Monday

Today the exchange began in earnest.  School starts at 8.30 here so I eventually made my way to the front of the school to meet the kids who had spent the weekend with their homestay families.  All seemed really happy with their first real experiences.  I asked one boy what he had for breakfast and he said "Cornflakes".  It made me chuckle.  I hope they were halal.  We were introduced to the school and  witnesseda stirring if somewhat subdued rendition of their national anthem.  Turkish flags are everywhere although the patriotism is quite subtle in many respects. 


 <><>

<> </>

</></><><>

</></>

The Grand Bazaar with some of our Kiwi counterparts
 in the foreground

 

We spent the morning being introduced to the school German department.  Kids are taught science and maths in German and the arts and humanities subjects in Turkish.  1,000, 000 kids in Turkey apply for entry to this school in Year 9 and only 180 are accepted by exam.  These are perhaps the smartest kids in the country.  Despite this fact, it took them 1/2 hour to get a Powerpoint presentation working.  Looks like technical difficulties are an international phenomenon.


<><>

<> </>

</></><><>

</></>

This is for you Isaac.  Someone has put graffitti on this monument. 
See, even things that are hundreds of years old still cop it.



Afternoon was spent in the Grand Bazaar.  You may have heard of it but this is a place that cannot be described.  You get to haggle all day long and the vendors have a very good humour and way of selling.  They asked if I was Australian and one guy goes "Ahhhh g'day mate'  ' Throw another shrimp on de bobby'.  We had a laugh and then we did business.  He was good but don't worry Blanche, he didn't fleece me.

We were taken to dinner by our German Exchange directors.  They gave us an instruction to meet by the mosque.  Now that may seem an easy instruction but their are so many mosques around that we got lost and after some impatient phone calls "Vere are you, ve are vaiting" we eventually met up.  I said to the fellow anzacs "It's easy to see how they lost two wars"  They laughed.



The Haggia Sofya mosque.  This picture does not do it
 justice as I only had my phone with me.



To be fair, they were lovely hosts.  I have a feeling they are rolling up to their eyballs in it.  I saw the bill and my own eyeballs almost landed on Gerhard's plate.  They had to barter just for the price of the main course which came to $300 for 6 of us.  That was only half the bill.  Needless to say we thanked them for it but walked away thinking how lucky we are to have the quality of food in our restaurants available at a fraction of the cost.

So back at the boarding houise now ready to get to bed.  Can't believe this is only the third day.  It already feels like a week.  When I get a chance I'll post some better photos in a day or two.