TURKEY Archives - Page 5 of 20 - following the funks

REVIEW: 2020 – COVID, YouTube, + Turkey Travels

January 2, 2021January 5, 2021ADOPTION, ANNIVERSARY, EVERYDAY LIFE, EXPAT, FAMILY, HOME, LOCAL, OUR FAMILY VALUES, OUR FAMILY VISION, REVIEWS, TRAVELS, TURKEY, YEAR GOALS Catie

Living in Turkey has some great benefits but when come to COVID, they are (semi) serious about their restriction and lockdowns. Due to those restrictions Jason and I shared our sushi and reflection questions with Sofia this year. I am now sitting here on a 4 day New Year weekend lockdown writing out our 2020 REVIEW for this week. It will be the earliest I have gotten out a review. 2019 Review took me until April 2019. 2018 Review was in February 2018.

FIRST OFF: ADOPTION

Everyone always wants the updates of Sofia’s adoption. So instead of making you search for it, I have put it first on the agenda.

2018 was ‘technically’ the year we became parents. In 2019, custody of our daughter was legalized. We hoped our surprise private adoption would be finalized in 2020, but unfortunately it is delayed until 2021. Thankfully nothing can be ‘undone’, but we are just having to wait longer until everything is finalize.

If you are just joining in … you can find our adoption information here: Announced our adoption plans! (Adoption video #1 on our YouTube channel, but you can view the adoption playlist here.) Decided we had to move to America for said adoption plans….Then decided not to move to America because of an unexpected but exciting private adoption opportunity that came up here in Turkey!

SECOND: COVID

2020 has been an odd year for all. Turkey did not miss out. We had 3 months of strict restrictions and lockdowns last spring. In June, they started lifting and we ventured to a seaside town for a few weeks to get out of the city. We have cautiously made the most of our freedom and are thankful some family came to visit.

Unfortunately, as winter is approaching the covid numbers are rising again. We are already back on some partial lockdowns, and it looks like the winter will bring even more restrictions once again.

THIRD: YOUTUBE

Due to our adoption, we have placed almost all travels outside of Turkey on hold until all of this adoption stuff is complete and for 2019, we stuck close to Izmir. We SAID we were going to share these travels but it wasn’t until COVID that I got back into my website work and editing videos for myself! I hope you have found our content to be more all-encompassing of our lives as the Funk family – balancing life, work, expat living, mini-travels, and parenthood.

Our recap of 2020:

I did something a little different this year to share our year via our Following The Funks YouTube Channel. I started back on our FollowingTheFunks website and videos this year and it has been so rewarding!

This video has a TON of pictures and videos we have NEVER shared before with you (if anyone has been around since 2018, you would have noticed I took a crazy amount of time away from Instagram with all the transition going on in our lives). This April/May I finally buckled down and started producing content again – if not for you, then for our family to remember our lives here in Turkey.

Since there is not much explanation for anything in the video. So I did want to write out a quick recap of some of our memories over 2020!

January was normal life – work, Catie with her projects, and Sofia learning to walk more steadily. I think the most amazing part of this last year is watching Sofia grow from baby toddler to full on toddler child. (Is that a thing?)
February Sofia took her first airlines flight and we visited some friends in Istanbul. She then came down with the flu and we spent the rest of our week in the tiny airbnb apartment.

Jason also took a trip to the USA. It had been over a year since he had seen his family (remember I went 2 times in 2019?). He was able to visit our 3 new nieces and nephews and celebrate with his family at his Grandpa’s 90th birthday party.
Meanwhile, Catie took a solo trip with Sofia (on her second airline flights) to see her friend in Adana, Turkey. Sofia did unfortunately throw up all over me at the end of our arriving flight.

In March, COVID restrictions became a reality in Turkey. Basically all of March, April, and May are a blur of learning what COVID is and how everyone could readjust to life within the walls of their home.
Between those months, we endure full lockdowns (like not even markets were open) for 12 consecutive weekends. Towards the end of May, kids were allowed outside on Wednesdays only.

In June, most of the restrictions started lifting. We stayed closer to home but we thankful to take Sofia out daily at this point! Let’s just say that reentry into semi-normal society in a global pandemic is a lot like culture shock.

In July we decided to give ourselves a break from Izmir and skipped out to a little beach town called Kalkan. We stayed 3 weeks and enjoy each week with a different family/friends. The freedom to move around was refreshing (yes, we were cautious and wore mask). You can see a playlist from some of our summer here and what travel was like during COVID-19 in Turkey).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by jason + catie + sofia (@followingthefunks)

August was low key for everyone but Sofia. Jason changed out her crib to a toddler bed, gave up her Paci completely, and was potty trained. Oh and I am sure there was always coffee involved!

In September, we finished our 4th year living in Izmir, Turkey. If you haven’t had a chance, you can still read about things to do IN IZMIR and day trips from here.
Jason surprised me by setting aside 2 weeks to do a last minute road trip of the Black Sea Region. We started in Ankara and drove (yes, drove) to Rize with a 22 month old. Absolutely worth it. You can check out our YouTube Playlist links below and matching blog post list here.
This is also around the time Sofia started singing songs.

https://followingthefunks.com/category/black-sea-road-trip/

October came and went in a blur – literally… as I write this, I can’t remember what we did. I did a pumpkin decorating workshop and macaroon workshop with friends. Otherwise, it was a lot of normal life, Turkish breakfast every Saturday morning, and a lot of friend time. Oh and Sofia’s first fall party.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by jason + catie + sofia (@followingthefunks)

At the end of October, our city of Izmir was hit by a 7.0 earthquake. We were at home and experienced 15- 20s of strong shaking, which was very scary. Thankfully our home is fine but there are areas in Izmir that were devastated. Around 20 buildings immediately collapsed, over 100 people died, and 500+ buildings are scheduled for demolition.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by jason + catie + sofia (@followingthefunks)

November – Sofia turned two! This is the turning point for Sofia language! She started making sentences, and by the end of the year we were have two-way conversations (not just yes or no stuff!).
As well, a couple of Jason’s cousins came to visit us and we took them to Cappadocia and Istanbul. We are so thankful the new COVID restrictions and lockdowns didn’t start until after our cousins left.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by jason + catie + sofia (@followingthefunks)

In November, we had high hopes that our adoption would be finalized. We waited almost a year for this court date. But it was disappointing that it will be delayed until 2021. Thankfully it does not undo anything that has taken place. It is so surreal to think that we announced her to everyone in May of 2019!
In December, we enjoy filling our lives with advent activities to celebrate Christmas. This also included a last minute plan to spend a weekend out at a farm with friend. Sofia’s was able to ride a horse which is a daily topic of conversation still.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by jason + catie + sofia (@followingthefunks)

Last but not least! Our new contributor at Nia’s Corner:

Nia, a fellow expat living in Izmir, Turkey, joins Following The Funks as a contributor writer back in the spring. I am SO thankful for her insight, knowledge and thoughtfulness she puts into every post she writes over at Nia’s Corner! You haven’t seen her post these last couple of months because the earthquake effected where she was living. She has had a lot on her plate finding a new home and moving. I am hopeful you will get some more content this 2021.

You can find the complete list of her writings here. I think you will find more than a couple that will entice you! Thank you Nia for all you have share here on FTF!

WRAPPING IT ALL UP:

It is crazy to think we are in our 5th year of this journey. We are hopeful that 2021 will bring finalization of Sofia’s adoption as well as her USA immigration paperwork. If all works out then by the end of 2021 we should find ourselves in the states finalizing Sofia’s citizenship!

If anything I am so thankful I did this to remember all the GOOD 2020 held in the middle of a crazy global pandemic and restrictions and lockdowns in Turkey.

Thanks for letting us share our lives with you and being part of our 2020.

Jason + Catie + Sofia

Comment below and let me know about some of the questions below:

What is your best thing about 2020?
What was the hardest?
How did you grow for the better this year?

TURKEY: Top 5 sites in Ordu, Turkey (and a BONUS one)

December 18, 2020February 2, 20212020, BLACK SEA ROAD TRIP, COVID-19, TRAVELS, TURKEY Catie

Little Recap:

Jason and I have talked about doing a Black Sea Road trip throughout the North East area of Turkey ever since we moved to Turkey, but it has never happened in the last 4 years of living here. On HIS birthday, Jason surprised me by setting aside some dates, finding tickets, renting a car, and making a ‘let’s go’ plan! So in less than 10 days before leaving, we finalized our itinerary and booked all our lodging for 12 nights. It was a little stressful but we made it happen! ***Spoiler: It turned out to be an amazing time, to say the least.

COVID-19 has not made 2020 fun for anyone, even us living the expat life in Turkey, and traveling in the midst of the virus meant we had to be extra careful and mindful of our exposure. You can check out some of our other travels during COVID times to Kalkan this past summer.

Now on to Ordu!

Back in the 5th century BC, Ordu was the site of ancient Cotyora, founded by Greek colonists from Sinope. A lot like Samsun, it follows the history of most of the Turkish Republic being passed from one empire to the next.

At the turn of the 20th century, the city was more than half Christian (Greek and Armenian). Taşbaşı Church, a former Greek Orthodox church in the neighborhood Taşbaşı, is one of the only prominent surviving churches. It was first built in 1853, used as a prison between 1937-1977, and then restored in 1983 by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey. The church, which was converted into a cultural center in 2000, continues to be transformed into an archaeological museum. It was closed when we went but we peeked at the outside from the fence.

With a population of 220,000, Ordu is the capital of Ordu Province. The main city spans along the 10 kilometers of beautifully maintained public Black Sea coastline. Quickly become a modern symbol for the city, the Boztepe teleferik, or cable car transports passengers from the coast to the Boztepe hill, a good 550 m (1,800 ft) and is THE thing to do here.

As well, Ordu produces 25 percent (YES, TWENTY FIVE!) of the worldwide crop of hazelnuts (Turkey as a whole produces about 75 percent of the world’s hazelnuts). This was a fun stop for us and we would definitely come back!

Read on to know what you should see and do in Ordu, Turkey:

1. Teleferik and Boztepe

Located 550 meters above sea level, Boztepe is the highest place in the city of Ordu. A quick 6-minute cable car ride takes you to a cobblestone road lined with little vendors selling everything from hazelnuts to little handmade trinkets. There are several little cafes, restaurants, and tea houses with a stunning view of the sea just waiting to serve visitors. For 15 TL a roundtrip ticket, it is one of the most affordable and enjoyable things to do in Ordu!
I don’t know much about the paragliding but we did see a couple gliding through the air as we enjoy our cable car ride. This website can give you a few companies to check out if it interest you!

Black Sea Ordu Turkey Boztepe teleferik Cable Car

2. Ters Ev (Upside-down house)

Completed by Ordu Metropolitan Municipality in 2019, the Ters Ev (aka – Up-side Down House) is 150 square meter, 2 story home sitting on it’s roof and even has a small car ‘parked’ out front. A quick 2 minutes walk from the teleferik, visitors enjoy 2 of the cities most visited attractions.

3. Black Sea Coastline

I mentioned this in our Samsun post too, but really, it’s a must! Take some time to just stroll down the 10 kilometers of seaside and even take a dip in the sea. Multiple beaches are positioned along the way equipped with restrooms, changing areas and even showers.

4. Hazelnuts

Ok, not really a site but a ‘must-learn-about-and-try’ item! In between the Teleferik loading area and the Ters Ev lies an open market with several wooden stands for businesses to display their products.
Like I mention, Ordu produces a whopping 25 percent of the worldwide crop of hazelnuts – that’s amazing! So you can imagine they sell almost everything imaginable that they can do with hazelnuts! One of our favorite stands, Meşhur Ordu Helva, treated us with a taste of hazelnut and walnut Helva, and we definitely ended up buying some to take with us.

5. Colorful Buildings of Downtown

In my research about what to see in Ordu, NO one mentioned how COOL the downtown area is. A pedestrian-only street lined with colorful buildings where visitors can meander while window shopping is one of my favorite things! I wish we had more time to explore this area, but I was able to snap a few shots!

BONUS: Nearby Yason Kilisesi

The location isn’t exactly in Ordu, but if you are driving from Samsun to Ordu, like we did, then take the detour to Yason Cape just before you get to Persembe. Do NOT miss it! I PROMISE if the weather is even somewhat good then this place is the best stop you can make!
This small peninsula facing the sea is currently a governmental environmental protection area and there is no charge or touristy thing about it. Yason’s, or Jason in English (my Jason loved that!), Church built in 1868 by Georgians and Greeks still stands among the ruins of its garden wall. It is said the church was built in the place of an old temple that was built as a protector of the sailors of Black Sea‘s treacherous waters. The church held a similar mission.
Nearby the church is a lighthouse and a quiet, beautiful area full of green grass and wild flowers. We even took a dip in the calm, little cove.

BlackSeaRoadTrip Ordu Persembe Yason Church Lighthouse Turkey

Our other tips for this area:

Getting There:

For our road trip, we flew from Izmir to Ankara on Pegasus Airlines and drove a rental car from Ankara to Rize- stopping in Amasya, Samsun, Ordu, and Trabzon along the way.
Looks like Pegasus Airlines may have a few direct flights from Izmir to the remote Ordu-Giresun airport. Otherwise, most flights will have 1 stopover via Istanbul airports.
Istanbul has direct flights to the Ordu-Giresun airport.

Lodging:

Hampton by Hilton Ordu: Rooms are a little tight for space and we had some issues with our check-in. Otherwise, the location is PERFECT. It is literally 3 minute walk to the sea-side and restaurants.

Restaurants:

Tomur Cafe: Great outdoor space by the water. It is known more for it’s burgers, pizza, salad – not a traditional Turkish food restaurant.
Our hotel provided breakfast, and we fill up on all the treats while touring in the morning so proper lunch was not necessary.

Nearby:

If you are looking for a few extra stops, west-bound Samsun is the provincial capital and starting point of the 1919 Turkish War of Independence.
As you continue eastward, Trabzon and Rize are next two stops you can not miss. Videos and blog post for this area coming soon!

Overall, Ordu is on our ‘visit again’ list. The beauty of the Black Sea and friendly people made want to come back for more! Even though a day is sufficient time for a short visit, I am sure a few more days would give you a deeper view into the city. You can explore Ordu with us over on our Following The Funks YouTube Channel via our Ordu video and see what all we did in our late afternoon/ morning visit!

Comment below and let me know about some of the questions below:

Do you want to travel to Ordu now?
Have you traveled to Ordu before?
If so, what did you love? What did we miss?!

Check out our other locations on this road trip! This is just a piece of our 8 part video and blog post series of our road trip.

SPOILERS: Instagram highlights
My top 5 tools video for how we planned our travels – VIDEO
Part 1: Explore Ankara, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 2: Explore Amasya, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 3: Explore Samsun, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 4: Explore Ordu, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 5: Explore Trabzon Part 1, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 6: Explore Rize ParT 1, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 7: Explore Rize PART 2, Turkey – VIDEO
Part 8: BSRT FINALE! Explore Trabzon Part 2, Turkey – VIDEO

TURKEY: Top 5 sites in Samsun, Turkey

December 16, 2020February 2, 20212020, BLACK SEA ROAD TRIP, COVID-19, TRAVELS, TURKEY Catie

***Spoiler: It turned out to be an amazing time, to say the least.

Black Sea Samsun Turkey Teleferik Gondola

Samsun is the largest city, an important shipping port, and the traditional provincial capital of the Black Sea region of Turkey. We learned it was supposedly the home to the legendary Amazon warriors. According to Greek legends, these women warriors were famous for wielding bows and arrows and using double-headed axes for fighting in battles.

Samsun, like the rest of Turkey, has passed through the hands of many empires. One of the oldest names it holds is Amisos given by Miletusians (Miletus), which was one of the Ionian city-states, between 760-750 BC.

Unfortunately, most of Samsun was burnt to the ground by Genoese raiders in the 1400s. So, even though it is very old, there is not much old architecture left to enjoy.

Regardless, this city will always have a special in the republican history of Turkey. Samsun is the location of the start of the War of Turkish Independence in 1919 by the republic’s founder, Kemal Atatürk. The most famous symbolic monument in the town is a bronze statue depicting equestrian Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Read on to know what you should see and do in Samsun, Turkey:

1.Amazon Warrior & Twin Lions Statues:

Located near Bati Park in Baruthane along the seafront, the twin gold lion and Amazon warrior statues are hard to miss. A man-made canal runs through the center of the park. Supposedly, the park has lots of activities for children such as go-carting and play areas as well as plenty of wide shaded areas for picnicking. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there wasn’t much open. For a small fee currently 5 lira, you can also visit the nearby Amazon village.

2. Black Sea Coastline

14 kilometers of seaside…. just enjoy a long beautiful walk (hopefully if it’s not too windy!)

3. Amisos Hill and Gondola/Cable Car:

The first settlement in Samsun, formerly known as Amisos, was around 750 B.C. by the Milesians, a Hellenic civilization. While I didn’t see any ancient tombs, I heard there were some scattered along the walking path to see.
At the top of the hill, a cafe with a stunning view of the sea waits for you to enjoy a cup of tea, or even a meal. The cable car is right beside the cafe. A quick 5-minute ride takes you down to the park close to the twin lions.

4. Onur Park/ Downtown

Sandwiched between the seaside and downtown is a beautiful city park perfect to enjoy a chat with a friend or a well–equipped park for the kids. The Onur Anıtı positioned in the middle of the park depicts the equestrian Turkish founder, Ataturk, riding a horse.

5. All the Museum: (Unfortunately most do not have lots of English translations.)

Bandirma Ship Museum – Entrance Fee: 5 TL – I wish we would have seen this one! The ship is a replica of the original ship that was destroyed in the 1920s. The ship reminds the visitors of Mustafa Kemal’s journey to the city in 1919 at the start of the War of Independence.
Samsun City Museum – Good museum to learn about the city’s history. Even though most signs do not have English, there are supposedly audio guided tours recorded on a device in multiple languages.
Archeological and Ethnographic Museum and, right next door, the Atatürk Museum

Our other tips for this area:

Getting There:

For our road trip, we flew from Izmir to Ankara on Pegasus Airlines and drove a rental car from Ankara to Rize- stopping in Amasya, Samsun, Ordu, and Trabzon along the way.
Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines have daily flights from Istanbul to Samsun. No direct flights from Izmir unfortunately.
Bus service is frequent and convenient to Samsun, especially with the Ulusoy company.

Lodging:

Park Inn by Radisson Samsun: Although it is in the next town over and not in the hussle and bustle of Samsun, we really enjoyed staying here. The hotel has high standard, a great room service menu, and a friendly staff making it one of my favorite hotels we stayed at on our 2 week trip (and we stayed in 7 different places!).

Restaurants:

no special recs (because we order room service at Park Inn and it was fantastic) but this is the side location we stopped at downtown at a local place a grabbed some pide for the road.

Nearby:

If you are looking for a few extra stops, west-bound Sinop is the highest point along the Black Sea Coastline of Turkey.
On the way to Ordu is a town called Giresun. It’s another easy little stop if you want to spend some more time experiencing the Black Sea Region.

Overall, Samsun is a must-see location for Turkish history buffs but otherwise, I would say a full-day visit (or 2 if you have kiddos that nap) should be sufficient. You can explore Samsun with us over on our Following The Funks YouTube Channel via our Samsun video and see what all we did in our late afternoon/ morning visit!

Comment below and let me know about some of the questions below:

Do you want to travel to Samsun now?
Have you traveled to Samsun before?
If so, what did you love? What did we miss?!

Check out our other locations on this road trip! This is just a piece of our 8 part video and blog post series of our road trip.

SPOILERS: Instagram highlights
My top 5 tools video for how we planned our travels – VIDEO
Part 1: Explore Ankara, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 2: Explore Amasya, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 3: Explore Samsun, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 4: Explore Ordu, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 5: Explore Trabzon Part 1, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 6: Explore Rize ParT 1, Turkey – POST and VIDEO
Part 7: Explore Rize PART 2, Turkey – VIDEO
Part 8: BSRT FINALE! Explore Trabzon Part 2, Turkey – VIDEO

EXPAT: 5 Tips to Overcoming Culture Shock

November 17, 2020December 2, 20202017, 2020, EXPAT, EXPAT HEALTH, EXPAT LIFE, EXPAT MOVING, TURKEY, WRITING Catie

When the excitement of moving abroad wears off

Note: This article was first featured first on the Expat Women in Turkey website. You can see all my published works on my portfolio page.

Spring is gorgeous here. The sun shines and the weather is just the right temperature. Recently, I went out for a few errands and just basked in the rays of sunlight peeking through as I weaved in and out of the shadows made from my neighborhood buildings and trees. In a split second, I went from gloriously praising MY lovely city to cursing the stinky rules of THEIR culture. Because, for the almost 1 millionth time, I barely missed stepping on fresh dog poop in the middle of the sidewalk….

Eight months ago (Update: now 4 years!) my husband and I moved from a small town in the midwest of the United States to Izmir, a busy apartment city of 4 million people. We moved from one set of cultural rules to another – spoken and unspoken. An unspoken one in America, you pick up your dog’s poop and throw it away (or take them to a dog park) and here in Turkey, leaving poop everywhere is totally acceptable. Amazing how one little thing can spark a moment of anger stemming from culture shock.

(Update: I have since come to learn that this is NOT a norm and street dog are a major culprit here with this issue. ALSO, I would like to point out just how amazing clean these major cities are kept!)

But this isn’t the first time I have moved internationally. Before marrying my sweet man, I spent 2 years in Turkey and 1.5 more years in Afghanistan. From my experience, the first few months can be hard because you have to adjust everything about your life. Other people seem to have a little honeymoon phase (maybe 2-4 months) before the frustrations hit them full-on.

Throughout these journeys, I have found a few ways to counteract culture shock:

1. KEEP A JOURNAL:

Keeping a journal has been proven to help people reflect and process change. However, many people end up using a journal to vent about things they don’t like or make them angry. While there is nothing wrong with that, I suggest using your journal another way. Keep a running list of things you love about the culture and place you live – especially in the beginning while the ‘honeymoon’ stage is still happening. Write stories of when someone helped you, a kind gesture on the street, or laughs of the neighborhood children after school.

2. BE A TOURIST FOR A DAY:

My best way to counteract the frustration of living in another country is to get out and explore. Sometimes it is easy to fall into the routine of work, eat, sleep and repeat. Make a list of places, festivals, and events to explore in your city then make a plan and go! It can seem intimidating, but the more you try new things, the easier it becomes to explore.

3. MAKE YOUR COMFORT FOOD:

While I promise you it won’t be the same, it’s definitely worth the effort! The first time I moved to Istanbul, I basically had to learn to cook my comfort food from scratch. But when I mastered my first banana bread recipe, it became a go-to for times I felt like everything I ate was foreign.

4. EXERCISE:

Sometimes moving to a new city can stop our daily routines. Maybe you exercised before moving, but now are lacking motivation. One of the best things I did my first year abroad was pay (way too much money, mind you) for a gym membership. It gave me a reason to get out of my house, interact with others, and meet new people.

5. MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS:

You may think “why would I meet new people when people are the cause of my culture shock?!” Believe me, it is the best advice others gave me when I was feeling frustrated. Creating deeper relationships with locals (or even other expats) helps you understand the culture more. Perhaps cultural frustration can be resolved by learning more about why people do the things that they do. Also, connecting with other people helps you notice individuals behind “those Turks” or “those Americans” or “those… insert people group here“. Grace and open-mindedness help you move past culture shock into an area of understanding and appreciation for another’s home country.

These are just a few ways I have found helpful to avoid and break through the culture shock in the 3 countries I have called home in the last 10 years.

Remember that you are not alone and there is always someone to talk to! So instead of withdrawing, maybe consider doing the exact opposite and see how it goes!

Which one sounds most appealing to you?

If you have moved abroad, what has helped you overcome culture shock?

FOOD: Aşure, a beautiful community tradition

October 6, 2020October 6, 20202020, Culture, FOOD, GUEST POST, NIA'S CORNER, TURKEY Nia McRay

Perhaps you’ve heard the story before: a great evil, a divinely sent flood, and a man with a zoo on a boat.

It’s one of the oldest stories told, a story that takes many different forms, but what makes it unique is its ubiquity. In every inhabited continent, there is a myth of a great flood: from the Inca’s tale of Pachakuti, to the Mesopotamian story of Gilgamesh, from the strikingly similar stories of Nu’u in Hawaiian mythology, Noah in the Torah, Tumbainot of the Maasai, and Nuh in the Qur’an, to the starkly different stories from the Egyptians, Chinese, Finnish, and Ojibwe.

Stories are one of the beautiful things that connects us all as people.

Despite the variety of ways our different cultures play out in the way we tell stories, or even the focus of our stories, this diversity can lead us to see the unifying artistic and creative elements of story-telling. Stories can help us understand one another. The more we look at the stories we all tell, the more we can see the similarities we share in our experiences and histories. The dish I want to introduce you to today has a similar unifying quality.

Aşure [pronounced “ah-shoor-eh”] is a Turkish dessert that has its roots in this story of the flood as found in the Qur’an. It is said that when the passengers of the ark were on the brink of starving, Nuh (Noah) mixed together all the leftover grains, nuts, beans and fruit to make what would be dubbed “the oldest dessert.” Together he and the other passengers ate, celebrating the end of the flood, and the next day Allah (God) made the waters of the flood recede.

Today, while this day is celebrated differently by different sects of Islam, Turks generally share this dessert with neighbors, family, and friends in goodwill and kindness in the Islamic month of Muharram, especially on the 10^th day of Muharram [Ashura]. This year, that landed on August 29^th. Some Islamic traditions hold that a variety of miracles and divine interactions happened on this day throughout history, including the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

Aşure, like the flood narrative itself, is a picture of unity and diversity.

A dessert meant to be shared with neighbors, coworkers, friends and family, aşure is one unified dish made up of surprisingly varied ingredients (like fruit, grains and beans!). Likewise, despite the vast differences in the details of the flood narratives around the world, they all hold a unified history, and are shared from generation to generation. Each tells of a great being acting in response to some provocation to flood the world, leaving a few survivors. While the details of who that great being was, what provoked the flood, who survived, and how they survived differ greatly, those same differences helped create the variety of cultures we see in the world today.

As easily identifiable markers of culture, food and story-telling have always had this unifying effect. What culturally significant moments do you participate in that involve food and/or story-telling? Is there a holiday that your family celebrates with specific food? Is there a time when neighbors, friends or family gather and share stories of religious, familial, or national significance? Aşure is a religiously significant dish shared with neighbors and friends regardless of their religious background. What’s one way you can invite someone new into your traditions this year?

What’s in Aşure?

Aşure is a porridge with a lovely fall taste (similar to cinnamon oatmeal), and a wide variety of textures. if you are an expat in Turkey, you may find yourself easily overwhelmed by the sheer amount you receive from your neighbors. But since it is full of whole grains, beans, and fruit, you can eat this dessert with less guilt than my previous cookie recipes!

The very nature of aşure is that it doesn’t have one specific recipe. Everyone’s aşure is slightly different based on personal taste and what’s on hand. Here are the general categories of the ingredients of aşure, and some options of what you can put in yours. Mix and match! Try some different combinations and let me know in the comments what your favorite is!

Grains: Barley, Wheat, bulgur, and/or rice
Beans: White beans and/or chickpeas
Dried Fruit: Dates, dried figs, dried apricots, dried cranberries, raisins, and/or other dried fruits
Seeds + Spices + Seasonings: Anise seed, sesame seeds, black cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, rose water, and/or orange blossom water + a sweetener like honey (one could also use maple syrup, sugar, turbinado, or a sugar substitute like stevia)
Nuts: Pine nuts, walnuts, almonds and/or pistachios
Fresh Fruit: Pomegranate kernels, orange (or orange peel), lemon (or lemon peel)

Start with soaking the beans, raisins and grain separately overnight. Then cook the beans on the stovetop in water, add the grains, and let it thicken. Then add fruit, spices, and nuts until the porridge comes together. Here are links to some more specific recipes if you struggle not having a specific recipe to work from.

All Recipes Asure

TurkishFoodie Recipe

Personally, I really enjoy the flavor of aşure. The first few spoonfuls are fascinating as I work my way through the high complexity of textures. But, I can quickly become overwhelmed by the complexity, so I tend to only eat a little at a time. Try making aşure yourself, and tell me what you think! Do you enjoy the complexity of flavors and textures? Which ingredients do you use?

I hope you make some aşure this fall and winter, and share it with a good story, unifying the people around you.

Now tell me:

What are some ways you bring unity to your community through food and story-telling?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am a lover of words and stories, student of culture, amateur photographer, adult cross-cultural kid, English tutor to TCKs (Third Culture Kids), and aspiring foodie. We will probably be instant friends if you give me good coffee, invite me to cook with you, or start a conversation with me about personalities, culture, and how the two intersect. I’m a life-long nerd, believer, and creative-in-the-works. I am all about the journey, so traveling and cross-cultural living is always something that has captured my heart and inspired my imagination.

In 2016, after teaching in an inner-city school and needing a change of pace, I spent a year abroad in Izmir, Turkey with a friend. I absolutely fell in love with the city and the people. The conveniences of a big city with a friendly, slow-pace-of-life atmosphere is all found between the mountains and the sea. What’s not to love? So, after my year of adventure, I knew I wanted to come back to Izmir to live.

Positioned on the perch of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Turkey is both a mix of cultures, and a unique culture all its own. The more I learn, the more I want to learn, and this desire to learn is what drives me to write. As a pretty quiet person, I write to learn, to discover, and to process. As someone who grew up in a cross-cultural context, Turkey’s diversity and mix of cultures is something I personally relate to. Plus, if you’ve ever tasted Turkish food, you know that it is definitely something to write home about. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Funks’ blog and to grow and learn in the process.