Getting There

    As I planned living in Turkey, I envisioned myself driving a car.  I browsed rental car sites and planned what make I might want and how much it would cost. Something like I would drive at home. Looked like rental price for a month for a basic Ford, Honda, Chevrolet would be around 4000 TL which is 500 USD.  So a possibility. 

Then I arrived.  And I rode in the traffic.  I watched how Istanbul drivers arbitrarily determine whether or not to follow the lines on the road.  How stop signs don't mean stop, but maybe slow down.  I saw how a pedestrian ahead did not mean to slow the vehicle's speed when a nice swerve will take care of missing that woman in a burka or the fat man in the white shirt obliviously standing in the middle of the road having a conversation. (Even more amazing is pedestrians don't flinch when a taxi barrels toward them). The jockeying for position to merge in a densely packed exit ramp takes skill, precision and a lot of nerve. I realized quickly I don't have those skills.  So, I opted for the safety of a taxi's back seat.

There is no Uber in Istanbul.  I think the taxi industry, probably with the help of the government, squelched that enterprise. However, getting a taxi is a snap!  They are as plentiful as in NYC! ( Except during busy times, like Friday afternoons.) With the help of an app on my phone, I can request a taxi, a driver will respond with his name, license number and a picture!  I know who's coming for me.  I can watch the taxi arrive on my app too!   No Turkish required.  I learned to write down addresses beforehand, or have them on my phone to show the driver, so he understands where to take me.  I also made slips of paper I carry with my home and school address on them.  Old school, but it works!

With the help a wonderful woman named Zeynep (same angel at the airport) I arranged a taxi to pick me up every day at 7:00 to take me to school. I'm starting to get a flow of regular drivers now who nod knowingly when I say "Enka School!" How much does this cost?  To get to my school it is around 15 TL, which is about 2 USD!   I can afford this plus a tip!  In the afternoon I usually catch a ride with my department head, Nurcan, or IB coordinator, Talie who have an apartment just down the street from me.  

Several nights I needed to get to an area called Taksim to join others for dinner.  A taxi to Taksim is about 60 TL/ 8 USD.  Still quite affordable.  But, I heard so much about the Metro, I wanted to experience it.  And I did.  To ride the Metro to Takim was 3.50 TL/ .45 cents!  The Metro here is fabulous.  Clean.  Spacious.  Modern.  There is art on the walls!  So far, easy to navigate, but I've only gone on a straight line.  But, now I've done it I'm game to try!