 8:00, Caddebostan sahil. Contact Marina Khonina: marina. khonina@gmail.com or 0 (534) 982 83 07 TENNIS GROUP Tennis Group takes place at Istanbul Tennis Academy (ISTA) in Istinye. All levels are welcome! For details, contact IWI Sports Coordinator, Olga: pautova@hotmail.com

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directory / classifieds

Eden’s Garden International Pre-School, Yeniköy Indoor and outdoor freeplay, teacher-directed art and music activities and a healthy snacks. We welcome you to our school with Bosphorus view and a big garden with fruits trees.

When: Thursdays Time: 9:30am – 11:30am Cost: 80TL – Free for IWI Members Age: 0 – 3 years Please contact Gülcan Çelik, Director at director@edensgardenpreschool.com or telephone +09 212 262 43 02 www.edensgardenpreschool.com

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JOIN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL! From Women, For Women International Women of Istanbul (IWI) is a non-profit social organisation, managed by volunteers with a membership of international women from more than 60 different countries of all different generations and backgrounds. Our mission is to provide a support network for international women living in and around Istanbul. For 40 years we have been strengthening friendships across borders - IWI brings together international women making life in Istanbul that much better.

Whether welcoming and assisting newcomers in Istanbul or providing opportunities to socialise, building their professional network or giving back to the community, IWI has always provided a way for international women in Istanbul to exchange ideas, share challenges and offer support for one another.

We look forward to meeting you!

For more information, visit iwi-tr.org or contact us at membership@iwi-tr.org.

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International Women of Istanbul

policies / advertising

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Keystone

Kilittaşı

Preschool through Grade 12

Preschool through Grade 8

İstanbul

İstanbul

International Schools

- Küçük Çamlıca

Tri-Lingual Schools

- Küçük Çamlıca - Çiftehavuzlar - Dragos - Tuzla (Sabancı University) - Kavacık (Acarkent)

Toronto - Downtown

www.keystoneschools.com.tr / www.kilittasiokullari.k12.tr / www.keystoneschools.ca

We are an accredited school

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