Dear Past, Present, and Future Floaties,
This is one of the first times that Class Afloat has ventured into the amazing country of Turkey and as a member of our crew I feel a certain responsibility to tell you what it’s like.
Everyone came into Istanbul with certain expectations of what the city would hold. I thought it would be a mainly modern city like Toronto. When we arrived in Istanbul, everyone’s previous expectations were shattered like glass. The city balances on the fine line between modern and traditional. It doesn’t try to be something it’s not, nor does it feel the rush to keep up with either the modern or traditional worlds. Istanbul is humble and unassuming. The reason why it is this way is because of the people who live and work there. Yes, they may badger you from time to time when you are busying losing yourself in the dizzying maze of the Grand Bazaar, but they always take the extra time from their day to show you around or to invite you to share a cup of tea. The crew as a whole loved the gentle nature of the city. It is huge, and it is frightening at first glance, but really it is full of quirky odds and ends which create endless opportunities for adventure. It was this unique personality that Istanbul has that truly makes it a fantastic port.
In Istanbul, we had the opportunity to participate in home stays. This was an extremely rewarding and unique experience. We learned about culture from a new perspective, rather than the typical ‘tourist’ perspective that one often sees when visiting foreign countries. We also felt the feeling of loneliness in some of our first nights away from the ship and the crew. I remember lying in my bed at my home stay and thinking about how quiet it was. There was no hum of the generator, no clanking of harnesses on hooks, and no shutting of doors during the comings and goings of night watch. It was amazing to experience the home stay, but it made me realize how very much I appreciate the ship and my crew.
Port is always an exhausting experience. We wait for it when we are at sea. We talk of the food that we will eat and the cultures that we’ll see but when we arrive the lifestyle is almost overwhelming. At the end of port, we always want to get back to our life at sea where everything is simple and you can watch the sunrise and sunset everyday with front row seats. Turkey was one of the few exceptions to this. Of course we were all very tired, and eager to get back to the simplicity of the ocean, but for once we were sad that we couldn’t continue our stay in Istanbul. In the five days we were there, we became accustomed to Turkish life and we were not fond of the thought of leaving and maybe never returning. Turkey was an incomparable port and I know that our entire crew had an amazing time. I hope that someday you will get the chance to go there and see the silhouette of the Blue Mosque during sunset. I cannot describe the beauty of it to you, I am only a messenger.
Fair Winds,
Maximilian
