Lale November December 2010

MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL

spe c for ial dis I our WI me count s m Par tne bers in r O sec tion ffers

The truth about Pilates The genius of Mimar Sinan Shifting perspectives

02

November - December 2010

Contents Board information 2 Board Letter 3 IWI Christmas Bazaar 4 Programs Calendar 6 Regular Activities 8 IWI Interest Groups 10 Programs 12 Previous Activities 22 Charity 26 IPWIN 28 Photo Club (PCIIW) 30 Lale Features The Genius of the Architect Sinan 32 Charm of Nişantaşı 34 A Journey Along The Yellow Brick road 36 The Truth about Pilates 40 Flamenco Whirling 68 Smokey Eyes... Hot Lips...

47 A Fun Family Musical 70 Sponsored Articles: Rezztoran Winter Celebration in Bebek 38 Cornucopia Adventures in Istanbul 50 Time Out | Refika’s Fusion Recipes 44 Body Language 46 Turkish Laws Real Estate in Turkey 48 Book Review 42 Mums ‘n Kids Oh No! Not another vacation!

53 Parents Attached 54 Shifting Perspectives 58 children & morality 60 Bullying 62 Announcements 64 Excerpts from a book 72 Other Groups & associations 74 Directory 76 Partner Offers 78 Classifieds 79 IWI Poicies & Advertising 80

the IWI OFFICE

Every Wednesday, from 10.30am to 1pm, the office will be open and we encourage members and newcomers to drop in for a chat and a coffee. If you know of anyone new to Istanbul who would like to find out more about the IWI, and then let them know we are open for questions every Wednesday between 10.30 and 1pm.

The office address is: Adnan Saygun Cad., Öz Topuz Sok. Çamlıtepe Sitesi, No. 74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus, Ortaköy.

(Entrance to the Çamlıtepe Sitesi is opposite Ulus Park.)

Special Thanks!

Illustrator Hande İyicil has been very kind and prepared our November & December issue cover. She was born in Istanbul in 1981. Due to the influence of being the child of musician parents she has studied at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Stage and Costume Design Department. During school she took painting courses also attended animation, character design and storyboard making classes from the Graphic Design Department. After she graduated she directed her work on painting and illustration. Her inspiration comes from animals, plants, landscapes and delicate life forms. She likes interpreting nature with humour and fantasy.

Her works got exhibited in Köln, Paris and Istanbul in 2009 and 2010. Thank you very much!

November & December 2010

1

Board Information The IWI Board members 2010-2011

IWI Office Hours:

Chairwoman

Suzy Kaluti

chairwoman@iwi-tr.org

Wednesday from 10:30 AM till 1:00 PM

Vice-Chairwoman

Esbie van Heerden

esbie@iwi-tr.org

Address:

Treasurer

Maj-Britt Riis-Hansen

treasury@iwi-tr.org

Membership Secretary

Patricia Proz

membership@iwi-tr.org

Advertising & Sponsorship

Chrissy Ramski Güleç

chrissy@iwi-tr.org

Programs Coordinator

Lilli İçgören-Zachariadou

lilli@iwi-tr.org

Lale Coordinator

Güldehan Neng

guldehan@iwi-tr.org

Charity Coordinator

Mirjam van der Lubbe

mirjam@iwi-tr.org

Volunteers Coordinator

Anne Martin

anne@iwi-tr.org

X-mas Bazaar Coordinator

Laurina van Dam

laurina@iwi-tr.org

Mums’N Kids Coordinator

Jasmine Yüzer

jasmine@iwi-tr.org

Newcomers Coordinators

Camelia Sağışman

camelia@iwi-tr.org

Hana Danon

hana@iwi-tr.org

Petra Gönenç

petra@iwi-tr.org

Liaison Officer

Ebru Demirel

ebru@iwi-tr.org

IPWIN Coordinator

Marie Theres Raberger

ipwin.mail@gmail.com

Lilli İçgören-Zachariadou

lilli@iwi-tr.org

İmtiyaz Sahibi/Licensee:

Tanja Gül

tanja@iwi-tr.org

Pervin Leenhouts

Nalini Narang

nalini@iwi-tr.org

Martina Schweiher

martina@iwi-tr.org

Mehnaz Nadeem

mehnaz@iwi-tr.org

Stephanie Kansu

stephanie@iwi-tr.org

Güldehan Neng

guldehan@iwi-tr.org

Maria Eliades

m.a.eliades@gmail.com

Camelia Sağışman

camelia@iwi-tr.org

Hana Danon

hana@iwi-tr.org

Petra Gönenç

petra@iwi-tr.com

Jasmine Yüzer

jasmine@iwi-tr.org

Gigi Aksu

gigi@iwi-tr.org

Mirjam van Lubbe

mirjam@iwi-tr.org

Ann Martin

anne@iwi-tr.org

Oona Mathlener

oona@iwi-tr.org

Angela Roberts-Kuzucu

angela@iwi-tr.org

Laurina van Dam

laurina@iwi-tr.org

Maj-Britt Riis-Hansen

treasury@iwi-tr.org

Astrid Traas

traasastrid@yahoo.com

Aileen Soğuksu

aileensoguksu@gmail.com

Aylin Tolu

aylynntr@yahoo.com

Marie Theres Raberger

ipwin.mail@gmail.com

Cerstin Diewald

ipwin.mail@gmail.com

Kelly Hevel

ipwin.mail@gmail.com

Tennis

Sydney Yol

sydney@iwi-tr.org

Book Club Team1

Lesley Tahtakılıç

lesley@iwi-tr.org

Book Club Team2

Fiona Houlton

fiona@iwi-tr.org

Istanbul @ Night

Pervin Leenhouts

pervinleenhouts@gmail.com

Laily Neyzi

laily.neyzi@mail.koc.net

Adnan Saygun Caddesi, Çamlıtepe Sitesi No:74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus Ortaköy Istanbul – TURKEY Telephone: 0534 311 96 46 / 0212 2873571 www.iwi-tr.org

Dergi Adı/Magazine Name: Lale, Monthly Programme of the International Women of Istanbul

Yayını Yapan/Publisher: IWI International Women of Istanbul, Dernek Kod: 34-64/027

İrtibat Adresi/Address: Adnan Saygun Caddesi, Çamlıtepe Sitesi No:74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus Ortaköy Istanbul – TURKEY

Team members 2010-2011 Programs Team

Adresi/Address: Tahir Paşa Evleleri No. 35 Bağlar Mevkii Yolu 80870 Yeniköy, Istanbul, Tel: 0212 299 21 46 Lale Team

Sorumlu Yazı İşleri Müdürü/ Responsible Editor: Laily Neyzi

Newcomers Team

Adresi/Address: Kemerburgaz Mesa Evleri, Lavanta 7, D:9, 34075 Göktürk, Istanbul

Yayın Türü/Issue Type:

Mums N’ Kids Team Charity Team

Yerel Süreli

Tasarım/Design: Marlet Advertisement Studios www.marlet.com.tr +90 216 386 32 16

Christmas Bazaar Team

Matbaa/Printer: Punto

Basım Tarihi:

IPWIN Team

28.10.2010 Sayı: 49

2

Board Letter Dear IWI Members,

T

he opening meeting lies behind us and was a great start of the season. Nearly 400 visitors, more than last year, came to the Hilton Hotel to become IWI member, meet friends, find information about the IWI activities, schools, and other services. 154 new members signed up and we hope they will enjoy being part of the energetic club of woman the IWI is.

One of our biggest events in the season is the annual Christmas Bazaar, which will again take place in the Hilton Convention Center. It will be held on November 30th from 12 to 4pm. Although the Bazaar is only open for four hours, the preparations take months and have already started before the summer. Especially the last couple of months The Christmas Bazaar is a full-time job for some of our members and they all do it with great enthusiasm.

Over 60 stall holders consisting of schools, national groups and commercial companies will be selling their products to an expected 2500 to 3000 visitors. Christmas items, specialties from many European countries and the U.S, jewelry, arts, hand-made products and second-hand books, toys and children’s clothes will be part of the wide assortment. It is difficult not to find a nice Christmas gift or present for yourself. At our International Food Court you can enjoy food from popular Istanbul based restaurants or home-made delicatessen from the large number of National Groups and volunteers. There will be a special play area for children where they can meet Santa Claus. Our lottery with great prizes to win, complete a day full of entertainment. Don’t forget to buy your lottery tickets at the coffee mornings or at the Bazaar.

You may be the lucky winner of one of the many prizes!

*Laurina van Dam

IWI are able to help improve the lives of Istanbul’s women and children in need. Our Charity Team will make sure the money will be spent in an effective way. In this magazine and on our website you can find more information about the charities the IWI are supporting.

We always can use some more help so, whether you have little or a lot of time, please let us know. You can help in many ways. We need volunteers to decorate and re-decorate the Hilton Convention Center, volunteers dressed like angels who sell lottery tickets and welcome visitors and volunteers who serve food. Even in your own kitchen you can help us. Our volunteers who run the popular cake stall and salad bar are looking for members who would like to bake their favorite cake or make their most delicious salad. If you don’t fancy all of this, just donate some of your old books, children’s toys, DVDs and clothes. It will all help to raise money for charity.

No time at all to help with the preparations? We do hope to welcome you as a visitor! Please, bring your friends, family, neighbours and enjoy a true Christmas spirit.

Kind regards, *Christmas Bazaar Coordinator

Besides offering a day of fun, the Christmas Bazaar is our biggest fund raising event of the year. All net proceeds will go to IWI sponsored charities. We are very grateful for all those people, both sponsors and over 100 volunteers who will help us to make this Bazaar a success. Especially the National groups are big contributors to the total money we raise. Thanks to their help that the

A goodbye and a welcome !

The IWI welcomes a new Chairwoman: Suzy Kaluti However hard we try to make plans, from time to time the unexpected happens and no one knows this better than Joan Gottraux. Joan started her term as chairlady of IWI with great enthusiasm but alas it is not to be: Joan and her family have to move to Milan on short notice. On behalf of the board of IWI we would like to thank Joan for all her hard work and especially for organizing such a lively opening meeting. Best wishes for your move and future in Italy!

On a happier note, long time member and İstanbul resident Suzy Kaluti is changing roles from secretary to chairwoman.

Suzy has volunteered for the IWI board before, as charity coordinator, and her experience on the board will certainly help the IWI to go from strength to strength this year. We would like to extend a warm welcome to Suzy and thank her for accepting on such short notice.

November & December 2010

3

IWI Christmas Bazaar

Request for donations Your donations will help raising money for Charities.

We are looking for: †† †† ††

††

Salads for our salad bar at the Food Court (for min. 12 persons). A great prize will be given for the most popular salad.

Please contact Ayse Yűcel at aysegurleryucel@gmail.com or call 0532-356 38 43 Home-made cakes for our cake stall at the Food Court.

Please contact Jo Poole at jo.pooley@gmail.com, or call 0533-963 33 76 Second-hand books for our book stall (any language).

Donations can be brought to the office on Wednesday mornings between 10.30 am-1pm. For an appointment outside office hours or for a different drop-off point, please contact Maj-Britt Rijs Hansen at majbritt.rijshansen@gmail.com or call 0533-249 3112 Second-hand toys, children books, DVDs and children clothes for the Children’s Toys and book stall. Donations can be brought to the office on Wednesday mornings between 10.30 am-1pm. For an appointment outside office hours or for another dropoff point, please contact Maj-Britt Rijs Hansen at majbritt.rijshansen@gmail.com or call 0533-249 3112

Any other questions regarding the Bazaar?

Please contact Bazaar Coordinator Laurina van Dam at laurina@iwi-tr.org or call 0545-449 19 84

4

November & December 2010

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30th 12 - 4 PM HILTON HOTEL CONVENTION CENTER More than 60 bazaar stalls International food court Lottery with amazing prizes Children’s corner with Santa Claus Net proceeds distributed to IWI sponsored Charities.

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

Information: Laurina van Dam, laurina@iwi-tr.org www.iwi-tr.org

Programs Programs Calendar November Monday 1

Tuesday 2 Asian side coffee morning

8 Flying carpet

9 Body Worlds

Wednesday 3 Earthquake

Thursday

Friday

4 Cafe Nunyo coffee morning Göçmen Ranch petting zoo

5 Wine tasting

10 Neighborhood coffee morning

11 Cafe Nunyo coffee morning

Saturday

Sunday

6

7

12

13

14

Sadberk Hanım Museum

IPWIN 15

16 Kurban Bayramı

17 Kurban Bayramı

18 Kurban Bayramı

19 Kurban Bayramı

20

21

22

23 Olive oil tasting

24

25 Cafe Nunyo coffee morning İstanbul @ night LOLA workshop

26 Turkish cooking

27 Lots of Lovely Art (LOLA) workshop

28

29

30 Christmas Bazaar

31

December Monday

6 Grand bazaar shopping

Tuesday

7 Asian side coffee morning

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

1 Glassmaking workshop

2 Café Nunyo

3 Confectionery workshop

4

5

8 Christmas lunch

9 German baking

10

11

12 Christmas brunch with Santa

Café Nunyo IPWIN 13

14 Forest walk

15 QNail Bar

16 Café Nunyo

17

18

19

20

21

22

23 Café Nunyo

24

25 Christmas Day

26

27

28

29

30 Café Nunyo

* Mums ‘n Kids programs

6

November & December 2010

November & December 2010

7

regular activities The Weekly Meeting Place of the IWI Café Nunyo - Alkent

Asian Side Coffee/Lunch Meeting at Food & Co

All new comers and IWI members mark your calendars for Thursdays! Our popular weekly meeting spot in Etiler welcomes you anytime between 12 noon and 2 pm for lunch, coffee and a friendly chat. Camellia and Hana, our newcomer coordinators, will be there to greet you with a smile and introduce you to the other members. We look forward to seeing you there!

Mark your calendars for our monthly coffee meeting at the new chosen place for you to discover FOOD & CO. art of eating and drinking !

Café Nunyo offers 10% discount for the IWI members for coffee or tea. Also if you have lunch, tea / coffee is for free.

Meet new members , establish new friendships or else renew existing ones in Istanbul. Food & Co. offers 10% discount for the IWI members for coffee or tea. Also if you have lunch, tea / coffee is for free.

Remember it’s the first Tuesday of the month!

Date

: See calendar for details

Date

:

See calendar for details

Time

: 12 Noon

Time

:

11:00 am

Venue

: Café Nunyo 0212-352 8547

Venue

:

FOOD & CO. Restaurant

:

Pay as you order (with your special 10% discount)

Meeting Place

:

Bağdat Caddesi No: 350 Erenköy at the corner of Nihat Kızıltan Sokak.

If you come down from Marks&Spencer walk 400 m on the left side of Bağdat Street. The restaurant is just underneath BODY SHOP. www.foodandco.com.tr

Reservations

:

Not required

Phone

:

0216-478 64 63

Cost

: Pay as you order

Meeting Place

: Tepecik Yolu, Alkent Sitesi, Etiler

Reservations

: Not required

Phone

:

Camellia Sağışman 0532 236 97 55 Hana Danon 0532 213 31 51

Cost

Regular IWI activities »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

8

YOGA : Every day at Life&Co, Etiler at 8.00 - 14.30 - 18.00 TENNIS: Every Monday. Reservation online www.iwi-tr.org MOVIE CLUB : Every last Wednesday of the month (In the morning) ISTANBUL@NIGHT : Every last Thursday of the month (In the evening) IPWIN: Every first Tuesday of the month (In the evening) BOOK CLUBS 1 & 2 : Please check the website: www.iwi-tr.org PHOTO CLUB : Please check the website: www.iwi-tr.org CHESS: Once a month by reservation: Ekaterina Atalık WATERCOLOR PAINTING : Every second and fourth Thursday at IWI office. (5pm In the evening) NEIGHBORHOOD COFFEE MORNINGS : Every second Wednesday of the month IWI BOARD MEETING : The IWI Board meets every first Wednesday of the month November & December 2010

regular activities

*Nalini Narang

Neighbourhood Coffee Morning

I

am extremely pleased to announce that our first Neighborhood Coffee Mornings on Wed, 13th October, was a great success, in almost all areas !

And for this, the NCM team is very grateful to all of you ladies who came and enjoyed and supported their Neighborhood Coffee Morning.

Everyone of the members were really excited to meet so many other ladies living in their neighborhood that they did not know about. Phone numbers, e-mail addresses were exchanged and lots of ideas/suggestions were put forth on how to make their NCMs even more successful.

I must congratulate and thank each of our Area coordinators along with the hostesses who have worked so hard in making this possible. And I think it was very encouraging for them to see that the ladies were actually enjoying themselves (pictures for proof) and looking forward to the next coffee morning. A few have even been inundated with offers to host the next few events.

hosted Nilgün Sarmas

ng.

ffee morni İstinye area co

Special thanks to the following hostesses: Lena Raitanen, Cristina Marx, Christina Türk, Aygül Özen Walicki, Elene Lange, Nilgün Sarmas, Ann Hammet, Fiona Houlton, Maria Hoffman, Bettina Oltmanns, Jennifer, Martina Nijhof-Schweiher, Mei-Ling Wong who very generously opened their homes and laid out a fantastic spread for all to enjoy. We are very grateful to each of you.

THE NEXT NEIGHBOURHOOD COFFEE MORNING (NCM) IS ON 10TH NOVEMBER 2010 WEDNESDAY.

.

ns Bettina Oltman was hosted by ng ni or m e ffe Beyoğlu area co

If you wish to find out more about your Area NCMs, please check the website or contact me. If you are interested in hosting one in your home or you have any suggestions, we look forward to hearing from you.

Please remember, Neighborhood Coffee Mornings are in your very own neighborhood and its success depends on you. The Area coordinators and hostesses go to a lot of trouble organizing and preparing food for the Coffee Mornings and they would really appreciate if you could let them know in advance whether you can/cannot attend.

We really appreciate your support and look forward to enjoying the next cuppa with you on the 10th of Nov. *Neighbourhood Coffee Mornings Coordinator nalini@iwi-tr.org

November & December 2010

Marijana Aladem

ir hosted Kadıkö y area coffee m

orning.

9

ıwı ınterest Groups Chess Club

IWI Chess Club Meeting Scientists claim that playing chess can improve mental age by up to 14 years; it exercises the brain and helps prevent and fight Alzheimer’s disease. By playing chess, children can develop and adults can strengthen many types of skills, including memory, logical thinking, concentration, capability to predict and foresee consequences of actions, and many others. Join the chess club and experience the benefits of playing chess!

Weekly chess group lessons are available for children (IWI members receive a 10% discount) from IWI chess club coordinator, Ekaterina Atalik, who happens to be an International Chess Grandmaster and 2006 European Champion.

Date:Monthly (for ladies) Cost:Free Meeting Place: Upon reservation

Reservations: Reserve online or makacat@yandex.ru Contact: 0533 -6904782

Book Club 1 News The enigmatic title of our October book, Cutting For Stone, refers to a section of the original Hippocratic oath taken by doctors – ‘I will not cut for stone’- meaning that operations such as those for gall stones will be left for the traditional experts i.e. barbers.

There is a pun in the title as the main character in the story is a Doctor Stone. The author of the novel, Abraham Verghese, is a doctor who has drawn on his experience of practising medicine in Ethiopia in writing this book, the epic story of a group of doctors working in Addis Ababa during the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Against a background of political upheaval a family saga plays out while the medical team fights to save life.

This novel produced divided opinions amongst members, from ‘very long’ to ‘very enjoyable’, ‘fascinating insight’ to ‘too much gynaecology’, ‘a page turner’ to ‘an inept writer’. Some readers were disturbed by the detailed descriptions of surgical operations while others found them interesting. These varied views were reflected in the star ratings which ranged from 4.5* to 2.5*, averaging out at 4* Winter Programme December Night Train to Lisbon - Pascal Mercier January The Lacuna - Barbara Kingsolver February Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand - Helen Simonson March Alone in Berlin - Hans Fallada Book Club 1 Coordinator: Lesley Tahtakılıç tahtakilic@superonline.com 0216 332 0646

IWI Movie Club

Are you interested in watching movies? If you are, then join our new IWI Movie Club! Our first meeting was on 29th September at AFM Istinye Park. We watched “Wall Street 2”. The meetings take place every last Wednesday of the month. For more information log onto www.iwi-tr.org and make your reservation.

10

Book Club 2 News

Why not join us for a chance to discuss, explore and share books from all over the world. We meet every third Tuesday of the month.

Our club only started in February of this year and we have already devoured a wide range of books.

With such a multicultural group of members and so many experiences of living in various far away places our discussions have been lively and informative. Members are always bringing along new books they have enjoyed for us all to share. My bookcase groans under the weight of books waiting to be read over the long hot summers by the pool or the wet and cold winters.

Why not come along and join us at our next meeting.

For our next meeting we will be reading: 16th November 2010 - The Passport by Herta Muller Venue: ‘House Cafe’ in Kanyon (Metro - LEVENT - and follow the signs through the walkway to Kanyon. The House Cafe can be found on the Ground Floor) Time: 10.30am - 12pm.

Book Club 2 Coordinator: Fiona Houlton - houlton4@yahoo.com

IWI Tennis

Welcoming all level of tennis players. Join us!

Every monday we meet at Enka, which is located across from Istinye Park Shopping Mall, to play 1.5 hours of tennis. Last year we had eight teams, so we are sure to have a level that is suitable for you, from beginners to intermediate to advanced.

Our first term will start October 4 and finish December 13. To sign up or to learn more details please phone or e-mail.

Sydney Ellsworth-Yol 0 532 287 5611 sydneyyol@gmail.com

PCIIW

(Photography Club of Istanbul International Women) PCIIW is a group of international women with an interest in photography at all levels.

We hold monthly meetings, go on monthly photo treks around Istanbul, and organize photography classes, all of which help us to discover Istanbul, make new friends, and become better photographers. Over the years we have had several exhibits. For more information, please send an email to pciiw@yahoo.com

November & December 2010

Venue: Pera Palace Hotel Date: 08th December 2010 Time: 11.30-14.00

Menu and reservations online www.iwi-tr.org

Reservation deadline: 04th December 2010, Friday Price: 90 TL

November & December 2010

A reservation made is a reservation paid!

11

programs Earthquake preparedness

Sadberk Hanim Muzesi

Before the big earthquake in the Istanbul area on August 17, 1999, the only volunteer association focused on search and rescue was the AKUT search and rescue association. After the earthquake, however, hundreds of search and rescue groups were formed in different regions of the country. Associations were founded in different provinces and districts in order to react locally to disasters.

This movement has turned into a national mission and extremely positive steps have been taken.

Sadberk Hanım Müzesi is one of the most special museums of Turkey. Established by the Koç family in 1980 in the district of Sarıyer on the waterfront, the museum consists of two Azeryan villas: One holds the archeological collections and the other the ethnological collections of various Istanbul families.

As a result, AKUT has changed the search and rescue standpoint of many governmental and private sector institutions. It has been a leader in this endeavor and has worked in order to raise consciousness related to situations before and after disasters. AKUT was identified as the organization that people trust the most in the survey that TESEV did after the Marmara earthquake. Most of the public heartily supports AKUT’s commitment to the safety of our society.

Come and learn from AKUT how to protect yourself and your family, your house, and help others as well. You may also bring your family or friends with you. This knowledge could save lives!

All collections were received from the Koc family, and the museum gets its name from Vehbi Koc's wife, Sadberk Koc, a passionate collector of arts and “daily life” traditional items from the past century. Among some of the museum’s unique exhibits are Turkish Islamic ceramic and glass works.

Come experience this wonderful museum with us!

Date

:

3rd November 2010, Wednesday

Date

:

5th November 2010, Friday

Time

:

11:00 am and /or 7:00 pm

Time

:

11:00 am

Venue

:

Sadberk Hanim Museum, Sarıyer

:

AKUT SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION Esentepe Büyükdere Cad. No. 120, at the Metro station Gayrettepe 0212-217 04 10 www.akut.org.tr

Cost

:

7 TL

Meeting Place

:

Piyasa Caddesi, Sariyer

Venue

Cost

:

Seminar is free, with an optional 20TL donation to AKUT

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Phone

:

05395843018

Meeting Place

:

AKUT ‘s office building

Deadline:

:

3rd November 2010

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Team Person

:

Mehnaz Nadeem

Phone

:

-

#People

:

Unlimited

Deadline:

:

1st November 2010, Monday

Team Person

:

Lilli Zachariadou

#People

:

min 20

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

12

November & December 2010

programs A taste of Turkish wines...

Walking through history..

All of you gourmet IWI members will be excited to know that the events team is forming a wine and cheese tasting group for regular gastronomical get-togethers. Our primary goal is to enjoy good wine and food while familiarizing ourselves with the wide range of wines produced in Turkey.

Not far from Yıldız-Beşiktaş is home to another small gem from the later imperial period. The Ihlamur Kasır (summer palace) was built for Sultan Abdulmecid I (1839-61), who wanted a lodge where he could break the journey between Dolmabahçe Sarayı and the Golden Horn shipyards at Kasımpaşa. The Sultan commissioned Nikogos Balyan, who had worked on Dolmabahçe, to come up with the design, and the end result was a pair of pavilions in a small landscaped park. One of the summer palaces, the Mabeyn Köşkü, was designed to host the Sultan and his guests, while the other, the Maiyet Köşkü, was created to host his harem. Like the slightly larger Küçüksu Kasır, the Mabeyn Köşkü is thickly festooned with baroque carvings on the outside. Inside it has only eight small rooms, each of them adorned with lovely parquet floors, porcelain fireplaces, and indigo colored glass. Join us for a visit of these delightful summer palaces and gardens. At the lovely garden of Ihlamur, we can enjoy some snacks at the “Çay Bahçesi”. We will also visit the Beşiktaş vegetable bazaar and marketplace next to Migros, where there is ample parking space for those of you travelling by car.

Our first outing will take place in the Sultanahmet area at the world famous Four Seasons Hotel. In this extraordinary hotel, which once served as a prison, Food and Beverage Manager Angela Moore will introduce us to four different wines of different grapes, regions, or wineries. Join us for a fabulous wine tasting and lovely cheese buffet. Şerefe!

Date

:

5th November 2010, Friday

Date

:

6th November 2010, Saturday

Time

:

7:00 pm

Time

:

10:30 am

Venue

:

Four Seasons Hotel (Sultanahmet )

Venue

:

Ihlamur Kasırları, Beşiktaş

Cost

:

35 TL

Cost

:

7 TL (entrance & köşk)

Meeting Place

:

At the hotel’s restaurant

Meeting Place

:

To be confirmed

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Phone

:

0212 402 30000

Phone

:

0533-681 1888

Deadline:

:

2nd November 2010, Tuesday

Deadline:

:

4th November 2010, Thursday

Team Person

:

Angela Moore.

Team Person

:

To be confirmed

#People

:

Max. 20 (friends are welcome)

#People

:

no limit

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

November & December 2010

13

programs The flying carpet tour

Olive oil: The secret to good health

Did you know that carpets tell stories? If you want to hear some of them and are thinking of buying a carpet while you are in Turkey, if you want to know what a Hereke or a Sumak is, or if you just want to learn the difference between a Halı and a Kilim then don’t miss this amazing opportunity!

For thousands of years, the inhabitants of Mediterranean countries have cultivated the olive tree and used its products for their daily needs. The edible olives and oil were used in their food, and the leaves and the oil had therapeutic powers and were used as incense. The oil was also used as an offering to the Gods.

Founding partner of the company Adnan & Hasan since 1978, Hasan B. Semerci is an internationally recognized rug dealer and expert. He has been assisting Turkish and international clients in carpet purchasing for over thirty years. He has been featured in several international publications, including the Globe and Mail, Forbes, Business Week magazine, and the New York Times.

Olive oil is believed to contribute to the good health and longevity of the people who consume it. International medical studies show that this natural product is a shield of protection, the key to good health and vitality, and a product that keeps the heart strong and helps us live long.

In the backyard of the Grand Bazaar, we will follow Hasan to his wonderful world of carpets. He will tell us the story of each carpet we will see. He will show us how carpets are made and, most importantly, tell us what we need to know before purchasing one.

Come learn carpets with us!

Date

:

8th November 2010, Monday

Within the last few years, the production of olive oils in Turkey has increased significantly. As a result, there are many products on the market the quality for which is unknown. In addition, the prices of olive oil products have increased.

Join us as we taste some olive oil products available on the local market and help us determine the best olive oil products here in Turkey.

Date

:

23rd November 2010, Tuesday

Time

:

10:30 am

Time

:

11:00 am

Venue

:

Grand Bazaar ( Kapalıçarşı)

Venue

:

To be anounced

Cost

:

Free

Cost

:

Free

Meeting Place

:

Entrance of the Bazar at Nuruosmaniye Gate

Meeting Place

:

to be announced

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Phone

:

0533 3931151

Phone

:

-

Deadline:

:

18th November 2010, Thursday

Deadline:

:

4th November 2010, Thursday

Team Person

:

To be anounced

Team Person

:

Lilli Zachariadou

#People

:

min. 15 people

#People

:

15

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

14

November & December 2010

programs Istanbul @ Night

Turkish cooking with Ayşe

Want to discover the heart of Istanbul’s nightlife? Then come along with us as we visit popular “going out” venues in the Asmalimescit area. We will start the night off with cocktails at the Mikla Bar. With its panoramic rooftop views of the city of Istanbul, Mikla provides a comfortable and luxurious setting.

Do you enjoy homemade Turkish food? Why not take a slice of Turkish flavor home with you by participating in Ayşe Yucel's Turkish cuisine cooking class? Ayşe Yücel, a fellow expat and IWI member for over 20 years, is well known for her exquisite culinary talent and gracious hospitality. Ayşe is the original creator of the Asian booth at the annual IWI Christmas Bazaar. Based on the Asian booth’s success, Ayşe created the popular salad bar booth.

Always one to embrace culinary challenges, Ayşe’s love of good food precedes her reputation of being IWI’s “Gourmet Guru.” You don't want to miss this delightful opportunity to learn to cook delicious Turkish cuisine with Ayşe. Join this fabulous class and experience Ayşe’s vibrant passion for cooking first-hand.

After cocktails, we will walk to Yakup, a fantastic down-to-earth typical fish restaurant where it’s difficult to secure a table without a reservation. After dinner, we’ll walk around Asmalimescit and choose a venue to hear live music.

Come alone or with a friend or significant other. Either way, the night is sure to be lots of fun!

Menu Starters: Lentil Soup Spinach Börek Eggplant in Olive Oil Main course: Lamb in Semolina Yoghurt Sauce (Elbasan tava, an amazingly delicious Ottoman dish) Rice with Almonds Çoban Salad Dessert: Pumpkin Dessert

Date

:

25th November 2010, Thursday

Date

:

26th November 2010, Friday

Time

:

8:00 pm

Time

:

10:30am

Venue

:

Mikla Bar at The Marmara Pera Hotel

Venue

:

Ayse’s home in Yenikoy

Cost

:

Individually paid

Cost

:

80 TL

Meeting Place

:

Mikla Bar

Meeting Place

:

Yeniköy (directions upon reservation)

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Phone

:

0532-4667573 - 0532-2530346

Phone

:

0533 3931151

Deadline:

:

22nd November 2010, Monday

Deadline:

:

23rd November 2010

Team Person

:

Pervin Leenhouts - Laily Neyzi

Team Person

:

Stephanie Kansu - Mehnaz Karamat

#People

:

Unlimited

#People

:

min 10- max 14

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

November & December 2010

15

programs Glass workshop Camhane

Sweet world of confectionery!

Would you like to make your own hand-made glass Christmas gift or ornament? Glass is a unique medium for artistic expression.

Learn to apply the techniques of fusing to make beautiful objects at our one-day workshop at Camhane Glass Art Center in Balat.

Specifically, you will learn the principles of basic glass cutting, planning, and assembly of fused pieces using color, line, and transparency.

Have you always wanted to become a chocolatier or confectioner?

Get started! Learn more about chocolate making. How to make the most mouth-watering brownies, cookies, cupcakes and other sweet temptations to impress your family and friends.

Yasemin Aslan Bakiri is a glass artist with a studio in Fener, Balat.

After graduating from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University of Istanbul, Yasemin continued her studies at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design in England. Yasemin has worked with various international artists and her work is exhibited both nationally and internationally. She runs a Glass Art Center called “Camhane,” which is located in a historical building in Balat and continues to work from her studio as a glass artist.

Find out more about handmade confectionery and techniques with chocolate molds. Learn more about taste and attributes of different chocolates. You also will be taught some gourmet chocolate recipes that you can tailor to your own vision.

For all chocolate lovers... Join us and enter in the sweet world of confectionery!

Date

:

1st December 2010, Wednesday

Date

Time

:

Lesson 10.30 am-12.30 pm & 1.30 pm-2.30 pm Lunch 12.30 pm -1.30 pm

Time

:

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Venue

:

IWI office

Venue

:

Camhane, Balat

Cost

:

40 TL

Cost

:

85 YTL (includes coffee/tea, lunch, materials and firing of the objects in the kiln at 800 degrees)

Meeting Place

:

Chocoist Kücük Bebek Cad. No. 83 Bebek

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Meeting Place

:

www.yaseminaslan.com / www.lebriz.com

Phone

:

-

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Deadline:

:

1st December 2010, Monday

:

Tanja Gul.

:

5

Phone

:

0533-922 2500

Team Person

Deadline:

:

26th November 2010, Friday

#People

Team Person

:

Stephanie Kansu

#People

:

max 10

:

3rd December 2010, Friday

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

16

November & December 2010

programs Time for shopping in Sultanahmet

Are you worried about purchasing Turkish handicrafts because you’re not sure which shops sell the highest quality, locally produced products? Then join Jennifer on a walk of the Sultanahmet area and discover the best places to buy quality, authentic Turkish handicrafts. Each vendor we will visit has agreed to give a short talk about their products, and will offer IWI members a 10% discount on anything bought during the visit. It’ll be a great opportunity to get your Christmas shopping out of the way while learning more about Turkish handicrafts and how they’re made!

Christmas in the air…

Winter is an ideal season to spend time exploring continental baking!

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make German Lebkuchen and Apfelbrot? Now is your opportunity! Join us as we show you how easy it is to make wonderful baked goods for the upcoming holidays. You can give away these delicious treats as gifts or enjoy them at home with your family. After baking we will relax with some German Glühwein or punch. Let’s get in the holiday spirit and enjoy some traditional German baked goods!

Jennifer has lived in Sultanahmet for the past four and a half years and is now running her second business in the area. Familiar with most of the local shops, she will steer you through the chaos to the vendors who are the most knowledgeable about their products and offer the highest standards.

Please be sure to wear suitable clothing and good walking shoes, as there will be a fair bit of outdoor walking.

Date

:

6th December 2010, Monday

Date

:

7th December 2010, Tuesday

Time

:

9:30am

Time

:

10.00 am – 2.00 pm

Venue

:

Sultanahmet area

Venue

:

Martina’s home / Beykoz

Cost

:

Pay for your own lunch & purchases

Cost

:

20 TL

Meeting Place

:

Martina´s home in Beykoz/ Soguksu (direction upon reservation)

Meeting Place

:

to be announced

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Phone

:

0538-548-1311

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Deadline:

:

3rd December 2010, Friday

Phone

:

0554 963 9872

:

5th December 2010

Team Person

:

Jennifer Gaudet

Deadline:

#People

:

15

Team Person

:

Martina Schweiher

#People

:

8

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

November & December 2010

17

programs Body Worlds and the Cycle of Life

In search of a perfect tree: Forest walk

Like no other museum experience in the world, the fascinating “Body Worlds” exhibit changes the way we see ourselves. The mesmerizing exhibitions by trailblazing scientist Dr. Gunther von Hagens present the complex elegance of the human body. In “Body Worlds and the Cycle of Life,” more than 200 authentic human specimens, transformed through plastination, show the form, beauty, function, and potential of the human body. “The Cycle of Life,” a special feature on the human life cycle, shows the body living through time. “Body Worlds” invites the visitor to navigate the inner terrains and outer border of the human landscape. This multi-sensory experience compels visitors to reflect upon the elegant form and function of the human body, its fragility under distress and disease, and its amazing strength and potential when healthy.

Have fun getting ready for Christmas with a real Christmas tree!

As some of you know so well, finding a Christmas tree in Istanbul that is not made out of plastic is a very difficult task. Join us as we go for a walk and search for our own decorations in the forest!

Date

:

9th December 2010, Thursday

Time

:

10:30 am

Venue

:

Antrepo 3 Karakoy, Istanbul (next to the Istanbul Modern Art Museum)

Cost

:

25 TL

Meeting Place

:

to be announced

Reservations

:

Phone

We will enjoy getting into the Christmas spirit with our forest walk and some lovely treats from the Christmas Bakery and a Glühwein, even if the trip might end at a nursery …

Date

:

14th December 2010, Tuesday

Time

:

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Venue

:

to be announced

Cost

:

individual

Meeting Place

:

to be anounced

Reservations

:

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Reserve online www.iwi-tr.org

Phone

:

0533-681 1888

:

-

Deadline:

:

10th December 2010, Friday

Deadline:

:

7th November 2010

Team Person

:

Bettina Oltmanns.

Team Person

:

To be announced

#People

:

Unlimited

#People

:

no limit – please arrange to use cars with HUGE trunks!

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

18

November & December 2010

programs Beauty Party!

What’s more fun than pampering yourself with Spa treatments while sipping your complimentary drink and get to know new people in a relaxing sphere?

Get your nails painted in any color... From deep, sexy reds to innocent, flowery pinks to exciting and electric blues and purples. All nail technicians provide cutting-edge services to leave you looking and feeling great.

QNail Bar in Bebek offers the best luxury of five star comfort and service while ensuring sanitation and hygiene by using all sterilized implements.

Show off your hands with pride! Beautify your appearance. Spend at least 60 TL (ex. pedicure and manicure) and get your Decléor Paris facial (products are all natural and paraban-free) & a gift for free! Don’t wait too long and make your appointmen (between 9:00 am to 7:00 pm). Three ladies can be served at the same time.

Tel: 0212 263 80 86 (English speaking) www.qnailbar.com

Date

: 15th December 2010, Wednesday

Time

: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm

Venue

:

Bebek Mah. Küçükbebek Cad. No:12/C, Bebek

Cost

:

Spend at least 60 TL and get a Decléor Paris facial & a gift for free

Meeting Place :

QNail Bar

Reservations

: reservations directly to QNail Bar

Phone

: 0532 485 29 87

Deadline:

:

Team Person

: Dilek Atac

#People

: Max. 20 (friends are welcome)

ASAP

November & December 2010

19

Yasemin Tarzi Güven yasemintarzi@superonline.com

ELYAN AYSOY,

In this issue, psychotherapist Elyan Aysoy is answering Yasemin Tarzi Güven’s questions about Safir Life Coaching, art therapy and her studies.

Counselor/Psychotherapist

Making a commitment to improve your life Can you tell us about yourself and your work as a psychotherapist? What is your interest and passion in working with individuals, couples and groups from different and mixed cultures?

What I love about my work as a psychotherapist/counselor is to help people to discover their own human capacity, to support them to become familiar with their own powerful resources for growing and moving towards greater levels of health and well-being. I witness every day that “healthy dialogue”in a therapeutic relationship has a transformative power.

Being a Turkish woman whose mother is Lebanese and whose father’s family originated from Spain has contributed

20

a lot of wealth to my identity but also made me sensitive to issues arising from conflicting cultural needs that are incompatible and mutually exclusive.Actually, during my own journey of self development and growth towards becoming a “Gestalt” therapist, I learned that we are all interconnected with each other and our environment.The importance of culture seems obvious yet neglected.

I trained and graduated with a Masters Degree in Gestalt Psychotherapy in London, Metanoia Institute (part of Middlesex University).During this period I also got fascinated by the Expressive Art Therapy and trained in using the Expressive Arts in my practice. Now my biggest thrill in this work is finding the creative spark within my clients and help them work with this precious gem, actually I called Sapphire (Safir Yasam Atolyesi ,the name of our center) and develop their potential.

November & December 2010

What is Expressive Art Therapy? How does it work? Do you need to be an artist ?

clients to develop awareness of their patterns of thinknig and behaviour in order to have a wider choice.

Expressive Art Therapy is working with imagination and free expression that finally leads to creating. This could be a song, a short poem , a picture, a metaphor, play..etc..It involves both brain hemispheres functions..Creativity is not necessarily anything to do with being artistic but is our ability to think originally ,to use objects and words in a new way

What are the courses and therapies you offer in Safir?

Along with offering counselling and psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families and groups ,the Center’s Holistic approach includes body, mind and soulworking in a whole variety of services such as: »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

and imaginative way, in other words to play. This is a natural human ability and play is essential in the development of our ability to symbolise .Actually the beginning of all that we call culture..

Expressive Art Therapy is the process about reestablishing a safe relationship with ourselves, before sharing with others. This is a structured process guided by a therapist who first holds a very safe group to be in, a sacred holding space and the members of the group as a supportive environment.. İt is a very transformational work that allows locked up energy to be relaesed .

When I work with groups in this way I am always touched and rewareded by the courage and and oppenness the participants show in being willing to engage with the process and to start playing again, even at times with breathtakingly painful material.

İntegrating the Expressive Art Therapy into your practice led you to establish a center for Holistic Healing called “Safir Yaşam Atölyesi” in October 2009. What is Holistic Healing?

What was your motive?

Yes, integrating the Expressive Art Therapy into my style of therapy led to a holistic approach and to my journey of establishing Safir Yasam Atolyesi, a Center for Psychological Counseling and Trainings for Continuing Professional Development, a year ago.

Holistic therapy is a way of learning to directly relate to whatever is happening to you in your life and take responsibility. It’s a way of taking charge of your life, a way of doing something for yourself that no one else can do for you , consciously and systematically working with your own stress, pain, illnesses , the challenges and demands of your life.

My central belief is that we have the answer to our problems within us and with support we will find them. Our work is based upon respect for the individuals and their power to heal. Our & approach is 2010 very interactive. We encourage our November December

yoga, tai’chi meditation breathing therapy meditative dance therapy (5 Rythms) chinese medicine deep tissue massages/reflexology macrobiotic food courses bioenergy and aura reading art therapy spiritual healing

The interactive aspect of these courses and the strong experiential background of our team enables us to provide tailored- made service to the the person. This helps the person to loosen rigids ways of being and start to find new ways of living and growing..

As we all know, when people get stressed or depressed they frequently lose a sense of direction.

What will be the benefit on people’s life and how?

Our concern being the increasing level of stress nowadays in individuals and organisations, the program is based on stress reduction and learning to actively participate in one’s health and well being. Participants will learn very effective methods of reducing their level of stres and developing improved relaxation.

We will provide them with an opportunity to visit a therapist that will lead them towards what they really need and clarify what is appropriate for them.

They will benefit from : »» An ability to cope more effectively with stressful situations »» An incresed ability to relax »» Lasting decreases in physical and psychological symptoms »» Reduction in pain levels and enhanced ability to cope with chronic pain »» Greater energy and enthusiam for life

What’s your message to your clients?

We are only here to support you see the light at the end of the tunnel at stressful times.

21

Previous Activities

IWI Opening Meeting... All board members were there on the 23rd of September. Members enjoyed themselves and renewed their memberships.

Potluck lunch at Joan’s... Former chairwoman Joan Gottreux hosted a potluck at her home before she leaves for Milan.

Cinema Time!... Our new IWI Movie Club kicked off on the 29th of September at AFM Istinye Park with the hit movie sequel "Wall Street 2" . There were 12 of us and after the movie, we all enjoyed a nice lunch and chat at the House Cafe. Thank you all for participating in our first movie event!

The Lebanese cooking... Demo was a great success! Our Lebanese host, Najwa Barbir, demonstrated how to make delicious Lebanese mezzes such as Hummus and Tabbouleh, hot dishes such as Freekeh and Koussa Mehsheh and amazing mouth watering desserts! Thank you to Mehnaz, our programs team coordinator, for opening up her beautiful home to us and of course our hostess for her great passion for cooking.

Author’s reading... Serdar Ozkan met and talked with several IWI ladies about his book, "The Missing Rose". More than 50 members had the chance to meet him, learn about his story and how his book became a best-seller worldwide.

The hostess Deniz Gelis opened her beautiful house and offered us an unforgettable buffet . It was on of the highlight events of the IWI programs. Thanks to all who made it possible.

22

November & December 2010

Previous Activities

The IWI Programs Team... Lilli, Martina, Mehnaz, Nalini, Stephanie and Tanja at the IWI Opening Meeting.

Presented the aims and planned events for the new season!

Hands On Greek Food at Lilli's... A small group, with lots of enthusiasm learned some cooking secrets and how to make Greek dishes. We all loved the most, aubergine salad with walnuts and minced meet with wine and lemon potatoes in the oven...

Everybody worked, and after 2 hours we had Greek wine and home made raki to go with our semolina halva!

Istanbul@night!... At the NU/TERACE Restaurant-Bar in BeyoÄ&#x;lu, overlooking the spectacular view of Halic, not only ladies but their husbands also enjoyed the event. More than 25 joined for drinks and caught up with new and old friends... We had a great evening!

Thanks a lot to coordinators Pervin and Laily. Don’t miss the next meeting they are planning!

Always the last Thursday of the month.

We are helping Pakistan!... Mehnaz and her Pakistani friends prepared a fantastic lunch for the IWI ladies on the 30th September.

Mehnaz opened her beautiful house for all the good souls who made very generous donations. We watched a documentary on Pakistan food and Mehnaz explained where the money we collect will go... Thank you all for being there!

November & December 2010 23

24

November & December 2010

November & December 2010

25

CHARITY Getting Involved is Good for You (surviving expat life)

Some of you reading this article may have just arrived in Istanbul and some of you may have been here for many, many years.

There is a lot of research recently looking at how to promote happiness and well-being. Expatriate life can be stressful. As an expatriate myself, I am British and have lived in Pakistan, Australia and South Africa before coming to Turkey, and in my professional role as a nurse and health teacher have taken a great deal of interest in how to maintain psychological well-being.

According to the Expert Expat there are five basic elements that help expatriates stay sane and well.

1.

Language and cultural skills 2.

Comfortable Home Environment 3.

Friends and support networks 4.

Learning to function in your new surroundings 5.

Meaningful and enjoyable activities.

Language is a big issue for new arrivals in Istanbul. Not being able to ask for directions or order something in a café can have a major impact on your self confidence. Relying on others to help maybe necessary at first. When I first arrived my husband’s secretary helped me sort out swimming lessons for my kids. So ask for help, but also try to learn the language. I went to classes where I met a lovely group of women so I managed to address three of the elements, language, friends and meaningful activity, all at the same time!

It can be hard making new friends and networks. It makes sense at this point to join in, go to all the events you are invited to; children’s parties, school coffee mornings, cooperate events etc. Not all the events may be exactly your cup of tea, but by getting out and meeting people you are likely to make friends. Sometimes the social event you are dreading is the one where you make a wonderful friend.

Learning to function in new surroundings can be tough for the new arrival. To certain extent you can avoid or get help with what is really difficult for you. By meeting and mixing with others, including new arrivals, long term ex-pats and Turkish nationals you begin to learn how to manage in your new environment. Just comparing notes and having a laugh with others going through the same thing can do wonders for improving your state of mind. “volunteering, in no matter what capacity, can improve your psychological well-being, increase your life satisfactions and physical health and provide a buffer against stress. It has also been suggested that more is better; doing twice as much volunteering is roughly twice as good for you” (The Happiness Equation).

Getting involved in the IWI could help your well-being! Joining an organisation that gives you an opportunity to meet others and join in activities can be great for your mental well-being. Also consider the various opportunities to volunteer with charities and the Christmas Bazaar as a way of helping you meet new people and enjoy your life in Istanbul.

References The Expert Expatriate-Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad.

Melissa brayer Hess and Patricia Lindeman. Nicholas Brealey Publishing/Intercultural Press 2002 The Happiness Equation Bridget Grenville-Cleave and IIona Boniwell with Tina B. Tessina. Adams Media 2008

26

November & December 2010

CHARITy

*Anne Martin

Charities and Volunteers Overview The IWI raises money from the Xmas Bazaar and the Spring Fling.

Organisations can apply for money from the IWI charitable funds.

The proposals are assessed by the charities team and a decision is made by the IWI board. The IWI seeks to help women, children and the underserved (e.g. refugees, mentally disabled) in Istanbul. As well as providing financial grants the IWI collects and distribute items from its members, such as second hand clothes.

Last year the IWI distributed fund and or goods to the following organisations; »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

Mavi Kalem- IWI funded a full time worker for a women’s health information and advocacy project in Fener-Balat AED- IWI funded painting murals in the children’s ward of a hospital Bomonti- IWI contributed towards heating costs of the elderly people’s home through the winter Yoret-IWI provided funds for training in non-violent communication in schools and summer camps for children Refugee Hostels-IWI funds were used to pay for food for residents Pink Angels-IWI madecontribution towards toys and parties for children in hospital Tohum-IWI helped fund services for autistic children

In addition to the provision of goods and funds the IWI also seeks to provide volunteers to local organisations. *IWI Volunteers Coordinator, anne@iwi-tr.org

Current volunteer opportunities Organisation

What does it do?

What do volunteers do?

Contact

Pink Angels

Visit Children in Hospital

The programme runs three times a week, each volunteers goes in one morning a week to play with the children on who are being treated for Haematology Cancers.

Angela 0532 723 7611

Bomonti/Blue Angels

Home for Elderly People

• Talking to Residents • Nursing/Physio/Footcare • Fundraising Activities • Reception Duties • Ironing • Sewing • Gardening

Bomonti; psdptr@gawab.com 0212 247 5129 Edwina Finn 0538 267 3037 edwinafinn@homail.com

• General Shop Duties (Shop is near Taksim Square) • Assisting with Marketing

Sule sulealpaslan@hotmail.com bilgi@hahil.com.tr

Nahil Shop

Shop selling Handicrafts (from Women’s Cooperatives), Vintage Clothing and Books

Wheelchair Tennis (TOFD) Supports wheelchair tennis players

November & December 2010

Sr.Fatima 0534 8766061 Jackie 0533 362 5519 Kathydenizeri@superonline.com

Play tennis with wheelchair tennis Marina players marina.tennis@gmail.com

27

IPWIN IPWIN - International Professional Women of Istanbul Network

IPWIN had a great start this year and we could welcome around 50 new members to our network. We had the opportunity to talk to many of you at our recent events: At the IWI Opening meeting we could introduce the new IPWIN team and (re)connect with our new and old members. At our “First Tuesdays” we always welcomed different women and it was great to exchange new ideas, give or receive useful tips and hear interesting stories about work life in Turkey or other places around the world. The first highlight this season for IPWIN was definitely our IPWIN Opening meeting hosted by the German Consulate. Once again, we would like to thank Consul General, Brita Wagener for welcoming us at her splendid consulate!

IPWIN member survey

So far we got a lot of input from our members, especially from those of you, who filled out our IPWIN questionnaire. Thank you for supporting us! After completion of the survey and the data analysis we will present the complete survey results in our newsletter as well as the winner of the price we raffle amongst the returned (and filled out) questionnaires.

However putting together all of your input, we already could identify some trends: Our group is very heterogenic regarding nationality, terms of stay in Turkey, occupation, working status, interest areas and availability. This is certainly no surprise to all those, who have been with IWI and IPWIN for a couple of years. IPWIN members definitely benefit from the wide range of our members’ backgrounds, however it is a great challenge for our IPWIN team to offer events, that meet the needs of our members.

Though many of us are currently not working, the majority is searching for work. Also lots of us own their own businesses or intend to set up their own business and are very interested in networking with entrepreneurial women in the same situation or who can provide best practice experience. So we decided to organize a special event focusing on this topic.

IPWIN program

The survey findings strongly support the IPWIN program for the first part of the IPWIN year – work-life issues in Turkey: • • •

28

Introduction of the Turkish job-market and its opportunities

by Murat Yesildere, Office Leader of Egon Zehnder International Legal advice on working permit and becoming an entrepreneur by the experts of the Akinci Law Office How-to-do-Workshop for CV writing for applications in Turkey, Europe and overseas

Additionally we will start to introduce the different Turkish industries to our members, starting with healthcare and tourism industry. Our aim is to gain an in-depth knowledge of Turkish business life.

IPWIN members – we’d love to have you!

The first months of the IPWIN year definitely showed, that we have a great knowledge reservoir within our members. So if you think that you have got an area of expertise, which you could share with our members at a formal or informal setting, let us know and contact us!

IPWIN agenda and contact information

Due to the publication schedule of the Lale we cannot provide up to date information for our upcoming activities at this place. For detailed information about next events please refer to our newsletters, event-reminder-emails or just send us an email: If you are not getting our info-mails or if you want to know more about IPWIN and our events contact us at ipwin.mail@ gmail.com. The same goes for anyone, who wants to join IPWIN! We are looking forward to meeting you (again) at our events!

Our best wishes and kolay gelsin!

Cerstin, Kelly and Marie Theres IPWIN coordination team

Please note: We once again want to draw your attention to our attendance rules, which follow the IWI regulation: "A reservation made is a reservation paid!" Please note that when you make a reservation for one of our programs we include you in the final count. If you make a reservation and do not show up we are obliged to pay for you regardless. Therefore, if you are unable to honor your commitment please cancel within the cancellation period noted in the description of the activity. This not only enables us to give your reservation to someone on a waiting list, buts avoids any cost incurred being passed on to you. Reservations that are not cancelled must be paid for by the member.

November & December 2010

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lale features

The Genius of the Architect Sinan The architecture of the Ottoman times is synonymous with the architect known as Koca Mimar Sinan who considered the greatest Ottoman architect. The word “mimar” (architect), which means “vocalizing, able to do what is graceful and prosperous” in Arabic, actually becomes more meaningful when we think about the works Mimar Sinan gave to Istanbul. He was a real renaissance man who built prolifically all over Ottoman Empire, he is most well known for his design and engineering genius in the great mosques of Süleyman the Magnificent and the Selimiye mosque of Edirne.

W

hat makes an architect great? It is not only talent or luck but also the synenergy of a great patron.

Sinan who was the under the protection of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-66) shaped the Ottoman world and its built environment. By mid-life Sinan acquired a reputation as a valued military engineer and was brought to the attention of Sultan Suleiman who in 1537 appointed Sinan (aged fifty) as head of the office of royal architects. He remained state architect for 10 years under his patronage. Today, he lies not far away from his royal patron in a modest grave that he designed himself. As Nevzat Kaya, Suleymaniye library director explains: “Have you ever wondered why Mimar Sinan’s own very modest tomb stands outside the Süleymaniye Mosque when the tombs of Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Hürrem, whose walls are lined with Iznik tiles, are located right behind the wall of the mihrab? Mimar Sinan’s tomb is to his monument what a writer’s signature is to his work of two thousand pages. For writer and architect share a single thought: ‘I don’t exist, my work does. Let

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people look not at me but at it!” The legendary stature of Suleyman is realized in what is commonly called the “crown on the hill”.

Dominating the Bosporus and the Golden Horn, the silhouette of the Suleymaniye complex, with its slender minarets and lofty dome, is one of the defining features of Istanbul. What amazes me most about Mimar Sinan is whether it is a small work, or a huge project, the attention to detail and the innovation which is even surprising today.

The Sultan, upon the death of his favorite son Prince Mehmet, ordered Sinan to design and construct a royal mosque. Challenged by the works of his predecessors and the majesty of Hagia Sophia, Sinan created the Sehzade Mosque (completed in 1548), one of his first masterpieces and is considered one of the most remarkable of buildings to this day. Like many of his mosque constructions, the Şehzade Mosque in Fatih has a square base upon which rests a large central dome flanked by four half domes and numerous smaller, subsidiary domes.

November & December 2010

lale features Another, truly unique urban mosque and charitable building project is commissioned by the Grand Vizier and called after his name, the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque Complex (1571-72) in the Kadirga Liman quarter, location of the former gate (Kumkapi), which protected the harbor. A bit off the beaten tourist path, the approach to this neighbourhood complex is through descending narrow crooked lanes. The irregular site drops over 56 feet and presents a serious urban planning challenge. Sinan’s indigenous talent for taking advantage of the lay of the land is evident from the respect for scale and the ingenuity and delightful changes in views one experiences accessing any one of the number of entries to this complex.

Reputedly, Mihrimah, the daughter of Süleyman the Magnificent, wanted to have two mosques built. Her wish is that the first and last calls to prayer will echo from her mosques. She built the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Üsküdar, resembling a woman wearing a skirt, and the other is the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Edirnekapı, which has an elegant effeminacy and is awash with sunlight in every corner. At the mosque in Edirnekapı, although Mihrimah Sultan’s status was high enough to build a mosque with two minarets, she had it built with one minaret and it is said to symbolize her loneliness. Another poignant story illustrating the brilliance of Sinan says if you find a place from where you can see both mosques, on special nights he moment the sun sets behind the only minaret of the mosque in Edirnekapı, the moon rises between the minarets of the other in Üsküdar. It has a special significance because when you look at the word “mihr-ümah” in Farsi it means “sun and moon”.

Esbie van Heerden domes in Sinan’s largest mosques reflects the human voice most beautifully, and if even the sound is amplified it does not resound nor does not fade even in largest spaces. He was the ultimate acoustics expert.

Furthermore, in the Süleymaniye Mosque all the soot from lamps is gathered in one central place and collected without an exhaust fan nor returned back inside - this made him air conditioning expert way before the time of air conditioning. Another remarkable fact is is that the daylight and the light of oil lamps in mosques have the same intensity, so we can say that Mimar Sinan was a lighting expert as well!

On a more spiritual level in all of Sinan’s mosques it is possible to find the same depth and the element of enlightened faith.

Unlike the dark and earthly indifference dominating medieval churches, his works are shaped with light and beauty which is the contribution of human effort.

We find in him the most simple and warm interpretation of faith in God.

Mimar Sinan is the creator of many technical inventions that are legendary and some of them are even only discovered in recent times. It has been documented that the columns of the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque were designed in a way that the can turn and if they lose this mobility earthquake damage to the foundations could be detected. In a recent restoration at another mosque the restorers were faced with a problem that they could not figure out how they would restore an arch. They thought once they removed the keystone they would never be able to put it back together again. They were dumbfounded when they found in a metal tube precise instructions by the architect Sinan on how to restore the arch. Further details and evidence of mastery in his works are continuously being discovered. For example the

Look out for our IWI tour "The genius of Mimar Sinan" in the early spring of 2011. Once the weather is a bit better we will explore some of the greatest and some of the lesser known works of Sinan in Istanbul"

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lale features

Annette Leukhart

Charm of Nişantaşı

I

have been living in Istanbul for six years and to be honest, I hardly ever get homesick. I couldn´t mention too many things I miss about Germany, apart from cyclepaths and real wholemeal bread. However, there`s a time of the year, when melancholy strikes me. Those weeks before Christmas are a special time back home. People decorate their windows and front yards with figurines and chain lights in anticipation of the big holiday, the city centers sparkle after dark and almost every town presents its own Christmas market in the main square. My own festive feelings are

chic bars. For a recreational break from the shopping paradise, my place of choice is the House Cafe near the mosque, a chain admittedly, but I can make myself believe that the Nişantaşı branch is especially good.

inseparably linked to this special atmosphere. Well, walk down İstiklâl Caddesi two weeks before Christmas. Amidst the usual crowds you can hardly tell the season; it`s then when you become aware once more you`re in a Muslim country.

there is a street that leads to the railway station. Accordingly, it is also named like that, „Bahnhofstraße“. By nature, these streets are never any glamourous, rather the opposite: modest in appearance, a bit greyish, straight concrete, somewhat run-down, with the usual mix of fast food chains, opticians and cheap department stores. I found an equivalent of my home towns` beloved Bahnhofstraße right there, in Nişantaşı, on Vali Konağı Caddesi.

There I sit, in the cosy warmth of the tiny La Vita Cafe, munching on delicious cookies and sipping excellent coffee, looking out on the pale facades across the street. And it makes me feel happy and warm on the inside instantly. By then I remember that I am actually at the most beautiful place on earth, and that there`s no railway station, but Prada and Gucci just a stone`s throw away.

This can only do Nişantaşı.

But theres a hideaway for all of those, who fancy some preChristmas vibe far away from home. Head for Nişantaşı! Here you can find it all, lovely decorated streets, bright lights twinkling from every tree in sight, shop windows adorned with glittering Santa and reindeer-kitsch. I can almost swear there`s Christmas carols, too! Strolling through those streets on a December afternoon, I feel some comfort. Funny, I never find this neighborhood that attractive throughout the year.

My all-time favourite place in Nişantaşı, however, is totally nonNişantaşı, but for me, in a sense, very German. This is where I head to, especially at Christmas time, to cure a rare touch of melancholy. I will try to explain. In Germany, in every bigger city,

Nişantaşı is the quarter of beautiful Art Nouveau buildings and high-end shopping. It was home to Orhan Pamuk, who spent his childhood there and mentioned the quarter in several of his novels. Today it is home to the most expensive shopping street of Turkey, Abdi İpekçi Caddesi. This combination of old-world charme meets consumption craze is what for me best describes Nişantaşı. I like Nişantaşı. I do enjoy it in a way I would browse through the pages of a glossy magazine, looking at the images of expensive designer shoes and luxurious cosmetics, feeling amazed, and yet being fully aware that I cannot afford those and don`t actually need them. But after all, it`s an entertaining pastime.

There must be, however, some dress code thing going on in this quarter. I remember one fun visit to Starbucks Nişantaşı with a friend, where we were puzzled by the phenomenal omnipresence of more or less genuine brown Louis Vuitton bags.

Of course, Nişantaşı is spick and span, sophisticated and has it all, including fine French brasseries, an overwhelming amount of coffee shops, Italian restaurants and

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November & December 2010

November & December 2010

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Cheryl Godfrey Ross

lale features A Journey along the Yellow Brick Road A story connecting the body, the mind and the spirit.

soul…’No.’ I would not change anything, and do you know what is even more spectacular? Neither would Tom.

The scene is set. The actors take their places. The curtain opens.

The IWI new season is ready to start at the Hilton, and the beautifully choreographed dance with life begins….again.

This year the experience of the IWI Opening is very different for me. This year, I have come here with a purpose. This year I have come with a mission. This year I can laugh from my heart, I can feel the joy of life and I am ready; I am ready to write, I am ready to speak; I am ready for life, as I have never been before and the feeling is fantastic!

That elusive place over the rainbow is starting to take a special form for me.

We have learned so much about ourselves and about each other on this, at times, torturous path in the past year, but there is a terrific ‘Up Side’.

We have both learnt so much, we have changed so much, and what we now have is so precious we accept that we would not be in this space together, had the cancer not been discovered.

We wouldn’t have changed. We never do until push comes to shove. Last year our universes hurled us to the edge of the precipice….

Cancer gave us that chance. To change.

Cancer gave us that time. To change.

Cancer gave us a crash-course in the living of life…..’The Whole Life Learning’ game.

So, why the change, you may well ask.

Why, indeed?

This time last year in September, as I met all of my friends after the summer away, my husband and I were coming to terms with terminology such as ‘incurable’, ‘inoperable’, ‘terminal’, ‘stage 4 and still spreading’, ‘ six months with no treatment, maybe a year or so with….’. Yes, it was the ‘C’ word. The ‘C’ word that these days, in some form or another touches us all with it’s tarnished paint brush. Last year, in September I was painted a suffocating black; I was in complete shock and didn’t realise it. I was in a state of complete confusion, and was functioning as a robot. I thought I was dealing with it. And then I met all your friendly, loving smiling happy faces, and at the Opening last year I completely broke down. The tears came, the mask faded, and the heart ached with the pain I had been keeping in for the previous three months. My husband had been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the colon; he had already been through one complete failure of an operation where even our Professor of Surgery from Istanbul’s finest medical school was moved to tears.

This year there is no comparison. This year everything has changed. This year in the month of February my husband and I defied science. ‘We’ defied medicine. ‘We’ defied statistics. There is no cancer now. To all intent and purposes ‘we’ are cured.

My husband now looks ten years younger, he is slimmer than he has ever been before, and he is getting fitter by the day what with all the swimming and walking that he does now. Our relationship is now brilliant, we communicate on all levels, no holds barred, and we have entered a wonderful new spring together; a spring we were told was physically impossible. And our combined colours now? Well, of course, we are painted all the gleaming, miraculous colours of the rainbow, combining to make the most brilliant lightest of lights itself.

So, how did this happen?

Are we lucky? No. Are we fortunate? Yes. Was it a miracle? No. Was it hard work? Oh, yeees.

Would we go back to as we were before? Absolutely not!

And that is the real soul-searching question.

If I could, would I erase those eleven months? Those experiences?

Even if the result was different?

I have to put my hand on my heart, and say with all my heart and

How did we do this?

I have learnt a lot on my spiritual journey over the past fourteen years; everything that I learnt kicked into gear when Tom was diagnosed as terminal. Tom was able to understand and trust that there were other alternatives to just the traditional methods of chemotherapy and surgery. Tom was also open to the possibility that he could become well again. This was done by a series of techniques and exercises linking the very real relationship between the body, the mind and the spirit. When that connection is made, when that connection is used in the right way, and when it is trusted, unconditionally that is when unbelievable things start to happen and the impossible changes into a new paradigm structure of infinite possibilities.

It is a ‘Whole Life Learning’ system in one.

We have learnt so much from this experience. The techniques we used worked; they are still working, and they will continue to do so to keep Tom healthy. We want to share what we have learned in a series of workshops. They are workshops for everyone who wants balance and harmony and wellness in their lives. When we embark on our Yellow Brick Road, we learn that the destination is not the big prize. It is all the gifts, the relationships, the experiences, and everything that we learn as we wind our way along, until the rainbow comes into view, and then we realise that this ‘Whole Life Learning’ about ourselves is really much closer than we could ever imagine; it is the rainbow beating in each and every one of our hearts.

To be continued…

Cheryl Godfrey Ross and Tom Godfrey will be giving a series of ‘Whole Life Learning’ workshops on Saturday the 27th November and Saturday the 4th of December at International Training Institute, 1.Levent, Istanbul.

If you are interested in attending, please e-mail Cheryl for more information at cheryl@iti-istanbul.com Cheryl is a holistic health practitioner who gives individual consultations.

Are you looking to gain a qualification ?

SMALL HANDS EDUCATIONAL CENTRE Offers “CACHE LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA IN PRE-SCHOOL PRACTICE“ Starting January 2011 Enrol now, don't miss out! the course for you in a friendly and supportive environment.

About Cache CACHE designs qualifications in the care and education of children and young people. CACHE Qualifications are widely recognised in pre-schools in the UK and some other countries, as well as it being a great certificate to have to use anywhere equivalent of the pre-school qualification....

CACHE qualifications can open the door to a wide range of careers in child care, ranging from play work and childminding to teaching and nursing.

For further information please visit: (http://www.cache.org.uk) About Small Hands Education Centre: Small Hands Educational Centre became a CACHE Centre to offer four CACHE Courses, in November 2008. We have recently completed our first course of study in the Diploma in Pre-School Practice and are delighted that all of our candidates were awarded the CACHE Diploma in Pre-School Practice qualification Course details: Level 3 Diploma in Pre-School Practice: This course is designed to enable you to work successfully in a pre-school setting in a supervisory role dealing with the challenges of leadership from programme planning to working with parents. The emphasis is on working with children from birth to 5 years of age.

The qualification covers the knowledge, understanding and practical skills required to supervise in a pre-school setting and support children's care, learning and developmental needs.

The course takes 18 months (600 hours). This includes 240 hours in supervised study. Study sessions are held every two weeks on a weekday evening. Plus 360 hours practical placement. Students need to be employed by or working voluntarily in a pre-school to fulfil the practical placement requirements.

PLEASE APPLY FOR AN APPLICATION FORM OR SUBMIT ANY FURTHER ENQUIRIES TO SMALL HANDS EDUCATIONAL CENTRE, SMALL HANDS INTERNATIONAL PRE-SCHOOL. Mail : info@smallhands.org Tel : +90 216 411 91 21 Jay Mutlugil Between 3.00 to 4.00 pm in weekdays

Sponsored Article Winter Celebration in Bebek

Istanbul seems to have prepared itself for a cold winter after the hot summer days. During this transitionary season where most habits change almost instantaneously, the one thing that does not change is the eating and drinking habit of Istanbulites. Bebek which has become the most popular district in the city, does not slow down for the winter months. New branches of brand name restaurants are continuously opening up in Bebek.

Be prepared for the winter dining scene and do not forget to book at Rezztoran.com before you head to Bebek.

(Go to http://www.rezztoran.com/english or download Rezztoran.com’s iPhone application at the iTunes store.)

Our favorite Bebek restaurants: Recommendations for winter Divan Bebek Brasserie Fish This great fish restaurant Fish brings a fresh new breath to Bebek.

The two-story venue that opened at the beginning of the summer allows you to look down on all of Bebek. As you go up the narrow stairs you enter the blue world of Fish. If you prefer traditional seafood and raki, this place offers you the taste and presentation to meet your needs. If you’re more adventurous, you may also taste appetizers, seafood and desserts here that you have never tasted before. The most distinctive feature here is definitely the price policy. Whether you choose from the a la carte menu or order the set menu, prices are quite reasonable. Booking in advance is advised for this new Bebek favorite. The venue is closed on Mondays.

In case you are one of those people who desire to be close to the Bosphorus even in winter, the first address we would recommend is definitely Divan. During the summer months Divan’s interior was renovated but it has still maintained its classic chic and minimalistic style. As well as being the most indispensible lunch and dinner venue, there is also a brunch buffet available on Sundays in Bebek Brasserie. Bebek Brasserie also offers a rich degustation menu for the gourmets. 61 different bottles of vintage wine, 16 varieties of wine by the glass and more than 500 bottles of wine await wine lovers at Divan Bebek Brasserie.

Little China & Sushi Küçük Bebek’s Little China, one of the first Chinese restaurants in Turkey, continues to serve since 1994. It is a small place just like the name emphasizes. Located on the main street, the restaurant is open every day from 11:30 to 23:00. Seating capacity is 35 persons and there’s also a comfortable sushi bar available. Dishes are meticulously prepared by professional Far Eastern chefs who are rotated with the sister restaurant in Beijing every year. Considering its loyal clientele and limited seating, we advise advance booking.

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November & December 2010

Sponsored Article

Lucca Bebek

Mangerie Bebek

If you’d like to feel like a Bebek local, you should stop by Lucca and experience the pulse of Bebek. Located on the main street corner with bright and airy decor, Lucca is famous for its food and drinks.

You may drop by Lucca at 10:00 for a delicious breakfast and read your morning paper or you may enjoy and afternoon drink of vodka satsuma. On weekends after dinner hours the venue houses famous DJ performances. Note that the place is very popular and you should make a reservation in advance to guarantee your spot.

Located in Bebek on the top floor of an old building, Mangerie is a place to experience the comforts of home. At different times in the year, award-winning breakfast is served seven days a week all day long. Besides the classic flavors, you should definitely try the Pear Mascarpone Toast and Foccacia. In addition to the changing lunch menu everyday for the local clientele, there is also an extensive menu of delicious items to choose from. It is a great luxury to watch the sunset from high above Bebek’s bustling, narrow streets. Cocktails and proseccos made of fresh fruit juices are the perfect concoctions to leave your day’s fatigue behind. Mangerie is cozy and popular with its interior decoration, location, menu for lunch and dinner -- and it is specifically for that reason you should book in advance.

Kitchenette Bebek One of the oldest and most historical buildings of Bebek now hosts Kitchenette. Up the cobbled stairs you enter its garden.

Kitchenette sits on 4 different floors and each floor is a world apart. In winter, you may enjoy sipping your wine in front of the fireplace that is located on the second floor. The menu is quite ambitious with the mixture of the classic French, Italian and Turkish cuisines. Despite the crowds, the speed and quality of service is sure to impress you. We recommend you to book in advance to dine at this awardwinning (2006 TimeOut Food and Drink Awards 'Finest Fast Food Restaurant' award) restaurant.

November & December 2010

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lale features

THE TRUTH ABOUT T

hese days Pilates is a household name, almost everyone has heard of it, experienced some part of it or have a vague idea about what it is. With countless dvd’s, books, infomercials, celebrities endorsing Pilates and quotes of its founder saying ‘you’ll have a new body in 20 sessions’, it’s easy to comprehend why there is so much debate and a lot of misguided information about what Pilates is.

First, let’s have a brief Pilates history lesson.

cardio machines talking on their telephones or watching television and their form or posture is horrendous? Many people have become disconnected from their bodies! And then they wonder why they don’t feel good. Contrology was designed to combat the indoor sedentary and fast living of Modern Age. The repertoire of exercises uses the WHOLE body; uniform development of the body improves circulation of the blood to every fibre and tissue, which allows you to move with ease. Joseph described his exercises as being able to move the body supple like a cat opposed to that of a brewery truck horse (or the many people that have overdeveloped their large muscle groups and they walk like the tin man from the wizard of oz).

Joseph Pilates insisted on diligent practice, breathing properly, PATIENCE and persistence and executing the exercises properly before continuing to the next level.

He also insisted on low repetitions so there was no need for muscular fatigue.

Contrology develops the minor muscles (local stabilizers) which aids to strengthen the major muscles (global stabilizers).

When building a house you need a strong foundation, the body is the same, if the exterior looks fancy but nothing is holding it together – the slightest touch will knock it down.

Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in Germany in 1880 and due to his suffering of many ailments including asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever, he dedicated his life to becoming physically (and mentally) stronger. He studied gymnastics, bodybuilding, diving, skiing and martial arts and earned a living as a boxer, circus performer and self-defense trainer. During World War 1, Joseph Pilates interned as a nurse and rehabilitated the soldiers using the resistance of their bed springs (hence where the machine “the reformer” comes from). In 1926 he moved to America and opened a studio in New York City where his method became popular with the dance community.

What many people are not aware of is that Joseph Pilates originally called his technique ‘Contrology’ and published a book in 1945 entitled ‘Return to Life through Contrology’. Contrology is the ‘complete co-ordination of body, mind and spirit’ (Quote).

Joseph believed you could gain mastery of the mind over complete control of the body. How many people have you seen at the gym that are completely distracted with other thoughts or on the

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Joseph believed in an entire healthy lifestyle. He advocated a proper diet, healthy portions, adequate sleep, relaxation, plenty of sunshine and fresh air and even a vigorous scrubbing bathing technique to release toxins. In his own words “it would be a grave error to assume that even Contrology exercises alone will remake a man or woman into an entirely physically fit person” (pg. 17).

Today the essence of what Joseph Pilates believed in continues to be the essence of Pilates even though the approach to the repertoire has changed. Lifestyles since Joseph’s time have changed as well as current research and science about the body. Pilates tends to have a more holistic approach focusing on rebalancing the body and postural deviations. Pilates is widely used around the world by reputable physical therapists.

However with its rising popularity and in some cases exploited commercialism, Pilates has been advertised as another quick fix to a ‘hot body’ or a great way to make a living. It is a great way to make a living – if you believe in the work you’re doing, constantly invest in further education and you’re not afraid of hard work.

Not all Pilates trainers are created equal and the prices for personal training are not cheap. Every person, every instructor has something to offer but if an instructor cannot adequately explain November & December 2010

*Roxy Menzies

PILATES... the purpose of an exercise, why a sequence of exercises is in a particular order or does not address posture then he/she doesn’t have enough experience or care enough to think about it. Would you trust your children with any caregiver? Your money to any investment firm? Your body to any doctor? If the answer is no, then you shouldn’t trust your body and mind to any personal trainer in any discipline. Do your research and trust your instinct.

Pilates instructors are not doctor’s, physiotherapists or shrinks but when dealing with bodies must have at the very least a basic understanding of human anatomy and biomechanics. As well, too many Pilates instructors are being pressured to create ‘workouts’ so students can ‘feel the burn’. Pilates exercises are hard, especially when applied with awareness and integrity. You can have a ‘workout’ and ‘feel the burn’ but only after the principles and correct form are in place and most importantly when you’re breathing properly.

Pilates is resistance training but is not a substitute for strength training, it is not cardiovascular and does not build muscle mass like traditional strength training. Pilates tones from the inside out (deep, intrinsic muscles) and is about mobility, flexibility and balance.

A challenging program is not just a hard physical session but one that challenges the body not to simply use the already stronger muscles. When applied with awareness and integrity Pilates is challenging no matter how strong you are! A good friend of mine and Pilates Master trainer Michael King said ‘when you take the time to listen and learn about your body you begin to undo or correct what has been happening – sometimes its very subtle and not always obvious’. If you’re performing Pilates exercises just as movements then the true essence and benefit has been lost. Pilates, when done with integrity and awareness from the both the instructor and the student can address many issues and prepare you for longevity and ease of movement.

If your goal is to lose weight, the main component for that is nutrition, adding cardio and resistance (Pilates or strength training) will enhance your goal because it helps to speed up your metabolism. It is unrealistic to think or expect your instructor to make you look like Madonna by doing Pilates alone. Look and clarify what your goals and needs are then decide from there.

The focus of gym work is different to that of Pilates, but they are complimentary to each other. Smaller sized group classes are excellent, but it’s always beneficial to take a few private sessions or take a foundation class, it will make a world of difference.

Unfortunately, approximately 95% of the population has some sort of blockage, injury, imbalance or postural issue that should be addressed not ignored (immobilization after the healing phase November & December 2010

is not healthy either and can lead to more problems). If you have any postural deviation (forward neck, rounded shoulders, tilted pelvis, etc.), even if you don’t have any pain now – sorry to say - you will in the future. Building tension or building muscle over tension is not power, training that way will make a person susceptible to pain and injury.

If you look at your goals and you’re willing to look long-term and make the investment in yourself (time, energy and yes money) Pilates or any other mind-body fitness is an excellent way to go and is complimentary to any sport or activity you’re already in. An instructor – trainer once said to me ‘patience is love’ – have the patience to stop, breathe, connect and move your body efficiently.

It’s a journey. If you want to do the more advanced exercises (professional athletes still have to start at the beginning) honor yourself and take the time to get the foundation, it will only make your practice, your mind, body and spirit that more powerful.

Reference Pilates’ Return to Life Through Contrology by Joseph H. Pilates and William John Miller, 1998 edition by Presentation Dynamics Inc. NV, USA * Roxy is a pilates instructor. She has her own studio in Nisantasi. pilateswithroxy@gmail.com

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book review

Henry Ledwith

Contemporary Turkish Short Fiction: A Selection - Volume 2 Edited by Suat Karantay 294 pp. Citlembik Publications 18.00 TL / 21.50 U.S. Volume 2 of this two-volume collection of contemporary short Turkish fiction contains forty-three stories by thirty writers, all considered masters of contemporary Turkish short fiction. The stories explore issues around obsession, war, childhood, loss, depression, isolation, identity and the “troubled” decades of the 70s, 80s,and 90s. The tone and content move from tragic to comic to absurd.

Many stories are deep, personal and reflective narratives. A writer may weave a story around metaphor, or simile. In The Big Eye, by Mehmet Zaman Saclioglu, an enormous eye composed of many smaller eyes is displayed in a small town photographer’s shop window. The giant eye grabs the attention of a stranger as he wanders around town. He becomes obsessed and wants the photographer to compose another eye, for him. The photographer refuses but eventually relents. Through a complicated series of events, the photographer creates the second eye for the stranger, only with a slight, but meaningful difference.

A story may read surreal, at times cryptic, but never incomprehensible. Does Asli Erdogan, in Wooden Birds, allude to Conrad’s, Heart of Darkness when she writes, “The Tarmac path meandered like a gray snake…a simple, primitive, magnificent spirit, like that of the ocean…the forest had a savage and multicolored throb beating...” Moreover, at the conclusion or Wooden Birds do the image of five women posing along the riverbank allude to Picasso’s sexually charged, sculptured female figures in Les Demoiselles les D’Avignn?

Many characters throughout the collection inhabit a closed world of their own making or imposed on them, but always have the desire to connect. In Holiday, by Habib Bektas, a man and woman sit separate and alone at a bar under bright rainbow colored lights.

He sits under the purple “lilac and melancholy” light; she under the “bitter” orange. A failed attempt to breach the lonely divide is made. You can feel the angst as the two clownish figures sit in the circus bar atmosphere.

Of the forty-three stories, two stand out as exceptional. Wooden Birds, by Asli Erdogan is one. The story takes place in a tuberculosis sanitarium in an unspecified countryside in South America.

Feliz, Turkish with a PhD in history and political émigré, join five women patients on a nature walk they refer to as, the Amazon express. Other than illness, and harsh realities outside the clinic, the women have little in common. The walk is physically and emotionally challenging. Obstacles must be overcome if they are to reach their destination: a river lined with large boulders.

When they finally reach the river all but Feliz, spontaneously strike seductive poses for a group of men they know will pass by. Feliz make a weak attempt but falls back into herself. Wooden Birds deals beautifully with feelings of loneliness, isolation and the brief connections that occur between these women.

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Some Get Clawed by Falcons, By Feride Cicekoglu, is the second outstanding story. A woman, recently released from prison visits the Egyptian Spice Bazaar with a companion. Everything is filtered through her prison experience. They come upon a chained falcon for sale which is being relentlessly teased by boys. The falcon, indifferent to the teasing, sits motionless further provoking the boys. “Cowardice turns into heroism before a captive,” she thinks to herself. The scene reminds her of a time in prison when guards teased hunger strikers by eating in front of them. When she complains, the boys stop teasing the falcon. She stares into the falcon’s eyes and is attacked buy the bird.

“See you tried to protect it from us, and it clawed you instead,” the boys taunt her.

As I read the politically charged stories it felt I as though I was staring into an open wound – sadness jumped off the page. The authors bear witness to those not so long ago dark days and the reader gets a brief look behind that curtain that has yet to fully open.

Snow White without the Seven Dwarfs, by Murathan Mungan, is an amusing retelling of the famous fairy Tale. Snow White, minus her seven dwarfs, experiences a major disconnect.

Incapable of writing her own fairy tale, one without the dwarfs, she remains stuck and refuses to budge until they show up. Despite offers from princes and knights, she resists to the bitter end. She grows old and assumes the role of the witch, in search of another Snow White. In the end, the Seven Dwarfs carry her coffin, while the knights and princes send telegrams.

The Way of the Crows, by Cemil Kavukcu, is another amusing story I found interesting. Two adult children attend to their mother on her deathbed. The dying woman claims she communicate with crows. When hundreds of crows mysteriously appear outside her window the mother disappears. What might the crows have told her, the two guilt-ridden children wonder.

I did come across a couple of stories the editor might have left out. One is Before Death and Birth, by Feyza Hepcilingirler. A grandfather keeps vigil as his sick grandson has surgery. The author does nothing to make this too familiar story interesting.

Another is “On the Heals of a Blue Horse,” by Isil Ozgenturk. In this story a young woman falls for an exotic Arabian horse trainer, but the problem is that she’s been promised to a local man. The outraged father kills the handsome horse trainer and the girl freaks out. Sound familiar?

On a critical note, I found the abundance of ellipses distracting and some stories suffer from wordiness and excessive description.

Other than the occasional awkward phrase, though, the translations hold up. I found the historical overview instructive and the short biographies helpful.

Forty-three stories, more good than bad; all insightful and most entertaining, I look forward to Volume Three.

November & December 2010

Festive Ways to Ring in the Holiday Season!

Surprise your children with a visit to Çırağan Palace! Greet Santa Claus and sing carols with the “Kids Choir” while baking delicious cookies and cakes during special Advent Brunches. Savour a Festive Season Afternoon Tea in the Gazebo Lotunge and don’t miss a special four-course Christmas Dinner at Laledan Restaurant on the evenings of December 24 and 25. This holiday season, let Çırağan shower you with festivities and celebrations all under one palatial roof.

Reservations: 0212 326 46 46 / 7500 diningreservations.ciraganpalace@kempinski.com

November & December 2010

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Refika’s Fusion Recipes for the xxxx

Soul

Istanbul has been a home-sweet-home to many civilizations, their cultures and their cuisine. It would be a shame not to embrace all these cuisines under one roof. Refika Birgül seems to have done just that in her kitchen and in her new bilingual cooking book, Refika’nın Mutfağı/Cooking New Istanbul Style.

She shares her love for life and cooking, her fusion recipes and the perfect mistakes she’s made along the way.

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SPONSORED ARTICLE

I

s it possible to put your dreams and passions aside for a moment in your life, and then later on, pick up from where you left off? Refika Birgül, a true born and raised Istanbulite, proves that it is possible. Embracing her love for cooking at a young age with the encouragement of her mother and older brother, she took to an undergraduate education in psychology, then a job in advertising, and straight into medicine, until she landed back where she had started: in the kitchen, simmering on her past and fulfilling the culinary creations of her dreams.

When and how did your love affair with cooking begin?

My love affair with cooking started at the age of 15. But I really got into it three years ago when I got my own house. When you are with your parents, it’s hard to cook food and do a lot of things, because they’ll like it or won’t like it, but friends accept you as you are, you have time, you want to entertain. Basically, after I moved into my house, all I had was an IKEA bedroom, cushions and towels, and the kitchen was complete. I wrote my first business plan on opening a restaurant when I was 22, while I was working with ifPeople, Pelin Serra. We were planning on opening a meze place like Wagamamas. I think that’s still a very nice plan. What I realized through interviews is that in Turkey, some mothers don’t let their kids in the kitchen, and I really didn’t understand why, maybe because [the mother] wants to make things as perfect as possible.

And the girl, let’s say, can’t dice the tomatoes properly and the mother says “ah, leave it, I’ll do it.” I think this is something that takes away from the kitchen. Luckily, I didn’t have that experience, plus my mom was working so hard and it was a gift to her to have someone else cook. Actually, the first person that led me into imaginative cooking was my brother. He’s 4 years older than me.

Have you ever made a mistake in the kitchen? What do you do about these mistakes and what happens when you don’t get the desired outcome of your recipes?

I think we have to embrace making mistakes in every aspect of our lives. It’s how people learn how to walk. In order to move on in life, as real as moving on, making mistakes is a part of it. When I want to make something perfect, I really go crazy and just can’t do it. When I want to make something nice, then I make it great.

Perfectionism is in my soul. I want everything to be in my control.

But I don’t believe there is the perfect chicken or perfect stir-fry, there are so many variables there, and those variables are so interchangeable. When you ruin something, you learn more than you’d learn had you made it great. You start to learn what you did wrong, and in the kitchen, to be able to make something out of the ruins is also a part of pushing yourself to be better. Also, my business strategy teacher, H. Hasan Yılmaz, the youngest CEO of Unilever, said he wouldn’t hire a guy who always had successes in life, but one who had instead had a failure and came back from it.

That is the spirit of the journey itself.

E. Zeynep Güler-Tuck

whole world here. The food was always a mixture of religions and cultures. When we walk [in Kuzguncuk], there’s a church, synagogue and a mosque, all near each other. You cannot find this anywhere in the world. Very naturally, I think this is affects the food. I think this is what makes Istanbul food fascinating. What happened was, after the Ottomans, Turkey closed its barriers in order to heal its wounds. Very recently, the new generation after the 80s, went abroad and saw and brought many [things back with them]. What they also discovered when they ate outside, was how good their food at home is. At some point, it [seemed that] when you [went] to a very good restaurant, you [ate] French food or Italian food in Turkey, it started to become that way, and it was something that made me unpleased and very sad. Now people have started to realize this, and you start seeing cool Turkish food in cool restaurants, like Çanga, the one that started it all.

What is “fusion” and what role does it play in your cooking style and the dishes you prepare?

I’m one of those people who has been abroad and whose had an American education in Turkey, so what basically happens is that you can look at [your culture] as a person who is born into it and as a foreigner, in both ways. My food is a fusion of Turkish food with world cuisine, and a fusion of food with life. It is in my nature to mix things. I like food that is basic but a beautiful part of life.

That’s why the food is not just recipes, that is why the ingredients are so important, the kitchen and how you present it are so important. Because it’s all a part of the joy you get out of cooking. For things to be able to continue, like a company being able to survive only if it makes money, a tradition can survive only if it brings joy and happiness.

How do emotions and your feelings for those you cook for become a part of your cooking? What is the ‘Invisible Ingredient’?

Some chefs or people who cook in their kitchens never go out and see the reactions of the people who eat their food. That, I personally do not understand. People’s reactions to my cooking intrigue me, and they really feed me. My own emotions feed my way of cooking. It’s really the “Invisible Ingredient,” you don’t add anything different to the food. I think it’s magical; I don’t have much to say about how it works. It’s really weird and it happens.

The relationship between the one that cooks and the one that eats is very important. That’s why I don’t think about opening a restaurant anymore, because you lose that at some point.

Refika’nın Mutfağı/Cooking New Istanbul Style can be purchased at all major bookstores and on idefix.net. Visit Refika’s fun-filled, user-friendly website for more recipes and tips in the kitchen, www.refikaninmutfagi.com/?lang=en.

What is it about Istanbul’s food that makes it so authentic and unique?

The cultures within it probably are what [make] it so unique. I see Ottomans as the first, and the best fusion kitchen ever. The fusion, in fact, evolved in 500-600 years because it also emerged along the Spice Road. The culture that dominates the world, basically, gets all the best things from the world, it was once England, and then America. The word “fusion” was generated from California because a lot of people were moving there, and there were lots of different foods. London is now, gastronomically, the best place to be. As we know, they never had great food. But basically, what happened was that other cultures poured in and then contracted the culture. Istanbul has a similar fate. The Ottomans brought the November & December 2010

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BODY

LANGUAGE T

he first of its kind, Body Worlds shines a revolutionary magnifying glass on YOU: Your body, everything you hear, think and feel. It’s open to public till December 17. Fasten your seatbelts while you embark on a journey through your inner world.

One of the world’s most popular exhibits: Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life is now in Istanbul at Antrepo 3. Making its debut in 1995 in Japan, Body Worlds has travelled to more than 60 countries throughout Europe, Asia and North America, reaching an upwards of 30 million people. The creator, anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens’ purpose was to provide health education. His creative partner, and the designer behind the exhibit is actually his wife, Dr. Angelina Whalley.

In this exhibit, you will see your body in a different light. Witness what your body goes through when it is under stress or sick; this exhibit practically transforms the physical into metaphysical.

The exhibit also displays Dr. von Hagens’ last project, a body in motion on horseback, bodies of a giraffe, elephant and gorilla.

The innovative exhibit comes together with the use of a plastination method of converting more than 200 body parts, including muscles, veins and organs, into non-decaying parts that can be examined from outside of the body as if they remained, in working condition, inside the body. The comparison between a smoker and a non-smoker’s body is presented; this is merely one of the examples of how the exhibit aims to promote healthy living.

Whose bodies are these?

Body Worlds is the only exhibit that displays bodies that have been donated and approved. To date, approximately 800 bodies have been used. The people who donated their bodies to this exhibit did so in hopes that it would serve to educate others. On file, at the Institute of Plastination, there are over 11,500 people on the donors list. Among the donors is the creator himself, Dr. Gunther von Hagens.

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What in the world is plastination?

Plastination is the process of preserving a cadaver. Dr. Gunther von Hagens developed this unique process. Let’s delve into the gruesome, yet intriguing details: Once the cadaver’s skin is removed, it is kept in a special liquid, protecting it from bacteria and microorganisms. The body is then shaped into the desired pose and stiffened with gas, heat and light. It takes one whole year to plastinate a human body.

Shocking numbers In her life span, a woman has the capacity to bare 35 children.

The eye blinks in a 100th of a second.

We use 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.

The brain continues to send signals to the body up to 37 hours after the body has expired.

The body digests a greasy meal in 6 hours, while digesting a carbheavy meal in only 2 hours

Time Out Istanbul Special Offer for IWI Members: 25% OFF THE COVER PRICE! Get 12 issues for the price of 9 - only 45 TL! Every month, your Time Out will be filled with features on citywide festivals and celebrations; reviews on the latest restaurants and clubs; daily event and exhibit listings; shopping deals & trends; expat tips; nearby travel destinations; celebrity interviews; a just-for-kids section; and all you want (and need) to know about what’s going on in your city. Subscribe by contacting, (0212) 287-1990, gizem@timeoutistanbul.com or by visiting, www.timeoutistanbul.com/english

November & December 2010

Güldehan Neng

Smokey eyes... Hot lips...

W

ith the beginning of new fashion season, make up trends have been set as well and all brands from Chanel to Max Factor, from Lancome to Dior, introduced their make up lines for Fall/Winter 2010.

Even women who don’t have time or energy or interest to follow up to the latest fashion trends, are enthusiastic about make up.

It seemed like a necessity to give a few tips about the make up trends. First of all there are two looks: Natural or smoky eyes. The natural look is perfect for day-to-day use, especially if you have a busy life and very little time to spare for make up. You don’t have to put too much effort yet you achieve a stunning appearence.

The most important thing to get the natural look, you should have a spotless complexion. As base, use a light foundation, any Laura Mercier product would work well (and with Laura Mercier Secret Finish you can keep that look as fresh as the moment you put it on). Of course, if you need it, definitely apply some concealer under your eyes before foundation. Mac Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer or YSL Touche Eclat might be very good choices. Afterwards a pinkish powder blush, such as Chanel Joues Contraste, will give your face that look as if you just had a walk in the park. Very thin eyeliner, a light shade of eyeshadow and a nuetral lip gloss...

You’re good to go. Mascara is optional if you want the natural

look. And you can always put on a luscious red lipstick, which is a must-have in your make up bag for this season, and continue your day into the night.

If you decide to go for the smoky eyes look, there are loads of shades from very good brands. Makes the eyes so much more romantic, these autumn colors. “Don’t be afraid to choose bold colors and vibrate your liner with metallic shadow” says Mac’s Senior Artist Romero Jennings. They have a huge range of eyeshadows in their Venomous Villians line, which have been inspired from Disney’s villanous characters Cruella De Vil, the Evil Queen, Maleficient and Dr. Facilier. Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo-My Dark Magic –mixture of two beautiful dark purple- or Venomous Villians Eyeshadow Carbon will just help you achieve the smoky-eyed look. Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Mystic Eyes is a wonderful compact eyeshadow bringing four different shades together. Bobbi Brown’s Black Velvet collection also brings many options to smoky-eyes followers. Of course, mascara is a must with this make up style. A good eyeliner. Could be Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner, Dior Diorliner or Lancome Artliner. Definitely don’t forget to add sparkle on your make up. In almost every collection there are glamourous metalic eyeliners or eye shadows. You’ll see that applying just a tiny line around the inner end of the eyes makes a big difference.

MAC based its Fall/Winter 2010 collection -Venomous Villians- on Disney characters.

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Karen Akıncı, LLB, Akıncı Law Office info@akinci.av.tr

Turkish Laws 101 Buying or Renting Real Estate in Turkey

This month we tackle some of the questions regarding buying and renting real estate in Turkey. We have tried to cover all possible scenarios in the remarks but if you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, please don’t hesitate to contact us at karen@akincilaw.com or selcankilic@akincilaw.com. As always, we look forward to your legal questions on any aspect of life in Turkey.

I have found a house that I like, can I buy it as a foreigner?

According to Article 35 of Law No. 5444 concerning the Land Register, a foreigner (real person) can buy real property in Turkey (subject to the restrictions noted below) as long as their home country would allow a Turkish citizen to buy property there. This is called the reciprocity condition. In principal the condition makes sure that the foreigner is being treated as well as a Turkish citizen would in the foreigner’s country.

However, foreign nationals and foreign commercial companies may not be able to buy land or property in military areas, strategically important areas or security zones in Turkey. An area may be strategically important in terms of irrigation, energy, agriculture, mining, history or cultural values, in which case the Council of Ministers is authorized to preserve these areas and may prevent foreigners or foreign companies from buying there. The maximum size of all lands owned by a foreigner cannot exceed 10% of the area within the Implemented Development Plan or the Local Development Plan of a town. It should be noted that the Council of Ministers is authorized to designate a different ratio not exceeding the limit of ten percent considering the economical, historical, and environmental foundation of the town.

In certain cases a company established or joint ventured in Turkey by foreign investors can earn ownership or limited property rights in Turkey. If such a company is making the acquisition, the restriction concerning the purchase of land in military, strategic or security zones of Turkey becomes subject to the consent of the Turkish General Staff or of the assigned commandership. If the property is private, then the purchase of the land is authorized by the governorship.

To register the sale you will need two passport photos (6x4) taken within the last six months, a photo identity card or passport and a document from the tax office showing your taxpayer identification number.

My Turkish husband and I divorced a year ago. I was given the house in the divorce but I would like to sell it now. I don't know if I can sell it as I am a foreigner.

Do I have to use an estate agent? I have a friend who would like to buy and we have agreed on the price.

When a foreigner already owns a house, the question really is whether the house is being sold to a foreigner (real person or company) or to a local. The answer to question 1 explains the ability of the foreign friend to buy the house.

What concerns us in this question is the word ‘given’. When a property is “given” in a divorce settlement it may mean the ownership of the house has passed to you, but it may alternatively mean that the ‘beneficial right’ or ‘a right of residence’ has been given. A beneficial right (according to Article 794 of the Civil Code) gives you the right to use the house as if it were your own but you would have no sale right over the house because it is still owned by your former husband. Someone who is given a beneficial right in a divorce will be able to rent out the house but would not be able to sell it. If you were given a right of residence, you will be able to live in the house but you will not be able to sell it or even rent it to anyone else.

In short, when selling the house, it is important to check that the ownership is in one’s own name. If so, by going through the Land

A foreigner wishing to buy real estate can either use a real estate agent or can contact the owner of the property directly. Use of an estate agent is not compulsory in Turkey and the use of a real estate agent does not carry many of the guarantees that it would in other countries.

A careful buyer may wish to acquire the services of a solicitor since there are many complicated procedures and it is very possible to make a mistake. A solicitor may be of help in any financial and legal matters and can act as a go-between for the foreigner when dealing with the various official bodies.

The Turkish Civil Code obliges the buyer to register the sale in the Land Registry as a principal of owning the real estate. An application for registration can be made in person in the Title Deeds Registry Office (Tapu Dairesi).

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Turkish Laws 101 Registration (Tapu) procedures, you can sell the house as outlined in question 1.

I signed a contract to rent the house that we are in for two years, it has been six months and the landlord now says we have to move out because he wants the house back for his son who is coming back from his military service. He says that if we don't leave the house he will have us removed by the Jandarma.

This is a pity because in general the laws protect the renter, there is however this one exception where the landlord requires the place for his own use or for his family’s use. According to Article 7/b of Law No. 6570 on the Rental of Real Estate, a landlord has the right to evict a tenant if he can prove that he needs the house for his use. If an eviction is secured from the court the landlord will not be able to rent out the house again to anyone but his old tenant for 3 years.

Law No. 6570 on the Rental of Real Estates specifically protects the tenant and the provisions of this law cannot be modified against them. However, this exception for the landlord’s residential use exists and even though the contract is valid for two years, if the tenant refuses to leave, the landlord may secure an eviction order.

It has to be said however, that the renter can take the landlord to court claiming that the landlord has no real residential need for the house. The renter would not have to leave the house until the case is resolved; this is the principal of preserving the status quo whilst a court case is heard. The court process is long but can become stressful and expensive so the whole situation should be considered.

I have a flat in Ulus that I’d like to rent out. How do I go about doing it?

Being a foreigner doesn’t affect the conditions for rental contracts.

Anyone who has the capacity to use their Civil rights is qualified to use their rental rights over their real property as long as they are the registered owner of the property.

The rental contract can be written or oral. For proof, if a conflict arises, it is better to have a written contract indicating the address, the amount of rent agreed on and other important points.

With this contract, the right to use the real estate is assigned to the tenant. It is important that the parties mutually consent to the contract’s terms. If the parties wish to do so they can have a bilingual contract with two columns, one in English and the other Turkish, with a clause stating that the English language version will take precedence in case of any translational difference.

Woodsview

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SPONSORED ARTICLE There was never a dull moment growing up in the British consulate in Sixties Istanbul.

Griselda Warr selects photographs from her mother’s album and tells tales of shooting stars, benign espionage and a call girl wronged

Cornucopia 44: Classics with a Twist Turkey’s triannual Englishlanguage magazine is offering IWI members four issues for the price of three in their special festive-season campaign, with a further TL10 off each order and a free Rifat Özbek/Cornucopia tote bag. Subscriptions will cost TL50 post-free worldwide – no matter where – making for an ideal gift (a gift card will also go out in your name). Order online at cornucopia.net/iwi-offer.html, or phone or fax Anna Özbek and Daniel Fields on +90 212 248 3607. You can also email your list to cornucopia@atlas.net.tr or bring it with you to Cornucopia’s stand at the IWI Christmas Bazaar.

For a taste of the new issue, here are excerpts of Griselda Warr’s evocative account of life in Istanbul in the Sixties

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ADVENTURES IN ISTANBUL A car overflowing with tricycles in the street of the coppersmiths, in Beyazit, outside the Grand Bazaar, photographed by Gillian Warr in 1964

M

y mother’s excited reaction to our time in Istanbul shines out of every page of her letters: “It was a blissful morning unlike any other I’ve known.” It seems that every day offered a new adventure which my parents jumped into, even as they balanced all the work and social obligations required at the massive British consulate.

My parents, Michael and Gillian Warr, had arrived in Istanbul by ship in October 1962 for my father’s new job as British consul general. With them were their two daughters, myself, aged 10, Eleanor, six, and our 18-year-old cousin, Rupert, in the role of nanny. In true English fashion, my elder brothers, George and David, at boarding school and college in England, joined us for holidays. We were to live in Istanbul until

October & November 2010 November & December 2010

lale SPeCIal OFFeR

SPONSORED ARTICLE

1967, and each of us remembers those five years as a fascinating adventure.

My father had a busy professional life, particularly during the Cyprus crisis. We had many official visitors from England, as well as diplomats from other countries and personalities such as the Bishop of Gibraltar. There were also Turkish officials to meet, many of whom became friends, and, though the social requirements of dinner and

October & November 2010 November & December 2010

cocktail parties could be a strain, we soon met a wide range of people and started to explore the city and the country beyond.

Aside from official visitors, we often had friends and family to stay. In fact it felt as though every person my parents had ever known, and all their friends, came to visit.

For such a large house, there were very few bedrooms and my sister and I often slept on old army camp beds in the wide

corridors so our visitors might have a bed.

In the summer enterprising students would show up in cars or buses (in my cousin’s case an old ambulance), heading for India or even further but always happy to spend some time in Istanbul. Late one night, Prince William drove up in a Land Rover with three friends. He had not been told there was a curfew (presumably it was due to the Cyprus troubles) and had been shot at as he drove

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lale SPeCIal OFFeR

SPONSORED ARTICLE into Istanbul. They arrived at the consulate without injury but had to keep to the curfew for the rest of their visit.

Rupert may have been our nanny but he also functioned as a kind of social secretary.

He remembers learning how to mix drinks and taking visitors on tours, though in the early days he hardly knew any history and just kept repeating the date 1453.

Both Rupert and our next nanny, Graham, have told me that they were often asked by visiting dignitaries for directions to “iki büçük street” – the red-light district. They are too discreet to name names.

We all learnt the basic greetings and polite phrases in Turkish but, sadly, my Turkish never got beyond that. My parents, however, had lessons every morning and, though I don’t think they became completely fluent, they were pleased when they could conduct a conversation in Turkish. My mother wrote excitedly to her mother: “We are in the paper for our marvellous Turkish and general lovableness!”

Aliye Berger, the artist, gave my parents a great introduction to the contemporary arts world, as well as a fabulous social life. She was a member of an extraordinarily gifted family of artists and writers, and also knew dancers, poets and painters. Her studio was close to the consulate and we bought several of her prints. I remember her cousin Shirin, the actress, who performed spectacular dives from the top of the embassy’s yacht, and was also very fond of my father’s snuff. Aliye’s niece, Füreyya Koral, was a ceramicist. I remember her best as she would let my brother George and me make our own creations in her studio. She herself made brightly coloured pieces which she sprinkled with chips of broken glass before firing to produce gorgeous bubbles of colour.

One of the best people to explore the city with was Godfrey Goodwin, who took friends on walking tours and was a kind, amusing and generous man. No one knew more about the architecture and history and, with his amusing asides and stories, no one could describe it better. We would always tease my mother that she photographed nothing but little boys and wooden houses, and she found plenty of both on these walks. Now I am pleased to have records of those beautiful doomed houses, and the boys were often good sources of information. Maureen Freely captures Godfrey beautifully in her tribute to him in Cornucopia 34.

During the 1960s, Ernest Hawkins was restoring the mosaics in Ayasofya and the Kariye. He, too, became a good friend and taught us about Byzantine art and much else. He invited us to climb the scaffolding in Ayasofya and I was determined to go,

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even though I’ve always been terrified of heights. It was an unforgettable experience and we got within inches of the Virgin and Child in the apse. My fears got the better of me as I climbed down, and I remember being frozen with fear. He was also a great mimic. One day in the market my mother was being pestered by a man trying to persuade her to buy a lamp. She ignored him so successfully that she did not notice it was Ernest!

One night in 1965 my father was asked to meet Edward Heath, who was to become prime minister in 1970. They met at the airport, and even though Mr Heath was only going to be there for a couple of hours he wanted to see Ayasofya. In the middle

with a large net. Our second “nanny”, Graham Thompson remembers my parents’ interest in spring waters. We would collect as many as possible at Tarabya for tasting and comparison, though my father’s interest may have been mostly focused on which water tasted best with his whisky.

Then there was the Four Winds, which must have been one of the last embassy yachts maintained by the Foreign Office.

The boat had a crew of four, headed by the intrepid Captain Vasili. Though not really a seagoing boat, our trips grew more and more adventurous – the most magical way to explore the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara and beyond. On longer trips we slept on board – usually on deck, although there were cabins – watching shooting stars and beautiful sunrises. Dolphins would swim in front of the boat and I would sit in the bow watching for them. When we did drop anchor our captain would go fishing in the dinghy, leaving us marooned for hours.

Early one morning my father and our friends Bob and Aileen Lawson swam the Bosphorus from Rumeli Hisarı, while the Four Winds protected them from the tankers and freighters rushing by. My mother’s letter says: “They gambolled like porpoises and made it seem easy.”

The Bosphorus was always full of tankers and freighters. I learnt to identify all the national flags. In September 1963, early in the morning, the Arkhangelsk, a large Soviet freighter, crashed into the bank at Baltalimanı, destroying two houses and killing three people. Within hours we were on the Four Winds and got quite close to the ship. She was rumoured to be carrying a shipment of guns for Cuba, and to have

Top Tea for three aboard the Four Winds – Gillian and Michael Warr, the British consul general, sit either side of their American friend Clara Rankin. Above The Arkhangelsk flattens two yalis in Baltalimani of the night, my father somehow managed to have it opened up. It must have been a dramatic sight and I wish I had been there.

Up the Bosphorus at Tarabya was the old estate of the summer embassy. This had burned down in 1911 and the only building left was a little cottage on a terrace, with a view up the Bosphorus to the Black Sea. There was no hot water and only two rooms, but we spent the summers there and my father commuted into work. We slept outside under the stars, sometimes rows of us, visitors and family. I tried to believe that scorpions really could not climb the metal legs of the camp beds and learnt the names of the constellations – undimmed by the city lights in those days. Our Greek cook, always referred to as Monsieur Georges, would scoop up shoals of fish from the Bosphorus

been going too fast in the fog, without a pilot. I remember the crew aiming hoses at us to keep us away, but there is no sign of them in the photograph and, in retrospect, hoses do seem a little benign.

The Profumo affair was a sensational political scandal in England in 1963.

Christine Keeler and Mandy RiceDavies were at the centre of a sexual and political affair which severely damaged the government, and Rice-Davies came to Istanbul in 1964. I remember seeing a photograph of a woman wearing a bathing suit in the Turkish paper, which was very unusual in those days. When I asked about it my father commented drily that it was more than she usually wore.

www.cornucopia.net.tr June & Julyl 2010 November & December 2010

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Jasmine Yüzer

Oh no! not another vacation!

What to do with kids during the Holidays Holiday breaks are always a treat, but sometimes they can be downright inconvenient.

Here is what to do when your routine has been thrown off by a vacation.

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hen in Rome do as the Romans do… In essence this just means ‘go with the flow’. This statement is applicable in many situations, but with babies often you have to go against the flow and do what is best for your child, if you want to have a good time when you are on vacation. You have to face the facts. When your kids are small, vacations are for the kids, not for you or their father. It may be fun to be on a beach for a while, but naptimes, bedtimes, breakfast, lunch, and dinner can all be thrown out of whack when on vacation.

When families are together all day, that also can be a recipe for disaster. How so you might think? Well, for one, dad’s and mom’s that work outside the home might not know much about what happens after they leave the house, but when they are around their kids all day long they get a better view of what the nanny or grandma deals with all day long. Mommies often times spend the vacation mediating between their child and daddy or sometimes vice versa.

Here are some tips for keeping your vacation fun with kids: 1 - Go with the flow, within reason. Don’t keep your 2 year old in their stroller all night while you and your friends bar hop in Marmaris. Go to dinner, eat dessert, have a drink, but don’t expect your baby or toddler to put up with anything that isn’t centered around them for too long of a period. Kids are all about themselves. So if you want things to go smoothly don’t forget that they need plenty of attention now… In a few years that will be on their PSPs, iPods or iPads or whatever new gadgets and they will be ignoring you!

2 - Be flexible - with bed time and meals - because going on vacation is an exception, it’s not the time to be the rule enforcer. Kids like what they are used to, their beds, your food so when all of that changes, it’s difficult to accept. So, remember that sooner than later, the vacation will come to an end and they will be back on.

3 - Create a comfort zone. If you are staying in a hotel move furniture and arrange things to suit your needs, unless the furniture is nailed down to the floor. Use your own feng-shui to make sure your baby has the room she needs to play and relax. It’s hard being out all day long, you need a place where you can play on the floor with toys or sit and read a book. Create that area in your hotel room and you will create you very own oasis for your child.

4 – Don’t try to do too much. Remember the whole reason we take vacations is to get away from the hustle and bustle of our November & December 2010

ordinary lives, to do something different, relax and escape. Over-planning, putting everyone on a schedule when they are on vacation can be stressful, and the goal of a vacation is to avoid stress… So, just do the minimum on your to-do or to-see lists and try to enjoy rather.

5- Don’t take too many pictures. Digital cameras are great. If you think you look hideous in a picture, you just earase it with the touch of an icon, but we all tend to over-take when we have one in our hands.

To avoid having those photo albums or CDs with pictures that when put side by side, give you an old time movie of your vacation, just put the camera down. Stop trying to capture it all with your Canon and capture it with your mind. Live the experience, see it with your own eyes and not through a camera lens. Take two good pictures at every small event (breakfast, lunch, dinner, beach... etc). That should be more than enough for a more memorable vacation and vacation photo album that doesn’t bore everyone to death.

Staying home: Having a stay-cation 1- Visit a historic, touristic place Istanbul is full of history. Show that history to your kids. Let them know what a rich land they live in. Babies might not understand history, but they will definitely be aware of the fact that they “aren’t in Kansas anymore” (american saying). Let’s just say that they will realize that they are somewhere very different when they are strolling through Topkapi Palace or in the underground cistern in Sultanahmet.

2- Go for a walk Put a jacket on and take a stroll down a side street or a country road and watch the leaves fall in the brisk fall air.

3- Go to a different park Go to a park that you’ve only heard about or to that one special place that you do not get to go to often.

4 - Go to the theatre instead of a movie Films were born of the theatre. Take your children to see a live production, it helps them realize what movies and TV is all about.

5 - Go through old things and give away (like to Christmas Bazaar team) Perfect time to realize how lucky we are and be thankful for all we have by giving to charity. It also teaches your children that giving is a necessary part of life and that there are many people who are less fortunate that will greatly appreciate what we have to offer.

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* Nilüfer Devecigil

Parents attached...

Attachment Parenting International (API) has commenced its first Attachment Parenting (AP) local support group in Istanbul. AP support groups provide an opportunity to meet with other parents to discuss issues relating to attachment parenting. The AP leader for Turkey Local Support Group Nilufer Devecigil interviewed the cofounder of API, Lisa Parker, who also served as the executive director for thirteten years...

What is attachment parenting in a nutshell?

Attachment Parenting (AP) (we choose to capitalize the term to emphasize it an important new concept) means raising children from a sensitive, respectful, empathic perspective. It means seeing the world through the eyes of children rather than projecting on them our own perceptions and insecurities. It means understanding that infants and young children are born with basic needs that can only be met by those who lovingly care for them and have an emotional investment in their well-being. Finally, it means trusting your instincts and following your heart. Children need adults in their lives that are crazy in love with them, whose eyes light up every time their see their child.

The term “attachment” comes from a theory called “attachment theory” that was formulated over 60 years ago in England by Dr. John Bowlby. His theory was later substantiated by the work of Dr. Mary Ainsworth who developed an instrument, still used today, that measures children’s degree of attachment to their mothers and mothers’ attachment to their children at one year of age.

So AP provides principles and strategies that parents can use to enhance the attachment process during the early years of life.

We recently revised these eight principles that were based on the original work of Dr. William and Martha Sears who actually coined the term AP thirty years ago.

The Eight Principles of Attachment Parenting are: • Prepare for pregnancy, birth and parenting • Feed with love and respect (whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding) • Respond with sensitivity • Use nurturing touch • Engage in nighttime parenting • Provide consistent, loving care • Practice positive discipline • Strive for balance in your personal and family life

How did you start AP International and how many members do you have? Which other countries are part of your organization?

Barbara Nicholson and I started API in the early 1990s out of deep concern for the well-being and future of children, particularly those in the U.S. We have the highest rates of violence, suicide, and incarceration than any other western culture; all of which poverty has little to do with. Children have lost connection with their parents, other family members, schools and communities.

Our goal is to teach parents and professionals about attachment and the emotional needs of children as well as the principles they can apply in their family or work with families.

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In 1994 we received our federal nonprofit status and began forming support groups around the country in 1997. We have developed a formal leadership training program for those interested in starting a group or assisting existing groups. We have approximately 70 groups in the U.S, Canada, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand and the Netherlands. We had no idea that there would be so much interest in AP around the world, yet we hear from parents all the time in Europe, Asia and South America. It seems that as more western concepts become integrated into countries, the greater the increase of family and societal problems. Consumerism and materialism contribute greatly to the breakdown of the family as does the lack of support by the government to provide financial support while parents are raising their children.

We have over 1,000 paying members and over 5,000 who subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter (consisting of parents and professionals). Over the last fourteen years we have seen tremendous growth and acceptance of AP.

Many families here are worried about sending their kids to the best schools they could; so their children can be successful in life with a good education. Families are working long hours and in the end they miss the attachment. How do you feel about this dynamic?

Parents, especially mothers, must realize that they are the first teachers of their children. So when it comes to pre-school, most children do a lot better when their mother and/or father provide a stimulating home environment and expose their children to learning opportunities within the community. Many families in the U.S. worry about sending their children to school for other reasons as well as wanting the best education money can buy. They choose to home-school or send their children to private school. I believe home-schooling is the better option when children are young because it gives parents more time to instill their values and protect them from the harsh reality of school and “the real world”. What I mean by that is that children who have been nurtured, respected and disciplined in gentle, loving ways may have a huge adjustment to make when they are exposed to children who have been raised more harshly and to teachers who are more harsh in their interactions with children. This can be very difficult and stressful for young children. As they grow older they are much more mentally and emotionally equipped to tolerate and adapt to this kind of environment.

My point in saying all this is that a warm, nurturing environment, where children feel safe and secure, is the best environment for learning. Young children thrive when they are with their parents and wither when they are apart. If parents choose to take their children to daycare or preschool so they can work to save money for their education later on, then they are missing critical opportunities to strengthen the emotional connection with their November & December 2010

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*Nilüfer Devecigil

children. Being a happy, well-adjusted child and adult is much more important than what they learn in school. There have been books written about this, such as the popular book Emotional Intelligence: Why it can Matter More than IQ by Daniel Goldman.

Without healthy emotional development, children grow up to be adults who make poor decisions, have poor relationships and generally fail in many areas in their lives, regardless of their intelligence and education.

then you are fulfilling their need for physical closeness or protection. Consider children’s emotional needs like a container-in fact even adults have emotional containers. When it is full (needs are satisfied) then they don’t have to depend on others for getting their needs met. When their tank is empty they become clingy, whiney, irritable, angry or begin misbehaving in some way. Then they need to refill their emotional tank by receiving love, attention and affection from those they trust most.

-If I am a working mother, how can I practice AP?

When it comes to weaning that is a decision only a mother can and should make based on her assessment of her child’s readiness.

Some choose to let their child tell them when they are ready; others choose to encourage their child to wean by substituting nursing with other activities. Either way, the mother will know when the child is ready by his reaction to the process. When children are ready they will usually do it with very little fuss and are completely satisfied with alternative options given by the mother. This decision should never be based on the opinions of others.

Yes, it is particularly important that working parents be conscious in their parenting and take advantage of opportunities to re-connect with their children as often as possible. For instance, working parents may find that sleeping with their babies or young children provides an excellent time to snuggle and bond. When you come home from work, give your child undivided attention. A few minutes of attention can often satisfy your child long enough to cook supper or complete a task. If a child seems clingy and needy, which they often are after a long day in childcare, then those are signs the child needs extra doses of attention, love and possibly some food.

Is AP only for moms? What about dads?

AP is for moms, dads, adoptive mothers and fathers, foster mothers and fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Anyone who cares for children! It truly does take a community to raise children and everyone needs to be on the same page. For infants, who ever is the primary caregiver should be most attuned to the child and using the AP principles.

AP also means that both parents will need to become advocates for their children; in school, in hospitals, at doctor’s offices and in social situations. Many cultures do not support a parent and child’s need for connection. In many instances children are separated from their parents, beginning right after birth. Parents need to be informed in order to know what their child needs and what their rights are as parents. It is so easy for parents to be intimidated by professionals in to doing what is counter-intuitive.

As parents you have to be informed because you will have to make critical decisions along the parenting journey. If you are not informed, others will make those decisions for you.

-If I carry my baby all the time in my arms, I spoil my baby' or 'if I do extended breastfeeding, my child would never be independent. I need to teach him/her boundary and in between baby toddler stage, I should wean from breast'. What do you feel about these statements?

-How do you feel about AP in Turkey? What are your recommendations to the parents?

We would love to see AP become popular in Turkey! If parents are interested in the AP style of parenting then they can go to our website (English only) at www.attachmentparenting.org to learn more about AP. My recommendations to parents are to hold on to their children as long as possible, listen to their heart and learn the language of your child. When you fully know and understand your child, then satisfying his emotional needs will become very easy. You will find that you have a strong bond of love that will last a lifetime.

Finally I would like to say that we strongly believe this is the parenting style of the future and we are so excited that more and more people are accepting it as the primary way in which we will create more peaceful societies and a more compassionate world.

As Gandhi once said, “If we are to reach real peace in this world and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with children.”

Nilüfer Devecigil: *MA in Transpersonal Counseling from Naropa University in Boulder, CO. She provides relationship supports for expectant parents, and young children from infancy to age three. She offers parenting workshops and play therapy at www.kuraldisi.com. ndevecigil@hotmail.com

Most are myths that seem to stand the test of time being passed on from generation to generation. Certainly as children grow, parents find they do have to set boundaries with their children for their safety and for instilling certain values but this can be done according to their developmental capabilities and with respect, not for fear of punishment. Children become spoiled by material things, by instant gratification and by not allowing them to experience the hardship of natural consequences of their actions. If parents constantly “rescue” their children from hardship then they can become too dependent on their parents. You cannot spoil a child by holding it too much, if a child wants or needs to be held,

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Shifting Perspectives Down Turkiye hopes to show that having Down Syndrome, defines just a part of who you are and people with DS live life to the full...

C

hange is inevitable. So is the resistance to it. It is in our human nature that we feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings and with people similar to us, therefore we try to create a norm we call normal and we tend to stick to it. Actually that is fine… until the notion of normal becomes exclusive to all other variations. You see, “normal” has a tendency of creeping into our perceptions and making us think of others who are different as somehow lesser. In other words, it creates the ever so dangerous differentiation of “us and

them”. You start seeing them as others.

You start seeing people from a different perspective.

I started thinking about these 16 years ago. I even remember the exact day. The day my older son was born and we have been told that he has Down Syndrome.

The first thought which came to my mind was whether he would be seen as less than the beautiful, wonderful baby he is.

Would people look at him and see a different person, different than the rest of us?

The answer to this is both yes and no.

There are more than 5.8 million people with Down Syndrome in the world. It is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition occuring in people of all races and economic levels. It is estimated that 100 thousand people with DS live in Turkey and approximately 1 to 2 babies with DS is born every day in Turkey.

Yes, he is different in his ways. But he is also exactly the same as all of us; he wants to love and be loved. He yearns for approval, he has hopes and dreams just like everybody else. He is just your ordinary teenager; he likes to hang out with friends, enjoys rock music, he goes to high school, he argues with his younger brother and cannot wait to grow up and start living by himself. He is a self-advocate like many other young men and women with Down Syndrome, but he is by no means an exception. That he is actually all of these surprises people who have never met him before.

So, we thought, let’s try to get everybody to see Down Syndrome and what people with DS are capable. You might think; we?

We are DOWN TURKIYE (www.downturkiye.com); a charity dedicated to establish educational and structural programmes which will empower individuals with Down Syndrome to reach semi- or full independent lives and to have meaningful lives contributing to their society, and strives to challenge the society’s perception of disability and disabled people and to provide a more positive direction. Wow, isn’t that a mouthful…

Down Türkiye has started in 2009 and is the brainchild of three women, two of whom has a child with DS and a third who has a big heart. It grew so fast that we think it called us, rather than the other way round. We are part of Down Syndrome International and their primary contact for Turkey. I have been chosen by DSI as the Down Syndrome Ambassador to Turkey. It is an honor to have this title and I try hard to give justice to it.

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All people with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays, but the effect is usually mild to moderate and is not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses.

On 21st March 2010, we organized the very first Down Syndrome Seminar in Turkey. Hundreds of people, experts and parents, many coming from different cities, and even from neighboring countries, attended the whole day seminar. This was followed by another full day training on sexuality in DS. Currently, we have two events running simultaneously; the exhibition and the friendship walk.

We hope to show that having Down Syndrome is only a part of who you are, it defines just a part of you, and if we are willing to let go of our preconceptions we will see that people with DS are great colleagues, friends, school buddies and they live life to the full.

I am inviting you to visit our photographic exhibition “Shifting Perspectives” to,… well… shift your perspectives. It provides images from the lives of people with Down Syndrome and it can be visited in 13 different venues throughout Istanbul from September to Decem-

November & December 2010

Gün Osborn

ber thanks to the invaluable support of Mudo and Specialist Relocation and Organisation. Shifting Perspectives in Istanbul brings selected pieces of a series of exhibitions from the UK which has been running since five years with the comissioning of Down Syndrome Association UK. The images belong to professional photographers all of whom have a child or a relative with DS, and they allow us to witness their real life experiences.

Quality educational programs, a stimulating home environment, good health care, and positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down syndrome to develop their full potential and lead fulfilling lives.

The list of venues and dates are given here.

Do yourselves a favor and visit both indoor and outdoor exhibitions. You will not regret it. Who knows you might even make a friend or two who are a little different but in fact are just like you.

To learn more about Down Turkiye or Down Syndrome please refer to www.downturkiye.com or write to ds@downturkiye.com.

Down syndrome occurs when an individual has three, rather than two, copies of the 21st chromosome.

This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.

EXHIBITION DATES 28 Oct - 22 Nov 212 İstanbul Powe Outlet – Bağcılar 28 Oct - 10 Nov İstanbul Cevahir AVM ve Eğlence Merkezi – Şişli 22 Nov - 26 Dec Sanat Limanı - Tophane

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*Carol Crous

Children and Morality A strong character with healthy values that has been fostered and internalised from a young age is one of the few things that a child will have forever.

Most parents approach the task of raising children to have good morals with the best intentions. Our moral values determine largely how we look at the world, it moulds our character, our beliefs and determines how we act and live our lives. What motivates us to do or not do certain things is determined by the value we attach to it: our moral values.

The moral values of children are determined by the morals of their parents, their friends, music, the media, religion, teachers and role models.

The moral values of their parents, however, have the most important impact on them.

To behave ethically is not always easy. Ask yourself:” what will the outcome be of my behaviour or decision? Is it good for me? Is it good for others or the environment? Is it good and right in general?”

It is more effective and perhaps easier to rather put an emphasis on family values than on rules when raising children, although rules do have their own place, within limits. Morals are about how people should behave and laws are about how people should not behave. Not all rules and laws are always right and ethical.

Emphasise the value to treat others with respect rather than listing a bunch of rules stating what may and may not be said and done. For example teach the child to respect their body by taking care of it daily rather than making rules about when and how to take a shower. This brings flexibility into your family life; it puts children in charge and gives them more responsibility. Too many rules could make children feel trapped and may lead to rebellion.

Children seldom rebel against moral values as they would against

rules. It is very important that strong moral values are learned at an early age. It is critical when having to make difficult decisions, especially under peer group pressure. Children need to have the self confidence to act according to their moral values, beliefs and conscience and not according to what is the easiest or more popular decision. They will know who they are, what they believe in and the right thing to do.

Parents should share with each other the moral values that were emphasized in their own homes when they grew up. They can then decide which of these moral values they would like to keep and install in their own children. Some parents may choose to raise their kids to be independent and self confident which means that they encourage their child to say how they feel and what they think, with respect of course.

Parents must live the moral values that they want to see in their own kids. Children need their parents to be role models whom they can look up to. Matters can get complicated when children do not want to be or live like their parents and reject their moral values.

According to the famous psychologist Jean Piaget, a child’s moral judgement and decision depends initially on what is expected of them. It is not based on their own understanding or judgment of what is right or wrong but is attached to the influence of parents and teachers and what they expect of them. The foundation for making a choice is thus not from within the child. Their morality matures when they become independent and their power to make a decision stems from an inner belief of what is wrong and what is right. Only then are they able to react accordingly.

Questions parents can ask themselves: »» »» »» »» »» »»

Do you know your own moral values?

Are you consistent in what you say and do? Or do you say one thing and then do something completely different?

Do your children know what you believe in and what your moral values are? As well as why you hold these beliefs?

Do you discuss your moral values with your children? Do they know how you feel about personal health, hygiene, the environment and behaviour towards others?

Do you give positive feedback when they make good choices that reflect good moral values?

Children with healthy and consistent moral values are generally happier, present themselves gracefully and make good choices.

They also tend to do well at school. Parents cannot control what their kids think about but they can give them something to think about.

* Learning Specialist Carol Crous has dedicated her life to easing the journey of children through their educational careers, bringing over 20 years of experience to her programs. She holds degrees in both Education and Educational Therapy. Today she owns The Learning Center Istanbul and works with students of all ages using a holistic approach to help them maximize their potential. www.thelearningcenteristanbul.com info@thelearningcenter.com

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SMALL HANDS

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*Dr Demet Başdemir

BULLYING Bullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood, or over the Internet.

When Your Child Is Bullied

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CHILD CARE

»»

»»

»»

»» »» »» »» »»

Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to: 1. Look the bully in the eye.

2. Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation.

3. Walk away.

Teach your child how to say in a firm voice.

1. "I don't like what you are doing."

2. "Please do NOT talk to me like that."

3. "Why would you say that?"

Teach your child when and how to ask for help.

Encourage your child to make friends with other children.

Support activities that interest your child.

Alert school officials to the problems and work with them on solutions.

Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child's safety and well-being when you cannot be there.

When Your Child Is the Bully »» »» »» »» »»

Be sure your child knows that bullying is never OK. Set firm and consistent limits on your child's aggressive behavior.

Be a positive role mode. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening or hurting someone.

Use effective, non-physical discipline, such as loss of privileges.

Develop practical solutions with the school principal, teachers, counselors, and parents of the children your child has bullied.

When Your Child Is a Bystander »» »» »» »»

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Tell your child not to cheer on or even quietly watch bullying.

Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying.

Help your child support other children who may be bullied.

Encourage your child to include these children in activities.

Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop.

»» »»

»»

During middle childhood, youngsters need supervision. A responsible adult should be available to get them ready and off to school in the morning and watch over them after school until you return home from work.

Children approaching adolescence (11- and 12-year-olds) should not come home to an empty house in the afternoon unless they show unusual maturity for their age.

If alternate adult supervision is not available, parents should make special efforts to supervise their children from a distance. Children should have a set time when they are expected to arrive at home and should check in with a neighbor or with a parent by telephone.

If you choose a commercial after-school program, inquire about the training of the staff. There should be a high staffto-child ratio, and the rooms and the playground should be safe.

DEVELOPING GOOD HOMEWORK AND STUDY HABITS »» »» »» »» »» »»

»»

Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework.

Youngsters need a permanent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that offers privacy.

Set aside ample time for homework.

Establish a household rule that the TV set stays off during homework time.

Supervise computer and internet use.

Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for her.

Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch, and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive.

If your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren't able to help her yourself, a tutor can be a good solution. Talk it over with your child's teacher first.

I hope these tips will help you and your children for a good start for a wonderful year. * Pediatrician

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Announcements

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T

he opening meeting was a great opportunity for our new and returning moms to come and get a glimpse of what the IWI and İstanbul has to offer this season.

We have close to 50 new moms in our group now and I say, the more the merrier! We even had 5 eager mothers- to-be waiting for their turn to become new members of the mums n kids group sign up early!

I hope you all had fun at our Halloween Parties this year!

Thank you for attending, everyone was simply adorable.

Our play groups are in full swing now, so if you are looking for one in your area please check the infomation in this section for one near you. I met my best friends at playgroups in IWI members homes. They are a great way to meet other moms in your area with children who are the same ages. Mums N Kids helps mothers adjust to the challeges that motherhood presents. Kids get to de-charge and moms get to re-charge with a nice cup of tea and good conversation. Our 18-36 mos european side group will now be meeting on Wednesdays, rather than Tuesdays. We also have a new addition to our playgroups, Michele Kafer will be coordinating our asain side ‘big kids’ play group on Thursdays.

We all have something to contribute. If you know of something that could be of interest or benefit your fellow members please do not hesitate to call me with any information you would like to share. I would also like to thank all of our play group coordinators for putting forth the effort to organize the playgroups that are the back bone of our group.

The holiday season is here again, enjoy this time with your family and friends. We will be celebrating Christmas early at the end of this month with IWI’s annual Christmas Bazaar. Please come to our Gymboree kids corner so your kids can unwind a little after bazaar shoppinng and get their picture taken with Santa. We sincerly hope that you and your family will attend our annual Brunch with Santa on December 11th. Children, moms, dads, uncles, aunts, grandparents, all are welcome to come celebrate together.

Please show your support for the IWI and come to the programs that we organize for you! Programs are a wonderful way of meeting friends and staying connected to the group. I wish you all an ‘iyi bayramlar’, a blessed Thanksgiving, and a very Merry Christmas. Looking forward to seeing you all before the new year!

Jasmine Yüzer IWI Mums ‘n Kids Coordinator The Mums ‘n Kids Team, 2009 - 2010 Jasmine Yüzer

jasmine@iwi-tr.org

0533 717 2889

Gigi Aksu

gaksu05@yahoo.com

0530 645 9494

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November Programs: GÖÇMEN RANCH Come and enjoy fall before winter comes with a stroll through a small petting zoo, take a pony ride, enjoy the fresh air and have a snack.

When: Thursday, November 4th Time: 11AM Where: Göçmen Çiftlik (Ranch) in Zekeriakoy Cost: 10TL per child Contact: Jasmine Yuzer at jasmine@iwi-tr.org or 0533 717 2889 *Group transportation to be arranged if need be

Lots Of Lovely Art - (LOLA) Celebrate Thanksgiving by bringing your children this year to Lots of Lovely Art (LOLA) for a 2 hour workshop full of fun and theme related art activities! Alara Hindle, owner and IWI member, is offering fellow members a discounted price for this activity.

Thanksgiving snack included!

Age: 0-3 When: Thursday, November 25th Time: 10-11AM Where: LOLA Studio Cost: 40TL and 10% off for siblings Contact: Alara Hindle ; 0535 768-9808, alara@lotsoflovelyart. com Space limited, please RSVP by Nov. 23rd Age: 4-12 When: Saturday, November 27th Time: 3 -5 PM Where: LOLA Studio Cost: 50TL and 10% off for siblings Contact: Alara Hindle ; 0535 768-9808, alara@lotsoflovelyart. com Space limited, please RSVP by Nov. 23rd

CHRISTMAS BRUNCH WITH SANTA Come one, come all and celebrate Christmas with your family and other IWI families over a scrumptious brunch at one of Istanbul’s 5 Star Hotels. Children, moms, dads, grandparents, friends, everyone is welcome, the more the merrier! Enjoy live entertainment for adults and children, delicious food, a raffle, as well as a separate childrens play area. Santa will be making a special appearance, so don’t let your kids miss the opportunity to tell him exactly what they want for Christmas and get a photo with Santa as well!

When: Sunday, December 12th Time: 12-3PM Where: TBA via e-news bulletin Cost: TBA Contact: Jasmine Yuzer at jasmine@iwi-tr.org or 0533-717-2889 Space limited, please RSVP by December 6th

November & December 2010

Mums ‘n Kids IWI MUMS ‘N KIDS MEETINGS & PLAYGROUPS: 1) PREGNANT MUMS & MUMS WITH INFANTS 0 – 18 MONTHS An opportunity to meet other pregnant ladies and mums of infants and to share the joys and trials of motherhood while creating a support network. A guest speaker is invited periodically to talk to the group regarding pregnancy and new parenting topics.

-When: Every Tuesday 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM -Location: Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places -Cost: Free -Co-Coordinators (European side): Karolina Meisloch at karolina@meisloch.com or 0531 695 7887 and Andrea Karapinar at a.koziel@gmx.de or 0533 276 0582

2) 18 –36 MONTHS PLAYGROUP

IWI “MUMS ‘N KIDS” RESOURCE AND SUPPORT GROUPS: 1) CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS - For resources and recommended specialists for children with special needs. Contact Debbie Sainte-Rose at debbiesainterose@ yahoo.com or 0531 769 1368.

2) ATTACHMENT PARENTING INTERNATIONAL (API) - Non-profit group networking parents & professionals to help parents find the support, information & empowerment they need to form strong bonds and enduring relationships with their children.

Open to parents of children up to 3 years of age. Membership is free. Contact Nilufer Devecigil at ndevecigil@hotmail.com

3)BREAST FEEDING AND POST PARDUM SUPPORT GROUP

IWI MUMS ‘N KIDS ASIAN SIDE PLAYGROUPS:

La Leche League type instruction about breast feeding techniques and other relevant information, facilitated by doula Julia Steils Paçacıoglu.

-Date and Time: Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday starting October 13th -Location: Rotating mom’s homes -Cost: Free -Coordinator: Julia Steils Paçacıoglu Julia@fullcirclehealing.org 537 435 5552

1) PREGNANT MUMS & MUMS WITH INFANTS 0 – 18 MONTHS

INTERNATIONAL PRE-SCHOOLS & CENTERS’ PLAY GROUPS

This is a fun playgroup for our active toddlers.

-When: Every Wednesday 10 AM – 12 PM -Location: Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places -Cost: Free -Coordinator: Gigi Aksu at gaksu05@yahoo.com or 0530 645 9494

An opportunity to meet other pregnant ladies and mums of infants and to share the joys and trials of motherhood while creating a support network. A guest speaker is invited periodically to talk to the group regarding pregnancy and new parenting topics.

-When: Every Tuesday 11 AM – 1 PM -Location: Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places -Cost: Free -Coordinator (Asian side): Lucille Abendanon at lucille.abendanon@gmail.com or 0534 971 6584

2) “ASIAN BABIES” FOR 3 MONTHS AND UP -When: Every Wednesday 10 AM - 12 PM -Location: Pre-arranged meeting place -Cost: Free -Coordinator: Aischa Erten at aischa@erten.net or 0532 324 2739 ASIAN SIDE –BIG KIDS This is a group for school goers who want to stop by after a long day at school -When: Every Thursday 4 -6 PM -Location: Rotating turns at mums’ homes -Cost: Free -Coordinator: Michele Kafer michelekafer@gmail.com or 05375047442

3) ASIAN SIDE WEEKEND PLAYGROUP This is our weekend playgroup for working and non-working IWI mums who like to meet on Saturdays to socialize with their babies and toddlers.

-When: Every Saturday Mornings or afternoons - according to majority decision -Location: Rotating turns at moms’ homes and outdoors -Cost: Free -Coordinator: Jane Örer at janeorer@hotmail.com November & December 2010

1)BOSPHORUS INTERNATIONAL PRE-SCHOOL (BIP), EMIRGAN www.bipschools.net Teacher organized activity, song and circle time and half an hour of garden play (weather permitting). Coffee, tea, milk and cookies provided.

When: Tuesdays starting October 5th 10 - 11:30 AM Cost: Free Age group: 0 -3 years of age Co-ordinator and reservations: Ms. Colette Laffan-Persembe at cpersembe@bipschool.net or 0212-277 8444 Note: Call Mondays to reserve, there are only 10 spots. Only one known adult per child please.

2) BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (BIS), ZEKERIYAKOY AND ETILER www.bis.k12.tr Indoor and outdoor garden play (weather permitting) followed by snack and music time. Known adult to stay and supervise child.

Days and locations: Tuesdays and Thursdays in Zekeriyakoy and Mondays and Fridays in Etiler beginning Tuesday, September 14th Time: 9 -11 AM (both campuses) Cost: 10 TL per session Age group: 0 – 2 ½ years of age Co-ordinator and reservations: Mrs. Amanda Ilhan, Preschool and Primary Deputy Director at amandailhan@bis.k12.tr or 0212 202 70 27 ext. 116

3) EDEN’S GARDEN INTERNATIONAL PRE-SCHOOL, YENIKOY www.edensgardenpreschool.com Teacher co-ordinated song and story time along with baby music and ballet in the dance room, arts and crafts in the ceramics studio, or garden play (weather permitting). Known adult must supervise child. Bring soft slippers. Organizes birthday parties.

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mums ’n kids When: Thursdays 9:30 – 11: 30 AM Cost: 30 TL per session; includes a brunch at 10:30 AM Age Group: 0 – 3 years Co-ordinator and reservations: Ms.Christina Heath at director@ edensgardenpreschool.com or 0212 262 43 02

6)GYMBOREE, ULUS www.gymboreeturkey.com Features THREE exciting playgroup options for our Mums N Kids:

4)WOODSVIEW INTERNATIONAL NURSERY & PRESCHOOL, TARABYA

(1)‘Free play’ for 0- 5 year olds, including coffee or a drink for mums.

When: Every Monday 3:30 – 5:30 PM Cost: 25 TL per session

www.woodsviewpreschool.com Indoor and garden play (weather permitting) followed by snack time. Coffee, tea and biscuits for mums. Known adult must stay with child.

When: Wednesdays 2 PM – 3:30 PM Fee: Free Age group: 0 – 3 years Coordinator and reservations: Ms. Sharon Harding at Sharon@ woodsviewpreschool.com or 0212 299 39 06(-67 65)

(2)‘Play and Learn’ 45 minute class in English and Turkish at a group rate discount including food, beverage, and free play.

Days, times, and age group Wednesdays: 10 AM for Level 2 and L3 (6 -10 months) and (10 – 16 months) Thursdays: 10 AM for Level 4 (16 – 22 months) Fridays:10:30 AM for Level 5 and L6 (22 – 28 mos) & (28 – 36mos) Cost: 35 TL per class (Note: 8 week minimum for groups of 5)

5)ETILER KEMER KIDS’ GARDEN, ETILER www.kemer.k12.tr Native English speaker teacher lead playgroup. Known adult must supervise child.

When: Wednesdays 2:30 – 4 PM Cost: Free Age group: 0 – 3 years Co-ordinator and reservations: Ms. Esra Durust, at ekids@kemer. k12.tr or 0212 265 1723 or 0212 263 66 98

(3)‘Drop off Program’ for ages 2 -3.5 years, including snack, music, art, fitness and play classes.

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 AM – 12:30 PM Cost: 70 TL Co-ordinator: Ms. Esra Tasar at esratasar@gymboreeturkey.com or 0212 282 7666

IWI’S “MUMS ‘N KIDS TEAM” ORGANIZES ACTIVITIES FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN TO ENJOY. WE REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR CHILD’S SAFETY AT ALL TIMES. IWI CANNOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR INJURY AND EXTRA COST INCURRED DURING ANY ACTIVITY.

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November & December 2010

mums ‘N kids

November & December 2010

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Lale Features

Hana Moualla

Flamenco whirling Can you imagine andalusian rhytms connected with oriental melody? Do you like reading about unique people? I am bringing an interesting interview with Iranian composer, guitarist and singer, Shahab Tolouie.

Shahab Tolouie created bands Persepolis, Pena Flamenca, Arionas, etc., plays in clubs and teached at AMU (the Academy of Music of Prague). He studied in Spain, plays for international audience at concerts and festivals. For now, he is living in the Czech Republic.

You could have seen him at Flamenko Festivali on 27th September 2010 in Ankara, (www.flamenkofest.com). Next year hopefully we can enjoy his music again in Turkey, as he has great response from Turks all over the world and is in search for suitable venues in Istanbul, Izmir and other cities.

Shahab Tolouie, belongs to the group of musicians who derive inspiration from the traditional music of their native lands. His unique musical style, which is classified as world fusion, and called by him 'EthnoFlamenco' or 'Persian/Flamenco fusion', combines traditional Persian music with traditional Spanish flamenco and elements of jazz. All the lyrics are based on the original words of the greatest mystical poets of all time, from 'The Book of Kings' of Ferdousi, unique Ghazals of Hafez, and sage Mevlana Rumi.

Changing things you know, for places and cultures you do not know and still be relaxed... Is it kind of „inner Dervish“ attitude towards difficulties?

When you are living in and parallel to what you love, you’re living for it and you enjoy it. Then the difficulties are just some stages to reach your goal. I like your word „inner Dervish“… It is a good metaphor. I believe it exists inside each of us and calls us to live free like a bird and not to be bound in the circle of daily repetitions. We are alive and the only thing that remains for us when we look back to our life, is whether we have done what we liked or not. No matter how much you make, what you do, or where you live… I am doing what I have always loved since I was a child.

Maybe this could be the reason I look relaxed to people.

These slings and arrows by God… You are beautiful, Your soul cage is made Of a strong wood, And my tongue is fire.

Run!!!

When I say „Persian culture“, what does it mean to you?

There are some things that are so close to us that we don’t think about them. I must confess, I started to think after your question.

The answer is, to me, it means anything that goes around my heart and body, into my blood. The Caspian sea, my city Shahsavar, Persian Gulf, Isfahan, taghe bostan, Hafez, haft sin, Persepolis, Shiraz, Tabriz, Ziggurat, Nouruz, Ferdousi, Damavand… This list is really long to write all.

Decribe us, please, your favourite places in your homecountry. What kind of emotions do you have by imagining Iranian sun and sky colours?

I was born in north of Iran by the Caspian sea, I grew up on the seaside. No other imagination can give me more pleasure than the sun and salty water, fishermen and markets full of caviar and fish with those lovely people. I fly through those markets when I play or write music.

What is your favourite poem by Rumi? If it is not translatable, please, tell us the meaning.

It’s impossible for me to choose a favorite when we talk about life and philosophy and improvements. These are the things you find in each word of this great master of peotry, but because I am to answer, then there’s one poem which I sang on my album „Tango Perso“ (2009) in compas of a „Soleares“ flamenco and because of this I named it „Solea por poeta Persa“. It is really hard to translate because the meaning of Mevlana’s poems in my opinion are greater than words, but it probably has to be translated as this: If you see me madly drunk, Unlike you, it’s not the wine.

It’s not for my fame or my shame, It’s not for joy, scent, or colours.

I am not one of you I am protected from

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November & December 2010

Lale Features

The traditional Italian Christmas Bazar

Was it hard to reach „Nivel Alto“ (flamenco degree)?

When love is the goal, nothing is difficult…

Sure you are trying to reach „next levels“? What are they like?

One of the greatest challenges is to introduce the beauty and richness of Persian culture as any other culture to the world.

Obviously people of Iran have been kept away for some decades from presenting the reality of their art and feeling to others. It was the time to show the Iranian music and unite it to the world by making a fusion of Persian and European music. This became one of my main goals and what I am doing now. My fusion has luckily gained a very good reaction by the audience and the media, and this has encouraged me to start to realize my new projects with more certainty.

These days I am working on various projects with my friends.

One of them (as I call) the „Persian Opera“ is based on the „Book of Kings“ of Ferdousi. It is about life and battles of ancient Persian kings. The project is based on my Guitar and Setar compositions and my Quartet band which is accompained by orchestra.

There, I‘ll sing the original words of Ferdousi in Persian while an opera singer sings the translations of the poems. I have kept my guitar lines and the singing very expressive and dynamic as their life was. Orchestrations will be done by my very good friend „Dr. Farzad Goodarzi“.

Portobello

Thursday December 9th 2010 11.00 am – 3.30 pm Casa d’Italia - Circolo Roma Meşrutiyet Caddesi, 75 Tél. (0212) 244 17 59 There will be many Italian specialties on sale: parmigiano, salami, wine, liquor (like grappa and limoncello), panettone, pandoro and other homemade delicacies...

The proceeds of the day will be donated to charity

There’s also a bit more chamber like album to be recorded, based on my solo Guitar and Setar inspired by Lullabies from different regions of Iran. Because I believe that lullabies are some of the oldest melodies still remaining and obviously slowly going to be forgotten. I try to revive at least some of them and present it in a new form to the audience.

Also the other album is with my Quartet and will be recorded and hopefully released by the first half of 2011. t I can do mos I started to like ork school and I have of my homew nise ga or d more friends by myself an my my work load I can edit I can read I feel essays and independantly and ent more confid write longer sentences I fe

el happie

r

Who is your favourite writer and painter?

As I do not bound myself into a frame in music, and listen to and enjoy the music without border. The same about poetry and painting or cinema or whatever else… I listen to, I watch and I read any form of art that inspires me. Anything that makes me calm and sounds good. I am not into any specific genre or style.

My favorites are all artists that gave me a piece of themselves.

What matters to me is the thought behind the art and not the physical thing. It can be a single tone or an unknown painter with a single red line, or can be Michelangelo and his famous masterpiece.

“If I can’t learn the way you teach, will you teach me the way I can learn?” tel: 0212 223 9700 www.thelearningcenteristanbul.com

Shahab´s Official Web Site: www.shahab-tolouie.com November & December 2010

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Lale Features A Fun Family Musical: The Wizard of Oz Looking for family entertainment over the Christmas season? Why not come along and join Dorothy and Toto, as they set of down the Yellow Brick Road to see the Wizard of Oz? In the show young school girl Dorothy dreams of escaping from her dull life to somewhere ‘Over the Rainbow’. Her dreams come alive when she is transported to the Land of Oz. There are plenty of larger than life characters along the Yellow Brick Road, including the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Nasty Wicked Witch of the West. But fear not, all are watched over by Glinda the Good Witch of the North.

Like previous shows the musical is full of bright, fantastical costumes and vibrant backdrops, and lots of songs and dances.

The musical, directed by Tom Godfrey, is being performed by members of Speech Bubbles, an Istanbul based drama group that has successfully performed for over twenty years in many theatres and schools throughout Turkey and abroad. The show is produced by the British Community Council, known by theatre-goers for its annual Christmas productions and is sponsored by HSBC Bank.

Friday 10th December at 19:30 Saturday 11th of December at 15:00 and 19:30 Sunday 12th of December at 14:00 Tickets on sale at : Greenhouse books in Kadikoy 0216 550 49 61 Tirtil Kids in Istiniye Park 0212 345 5370 Suzie in Levent 0555 3199 901 For details call Julie 0535 558 9484 or write to thewizard@bccistanbul.org

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The cast is made up of a mixture of actors, singers and dancers from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities ranging from the age of 8 to 80.

All proceeds from the show go to local charities supported by the BCC and Speech Bubbles. Speech Bubbles support charities that benefit children and education. Everyone in the group is unpaid, donating their time, services and expertise doing something they enjoy to do something positive for underprivileged children.

We have already donated 3,000 YTL from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ to schools in the east of Turkey and 1,500 to Little Sisters of the Poor.

The Wizard of Oz which will be performed at Sisli Terakki Vakfi Theatre on Ebulula Mardin Cadesi, Levent is suitable for everyone in the family from the age 5 to 105.

About Speech Bubbles..

Speech Bubbles Educational Drama group aims to motivate young learners of English through the use of drama. The group has successfully performed in many schools and educational establishments throughout Turkey and abroad. Speech Bubbles is an Istanbul based drama group set up in 1992 with a mixture of professional and amateur actors, singers and musicians from the International and Turkish community.

The Wizard of Oz is Speech Bubbles tenth major musical in addition to many other pantomimes, murder mysteries and sketches. We always welcome new members to help us both on and off stage and would love to hear from you if you can help us.

Please email Tom (music_bubbles@yahoo.com)

November & December 2010

R

It pays to live well

Now in Turkey

WELLNESS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK physical, mental & financial wellness

Wellness International Network is a multi-level marketing company founded in 1992, based in Dallas TX, USA, and active in 39 countries. After a modest beginning the privately held company, specializing in health and nutritional products and skin care, has become a global leader in network marketing. More than 15 years of success are positive proof that the products work, allowing thousands of people around the world to have an amazing opportunity for physical, mental and financial wellness.

As the company continues growing, new opportunities for global expansion present themselves every day, and distributors have the ability to take the opportunity anywhere they choose to make it happen.

Whether you are a full-time professional desiring a supplemental income or an entrepreneur looking for an opportunity, we offer you one of the most talked about and lucrative compensation plans in the network marketing industry.

Regardless of experience, background, education, age or financial status, this unique system has proven effective by capitalizing on the power of word-of-mouth advertising. Experienced businessmen take care of effective training and will help you to achieve your goals through a personal business plan.

Please visit our stand in the IWI Christmas Bazaar

What we ask:

What we offer:

• • • • •

• • • • • •

Commercial talent Ambition to succeed Perseverance Willingness to invest financially Fluent in English

A worldwide proven concept Comprehensive guidance and training Personal business plan Own website and virtual office International expansion Unlimited earning potential

Currently, a number of products are already available in Turkey (see website), the other products are in the final phase of the legalization and will be available very soon.

If you are interested in our products and/or business opportunity, we would like to invite you for a first, entirely informal meeting.

For more information, please visit our website.

November & December 2010

www.winltdturkey.com 71

excerpts from a book

a guıde for begınners ın turkey Pat Yale’s “A Handbook for Living in Turkey” by Citlembik Publications, is the perfect guide to learn about Turkey and Turkish culture... We published an excerpt from this book in our last issue. It was a glimpse to the Turkish culture. In this issue, we are looking at a section of the book which tells the readers how to decide where to live in Turkey and continues - in the book - with tips about buying or renting a house. Hope you’ll find it helpful as well...

Illustration by Trici Venola 72

November & December 2010

excerpts from a book •

Do you want to live in Turkey year-round? If so, have you considered what life will be like in winter when many of the coastal resorts effectively close down, and Central and Eastern anatolia will be freezing cold and frequently blanketed with snow. access also becomes trickier as most charter flights only operate in summer which means fewer visits from friends and family.

Town, village or coastal resort? there are good and bad points to whatever decision you make about where to live, but it helps to be clear about the advantages and drawbacks of living in a town as opposed to a village or coastal resort.

f

IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT HOME or many people the decision as to where to live is made for them. either they are posted to the country for work -in which case, chances are that they will end up in Istanbul, ankara, Izmir or adana - or they fall in love with a Turk and decide to settle wherever they met them. But for a fortunate few - people in retirement, writers, artists, the independently wealthy - the entire country is their oyster and they can choose exactly where they want to live. for those lucky people this chapter outlines what each area of Turkey has to offer for a foreign settler. It also takes into account that some people may be considering buying properties in Turkey for investment purposes and may be interested in locations that are likely to become popular in the future.

It starts with a look at the big cities and then works round the western part of the coast, before moving inland to consider the prospects in Western, central and eastern anatolia and along the black sea. It assumes that the reader has visited turkey before and so does not describe the standard tourist attractions of the various towns, a job better left to conventional guidebooks. What it does do, however, is discuss access to the various regions and the sort of attractions (shops, schools, beaches etc) which are likely to be of most interest to long-term residents.

the advantages of town-living are clear: in return for the additional noise, traffic, pollution and expense you are guaranteed a degree of anonymity that is impossible in smaller communities (an important consideration if you have an unconventional lifestyle, for example) as well as your pick of the theatres, cinemas, concert halls and decent shops. However, in turkey only Istanbul really lives up to the promise of most Western cities. Ankara may be the capital but away from the small upmarket enclaves it is still conservative and inward-looking. Izmir is livelier and more relaxed, but elsewhere Turkish towns are not known for their exciting entertainment possibilities.

If, instead, you opt to live in a village you will have to adjust to goldfish-bowl conditions where your neighbours know what you are doing even before you do it. Entertainment and eating out options are likely to be very limited. Inland villages also suffer from harsh winters that take a lot of getting used to. Access, too, can be a problem except for car-owners. However, most turkish villages still retain a real sense of community, with everyone taking part in the big events that mark people's lives and someone usually ready to help out in times of need.

In some ways the coastal resorts offer the perfect halfway house between towns and villages. most have cinemas and good restaurants and shops to cater for their tourists. their atmosphere also tends to be more relaxed and laidback even than Istanbul's. on the other hand there may be little sense of being in the 'real' Turkey and most coastal resorts (with the exception of Antalya) turn into ghost towns in winter. people living in the resorts also have to cope with being treated as permanent tourists and charged tourist prices for many necessities.

Before you decide: before you decide where you’d like to live you should ask yourself some searching questions. Being honest in your answers might help avoid much heartache later.

• What is most important to you – the location or the people?

•

If it’s the location, will you be able to find enough stimulation locally to keep you happy?

•

Is your turkish good enough to cope if most of your neighbours will be non-English-speaking?

•

If the people are more important to you than the place, then do you actually need to buy? Maybe you would be better off renting. Bear in mind that expat communities tend to be very fluid and that friends come and go more than they do at home.

•

Will you be able to handle the reduced choice of foods and other goods in Turkey? If choice is important to you, you should probably opt to live in or near to a city.

November & December 2010

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OTHER GROUPS & ASSOCIATIONS Alcoholics Anonymous / Al-Anon

Open AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings are held in the Union Hanbuilding on Istiklal Caddesi, Tünel, next to the Swedish Consulate at 7 pm every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and at 6:30 every Thursday. We also have a Sunday meeting in Harbiye at 4:15 pm.

Contact Michael: 05327616466 or 05374338368. michael.kuser@gmail.com For details see: www.aa-europe.net/ countries/turkey.htm

Art Lovers of Istanbul

ALI is an informal group for artists, art collectors and all art lovers living in Istanbul. It is open for any English speaker who enjoys the arts. We hold monthly meetings to share our ideas and talents.

We meet to create and inspire! For more information visit www. artloversofistanbul.com or contact us through artloversofistanbul@hotmail.com

know about Turkey, whilst making new friends and discovering new activities and interests. Aiming to help each other to settle in with tips, trips, food demos, potluck lunches and a little charity help when and we can manage it.

Circolo Roma

The Italian Association organizes several activities, such as rithmic gymnastic for girls, cooking classes, drawing and painting, yoga, salsa dance, Italian and Turkish conversation, sale of Italian Books, Italian Cinema and more and more. The wonderfull liberty hall can be used for private parties and conferences upon contribution.

Please contact info@circoloroma.com.

Die Brücke

The Friends of ARIT Istanbul, with branches in North America and Ankara, was established to support the ARIT in Turkey and carry out its scholarly activities. The Istanbul Friends run a year-round program of tours and lectures for members and guests. Membership is open to all interested residents of Istanbul. For further information: 0212 257 81 11.

“DIE BRÜCKE e.V.” (‘THE BRIDGE’) is a platform for the German speaking community. It was founded in 1989 to serve the needs of a steadily growing community. It is not a German club; it is open for everyone who speaks German. “DIE BRÜCKE e.V.” issues a monthly newsletter. Different gatherings, charities, information concerning daily life, bi-national education, help with bureaucracy and immigration laws in Turkey are covered as well as assistance to newcomers. Many cultural activities are also organized, like visits to concerts or exhibitions. Contact: +90 212 458 98 50, www. bruecke-istanbul.org, info@bruecke-istanbul.org

AWI (American Women of Istanbul)

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ARIT (American Research Institute of Turkey)

The AWI is a social network open to Americans, Canadians and spouses of U.S. or Canadian citizens living in Istanbul. The AWI provides social programs ranging from special interest groups to charities. If you’re a newcomer to Istanbul please contact our newcomers committee so you can start to feel at home in your new country. Contact Sharon Lewis email: awiistanbul@gmail.com

British Community Council

The British Community council (founded 1942) supports ten pensioners and local charities by its fundraising events. Helpers and new members of the BCC are always welcome.. Contact person: Michael Ashor, chairman@bccistanbul.org, 0212 2497 296, 0 545 588 1933, www.bccistanbul.org

Bridge Group - All Levels

Our bridge group meets on Fridays at 11a.m. All levels of bridge players are welcome. Please contact Sandra at (212) 257-9781 or 0532-483--5319.

CHICAS - Spanish Speaking Women of Istanbul

A group open to all ladies who speak our language, or would like to practice it. We have lots of fun, hilarious Latin parties, and last but not least, cultural venues. Come on, jump on in, you won’t regret it! Contact: Ninoska Gutierrez Sierra 0533 651 35 81 , Norma Maranges 0532 314 29 34, Lorena Martinez 0533 388 63 09 e-mail: chicasestambul@yahoo.com.mx It has also an own blog: http://chicasestambul.blogspot.com/ and it’s in Facebook under “Chicas Estambul”.

Corona Ladies Group

Corona Ladies are an informal group of English speakers who would like to welcome you to Istanbul, explore the city together, and make the most of our time here. We have permanent members as well as new comers and are open to all nationalities (ability to speak English is necessary) who wish to join us in getting to

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The Dutch club Istanbul is a group of people who like to keep typical Dutch festivities alive, for people who have connection to Holland, who like to meet up with Dutch speaking people. On a monthly basis we organize a get together. Among the festivities we do the typical celebrations like Sinterklass (5 December) and Koninginnedag (queensday). For further information and details check our website www.nv-istanbul.org or contact: secretariaat@ nv-istanbul.org Mariska Steenkamer 0530 828 65 65.

Fransız Fakirhanesi - Little Sisters of the Poor Contact: Mother Philomena 0212 296 46 08.

FOCI (Friends of Contemporary Istanbul)

Working with the international community in promoting the growth and development of contemporary art, the Friends of Contemporary Istanbul aim to enrich the rising art scent in Turkey and to contribute to the cultural life of Istanbul. For further information, please contact Jasmine Taranto – VIP Coordinator & International Relations at 0 212 244 7171, info@contemporaryistanbul.com

Friends of India

Contact: Geetali Bajpai 0542 292 92 34 or Sonica Purl 0544711 01 23

InterNations

is the first international online community for people who live and work abroad. Our network is represented by more than 230 local communities all over the world. InterNations users can exchange reliable information on expat-specific topics, both on a global and a local level. The members of InterNations Istanbul meet every month at different locations. Please contact Gundula Strittmatter for information and to join our Istanbul community: gstrittmatter@internations.org, 0538 6948728 www.internations.org November & December 2010

OTHER GROUPS & ASSOCIATIONS Istanbul Accueil

Welcomes French-speaking newcomers in Istanbul. We publish a bimonthly newsletter with many activity groups (bridge, baby groups, cooking, cultural outings and social events, etc.) Our common language is French and all French-speaking people are welcome! www.istanbulaccueil.org, email: istaccueil@gmail.com

The Istanbul Ottomans Rugby Club

Practice every Saturday afternoon at the Dikilitas Spor Klubu in Besiktas (directions available at www.ottomansrugby.com).

Players of all ages (14+) and levels of fitness welcome, including ladies for our newly formed Ottomans Women Rugby Club. Please contact Ozer Onkal at +90 533 482 6262 or email: ozer.ali.onkal@ ottomansrugby.com or ozer212@yahoo.com

Patchwork Group

Contact Cynthia Royce 0536 348 4086, cynthroyce@hotmail.com

PAWI (Professional American Women of Istanbul)

The Professional American Women of Istanbul, is a network of American/Canadian women and spouses of Americans/Canadians living in Istanbul. PAWI strives to empower and support members by promoting professional and personal growth. Members inspire each other to achieve and share success. PAWI meetings are held the second Saturday of each month. Each meeting features a guest speaker, and locations alternate between the European and Asian sides. Contact info@pawistanbul.com or visit www.pawistanbul.com

SEDplatform for animals

SEDplatform has been formed by a handful of expat and local volunteers to make a change in the way animals are being perceived and treated in Turkey. To this aim, we have launched education in schools, educational activities, proper on-hand care of street animals, sterilization and adoptions campaigns, pet care brochures and World Animal Day activities in Istanbul. We have been active since 2001. Contacts: Big Dog Yuli 0532 314 8238, Kit Kat Robi 0542 423 0633 or Cat Lady Leyla 0555 404 3113; email: sahiplenelim@sed-tr.org New kitty site: www.onlarbizimkedilerimiz.org

Speech Bubbles

Is an international group aiming to perform high-quality Is an international group aiming to perform high-quality musical theater and donating the income to NGO’s supporting children and education. Speech Bubbles is composed of amateur and professional dancers, singers and musicians from II countries. Contact Tom Godfrey 0532 736 7702; www.speechbubbles.org

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?

Please contact Debbie L Sainte-Rose for more information at 05317691368 or debbiesainterose@yahoo.com.

SWEA

(Swedish Women Educational Association) A world-wide network for Swedish or Swedish-speaking A worldwide network for Swedish or Swedish-speaking women with a chapter in Istanbul. Contact birgitta@turk.net.

Toastmasters International-Istanbul Chapter

English-speakÄąng Istanbul Toastmastersclub is the only local branch of Toastmasters International, an organization that helps its members improve their communication and leadership skills in a supportive enviroment. The ITM meets on the first and third Wednesday at 19.30 of each month at the Kervansaray Hotel in Taksim. Guests are welcome to attend two meetings free of charge. For further information contact: Edith Heidelberger, President 2010-2011, 0533 263 2806 or Alper Rozanes, Vice President Membership, 0532 243 3753.

St Andrews Ball Dance Practices Come along and learn a few highland steps to enhance your enjoyment of the annual St Andrews Ball!

Fun evenings in a wonderful setting. And all free of charge!

Thursdays at 7pm (18th and 25th October, 11th and 25th November) in the wonderful British Consulate Ballroom, courtesy of HM Consul-General Mrs Jessica Hand.

We need your names for security purposes so please drop a mail to the St Andrews mailbox to confirm your attendance. standrewistanbul@yahoo.com Any other queries contact Julie Cetingoz: jcetingoz@yahoo.com / 0533 626 6744

Sublime Portal

The Sublime Portal is your expat on-line community reference for all things Turkey. Here you can find a lively group of people who discuss everything about Turkey, network and organize social events. Over a 1000 members and still growing... www.sublimeportal.com *Please check our website www.iwi-tr.org for updates to this page. If you represent a group and want your group updated or listed on these pages, e-mail esbie@iwi-tr.org. These pages are for your information only; the IWI does not accept any responsibility regarding these groups or their activities.

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Directory - International Schools

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November & December 2010

Directory

Catherine Feyzioglu Dentist French, English, Turkish Dental care, prothesis, implants, parondontology Abdi Ipekçi cad no 12 daire 5 Nişantası Tel:0212 2330627 0532 2427578 cfcatherine@yahoo.fr

Tribal Collections CAPPADOCIA

Nomadic Rugs & Textiles

Ruth Lockwood & Faruk Çiftçi Address Tel / Fax Web

: Müze Yolu No : 24/C Göreme - Turkey : +90 384 271 2400 : www.tribalcollections.net

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Partner Offers

New to

Lale!

Our Partner Offers page will list various offers and discounts that our partners are extending to IWI members. These discounts apply to the months of November and December 2010 and in order to redeem these partner benefits, you must show your IWI Membership ID card

The LifeCo Detox and Well-being Center in Akatlar is offering a 50% discount on yoga classes (15TL with discount). Classes are twice a day at 8:00 and 14:30. www.thelifeco.com EF INST Turkish Centre is offering a 10% discount on Turkish lessons. See their full-page ad in this issue, also find them in the Directory Pages in this issue. www.turkishlesson.com Tribal Collections in Cappadocia is offering a 10% discount. See their ad in the Directory Pages in this issue. www.tribalcollections.net Waiora Health & Nourishment Therapy is offering a free consultation to determine how to help you reach your wellness goals. See their ad in this issue. asli@asliosmakender.com Etiler Sanat Merkezi is offering a 10% discount on International Latin and Ballroom Dances, Children Latin Dance Classes (these classes held when minimum of 5 children are enrolled), Classical Ballet and Hobby Ballet Training, and Pilates. See their ad in the Classified section. www.baleokulu.com / info@baleokulu.com Forum Istanbul is offering the following discounts: 10% off Dive with Sharks at Turkuazoo, 10% off Magic Ice admission at the Ice Museum. www.forumistanbul.com.tr

E L P AM

EX

Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul is offering a 15% discount on Christmas dinner and lunch at their AzzuR Restaurant (80TL instead of 95TL). Enjoy a four-course meal accompanied by a glass of Henkell Trocken, tea, coffee and cookies for Christmas Eve dinner on December 24 and Christmas Day lunch on December 25 at AzzuR. Phone: 0212 319 2929 Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul is offering a discounted late breakfast buffet on Sundays until 1:30 pm at their AzzuR Restaurant, featuring the tastiest morning treats like Turkish breakfast classics, Swiss specialities and healthy choices (39TL with discount). Children from 0-6 free, 24 TL for 7-12 years old. Phone: 0212 319 2929 BAPS Pilates is offering a 20% discount on private lesson packages of 10. www.pilatesbaps.com BARCAR Luxury Car Service offers 10 % discount.

Tel: 0212 2324120 www.barcar.com.tr Marriott Istanbul Asia is offering a late Anatolian-style breakfast on Sundays from 11:00-14:00 at their Orange Restaurant, featuring homemade bread, eggs, sweet clotted cream and honey, plus other Turkish breakfast favorites (price 39TL). Free parking and playroom at lobby for youngsters. Up to 2 kids under 15 eat free when accompanied by their parents. 0216 570 0038

Cornucopia Magazine is offering four issues for the price of three, plus an additional 10TL off each order and a free Rifat Özbek/ Cornucopia tote bag (subscription is 50TL with discount). Subscriptions are also post-free worldwide for gift-giving. cornucopia.net/ iwi-offer.html or 0212 248 3607. See their article in this issue.

Time Out in English is offering a 25% discount on subscriptions.

Make Time Out Istanbul in English your go-to monthly guide for the city by contacting: Gizem Ünsalan / 0212 287 1990 / gizem@ timeoutistanbul.com www.timeoutistanbul.com/english Hillside City Club is offering a 20% discount on general membership including personal cardio-gym programming with body assessment report, 45 different cutting edge group exercises, tennis, squash, racquetball basketball courts and access to Hillsider “more than sports” activities. Keep Fit, Feel Good! www.hillsidecityclub.com

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November & December 2010

Classified Ads TURKISH LINGUIST SPECIALIST

BA/MBA conference interpreter offering lessons at your home at all levels. Native speaker of Turkish AND English teaching everything from Business language to Conversation, from tech and daily stuff you must know. Please call April at 0533 376 7774 for easy and fun learning!

ALL-Boss-view (C) (Bosphorus)

Historic Mansion $1.65m Yenikoy; Boss-view (C) Historic Mansion $10m Sariyer by the Water, Swimming pool / Bar&B-Q; Quadruplex Rental: $9,000, Istinye $16,000; Five-ruplex, For Sale: $4m, Billiard table, indoor swimming pool, custom-made privately architectured; Plus Bebek-Tarabya-Yenikoy-EmirganIstinye-Ortakoy-Boss-strait rentals! Please ask your Realtor: (0533) 376-7774

STRENGTHEN YOUR FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Help your child to work through family changes and transitions.

Enable strong communication. Play Therapy and Filial Therapy help encourage development of a strong and positive family environment. Play Therapist/Filial Therapist Sarah Oskay M.Sc. (Psych). , M.Ed. (Special Needs Ed). Mobile: 0532 623 7000 Office: 0212 246 1548 soskay@superonline.com

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS FOR GIRLS

Ages 5 to 12 Lessons from a professional trainer in the elegant and beautiful sport of rhythmic gymnastics. This sport teaches graceful movement and flexibility, enhancing beauty and elegance both inside and out. Branches at Bahçeşehir and Bakirköy.

Call Helen 0534-256 5548 or 0531-375 0642.

TURKISH LESSONS: PRIVATE AND CONVERSATIONAL

PROFESSIONAL MASSAGE

GUITAR LESSONS

CERTIFIED REFLEXOLOGY SPECIALIST

ETİLER SANAT MERKEZİ BALLET-DANCE-PILATES:

Language Lands is Opening very soon !!!

For ladies and men, group or one to one lessons, at your home or workplace, from an experienced native teacher fluent in English and French. Adjustable to your needs and time schedule.

Please call 0530 310 21 32 or email rbensan@superonline.com for full information.

for Children or Adults Private guitar lessons available in rock, blues or jazz by graduate of the Berklee College of Music with 30 years' performance experience. Gentle, non-stressful approach with mature Turkish instructor who speaks English, French and German. Can travel to your home. Reasonable rates. Contact: Ali Ağca, 0533 353-1221, erdoganagca@yahoo.com

We offer Classical Ballet (3.5+) / RAD&Vaganova * Hobby Ballet (18+) * Pilates * Latin Dances * Hip-Hop * Modern Dance * Belly Dance * Piano & Vocal. All our instructors speak English.

ESM: Ecza Sokak, Polcenter (Next to Kanyon Shopping Center), Levent – İstanbul 0533 621 4300 www.baleokulu.com info@baleokulu.com

I can come to your house: pregnant massage, cellulite massage, relaxing massage, full-body - osho rebalancing massage or wax.

Call me for more information Hatice Yildirim (Tirli) 0532 260 4118 / 0542 434 1932.

Reflexology is a foot therapy which releases congested energy channels formed by various stresses throughout the body. In 6-10 sessions the body starts relaxing, curing its own nervous system. Please contact Gamze Çakmak at Safir Yaşam Atölyesi, 0212 269 0697 - 0532 696 9840 www.safirdanismanlik.com.tr or directly call 0532 616 0777.

New concept in language education specializing in teaching English, French, German and Spanish to children 1 to 10. We encourage a positive attitude towards learning languages, giving children a sound basis for understanding, listening and speaking a second or third language, all while making learning languages fun and enjoyable. Our teachers are energetic, dedicated, experienced native speakers who enjoy working with young children. info@languagelands.com

TLC NANNIES & AU PAIRS

TLC nannies are educated and experienced. We offer full-time as well as a nanny-share system for those who need a part-time nanny. Our candidates can introduce a foreign language to your child. See our available candidates on our website: http://www. thelearningcenteristanbul.com/news.php Contact: Caresse Balpazari tlcaupairs@gmail.com +90-532-426-5979

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IWI Policies & Advertising Membership

Membership is open to all women who hold a Non-Turkish passport or who are married to a foreign passport holding spouse. For application details, please visit our website www.iwi-tr.org.

Membership registration is also possible at our weekly “Newcomers Meeting” held every Thursday at Café Nunyo, Alkent, Etiler from 12:00 to 2:00 P.M. Parking is available. Contact the Newcomer Coordinators held every Thursday for information and directions. You can also become a member online.

Changing Address or Lale Problems?

Don’t forget to give us your new address (postal and I or e-mail) to avoid delay in the delivery of your Lale magazine or for up-to-date IWI member information..

Contact our Membership Secretary Patricia Proz by e-mail at membership@iwi-tr.org.

Advertising

To place an advertisement please contact Advertising Editor Chrissy Güleç, 0532 491 4463 or chrissy@iwi-tr.org. Advertisements must be confirmed by Chrissy through signed contract before any payment is accepted.

Classified ads are restricted to 50 words.

Member cost: $25 + 18% V. A. T. / Nonmember cost $60 + 18% V. A. T. All advertising costs are payable by bank transfer. No cash payments accepted. A copy of the payment transfer (dekont) should be sent via email: chrissy@iwi-tr. org. Only paid advertisements can be included in Lale.

Payment Details

Bank: Garanti Bankası Branch Code (Hesap Şubesi): 340 Etiler YTL Account (YTL Hesap): TR03 0006 2000 3400 0006 2991 17 USD Account (USD Hesap): TR09 0006 2000 3400 0009 0939 67 Customer Name: Istanbul Uluslararası Kadınlar Derneği İktisadi İşletmesi

Disclaimer Lale Content

The IWI as an organization and the IWI Board members act within the laws of Turkey pertaining to publishing but they do not accept any liability regarding the accuracy or content of the contributions supplied by our advertisers or members’ articles. In order to comply with these laws or publishing standards the IWI reserve the right to reject or edit any submission to Lale. Furthermore, the IWI does not accept any responsibility for any of the services rendered by any of our advertisers.

Programs

Cancellation of a program reservation after the deadline remains fully payable.

Please refer to our website www.iwi-tr. org for up to date details, last minute additions or program changes. The IWI reserves the right to cancel programs due to insufficient numbers. You are responsible for both you and your child’s safety and the IWI cannot accept responsibility for injury or extra cost incurred during any activity organized by the IWI, or advertised in Lale.

Advertisement deadline for every issue of the Lale is the first of the month prior to publication.

Membership Directory

It is strictly against IWI policy to give the Membership Directory to any non-member of the association. If requested by a non-member, or company to supply membership data please refer them to the IWI Chairwomen. Members are entitled to the directory for their personal use only, never for business purposes. All member information should be handled with confidentiality. Membership directories are available from the Membership Secretary.

INTELLIGENT beautiful cool

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CREATIVE advertisement studios 80

Designer of the new Lale November & December 2010

www.marlet.com.tr

Tel : +90 212 286 69 50 Tel : +90 212 286 73 75

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