Beckie Loewenstein

kaynaklar = resources sınırlı = limited sınırsız = limitless sınırlı sayıda = limited edition çoğaltmak = to reproduce imkan vermek = to allow metni = text geri getirmek = to bring back  Kitaplar çoğaltıyorum = I reproduce books. Ailem beni geç kalmak imkan vermiyor = My parents do not allow me to stay out late.  Kalemin geri getirmek unuttum = I forgot to bring back your pen.   Sınırsız iç e cek doldurulmasına seviyoruz = We love unlimited refills.

nasıl bulmak istiyorsanız öyle bırakınız = leave it the way you want to find it

Thirsty for an ice-cold, fresh-squeezed lemonade on a hot summer Saturday in Istanbul, I open up the KapGel app.  Lo and behold, free fresh lemonade in the specials! Although both the lemonade and the delivery for specials are free, the app requires a credit card for registration.  The app crashes when I enter my debit card on an iPhone 4.  I realize that I need to register a credit card with the app on an iPhone 8 to take advantage of the specials. Desperate for juice, I message a friend at KapGel to order on my behalf.  My lemonade is going to be late, he says, orders are exploding!  I can deliver today, I offer.  So begins my day as a KapGel hero courier! I speed walk up Istiklal Avenue, squeezing past the throngs of locals and tourists, and cross Taksim Square, which continues to look harsh and ugly despite the grey brick makeover underway.  I catch a bus and ride a couple stops.  The office entrance does not line up with a crosswalk so I jaywalk across the street, grip the trunk o

As the days shorten and the weather turns chilly and overcast, I notice how my Turkish students transition from autumn to winter.  Thoughts turn to warm comfort food to bring to friends and neighbors. Seasonal fruits and vegetables, including the plump red pomegranate and the bright orange pumpkin, arrive to the local markets.  As an American teacher living in Istanbul, the sight of pumpkin reminds me of Halloween; I decide to bring carve orange jack-o'-lanterns with my students at their English lessons. This year Halloween lands on the Saturday night before the snap election on November 1, 2015. Turks know Halloween as Cadilar Bayrami, or Witches Day. While Turkish children do not necessarily go out trick or treating, there are plenty of house parties to dress up at. In fact, Istanbul may prove a great place to celebrate an especially spooky Halloween. Most importantly, Turkish cuisine naturally lends itself to autumn and winter flavors.  Turkish families prepare asure, or Noah’

When planning a beach holiday in Turkey consider that the local sun-loving Turks return to their summerhouses in coastal towns near the beaches every possible day off during the summer and Muslim holidays.  The high season for beach holidays goes from June to August, with the highest temperatures, the most exorbitant prices and the most buzzing crowds.  In 2016, Monday July 4 to Sunday July 10 will be official days off at the end of Ramadan with many families taking additional vacation days to extend their beach holidays.  Sunday September 11 to Thursday September 15, 2016, will be Kurban Bayram, or The Festival of the Sacrifice, and many will hit the beach to take advantage of the long weekend. Basically, from June to mid-September in 2016, it is highly recommended to book ahead for any beach holidays on the Aegean Sea around Izmir and Çeşme.  During the high season it is best to choose wise alternatives.  Near Çeşme, visit the Pırlanta (Diamond) Beach instead of the beaches at Baby

Top 10 Restrooms in Istanbul: Adahan Hotel: Take the stairs or elevator to the rooftop terrace. Feel calm in the wooden stalls. Wash your hands at the marble sinks. Find the best restroom in Istanbul here. Salt Galata: Walk through the entrance and take a right. Wash your hands at the metal sculpture fountain. Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus: Walk through the main entrance, take a right and walk down the hall. Enjoy the privacy of the tall bathroom stall doors in the luxury restroom. Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel: Walk through security, take a right and go down the hall. Enjoy the privacy of the tall bathroom stall doors. Relax on the cushions in front of the mirrors. Divan Istanbul Hotel: Walk through the entrance and go straight back for a luxury restroom. Pera Palas Hotel: Walk through the main entrance and go downstairs towards the Agatha Restaurant. Check out the antique cutlery collection on the way to the luxury restroom. Salt Beyoglu: Walk or take the elev

As my student Onur prepares for the academic IELTS in Istanbul, we listen to Scientific American 60-Second Mind 'Bouncy Gait Improves Mood' for a speed listening and note-taking challenge.  First, listen to summarize the main idea.  Secondly, listen for the specific answers to these questions: Questions: What word most closely means a 'style of walking'? What mood does an upbeat walk show? What mood does a downcast walk show? After walking with swinging arms, does the person remember positive or negative words? After walking with slumped shoulders, does the person remember positive or negative words? How may your gait impact your mood? How do you describe your gait? Do you ever have a bouncy gait?  If so, when? Do you ever skip?  When was the last time that you skipped or bounced along? What comes first, the style of walking or the feeling? Possible Answers: gait happy mood anxious mood positive negative An upbeat gait recalls positive, happy word

In her exhibit at the  Adahan Hotel for the 14th Istanbul Biennial Saltwater , the artist Meriç Algün Ringborg asks: Siz hiç incir ağacının çiçek açtığını gördünüz mü? Did you ever see a fig tree blossom? My student Selin and I enter and climb up the worn, polished grooves of the cool marble steps of the mansion-like Adahan hotel.  Fresh, fruity air greets us in the warm, joyful, calm space.  “You can smell a fig tree before you see it,” notes the artist.  Dried fig leaves cover the wooden floor and wardrobe of a simple yet majestic bedroom.  We discuss the symbolism of the fig (fertility), fig leaf (modesty), and bedroom (intimacy).  The installation includes a plaster cast of the fig leaf that covers Michelangelo’s David, a bedroom with dried fig leaves collected from local fig trees, a green couch, a mural of Masaccio’s Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden, graphite drawings of the streets that the artist explores for fig trees on four days in Istanbul, a slide show o

Before the 14th Istanbul Bienali Tuzlu Su (Istanbul Biennial Salt Water) arrived, Dükkân (Store) No. 106 on the corner of Hacımimi Mahallesi and Boğazkesen Cadessi collected dust as storage for machinery.   Now bright light enters clean windows onto the walls and staircase painted black.   An Iznik bowl serves as inspiration for the exhibit, and small clay plates glazed turquoise are lined up on a desk in front of it.   A record player spins playing jazz music while Theaster Gates, a potter and TED Conference speaker , sculpts a mound of rough, local clay into a tall vase on a Turkish electric wheel.   He speaks modestly about the clay bowls and plates drying on the b uilt-in shelves.  He will heat them in the kiln downstairs, and then glaze the hardened pottery.   As with the store space, the potter transforms the clay from nothing into something. Unlike the store, the parking garage venues on Çukurcuma Cadessi and Boğazkesen Cadessi feel underwhelming at best and annoying a

We read the article Apples, apples everywhere in The Economist. Reading comprehension questions: Why do the Poles make apple cider and perry? How do you upscale apple juice? What do apple cider and Bailey's Irish Cream have in common? What word most closely means 'brings to mind'? What word most closely means 'invent'? What word most closely means 'plan'? What word most closely means 'swallow'?   What word most closely means 'compete'?   What word most closely means 'drunk'? What word most closely means 'increase'?   What word most closely means 'extra'?   New vocabulary: be plastered cider concoct conjure up dust down gulp homebrew mask mop up orchard palate perry plot reek rival surge surplus tipple upmarket Summarize the article using the new vocabulary.

verbs ağlamak = to cry aldırmak = to mind çizmek =to draw denemek = to try denemek = to try doğmak = to rise dondurmak = to freeze durdurmak = to stop engel olmak = to stop erişemek = to access fark etmek = to notice gelişmek = to develop geri dönmek = to return görmek = to see görünmek = to appear kaplamak = to cover pırılmak = to twinkle sanmak = to think silinmek = to erase sürmek = to continue ulumak = to howl uzaklaşmak = to get away üzmek = to trouble yönetmek = to manage nouns cisimler = objects daireler = compartments fırtına = storm gök = sky hisler = feelings izler = traces kar taneler = snowflakes krallık = kingdom kural = rule ört = cover ruhu = soul rüzgar = wind sel = flood sınırlar = limits yapı = structure adjectives coşan = gushing kusursuz = flawless soyutlanm ış = isolated Karlar Ülkesi Frozen Aldırma Let it go Pırıldıyor kar taneleri

The alpine forests, waterfalls, rivers, hot springs, and snow-capped Kackar Mountains beckon trekkers to the coastal Black Sea region of northeastern Turkey. The lower slopes are accessible from mid-May to mid-September, and the upper slopes starting in July. In the second week of June the Camlihemsin Ayder Festival celebrates Hemsin culture, food, and dance. For treks and camping, bring a good tent, stove, sleeping bag, walking boots, and warm clothes, even in the summer. One possible way to get there is to first fly to the Trabzon Airport, take a bus to the Rize Otogar, a minibus from Pazar to Aydersen, and then finally an infrequent minibus to the villages of Camlihemsin and Ayder in the Firtina Valley. Firtina means storm in Turkish. Check with the locals for the exact schedules of public transport. At the edge of the coastal zone at 300m, Camlihemsin village has the only ATM in the Kackar Mountains. Shops have supplies for treks. In the Firtina Valley, winch wires lift goo

our backs become our beds, too,   our backs become the soft springbox mattress that gives a little to mass and shape but gives it all back again.    our backs become the hard wooden slat that latches on the metal frame beneath and catches bones falling into gravity.   our backs become the thin foamy mat that collects the red soil beneath and absorbs the warm salty sweat above.   our backs become our beds, too, giving latching catching collecting absorbing our dreams.

i rolled out of bed this morning groggy but ready to go but i felt something was missing some important shape below i looked down upon my navel expecting to see a linty indent but instead a small gaping hole presented itself instead: the hole passes all the way through-- a pencil could slide from front to back. something dreadful has happened: it appears i have lost my center, but what must I do? i can search high and low for my center, have you lost yours, too? i looked inside my prayer book, and although i enjoyed the poetry, my tummy would not go to rest. i looked in my suit and shoes, even putting them for the interview, and although i enjoyed the professionalism, my tummy would not go to rest. meanwhile, the hole had grown larger, until my inside skin could fit a sphere. my center is gone. everything natural and normal melts away. i could not find my confidence, calm, or peace of mind today. people began to toss mail into my tummy hole instead of my mail cubby hole. mail about int

Grey.  Grey skies.  Grey clouds.  Grey concrete roads.  Just grey.  I contemplate the golden soybean oil floating in the thai ginger soup.  Nice to drink hot spicy soup on a rainy day.  When it rains in Dallas, it pours.  The rain drops bounce off the grey roads.  Bouncing in all directions.  Like my brothers.  They bounce in all directions.  Down the path that separates the living family space from the bedroom space in the house. The layout of the neighborhood is a sea of roads with islands of houses.  The water pours off the roofs of the houses down the gutters down the slopes of the lawn down the sidewalks down the drains down the sewers. Down the alleys.  Down the creeks, too.  Yesterday Dad surprised us all with a tour of the neighborhood.  Luckily, us includes Bubba and Grandpa are in town.  Walk down sidewalks, crossing the main streets, until we find the entrance to an alleyway.  There are probably as many alleyways as there are roads.  Alleyways line the backs of houses.  Main

sea anemone anchors for stability globs to discover

A big cupcake with white frosting regally awaits the birthday girl.  A tall pink candle squishes into the frosting.  Mommy lights the candle, asks her baby to blow it out and makes a wish.  The girl does not know how to make a wish.  Daddy explains, a wish is something you really want to happen today.  Okay daddy, she contemplates, I wish to swim in sprinkles. She dreams, jumps into a cup of fresh water.  Water tastes like wax.  Must be residue of the Dixie Cup.  Then she jumps into a bucket of sprinkles.  The colorful balls stick to her skin.  She carefully moves to avoid losing the sprinkles.  Stick to me, she whispers.  Some sprinkles let go.  Flick off into the breeze.  She steps gingerly.  The first footprint has the most sprinkles.  The second fewer.  Sprinkles remain along the rim of her foot. Sprinkles line the rims of her lips, eyes, and nostrils.  She smiles, rubs her nose against her left elbow.  A smudge of skin reveals itself against the sprinkles.  She licks her elbow.  T

Summer camping in the Munzur Valley National Park in eastern Anatolia brings splendid adventures in one of the most biodiverse ecosystems and endangered locales in Turkey. Glacial waters flow down from the glacier lakes at a higher elevation, carving out the valleys, canyons, and caves. Hiking trails lead up to waterfalls and hot springs. Locals pitch nomadic tents in the mountains while visitors generally camp closer to the banks of the Munzur River. Activities include mountaineering, hiking, and river rafting mostly at higher elevations and camping and picnicking at the lower elevations and near the entrance of the park Set up camp and hit the trails to see as much of the remarkable flora and fauna as possible. Birch trees grow along the banks of the Munzur River. Oak trees grow on the hills and slopes. Endemic plants and flowers include bellflowers, Munzur thyme, Munzur buttercups, mountain tea, and Munzur tansies. Brown bears live in the caves in the valleys, and lynx, wild boar, f

Each of the districts of Istanbul offers unique opportunities for a first time visitor to Istanbul. Here are some main sights in some of the districts from A to Z. Adalar, or the Prince’s Islands in the Marmara Sea, give the peace and quiet of pedestrian, horse carriage, and bike paths through pine trees around the island. Arnavutk ö y, which means Albanian village in Turkish, has wide, smooth promenades with fishermen and fashionable families strolling along the Bosphorus. Ataşehir has futuristic, sci-fi skyscraper condominiums for suburbia on the Anatolian side. Bakırköy is a seaside retreat with pedestrian shopping, Greek and Armenian churches and schools, and the Veli Efendi horseracing track. Beşiktaş has the Dolmabahçe Palace with tours of the Harem and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s room, Yıldız Park with Istanbul’s green parrots, Çırağan Palace with common space on the Bosphorus, and the Ortaköy Mosque on the coastal pier square. Beyoğlu has Istanbul’s most vi

As an American teacher residing in Istanbul, I seek to learn Turkish through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Small insights into the Turkish language, culture, and universal humanity always give me a happy buzz. First, I focus on listening to Turkish songs. Powerturk Taptaze and Pozitif Radio mostly play Turkish pop music, and can be found in the international category on iTunes. While writing this article, I hear a catchy song on iTunes radio station. It is not possible to know the singer or the song name so I have to catch a few words of the lyrics. I searched YouTube for “olmuyor eskisi gibi” and found the song “Bir Pazar Kahvaltisi”, or “A Sunday Breakfast” in English, by the singers Emre Aydin featuring Model. I listen to all of the songs of Fatma Turgut, the lead singer of Model, because of her mesmerizing voice. I listen to many Turkish singers on Spotify and YouTube. My playlist includes Ajda Pekkan, Aydilge, Bahadir Tatlioz, Bulent Ortacgil, Erdem Kinay, Eski D

Tourists who would like to renew their resident permits this year must meet the new legal requirements that were put into effect in 2014. In addition to the local Turkish bank account, the renewal application process now requires a notarized proof of address and local health insurance. Fulfilling these requirements involves navigating the unwritten rules of tax offices, notaries, banks, health insurance providers, and foreigner police stations. The following guidelines may change depending on the person and situation. Before scheduling the resident permit appointment, arrange a hotel reservation document, a notarized rental agreement, or a notarized copy of the housemate or landlord’s identity card. If you have a rental contract, then you first need to pay a registration fee at a vergi dairesi, or tax office. Next, go to a noter, a Turkish notary office. You can find a notary office by looking up noter on Google maps or by keeping an eye out for a red square sign with a white number

A visit to Istanbul would not be complete without visiting the Chora Church and dining at the Asitane restaurant in Edirnekapi. If you would like to arrive by public transport, take the tramway to Topkapi Ulubatli, walk along the Topkapi walls on Kaleboyu avenue, and take a right at Kariye Cami street. The Chora Church and Monastery has captivating mosaics, frescoes, marble decorations, architecture, and history. Emperor Constantine built this church outside the city walls during the Eastern Roman Empire period. Chora means “outside of the city” in Greek. After the walk in the church, have lunch or dinner at Asitane. This fine restaurant prepares 600 year-old recipes of the kitchens of the Ottoman Empire’s Sultans. These recipes used to be the top secrets of the palace kitchens. The menu gives clues about the tastes and spice preferences of the sultans during the year the recipe was originally made. The almond soup is flavored with nutmeg and pomegranate seeds. The winter terine

Windswept Bozcaada, one of Turkey’s islands in the Aegean Sea, has turquoise waters, sandy beaches, Anatolian vineyards, campgrounds, lighthouses, wind turbines, a Greek monastery, churches, mosques, baths, and a castle fortress. Swimming, windsurfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, trekking, scooter riding, and cycling are great ways to explore the island.   Since ancient Roman and Greek times Bozcaada has been growing grapes and producing wine for festivals. Wine festivals celebrate the grape harvest and collection on the first weekend of September. The Bozcaada International Taste Festival holds international food tastings and concerts on the second weekend of September. This year the Bozcaada Culture, Art and Vintage Festival will have wine tastings, concerts at the castle, beauty contests, and the best tasting grape competition on September 4-6, 2015. Other events include the International Half Marathon on the second week of May, the Greek’s holy Agia Paraskevi Da