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TURKEY adventure in
BY: TEEBA RAUUF
Traveling, and experiencing new things can be good for the soul. It is important to take a step back from your everyday life and to take a deep breath. During University of Sioux Falls’ J-Term, my family and I decided to go to Istanbul, Turkey. On January 6th, my mom, Raghad, and two sisters, Maryam and Shahad, headed to the airport for a twenty one hour trip.
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Turkish is the official language. Having someone who can translate helps tremendously, since a lot of the languages spoken in Turkey are Turkish and Arabic; it is rare to speak English and have someone understand you. Due to the language barrier, Shahad’s friend who grew up in Turkey stayed with us throughout the whole trip and translated. This helped significantly.
First stop was Istiklal Caddesi, which is a long street that hosts many stores, restaurants, live music, and historical buildings. Istiklal Caddesi is one of the most famous places in Istanbul. There were thousands of people roaming the streets. We also went to Sultanahmet Square, Grand Bazaar, and so many other places. Nothing in the stores are at a set price, almost everything can be negotiated and talked down, if they don’t realize you are American. In my experience, when the shopkeepers realized we were outsiders and didn’t speak the language well, they attempted to upcharge us on our purchases.

Maryam’s favorite:
BAKLAVA
You can buy a lot with an American dollar; one dollar is 18.88 in Turkish Lira, which can get you a lot of goodies there, and one of the main reasons you would get charged up.

I asked Maryam what her favorite part about Turkey was, and she said, “The Baklava.” One of the best desserts in Turkey is Baklava, and there are Baklava shops on every corner, including the airport.“Their chicken Shawarma was also excellent, I ate that sandwich almost every day.” said Maryam.
If you decide to travel to Turkey, expect to be walking often. People like to walk to get to their destinations rather than ride Taxis or the Metro. Due to everything being close to each other, it is easier to walk than to wait in the traffic. While we were in Turkey we walked over 4 hours a day, admiring the people, views, and music.