With time I'm getting too crazy about solving life problems, but forget about art. So, if there is a painting in half a year, I must be very inspired.

Nostalgie.



Perovo.



Sasha

Kak dela?

My dear friend Lena from the International Independent University for Environmental and Political Sciences (I used to study there in 2002) has asked me to show my paintings for many times. Finaly, I've expressed my willpower and took photos of them. Most of my "creatures" are quite old and related to Turkmenistan, but I hope you will enjoy them.

In the Foothills of Kopet Dag Mountains.



Ashgabat Apples.



Leisure.



When I moved to Moscow, my love of Turkmenistan became even stronger. See these paintings in the next post.

Begench

Privet!

Today I'm starting to update my blog, as I feel myself Open! Proactive! Sensitive! Returning to Moscow has been like going back to the past. In Istanbul I had a completely new life with new friends, work and habits.

Turkish life was more calm and people relations-oriented, so now it's hard to see grim Moscow faces in the metro and prepare for lessons at night. But I value the opportunity to enjoy Russian art and be always concerned with political issues. Conflict with Georgia, murder of Politkovskaya, elections in Ossetia - I must have my opinion of what is going on. In Turkey I enjoyed kebap.



I'm happy that I grew up in the environment with different mentalities. I helped me to asorb the best: kind attitude to people and love to nature like in Asia, and structured approach like in Europe. But sometimes I can't find my place.

Best regards,

Sasha

Good morning!

I’m sorry. I’ve been too busy to tell you what is going on in my life. Every time when I want to tell you what has happened with, something new happens. For the recent days I’ve explored Istanbul by foot and got lost, gone to Bogazici Beach, and quarreled with my flatmate.

Today I woke up because of the shots on the street! At first somebody louldy quarelled near my house. Then I heard two shots. I looked out of the window and saw a man in the red with a gun firing in the air. In a while the police came to cordon off my house and question the witnesses.



Take care!

Sasha

Our Cappadocia Adventure started when we arrived to the ferry boat one minute before it left for Haydarpasa. We were lucky! Then we took a train to Ankara that goes for 8 hours. Even though it is very quite and modern, it was difficult to find the comfortable position to sleep:



It takes 5 hours by bus to go to Cappadocia from Ankara, but we made several stops on the way. The first one was on the Salt Lake that is dry in summer. As the white reflects rays you can walk there barefoot, thought the air is hot.



Our first destination in Cappadocia was Derinkuyu Underground City. It’s hard to believe that people could create a 13-storeyed city with excellent ventilation and water systems. Once they used it as a shelter from the enemies.



To be continued...

Alex

When I came home yesterday night after the Asian Night, I saw Katya wathing a movie in... Russian with Turkish subtitles. It was the most disguisting movie I had ever seen, so that I was about to throw up. Both Katya and I were ashamed of this movie. But it was about reality, the reality we prefer not to notice. AIESEC is an artificial world full of joy. To challenge your worldview, you dont' have to go abroad, you can just look around you.



These are passages of the review by The Guardian:

It is an uncompromisingly bleak, devastatingly powerful study of Lilya (Oksana Akinshina), a poverty-stricken teenage girl abandoned in a crumbling Russian town when her mother leaves, apparently for the United States, with a man she has met through a dating agency - and refuses to take her with them. In her wretchedness, Lilya finds a friend in a lonely 11-year-old boy, Volodya (Artyom Bogucharsky), but then precisely duplicates her mother's betrayal when she meets a smooth-talking young guy who says he can take her away to Sweden.

She gets on the plane with the fake passport he has procured for her, bound for a paradise of freedom and riches, with hardly a thought for Volodya. And it is right here, in our liberal, prosperous western Europe, that the illegal immigrant Lilya meets her unwatchably horrible fate.

Yesterday evening interns and CEEDers from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and China organized Asian Night where they presented their respected countries. I think here in Europe we are used to think in European dimensions. For example, we associate philosophy with Ancient Greece. At the same time, Asia live in its own economic, political, and cultural dimensions. Most of the people have different historical heroes, norms of behaviour, pop stars. It's a challenge to break our ideals and dogms to have a general understanding of the world.

On the Islands we accidentally met Guzide Duran, a world-known Turkish model. I wouldn't say she is the most beautiful women I've met, but she is very distinctive due to her height.

On Sunday I went to Adalar, lovely islands just off Istanbul. You can go there by a ferry boat paying just 2 YTL, a normal price for a bus. The islands are very peaceful: sea, mountains, pine trees, narrow streets, bycicles, lots of flowers in private orchards...

I have never been a fan of cats. But Istanbul cats are special! They are so elegant and well shaped, so that they remind me Egyptian gods...



Here you can meet a cat of any colour with amazing eyes. Unfortunately, nobody likes them and take home, but for rare old spinsters.

Iyi aksamlar!

Sasha

On Saturday Katya from Russia, Irina from Romania, Jimmy from US and I went to Topkapi Palace, a complex of buildings and parks where the sultans lived. It’s full of old platan trees, which reminded me of Chuli, a health resort in Turkmenistan where I used to spend my summer holidays.







When we leaved the complex, Su, a Korean girl was waiting for us in the cafe. But, surprisingly, she was flirting with two Turkish guys looking very ‘professional’. One of them could speak Russian and was very irritated...

Best regards,

Sasha

Gun aydin!

On Friday I watched BBC’s Inside Russia Program devoted to what is going on inside the Kremlin. No, it didn’t blame Russia in imperial manners and abusing human rights, but it clearly showed how public opinion is manipulated in our country. Kremlin PR officers give orders to pocket think tanks for expressing their thoughts, while main TV channels promote Putin and carefully sort out news to avoid any critical moments.



It’s known that state propaganda exists in many countries, especially in the US. What is more important: freedom of the press or patriotic mood?

Best regards,

Sasha

Nasil gidiyor?

Yesterday evening I watched Oryantal Star, a show on ATV similar to Russian Narodny Artist. In this case the participants perform belly dances, but not songs. Like in Russia, the opportunity to appear on the screen has attracted many people who have nothing to do with talent: vulgar gypsies, women-like guys, and well-nourished housewifes.



But the participant who I remember most was a Turkmen girl looking like a prostitute. The judges asked here about her children and why she had left them. ‘There is no job there’ she said and ran away crying...

Best regards,

Sasha

Iyi gunler!

Today we have been given new tag holders, which caused excitement among the colleagues. If you wear it, you can really feel you belong to the company. They are so cool!!!



Best regards,

Alex

Dobroe utro!

I’ve realized that sometimes I feel shame for the reasons one would never care about.

Yeasterday I had the pleasure to meet one intellegent man from Finansbank. He also lives in Bahcelievler, so that we take the same corporate bus. His friends call him Russian Mert, as he has read 45 books by Dostoevsky. That’s amazing! I feel shame that most of my country fellows don’t value Dostovesky as much as some foreigners do. So, I’m determined to read Karamazov Brothers as I come back!

As you know, we have had a great Global Village. In one moment Serbians put their popular music. Then they asked me for a Russian flag and started dancing with it. I know that our flags look similar, but it’s also true that many Serbians consider us Slavic brothers. Anyway, I felt shame. In case they love our country so much, what can we offer them? Protest notes to the US, while it’s bombing the country?

It’s well know that Turkish men tend to love Russian women. I’ve seen in the hotel that some Russian ladies of Balzak Age come here to date young Turks. Although I consider this easy-going behaviour, I can understand them: people either have fun together or make money. It’s disgusting! However, I feel shame because of Russian men. Are they really so ugly and poor to fail to satisfy their women?

Best regards,

Sasha

Gun aydın!

Yesterday evening I came from Anatolia Congress that was held outside Istanbul from Friday to Sunday. On the whole, I like it taking into consideration that it is more a fun activity than a conference with serious session. The agenda was very flexible, so that we had more time for networking, swimming, enjoying Turkish bath, etc.



The conference has been held in a five star hotel on the Black Sea shore. There were two major categories of those who stayed there: AIESEC members and Russians.



Russia and Kazakhstan were represented by just three people: Alex (Moscow), Yulia (StPetersburg) and Yulia (Almaty). But we were one of the brightest delegations during the Global Village:







Well, as you see, there have been lots of crazy moments, as well as really serious sessions by outstanding externals, such as Yogesh Sharda and Mithat Bereket.

Starting a new work day,

Alexander

Selamlar,

You cannot really integrate in the society, if you don’t speak its language. It’s so that I live with Ercan, but not in the dormitory with other interns, as it gives me an incentive to speak Turkish.

Yesterday a colleague showed me how to take the service bus to go home, but she couldn’t speak English, which made me look stupid trying to understand her. I have to speak Turkish with Ercan’s parents, granny and sister who have come from Eskisehir. That’s great!

I can make up only simple sentences yet, such as:

- I’m going to Taksim this evening, so don’t wait for me
- I’m a new trainee with Fiba Factoring, but I don’t have a card
- Does this bus go to Basin Sitesi?

I must speak more!

Sasha

Sizi selamliyorum!

Yesterday I started interning for Fiba Factoring, a subsidiary of Fiba Holding that also includes Finansbank. For 2,5 months I’m going to get experience in International, Credit, Operations, and Marketing Departments.

Currently I’m working in International Department with the nice 5 people: Feride Zeynep, Hakan, Behiye, Sonmez, and Asli. They all speak English and are very kind to me. Actually, I’ve been surprised to witness the warm relations between co-workers here. In spite of difference in positions and age, they always smile, greet each other and go for lunch together. I enjoy working in such a psychologically favorable environment!

Yesterday Hakan Bey told me a lot of interesting things about factoring. It’s a really empty market in Russia, because companies don’t understand all the benefits it service can provide. I should change it! Today Sonmez and Behiye, the youngest colleagues of mine have been kindly teaching me how to communicate with corresponding factors abroad. I’ve already written some letters under their supervision!

Fiba Holding has its own sky scraper in Levent District, a business area of Istanbul. Our office is on the second floor, but it reminds a space ship. Everything is decorated with glass, steel, plastic, stone and wood.



We have our lunch in Metro City Shopping Center that has a big selection of restaurants. Today I’ve had Iskender Kebab. That’s delicious!

Gorusmek uzere,

Alex

Merhaba, azizlerim!

I'm so anxious about discribing you my first working day, but I'll try to be structured. So, when Katya came we went to Eminönü, a nice district near Bosphorus. It has a big embarkment full of small restaurants serving seafood. There are many fishermen, tourists and proactive sellers.

From Eminönü we went to AIESEC office along nice narrow streets. While walking down them, you feel like you are in your dreams, not in reality:

Turkey is nice country, because you feel peace there. You don't have to run and get scared of any stranger or police officer like in Moscow. People are so polite to each other, even during an harsh hour in the bus. They just smile and ask for pardon if something is wrong.

Everybody thinks I'm Turkish here, and I try to be so to better understand the culture and assimulate. That is why I prefer mixing up with my Turkish colleagues, rather than with AIESEC memebers.

Iyi sans!

Sasha

Iyi aksamlar, arkadaslar!

Life seems to go slowly here, but I've already saw so many things. On Saturday Sean and Lucy came from the UK to take a bus to Izmir where they are supposed to teach English. Accidentally, nobody met the in the airport. So, Ercan and I went to Taksim Square to help them buy tickets and find a hostel for one night. It was fun to walk overwhelmed with heavy on Istiklal Street, the most crowded place in Istanbul:

Finally, Ercan found a hostel just off the Mosque on Istiklal. You can stay in a tiny room where a bed can hardly fit, but it's the center and just 10 doll. a day. Then a suprise waited for us: we wented to Bosphorus, the strait that lies between Europe and Asia! Firewokrs were sparkling, seagales were crying, people were chatting on the shore.


Next morning I got up at 8.30, but there was nobody in the flat. So, I decided to go to a supermarket to buy some normal food to cook myself. It was the first time when I realized that the language barrier really matters: I couldn't ask where I could weight the vegetables... But I managed somehow. Then I cooked patlican salad and waited for Katya, my Russian flatmate who had spent her weekend in Bodrum. It's nice that I have BBC and Discovery Channel at home.

Well. I have a lot to tell, but I'm going for a cup of coffee with aiesecers ;)

Gorusuruz,

Iskender