Lale September-October 2012 by MARLET CORPORATE PUBLICATIONS

September | October 2012

MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL

01 SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2012

MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL

Contents IWI Board Information Board Letter Neighborhood Coffee Mornings Regular Activities Join IWI Calendar Programs Other Groups & Associations Partner Offers Classified Ads Directory Policies & Advertising

2 3 4 8 9 10 18 54 56 57 58 60

CHARITY

LALE FEATURES Metabolic Syndrome Cultural Diversity & Istanbul A Turkish Woman in New York Ten Top Tips for Newbies in Istanbul Assos, Turkey Mindfulness vs. Distraction Legal İnformation from Burçin Barlas

MUMS ‘N KIDS Back to School Tips Grey Matters!

Charity

26 32 34 36 38 41 44

46 48 IPWIN IPWIN

SPONSORED ARTICLES TimeOut Cornucopia

24 30

the IWI OFFICE Every Wednesday, from 10.30am to 1pm, the office will be open and we encourage members and newcomers to drop in for a chat and a coffee. If you know of anyone new to Istanbul who would like to find out more about the IWI, then let them know we are open for questions every Wednesday between 10.30am and 1pm. The office address is: Adnan Saygun Cad., Öz Topuz Sok. Çamlıtepe Sitesi, No. 74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus, Ortaköy. (Entrance to the Çamlıtepe Sitesi is opposite Ulus Park.) Map to the office is at the back of the magazine.

September | October 2012

Board Information

IWI Office Hours:

The IWI Board members 2012-2013

Wednesday from 10:30 AM till 1:00 PM

Address:

Chairwoman

Suzy Kaluti

chairwoman@iwi-tr.org

Vice-Chairwoman

Esbie van Heerden Ünsal

vicechairwoman@iwi-tr.org

Treasurer

Bettina Oltmanns

treasury@iwi-tr.org

Secretary

Natalie Deutscher

secretary@iwi-tr.org

Office Manager

Karlygash Omurbayeva

officemanager@iwi-tr.org

Membership Secretary

Eva Chaidemenou

membership@iwi-tr.org

Dergi Adı/Magazine Name:

Events Coordinator

Simona Zini

events@iwi-tr.org

Lale, Monthly Programme of the International Women of Istanbul

Events Coordinator

Marine Boixiere

events@iwi-tr.org

Sponsorship Coordinator

Johanna Widholm

sponsorship@iwi-tr.org

Lale Editor

Yasemin Olcay

lale@iwi-tr.org

Advertising Coordinator

Position Open

advertising@iwi-tr.org

Charity Coordinator

Nilgün Çoruk

charity@iwi-tr.org

Programs Coordinator

Ayşe Portakaloğlu

programs@iwi-tr.org

Neighborhood Coffee Mornings Coordinator

Nalini Narang

ncm@iwi-tr.org

Newcomers Coordinator (Europe)

Hana Danon

newcomerseurope@iwi-tr.org

Newcomers Coordinator (Europe)

Camelia Sağışman

newcomerseurope@iwi-tr.org

Newcomers Coordinator (Asia)

Petra Gönenç

newcomersasia@iwi-tr.org

Newcomers Programs

Ayşe Yücel

newcomersprograms@iwi-tr.org

Mum’s N’ Kids

Molly Grünberg

mumsnkids@iwi-tr.org

Suzanne Bruns Kaluti

IPWIN Coordinator

Lavinia Lorenzen

ipwin@iwi-tr.org

Adresi/Address:

IPWIN Coordinator

Katharina Omar

ipwin@iwi-tr.org

Badur Boğaziçi Evleri No. 3/5 Özden Sokak Nispetiye Caddesi Etiler, Istanbul Tel: 0212 287 45 57

Liasion Officer

Ebru Demirel

liasion@iwi-tr.org

Charity

Angela Kuzucu

angela@iwi-tr.org

Lale

Johanna Wıdholm

johanna@iwi-tr.org

Events

Nevra Seggie

events@iwi-tr.org

Events

Céline Blin

events@iwi-tr.org

Website

Esbie van Heerden Ünsal

esbie@iwi-tr.org

Programs

Ambili Ramachandran

reservations@iwi-tr.org

Programs

Derryn Snowdon

derryn@iwi-tr.org

Newcomers

Jo Bradley

newcomerseurope@iwi-tr.org

Newcomers Programs

Kim Francis

newcomersprograms@iwi-tr.org

Neighborhood Coffee Mornings

Christina Turk

christinaturk@ttn.net

Book Club 1

Lesley Tahtakiliç

tahtakilic@superonline.com

Book Club 2

Mary Akgüner

mary.akguner@gmail.com

Istanbul@Night

POSITION AVAILABLE

Adnan Saygun Caddesi, Çamlıtepe Sitesi No:74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus Ortaköy Istanbul – TURKEY Telephone: 0212 287 35 71 www.iwi-tr.org

Yayını Yapan/Publisher: IWI International Women of Istanbul, Dernek Kod: 34-64/027

İrtibat Adresi/Address: Adnan Saygun Caddesi, Çamlıtepe Sitesi No:74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus Ortaköy Istanbul – TURKEY

İmtiyaz Sahibi/Licensee:

Sorumlu Yazı İşleri Müdürü/ Responsible Editor: Laily Neyzi

Adresi/Address: Kemerburgaz Mesa Evleri, Lavanta 7, D:9, 34075 Göktürk, Istanbul

Yayın Türü/Issue Type: Yerel Süreli

Tasarım/Design: Marlet Advertising Studios www.marlet.com.tr +90 216 386 32 16

The Team members 2012-2013

Matbaa/Printer: Marlet Print Solutions www.marlet.com.tr +90 216 386 32 16

Special thanks to Phil Connor for our cover photo.

Basım Tarihi:

phil@philconnor.com www.philconnor.com

10.08.2012 Sayı: 60

Phil Connor Photography

September | October 2012

Yasemin S. Olcay

Board Letter

Dear ladies, It has been a long and pleasant summer with great weather and activities. The summer time is a slower, more casual time but the pace is quickening as we return to city life. All of this has me and my friends thinking about change. As we all prepare to embark on a new year’s journey (I’m a firm believer that September brings with it more change than January the 1st does), I have been contemplating the fact that you can not always be completely prepared for new situations. They arise when we’re least expecting them and most of the time, succeed in startling us and coaxing us out of our ordinary life patterns, making way for growth.

The Lale is undergoing changes as well. It has taken a lot of hard work and solid team effort to try to deliver an engaging, positive and useful magazine for our members. I’m not even mentioning the chaos that ensues close to our submission deadline! The summer is an even bigger challenge, with people away on holidays and spending time with their families. Please keep in mind that we are always looking for contributors; whether you submit something, assist me in putting the Lale together or simply proofread a couple of articles. If you want to become a part of the Lale process, or want to be notified of issue themes and deadlines, please contact me at lale@iwi-tr.org.

Yasemin S. Olcay Lale Editor 2012-2013

The IWI board has been busy planning and implementing changes to improve and enhance the Istanbul experience for our members. IWI is an organization I’m proud to be a part of and I hope our newcomers will soon adapt and thrive in the warm, social atmosphere. With programs encompassing careers to childcare, I’m confident that each and every one of you will find your place here. I hope you share my excitement at the start of this new season and seize every opportunity to experience all Istanbul has to offer. Welcome to the IWI!

September | October 2012

NEIGHBOURHOOD COFFEE MORNINGS

Nalini Narang

Dear All, Welcome back and hope you had a great summer. Neighbourhood Coffee Mornings will start on Wednesday, 10th October. Hope you all are looking forward to another great year with your Coffee Morning Groups. I certainly am looking forward to meeting my old friends and catching up on what's been happening in their lives ! Neighbourhood Coffee Mornings(Ncm's) are a great way to meet your neighbours over a cup of coffee, without having to travel long distances. Its a great way to exchange ideas, share news and attend IWI organised Programs together. In the past year, ladies have organised and attended museums, parks, cinemas, walks, cooking demos, boat trips and many other fun events together with their Groups. Every member is automatically part of their Ncm group. Ncms are held every 2nd Wednesday of every month from 10.30-12.30. Your Area Coordinator will send out an invitation to you, in case you do not hear from them, kindly contact them or me (details below). The success of your group depends on your participation. Kindly, volunteer to host an Ncm and attend your NCms regularly. A big thank you to all our 15 coordinators from last year, who did such a fantastic job. Special thanks to Christina Turk, Asst.NCM Coordinator for doing an excellent job with our database. And of course, to all you ladies who hosted the Coffee Mornings !!! Below is a list of our 15 Areas alongwith the Area Coordinators and their contact details. Best regards, Nalini Narang Neighbourhood Coffee Mornings Coordinator ncm@iwi-tr.com

September | October 2012

NEIGHBOURHOOD COFFEE MORNINGS

AREA

NEIGHBORHOOD

COORDINATOR

PHONE

MAIL

Area A

Etiler

Maria Lowenberg

05424013199

marialowenberg@hotmail.com

Area B

Tarabya

Debbie Sainte-Rose

05317691368

debbiesainterose@yahoo.com

Area C

Ulus Akatlar

Kuruçeşme

Christina Turk

05322425716

christinaturk@tnn.net

Area D

Arnavutköy Bebek

Rumeli Hisarı Baltalimanı

These members are requested to contact Nalini Narang.

Area E

Ortaköy Levazım

Balmumcu

Carmen Rosello

05376172993

croselman@hotmail.es

Area F

Beşiktaş Levent

Hana Moualla

05318747479

hanamoualla@hotmail.com

Area G

Nişantaşı Osmanbey Şişli Fulya

Gayretepe Esentepe Kurtuluş Maçka

Bettina Oltmanns

05336811888

bettina.oltmanns@web.de

Area H

Yeniköy Maslak

İstinye

Margie Lambert-Sen

05337760611

mlsen@hotmail.com

Area I

Emirgan Sariyer

Büyükdere

Dany Bosseler

02122771884 05335426182

dbosseler@gmail.com

Area J

Zekiriyaköy Kilyos

Uskumruköy

Julia Gunn

Area K

Kemer Göktürk

Area L

Beyoğlu Taksim/Tünel Sultanahmet Harbiye Tepebaşı Fatih Gümüşsuyu

Cihangir Teşvikiye Gaziosmanpaşa Kabataş Eyüp Topağacı

Area M

Maltepe Üsküdar Moda Ataşehir

artal K Ömerli Kandilli

Area O

Ümraniye Çekmeköy Beykoz Çengelköy Anadolu Hisarı

Beylerbeyi Kanlıca Küçükyalı Salacak

Area P

Büyükcekmece Kücükcekmece Hadimköy Bakirköy Ataköy Yesilköy Yesilyurt Bahceköy

Area Y

Caddebostan Fenerbahçe Bostancı Erenköy Kalamış Suadiye

September | October 2012

juliagunn@hotmail.com

Fernanda E.Machado

02122397028 05419619671

Mora_fernanda@hotmail.com

Bettina Oltmanns

05336811888

bettina.oltmanns@web.de

Lynn Nish Jan Grey

05342558913

lynnish@yahoo.com grays@ttmail.com

Valerie Celebi

05322348282

valericelebi@superonline.com

Bahcelievler Günesli Yenibosna Beylikdüzü Halkali Bahcesehir Bagcilar Esenyurt

Natalie Vaatz Deutscher

05347872788

nvaatz@gmail.com

alideçeşme V Göztepe Bakkalköy Çiftehavuzlar Şaşkınbakkal Küçük Bakkalköy

These members are requested to attend thr Newcomers Coffee mornings in Erenköy at Cafe Cadde every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month.

ıwı regular activities

Café Meet in Alkent - Now meeting twice a month!

Asian Coffee Mornings in Erenköy

Our popular bi-weekly meeting spot in Etiler welcomes you anytime between 12 noon and 2 pm for lunch, coffee and a friendly chat. Camellia, Jo and Hana, our newcomer coordinators, will be there to greet you with a smile and introduce you to the other members. We look forward to seeing you there!

Please note that we now regularly meet at CAFE CADDE in Erenköy. Meet new members, establish new friendships or renew existing ones in İstanbul. Please note that Cafe Cadde offers 10% discount and free coffee/tea for IWI members!

cel ? Are You a Newcomer announce that IWI members Ayşe Yü ch The IWI is happy tohold special programs for newcomers ea and Kim Francis will the calendar for details! month. Please check

Date

: See Calendar for details

Time

Venue

: Meet Café (Nunyo Café)

Cost

: Pay as you order

Meeting Place

: Tepecik Yolu, Alkent Sitesi, Etiler

Reservations

: Not required

Phone

Camellia Sağışman 0532 236 97 55 : Hana Danon 0532 213 31 51 Jo Bradly 05385111948

12 noon to 2 pm ( Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month - see calendar for details)

Date

See Calendar for Details

Time

11:00 am - 1:30pm ( Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month - see calendar for details)

Venue

Cafe Cadde, Erenköy

Cost

Pay as you order

Meeting Place

Bağdat Caddesi, Cafe Cadde, Erenköy

Reservations

No reservations necessary

Person to Contact

Petra Gönenç

Contact details

0532 275 42 19

September | October 2012

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL 2012 OPENING MEETING Wednesday, September 19, 2012 10:30 am until 1:00 pm at the Hilton International Hotel Istanbul

•

Discover what the IWI interest groups and programs team have planned for the year

•

Meet the charities that the IWI supports

•

Come and talk to other interest groups and associations in Istanbul

•

Tea and coffee will be served

•

Children are welcome

For more information on the IWI, please see our website www.iwi-tr.org If you have any questions you can contact us at chairwoman@iwi-tr.org

ıwı regular activities

ART CLUB Experiment with your creativity. Are you an artist or craftsperson? The IWI welcomes workshops help by members. E-mail esbie@iwi-tr.org if you would like to share your talents with us!

BOOK CLUB The IWI has 2 Book Clubs running. E-mail Mary Akgüner at mary.akguner@gmail.com to become a member of Book Club 2. Leslie Tahtakiliç is the contact for Book Club 1 but it is currently over-subscribed.

IWI CHESS CLUB Once a month, IWI members will get the opportunity to learn to play chess or to improve their chess skills free of charge with Woman Chess Grand Master and 2006 European Champion Ekaterina Atalik. Children from the age of five are welcome. Reserve directly with Ekaterina at makacat@yandex.ru or 05336904782. In January chess meetıng wıll take place on the 20th at 5.00 pm.

IPWIN My name is Katharina Omar, I’m from Germany and came 1 year ago to Istanbul due to my husband’s professional transfer. I enjoy spending time with my 20 months old son and walking / strolling through the beautiful parks of Istanbul. After working in the hotel industry for the last 11 years, in Germany, Dubai and South Africa I’m looking forward to contribute my international experiences to the IPWIN network and program.

NEIGHBOURHOOD COFFEE MORNINGS Everyone is automatically a part of their Neighbourhood Coffee Mornings (NCMs) which meet on the second Wednesday of the month between 10:30 – 12:30. Please be on the lookout for e-mails from your area coordinator for the location of your NCM. For more information contact: Nalini Narang, Neighbourhood Coffee Mornings Coordinator at 0554 861 8058 or nalini@iwi-tr.org.

YOGA AT THE LIFECO Use your IWI 50% discount to join the daily yoga sessions at LifeCo in Akatlar. No reservations are required. Daily at 8:00 am.

PHOTOGRAPHY The photo club is a group of international members whose skill levels vary from the very basic to semi-professional, but who all share the desire to capture the world in a photograph and to explore Istanbul while doing so. The group discussion includes all current event information, bi-weekly photo challenges, tips & tricks, and general photography topics. For more information, contact Jennifer Gürcüoğlu at photoclubofistanbul@gmail.com

OFFICE HOURS The IWI office hours are on Wednesdays from 10:30 - 1:00. Our new office is nice and bright and has a lovely garden. Feel free to drop in for a chat or if you have any questions. The address is: Ahmet Adnan Saygun Caddesi No 74, Çamlitepe Sitesi Block C1/D2, Ulus 34347. Telephone: 0212 287 3571

If you are interested in coordinating the Tennis or Movie Club, or are interested in forming a new club, please contact programs@iwi-tr.org

September | October 2012

joın ıwı

Join the 2012/2013 IWI Board & IWI Teams

• Do you want to meet people from all over the world and join a fun team? • Do you want to sharpen your professional skills? • Do you want to learn a completely new skill? • Do you have some extra time on your hands? • Do you have excellent people skills?

f you answered yes to any of the questions above we have a place for you on the IWI board. Whether you would like to help a little or would like to play a more professional role, we would like to speak to you! We can offer you support in undertaking a new role and learning new skills. There is no need for you to have a gap in your CV and you can gain valuable experience while you are in Istanbul.

Positions for the 2012/2013 season include: IWI Leadership:

Promotion:

• • •

• • • •

Motivation and management of a diverse team Planning and policy Liaison with members and local community

Lale magazine editing, contribution & proofreading Website and e-newsletter Advertising and sponsorship Photography and photo database management

Event Management: Programs and Activities • •

Christmas Bazaar team Spring Ball team

September | October 2012

• •

Creating exciting programs Neighbourhood coffee morning coordinators

Please contact chairwoman@iwi-tr.org for more information.

Programs Regular Activitices Mums’n Kids IPWIN National Holidays

Calendar SEPTEMBER

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

OCTOBER

Monday 1

Tuesday 2

Wednesday 3

Asian Coffee Morning

Sunday 7

National Holiday

Alkent Coffee Morning

Anekdota

Neighborhood Coffee Morning Iranian Cooking Demonstration

Chat with Burçin Barlas

Saturday 6

Friday 5

Asian Coffee Morning Anekdota

Thursday

Newcomer Turkish Hospitality Event

Alkent Coffee Morning

National Holiday

September | October 2012

Spring Ball 2012

Comments and photos

Spring Ball,

‘‘Hello ladies, Thank you for a great party yesterday (speaking as a guest!). The tables and flowers looked so pretty, the food was scrumptious and I love the entertainment, specially the white characters! My husband and I haven't danced for months and we did yesterday so it was great fun! I really liked helping you out! Great team! See you soon!’’ Marine

September | October 2012

Spring Ball 2012

from our

2012

‘‘Yes the white characters was SOO fun. Everyone loved loved loved it!’’ Johanna

‘‘You organized another great party! Beautiful location, tasty food, lots of drinks, good DJ, nice entertainment. Perfect organization! We had a very good time. Thank you very much! It was indeed La Dolce Vita.’’ Laurina

‘‘We want to say a big thank you for the wonderful organization last Saturday. Food, dancers, music and the beautiful location…everything was perfect! We all had a great time…one of the best parties we have been in a long time! Well done. ‘‘I must say something. The dinner and the service we received from Carlo Bernardini and his team on Saturday was simply outstanding. It puts (others) to shame (…) I think ours was a class apart. So, three cheers...’’ Nalini

September | October 2012

Grazie e abbraccio,’’ Pervin

Spring Ball 2012

‘‘Thank you for a nice evening on Saturday. It was a beautiful event and we enjoyed it very much.’’ Maj-Britt

‘‘I just want to congratulate all of you on a job well done. I think the evening went perfectly and I received many positive comments from our guests.’’ Suzy

‘‘We had a marvelous time. We were very impressed by the organization, the food, the entertainment, the fun silent auction....and the beautiful venue. Great job! Bravo!’’ Michele and Esat

”Una grande serata, una magnifica notte! Suzy, IWI Spring Ball Dolce Vita was one of the best parties I’ve been to in a long time, great place, organization, you and Esbie have done a wonderful job, bellissimo, fantastico! ‘‘ Martijn Leenhouts

September | October 2012

Summer Lunch 2012

IWI SUMMER LUNCH ACTIVIT Y ! A D A U S N O H IS F AT

September | October 2012

programs Enter and Share The Intimacy of Turkish Culture

Iranian Cooking Demonstration at Hayyam Middle Eastern Restaurant

IWI member and former Events Coordinator, Eleonore Gamard, is currently developing, in collaboration with her long-time friend, Marine Gicqueau, an online project focused on the observation and the sharing of curious events that you have experienced in a different culture. This website thrives to create the virtual collection of your cultural anecdotes! This workshop will be held in two parts and is essential to the launch of the ANEKDOTA website. Support them by joining this program and sharing your anecdotes ! The first part will be held in the streets of Istanbul. The coordinator will introduce the idea behind ANEKDOTA and lead you into one of the more traditional neighborhoods of Istanbul. There, we will confront ourselves to different cultures and each participant will be invited to record curious events in whatever shape or form.

In our first cooking demonstration for this new year, we venture into a cuisine that we have not yet had opportunity to explore so far. Into a cuisine which sounds as exotic as it tastes ; from a land which shares history and ingredients with Mesopotamian and Mediterranean cuisines. We dive into the flavours of Iranian cuisine this month; right here in Istanbul. We visit the beautiful Hayyam Middle Eastern Restaurant at Arnavutkoy for our rendezvous with Iranian cuisine. We have been offered a very special Menu at a very special price! We have limited seats for the cooking demonstration so make your reservations early. If you wish to skip the demonstration and join us only for the sumptuous lunch , you are welcome to do so at a discounted price.

The second part will be held in the IWI office, a week later. Participants are recommended to join with their laptop and with cultural anecdotes collected during the trek or from before (details will be sent upon reservation). The coordinator will lead a discussion on the cultural anecdotes created during the trek and how they compare to our respective cultures. We will also take this opportunity to share our anecdotes with the online community on the ANEKDOTA website www.shareyouranecdote.com.

MENU: Panir Sabzi -Feta cheese and assortment of fresh herbs and radish Mast Va Khiar - thick yogurt with fresh and dried herbs and cucumbers Kookoo Sabzi- special vegetable patties Iranian safran rice Baghala polo[ rice with dried broad beans] served with lamb shanks Zereshk polo[ rice with raisins] served with chicken Kebabs ; 3 kinds of kebabs will be served One glass of wine or soft drinks Safran ice-cream will be served for dessert Date

Wednesday,10th October

Time

10:30 am -2pm Cooking demo & lunch; 12:00 pm - Lunch only

Venue

Hayyam Middle Eastern Restaurant,Main Floor,Villa Denise Hotel,Birinci Cadd No.50,Arnavutkรถy.

Cost

65TL cooking demo and lunch; 55TL Lunch only

Reservations

Online on IWI website ; www.iwi-tr.org LATE CANCELLATIONS MUST PAY, 48 hours advance notice required.

Deadline

Monday,8th October

Date

*Tuesday, October 9th (Rain date: Thursday, October 11th) *Tuesday, October 16th

Time

10 am to 1 pm

Venue

*Trek in Fatih (meeting point to be communicated upon reservation) *At the IWI Office, with your laptop

Cost

10TL (recommended donation to support the project and cover catering)

Number of participants

20 maximum (other dates will be offered)

Person to Contact

Eleonore Gamard

Person to Contact

Ambili Ramachandran

Contact Details

eleonore@shareyouranecdote.com

Contact Details

reservations@iwi-tr.org

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

September | October 2012

programs Informal Chat With Burçin Barlas

More Than a Coffee Morning!

Are you curious to learn more about legal matters pertinent to your life as either a citizen or an expat living in Turkey? Do you have questions regarding the workings of the Turkish legal system and how it affects you? Please join us at the IWI office for an informal chat with a leading lawyer practicing in Istanbul.

Exciting times are here! This year IWI has decided to do something special for our new members who have joined us in the past one year. We plan to do a whole series of Newcomer Events this year to welcome our members and introduce them to Turkish customs, traditions, food and culture; in short the Turkish way of Living life to the fullest!

Attorney-at-law, Burcin Barlas will be sitting down with us to discuss issues relating to life in Turkey and will happily share his expertise in the following areas: legal rights for foreigners living in Turkey, inheritance laws, divorce/child custody laws, buying property in Turkey and much more. Burcin has been practicing law for many years and has extensive experience in commercial and corporate law, foreign investment law, corporate restructuring and real estate and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to receive professional advice and information about many of the topics which you may have to face at some point during your stay in Turkey.

And guiding us along this exciting journey is our very own IWI member, Ayse Yucel. Ayse is an American Turkish citizen and has lived in Istanbul for over 30 years and been an active IWI member for over 20 years. She brings in the right mix of international and local knowledge, thus helping people discover the real and authentic Turkey hidden away in the by lanes of Istanbul! We start our events for Newcomers with an Introductory Morning to Turkish cuisine and Turkish hospitality .You will be tasting homemade Turkish cooking at its best. To add a dash of Turkish culture, will be our long time member Pervin Leenhouts with a short belly dance show and lesson ! Grab your seats for this one...they are limited and won’t last long!

Date

Thursday, October 11th

Date

Wednesday,17th October

Time

10:30 AM - 12:30

Time

11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Venue

IWI Office, Ulus

Venue

Ayşe Yücel’s home in Yeniköy

Cost

Free

Cost

Complimentary by the hostess

Reservations

Online at www.iwi-tr.org

Reservations

Online on IWI website ;www.iwi-tr.org

Deadline

Monday, October 8th

Deadline

Monday,15th October

Person to Contact

Suzy Kaluti

Person to Contact

Ambili Ramachandran

Contact Details

chairwoman@iwi-tr.org or 0533-331-4343

Contact Details

reservations@iwi-tr.org

Please note CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. For non members the cost of this programme is an additional 20 TL.

September | October 2012

CHARITY

Nilgün Çoruk

Volunteer With Us Darüşşafaka aims to provide “equal educational opportunity” for children who are without parents and financial stability.

arüşşafaka was established in 1863 with the purpose of providing education to children from financially disadvantaged families. One of Turkey’s oldest NGOs, Darüşşafaka continues its work today by providing free boarding school education to disadvantaged students of high potential, whose fathers are deceased. In accordance with our mission of achieving “equal opportunity in education”, an amendment made to our Bylaws on April 14, 2012, now allows Darüşşafaka to also accept students who are motherless. In the 2012-13 program year, 120 of 989 students will be the new 4th graders who were recently selected on the basis of their performance of a skills-based test, administered annually in 20 different provinces of Turkey. Until their graduation from Darüşşafaka High School, all students are provided with private school quality education that meets highest international standards, at no cost to their families. At Darüşşafaka, students begin their English language education at 4th grade. At grade 6, they have a choice of selecting between French and German as their second foreign language. However, they believe that language proficiency alone does not guarantee good communication skills. In order to prepare the students for a successful entry in the global job market,

strengthening their communication skills in English emerges as an imperative. However, achieving foreign language fluency requires going beyond traditional classroom settings. Darüşşafaka hopes to achieve this by providing its students with opportunities to engage with other speakers of the language (ideally native) in semiformal settings. IWI and its diverse member base emerged as a potential partner for Darüşşafaka in this endeavour. Darüşşafaka could offer valuable volunteering opportunities for IWI’s members, while IWI could help Darüşşafaka gain access to an international network volunteers who are committed to supporting equality in education. IWI volunteers could help these children of Darussafaka with special projects by using conversational English, French and German. Darussafaka would appreciate IWI volunteers to come to the school located in Maslak for about one hour per week. The preferred hours are 15:30 to 17:30 (afterschool hours). Children in need of improving their foreign language skills are high school and 4th through the 8th grade students. Darüşşafaka suggested several activities in which IWI members could contribute: •

Volunteer can make a presentation about her profession or country (different nationalities each week)

•

A big world map or poster to be filled out after every speaker talks about her country • An issue to be debated can be considered and students can make their preparations beforehand • Discussions of various professions that are popular and the opportunities of studying abroad (high school students) • Volunteers could discuss the various festivals or holidays in their country • Story reading sessions with the 4th and 5th grades • Support for Model of United Nations (for the country the student will be representing) • Support for Destination and Imagination Club (to create scenarios). • Other ideas are welcome from members Other organizations which are supporting Darussafaka are English Speaking Union and the American Consulate. School for the upcoming school season opens in mid September. They are having a homecoming party on September 16th and all interested are welcome to attend. This can give interested members to meet with some of the children, staff and get a feel for this community. To become a volunteer please contact: Ms. Burçak Karakaya 212-276-5020 x482 Burcak.karakaya@darussafaka.org

September | October 2012

CHARITY

More Opportunities to Volunteer... Pink Angels

Bomonti Home for the Elderly

For many years the Pink Angels have been doing fantastic work at the SSK Okmeydanı Hospital. This dedicated group of women spend time with children suffering from leukemia by doing arts and crafts, playing games and generally just giving the children lots of loving attention. The teams of volunteers visit the hospital four days a week and each volunteer usually helps out one day a week in the morning. New volunteers are always welcome and it is not necessary to speak Turkish. The experience of working with the children is very rewarding!

Located in the Şişli area of town, the Bomonti Home is run by the Little Sisters of the Poor and cares for approximately 80 senior citizens on a full time basis. In a lovely, peaceful setting volunteers can help out during meal times, spend time with the residents talking and socializing, reading to them or assisting with grooming etc. Volunteers are also needed to help the Sisters organize their twice a year fund raising fairs. This is a great opportunity to become closely involved with the local community and you do not need to speak Turkish.

To sign-up or for more information please contact Angela at 0532 723 7611 or akuzucu81@gmail.com.

Please contact Mother Mary at 0538 267 3037 or psdptr@gmail.com or Edwena at edwenafinn@hotmail.com

September | October 2012

IPWIN

Lavinia Ganga & Katharina Omar

A New Team and a New Year for IPWIN Antra Halmagyi is Latvian nationality lady living in Istanbul as of March 2012. She has professional background in Human Resources Management in hospitality industry in Spain and home city of Riga, Latvia as well as other businesses before. Antra has studied Public Relations Management and keeps focus on networking and business environment here in Istanbul. You can always easily get a wide smile on her face by offering sweets or sharing your pet stories. Antra joined IWI in April and currently is responsible for IPWIN Coordinator and Sponsorship Coordinator duties. Feel free to contact Antra with IWI related inquiries on antra.halmagyi@gmail.com

of all mentioned – feeling of being supported by such a great community! Please follow up the IPWIN schedule for next Business Fair. As before – everyone who is working, looking for a job or change, planning to set up a new project or wants to exchange feedback is welcome to participate. IWI Season 2012-2013 opening event on September 19 is a place to be for IPWIN team. Please seek for our desk to join/renew your membership and we will be asking for some of your valued opinion for the new season’s activities, topics and how to create our network even more beneficial to everyone.

his summer has pleased us with fantastic weather and charged positively for the next season’s activities. The new IPWIN season is bringing also the changes in IPWIN Coordinators Team which is now consisting of three ladies: Katharina, Lavinia and Antra, taking over from Cerstin and Marie-Theres. More about the new team in this issue of LALE and IPWIN LinkedIn page. Before looking forward, it is absolute pleasure to look back to the IPWIN Business Fair – season closing event which was taking place in Taxim Hill Hotel and June 14. The Business Fair was a platform to exchange and share expertise, ideas and get immediate and trusted feedback for your business, ideas, product or services. In cozy atmosphere we were mingling and getting inspired from each other. For those, seeking for or offering some skill, competency and/or service it was just as simple as to put it on one of the announcement boards and get immediate info if somebody else is seeking or offering what you need. All of business or ideas were presented individually by our members with loads of information and details. Everyone received one or few benefits from the event – whenever it was inspiration, advice, feedback or new contacts for future. One and most important

IPWIN New Season Opening event will follow on October 22 in British Consulate where in splendid environment we will share our ideas and plans for the upcoming season. All existing and new members will receive detailed information with invitation to RSVP for the event. As the year before, we continue to organize regular First Tuesday of each month get-together at restaurant of Gezi Hotel Bosporus. The following one is scheduled for October 2 at 19:00. Do not want to miss events this season? Make sure you sign up for IPWIN at the IWI season opening event or directly on ipwin@iwi.tr.org IPWIN on LinkedIn Everyone is welcome to join IPWIN group on LinkedIn to be up-todate with the activities, events and information shared by members. IPWIN Network is a community for active, creative and inspiring woman – whenever if they are currently employed, employing, looking for job or networking or just want to “stay tuned” on actual tendencies of professional world. Feel free to join for any reason! Warmest regards and looking forward to meet you all in this season, Antra, Lavinia & Katharina.

September | October 2012

IPWIN

The New IPWIN Team

Lavinia Lorenzen completed successfully her university education after studying Business Administration, Marketing and Organizational Psychology at the University of Hamburg and the Bordeaux Business Management School. Her professional experience is based on her activity for several years as an employee at a well-known German consulting firm as a business consultant, as well as her engagement as a business coach and workshop trainer. Her intercultural experience is based on professional assignments to several European countries (Germany, France, Romania) and Turkey.

My name is Katharina Omar, I’m from Germany and came 1 year ago to Istanbul due to my husband’s professional transfer. I enjoy spending time with my 20 months old son and walking / strolling through the beautiful parks of Istanbul. After working in the hotel industry for the last 11 years, in Germany, Dubai and South Africa I’m looking forward to contribute my international experiences to the IPWIN network and program

September | October 2012

sponsored artıcle

In Cornucopia’s Connoisseur’s Guide to Istanbul (No 32), Owen Matthews extols a life of exile on the Princes Islands. When IWI members book into the Splendid through

SOME ENCHANTED EVENING

een from Istanbul on a summer’s day, the nine Princes Islands seem to float in the heat haze of the Sea of Marmara like a stone Armada anchored off the Anatolian shore. Scores of ferries and private motorboats packed with day-trippers stream out from the city, filling the islands’ stony beaches with swimmers and their pavement fish restaurants with diners. On summer nights the main square of Büyükada (also known as Prinkipo), the largest of the islands, is thronged with chattering teenagers and the terrace of the venerable Splendid Hotel fills with venerable old ladies playing silent games of whist. But the Princes Islands have not always been the city’s holiday playground. To the early Byzantines, they were the Demonnesoi, the Demons Islands, perhaps in an unconscious echo of the ancient fear of mysterious, bewitched islands that haunts much ancient literature, beginning with The Odyssey. Perhaps, more practically, the demons the Byzantines feared were those who wrecked ships during the Marmara’s short but vicious autumn storms on the treacherous shoals between the islands and the coast – including three phantom islands, now safely marked by lighthouses, which break the surface of the water only at low tide. Or perhaps they were disturbed by the almost supernatural way that the islands, so deadly real to sailors, melt like a mirage when the winter sea-fog rolls in and hides them from the eyes of city-dwellers as though they had never existed. Certainly, the history of the

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Princes Islands shows that they can hold Calibans as well as Ariels. As Gustave Schlumberger wrote in his charmingly hyperbolic 1891 book, Les Îles des Princes, “No corner of the Earth is more fertile in stories of lamentable catastrophes, in poignant lessons in the vanity of human grandeur.” In winter, when the restaurants and bars are closed and the waves pound the pier balustrade to pieces, life becomes rather like that on a ship at sea – one nods to a dozen neighbours on the ferry, and beyond the rain-streaked windows the lights of Istanbul disappear astern as though they were just another island in the stream. As John Fowles wrote in a 1978 essay, “Island communities are the original alternative societies – some vision of utopian belonging, of social blessedness, of an independence based on cooperation, haunts them all… Islands are also secret places, where the imagination never rests.” The spirit of the islands is nothing if not inspiring. As I write this, the setting sun outside my study window has turned the sky behind Halki to a deep purple and the sea to a luminous silver. The lights of the city twinkle in the distance, just as they did when the Emperor Romanus watched the same sea and the same sunsets. Some of the melancholy of exile still haunts the islands. But in a busy world, exile, even an imaginary one just a dozen miles from the heart of a teeming city of 15 million, also has its joys. Owen Matthews is the author of Stalin’s Children: Three Generations of Love and Betrayal (Bloomsbury)

www.cornucopia.net/guide/istanbul

September & October 2012

September | October 2012

lale SPeCIal sponsoredOFFeR artıcle cornucopiahotels.com, awaiting them in the fabled island hotel will be The Princes Islands, by John Freely, a bottle of refreshing wine and our Büyükada special, Cornucopia 16

The islands of Heybeliada (ancient Halki), Burgaz and Kinali seen in the evening light from the monastery of Aya Yorge, on the neighbouring island of Buyükada (photograph by Jürgen Frank, Cornucopia 32)

September & October 2012

September | October 2012

Yasemin S. Olcay

LALE Features

l u b n a t Is

Two women answer questions about their experiences in Istanbul - Cultural diversity, language issues and their favorite parts of the city. 1. Where are you from and how much travel experience did you have prior to coming to Istanbul?

J : North America, born in Ithaca, New York. I went to Paris as an Au Pair after graduating early from high school and have been traveling ever since. I discovered Canada working for the Canadian government-Tourism Canada, used my second language, French, then worked for Swiss Airlines for 10 years and travelled for business and pleasure. I worked and dreamed of my next destination looking on a map of the world and planning a few day's getaway to discover a new city. When I left the airline in 1996, I traveled around the world for 180 days and slept in a different bed every 2-3 nights. I went to over 15 countries and 36 cities. I published my first book DARE to Travel the World - with a book signing tour on September 11, 2001. S: I’m American, originally from Reno, Nevada, but my family now lives just outside Portland, Oregon. I had a little bit of travel experience before moving to Turkey-- a couple of family trips to Mexico, and some summer trips around Europe over college summer breaks. 2. What was your reason for moving to Istanbul?

J: Istanbul is a vibrant urban city and I moved here for the luscious peaches, sweet melons and tasteful tomatoes and big city living. I first visited Istanbul in July of 1996 on my around-the-world trip. I remember eating peaches and melons, traveling by bus along the Aegean with stops in Canakkale, Izmir, Ephesis, Bodrum and Datcha. My good first experiences have been bringing me back for over 16 years and now I?m living here in the city and loving it! I?ve been here two years. S: I came here pretty much for same reason Turks leave—work. I finished my MATESOL in 2001, and at that time, Turkey was one of the best deals pay-wise. When I came to Istanbul in 2002, I accepted a job in a dershane that no longer exists, packed up way more stuff than I needed, and took the leap. I was planning on staying here for a long time, though perhaps not this long. 3. Please describe one experience which surprised you in your first few months living here. J: My husband and I relocated here after six years in Saudi Arabia. I was delighted with public transportation, especially the ferry service! Couldn?t drive in Saudi Arabia, don?t want to drive in Istanbul - too much traffic. Happy with access to reliable public transportation!

S: When I first came here, I was surprised how many openly gay men there were, and how often people argue. It took me a little while to work out that men are just way more physically affectionate with each other than American men are, and that people shout and gesticulate a lot even when they’re getting along well. 4. Did you experience 'culture shock' when you arrived? What did you do to adjust to life in Istanbul?

J: When we arrived I found a flat in a house in Uskudar; the family (two bothers and their families) took us in like family and made settling in easy for us. One shock was the flat was completely bare?no light sockets in the ceiling, no amenities like refrigerator, washer, dryer, oven?completely bare. Second cultural adjustment; communicating was difficult and I took two months of intensive Turkish language. I?m still struggling with language, but have learned to communicate with pictures, drawings, hand gestures, google translate and smiles. I use ?Turglish? when desperate and it gets me laughs and most of the time some mutual understanding. However, sometimes is doesn’t. S: You know, in my orientation packet for my first job, there was a little handout

September | October 2012

LALE Features

about culture shock and its stages: Honeymoon, Negotiation, Adjustment, and Mastery. According to this piece of paper, I was meant to get through all these phases within less than a year. Except it didn’t happen like that. The whole Honeymoon thing lasted well over a year and I was crazy in love with everything that happened, even the things that sucked. As for the Negotiation phase (I’ve also heard this called the “Rejection” phase), that lasted like 5 years and I hated Turkey and everything about it. Probably that was mostly related to things in my personal life more than it was about Turkey itself. But then things got better and now I’m in this delicious process of adjusting, or readjusting, which probably has a lot to do with my ongoing ecstasy of managing to get a divorce and custody of my kid, and also watching my kid grow up into this wonderful person who is very much Turkish in addition to being bi-cultural. My Turkish keeps getting better, and I’m always finding ways to make things go the way I want them to. Ask me in 20 years if I feel like I’ve “Mastered” anything. I will probably say “no” and I’m cool with that. 5. Do you have any tips for newcomers? J: Adjust your expectations (lower) for ease of moving in, setting up utilities, and cost. Get recommendations from groups like IWI, PAWI, and friends of friends and website recommendations like mymerhaba.com S: I can’t offer advice to newcomers, because my situation for coming to Turkey is so different from other people’s, and my mindset is bound to be different from other people’s. Just bring more money than you think you’ll need and do your best not to get mad at frustrating things because no one really means to make you mad. It’s just different, that’s all. A lot of things are so unbelievably frustrating, but getting mad doesn’t help the situation at all. 6. How is Turkey different compared to other countries/cultures you have experienced living in? S: Everything about Turkey is so completely different from any other place I’ve been, though I admit Turkey is the farthest East I’ve ever been. The longer I stay here, the more different I realize everything is. It’s one of the things I love about living here, how every day I discover, in some small way, a new way of thinking.

September | October 2012

7. What are your favorite sightseeing attractions and why? J: The Sultanahmet area has undergone many improvements, more pedestrianfriendly. Strolling through the streets is always a pleasure. The shops glitter with tiles, color and great gifts to take home. S: I’m pretty boring, actually. I like all the usual tourist places in Istanbul—the old places in the tourist guides, like Sultanahmet and Beyoğlu. I love it when people come to visit me here and I have an excuse to go touristing. But since I’m used to it here and I can’t get horribly lost anymore, I like wandering the side streets and seeing what there is to see, even if it’s nothing special. Even after 10 years, the feeling of touching thousand year-old stone, or watching people do one hundred year-old things, still completely thrills me. 8. What are your favorite places in Istanbul? (restaurants, bars, cafes, parks etc.) Do you have any discoveries/tips you would like to share with our readers? J: Akbank Sanat-Beyoglu/Taksim, this four story building- an Arts Center- houses an art gallery, small, intimate performance theatre, dance studio, lithograph studio and a sunny open cafe on the top floor. They have a great map of the area too! The event calendar is www.akbanksanat.com.

looks the playground and you can let the little ones roam free, sort of, plus there are chickens and peacocks and stuff. I love Nevizade (yeah, I know—boring again) for drinking and whatever else. Arnavutköy is gorgeous, though I don’t know it well. So is Polonezköy. Or Çengelköy, especially for breakfast. Now that I’m out in Sarıyer, I adore the seaside there, plus the places around like Rumeli Feneri or any of the spots in between and beyond, wherever the minibuses go. My favorite walk will forever be through the Grand Bazaar, then through Mahmutpaşa to the Spice Bazaar, then to Eminönü, across Galata Bridge to the old funicular to Tünel, or just hoofing it up the hill to Tünel. Jessica Stockwell Editor-in-Chief istreetguide.com jessica@jessicastockwell.com Sarah Metzker Erdemir. Instructor in the English Language Center at Koç University. istsstranger@ gmail.com. http://istanbuls-stranger.blogspot.com Yasemin S. Olcay Lale Editor lale@iwi-tr.org

5.Kat-Cihangir, this is a delightful, charming restaurant-bar, casual to semi formal for couples and small groups of 4-6 with seating for about 50, and a stunning view of the Bosphorus. Off the beaten path, Soganci Sk. No:3 off Siraselviler close to Almani Hastanesi. www.5kat.com. Gulhane Park-Sirkeci, a lovely, open, green park to stroll through and visit the History of Islamic Science and Technology Museum. Friday Market-Uskudar, a neighborhood tradition with villagers and small farmers bringing their fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and specialties to market. Mini outlets for clothes, essentials and great, cheap wares, every Friday in Uskudar from dawn till dusk. S: This year, I went to Emirgan Park for the tulips for the first time and it was amazing even though there were like 20 weddings going on and it was Sunday-first-nice-dayof-Spring crowded. For kids, Röne Park in Yeşilköy is fantastic, and good for the grown-ups too because the tea place over-

LALE Features

Özlem Yücelener

I’m a Turkish Woman in

New York I was one of those aliens in the USA until only two years ago. I was studying in upstate New York, in a suburban town called Binghamton, attending State University of New York, so I know what it feels like to live or better yet, survive in a totally new environment outside of your comfort zone - your home. When I graduated with a Global and International Affairs degree in 2009, I had big dreams. Of course, I didn’t dream of taking from the rich and giving to the poor like Robin Hood, or saving the world with 300 Spartans. .. I was just dreaming my own dreams, dreams which came from deep within my heart, and were accompanied by a myriad of naive feelings. In my dreams, I was living by the ocean on the West Coast, more specifically in California. I was dating a surfer and supporting myself through sports and handcraft activities, living in a nutshell, made up of bamboos and woods. Then I woke up all of a sudden, when the movie I was watching came to an end. I realized this life I was dreaming of happened only in movies. Well, at least this life I dreamt of could have become real only after my 40s, certainly not in my 20s. Then I started to dream of again living in California, only this time in Los Angeles or San Francisco. This pretty much realistic dream of mine also turned into an unrealistic one when I realized I was graduating from a New York State university, which meant that I had a better chance of finding a job if I applied within state borders, which was obviously not California! That's when I had to face the fact that I was bound to live and work in New York, if I really wanted to stay and if I really really wanted to make my American Dream come true: to not only have studied in America, but to also have worked and lived it up to the fullest! In order to follow my dream, I followed rivers, (recall the song by Lykke Li –Follow Rivers) I followed Tweeters and of course many other dreamers! And I ended up applying to all the jobs that came my way. The result of course was rejections mostly, and sometimes no replies at all. The reality was New York was overcrowded, so why would it adopt an extra like me? The clock was ticking. I had to get something within a limited time in order to be eligible to work; and on top of it, I was supposed to be picky after the hard work of graduating with honors. Then the miracle happened and I was hired! My office was at the top of the Empire State Building, overlooking Manhattan, the East River and the Hudson! What else could I have asked for? My dream life had begun, living in a studio by myself, watch-

September | October 2012

LALE Features

ing the Times, seeing the Empire State change lights and enjoying my cupcake mini-bites. Just when it seemed like I was living in a Gossip Girl episode, reality hit me, and it was one of decay. Both working and surviving had already began impacting, damaging and destroying me... I was crushed and very much bruised by the burden of living in a metropolitan city like New York and after a while all those flashing lights dawned on me. I was too busy to even take good care of myself. It was time for me to be...To be the hero of my own story, a self-made woman. The time had come for me to rescue myself from the nightmare I was drowning in. I made my move for a better, lighter and happier life, thinking I would be much better off, if I flew off. I moved back home for good after all. Turkey was just the right place to head off to, after dancing with the wolves in the city of York’s. When I got back, everyone thought I was wrecked. I proved that I was not, just

September | October 2012

physically tired. So my story went on, by saying that I truly moved on, from the heights of cap and gown to the city life of my own starting from dusk till dawn. Then the big disappointment came, the calm after a hurricane... I was also losing the local game. I realized that after all the lights in the Empire State were not that foreign, the Bosphorus Bridge also seemed a bit more familiar, and come to think about it, everywhere on the planet seems so near. Then I thought to myself, it’s such a complicated world! The mystery of the so called “life-artistry” has come to be the key on the way to being cheery! When it was sunny, everything was funny, and when it was cool windy and breezy, I felt a bit grumpy. Then I said, it is not about the weather, it is “the gather” to keep you warm. Nevertheless, if you want to run off from the swarm, you also have to learn how to handle the storm. The storm will guide you home; it

is the road home that keeps you calm. In short, I came to figure out that it is the filter that you put on, that will make you live happily ever after. It is the pair of pink glasses you wear that will make you breathe fresh air. This is why I believe, your philosophy in life will affect you endlessly. And I do hope it will have a positive and compulsive effect on you. This is why I advise you all to always be nice, happy and wise. Do not be afraid to sail away with the hoy and lose some control. Hope to meet and see you all!

Özlem Yücelener ozlemyucelener@gmail.com

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx LALE Features

Esbie van Heerden-Ünsal

Ten Top Tips for

Istanb

Newbies in

Being a newcomer has little challenges and some minor annoyances. Esbie van Heerden -Ünsal, IWI Vice-chairwoman addresses 10 common challenges and hopes her answers may make adjustment a bit easier!

1 Lets order in…. Perhaps your kitchen is not ready yet, or you just do not feel like going out. “Yemeksepeti” is a website that will make feeding your family fun. The name translates to “Food basket” and the best thing is that it has an English option. All the restaurants that deliver in your areas are listed and you can find the menus there as well. You order online but can pay at the door! www.yemeksepeti.com

September | October 2012

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bul

2. Lets go out…

7. My husband is bored…

Do not feel limited by lack of Turkish skills or timid to reserve a table at Istanbul’s top restaurants “Rezztoran” is a company that allows you to make reservations a huge range of restaurants online. It has an English option so you have no excuse not to enjoy the best Istanbul has to offer. www. rezztoran.com

Whilst there are plenty of groups for women and opportunities for to make friends , I have heard the male newcomers to Istanbul feel more isolated. The website www.sublimeportal.com organizes “Thirsty Thursday” an informal event that takes place at a different venue each Thursday. Join the website or search for the Thirsty Thursday group on Facebook. The Istanbul Ottomans Rugby club is also a friendly group that welcomes players of all ages and abilities. They practice in Beşiktas on Saturday afternoons. Visit www.istanbulottomans. com or contact hakanunsal@hotmail.com

3. The dog is ill… Your normally friendly taxi driver drives right past poor Pluto.Yes, Istanbul taxi drivers do not like to take pets in their cars. In fact, most of them refuse. A sad fact, but luckily there is something called “Pet taxi” - they have a 24 hour hotline and also do animal transfers. You may need someone to translate, but at least there is an option. http://www.pettaksi.com.tr/

4. The cupboard is bare… Migros is one of the companies that deliver groceries and you can order online. The website has an English option, and you can pay at the door cash or with your cards. I have found the deliverymen very friendly and keen to practice their English. You can choose a convenient time slot for deliveries. You may need a Turkish speaker to help you set up the account for the first time, but then it’s pretty easy. It even remembers your shopping list! http://www.sanalmarket.com.tr

That’s the regrettable truth but do not beat your self down, it can be learnt! The language takes time and its best to enroll in a course. It’s also a good way to make friends. Take public transport, engage with people and create opportunities to practice what you have learnt. Turks are in general very appreciative towards people who try to speak Turkish, and will try to help.

9. I am single... Whilst willing males are not a scarce species in this town, it’s best to be cautious. A fun activity for singles is “Cook & Meet”. This group meets in different locations over town and learn how to cook new dishes. You can find the group on Facebook or contact Serge Bainvel s.bainvel@seedsgroup.com. tr

5. I miss my friends….

10. I am in big trouble…

Come along and join the IWI’s many activities. You will have the chance to meet women from over 50 countries and a whole new world can unfold. Once you become a member, the Lale magazine will be delivered to your door but also do not forget that all the activities are listed on the website and you must register for programs online. www.iwi-tr.org

155 is the emergency number for the police. There is also the 157 hotline for human trafficking where help can be found for foreigners whose passports are retained, or are forced to work against their will or forced into prostitution.

6. I miss my job… Why not become an IWI volunteer? Do not lose your professional skills. At present, the IWI are looking for people experienced or willing to learn more about marketing, advertising, accountancy , event management and leadership! If you want to become a volunteer and would like to join a fun team e-mail chairwoman@iwi-tr.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

September | October 2012

8. Turkish is really hard…

This hotline is open 24/7 and languages such as Turkish, English, Russian and Romanian are spoken. If you are a victim of street harassment the group at Hollaback Istanbul can offer moral support. Visit http://istanbul-en.ihollaback.org/. If you are in need of legal advice, contact any of the board members of IWI and they will be able to point to in the direction of an English speaking lawyer.

LALE Features

Jessica Stockwell

ASSOS, TUR

Sustainable Living & a Village Lifestyle Sustaining life and living off the land in the village of ilyasfaki,Turkey is joyous in the Spring where the sun, soil and hardworking villagers come to life. So does the new resident to the community of two years, Shellie. She easily converses as one of the members of the community and in small ways contributes to a vision of a new sustainable future for this small village.

Local villager Fatma, her extended family and her son, Dogan, hopefully, will prosper in and reconnect with the new world order that is now, in 2012, taking shape. One where openness, tolerance, diversity, healthy living, healthy eating and working all contribute to a growing and prosperous economy, region and world. Discovering the village, for Shellie, came by way of another expat who set up a new liv-

ing arrangement and studio in the village by renovating a vacant, partially standing stone property a few years earlier. This expat’s daughter moved to Istanbul to work and she met Shellie—the then owner of a popular restaurant, Kahvedan, in Cihangir - Istanbul. This village on the outskirts of Assos—an established Turkish tourist destination—came highly recommended as a great city getaway, Shellie went to visit. Today, about two years on, Shellie walks

September | October 2012

LALE Features

RKEY

through the village of ilyasfaki and explains what her property looked like when she was introduced to the owner, a former sheep herder. Today she greets the villagers—speaking Turkish—and inquires about family, friends and life in general. Friendly conversations are refreshing in everyday life, here and everywhere. Smiles are abundant as well as animals; sheep, cows, roosters and baby lambs close to their mothers. “The property I looked at was a slanted hill

September | October 2012

UNITING URBAN and VILLAGE LIFE

with partial stone walls, and it was never lived in or finished. It was a storage space for hay,” says Shellie pointing to a window full of stones and hay, representative of how her property looked two years ago. Located at the edge of the village, she envisioned a calm place to take in the stunning view of hills, sea and the island of Lesbos. She decided to buy the deed to the house and build it into a home fitting of the community, a comfortable place as

a big city getaway back to nature, and an opportunity to experience village life and the rich agricultural abundance of Turkey. A collaborative process—Undertaken with the input of a number of friends, designers, local ustas (tradesmen) and Shellie’s imagination and hard work, she has completed building a small, 2 bedroom stone house fitting and accepted by the local villagers. Con-

LALE Features

nections to neighbors are physically by low stone walls as well as new relationships and neighborly friendships. Charm and connectivity—a connection to the world via wi-fi and the comforts of modern amenities and utilities shared in the community, like electricity and water, keeps a thread of connection between city and village life. Charm comes from the hearts, homes and smiles of the villagers. All generous to share what they have to offer.

Jessica Stockwell Editor-in-Chief istreetguide.com jessica@jessicastockwell.com

Rolling hills expand as far as the eye can see. A view of the sea and the island of Lesbos are calming to the soul. Morning and evenings are marked by ritual sounds of bells tinkering as family herds of sheep and cows make their way to the hills, the ravine below and return. Nature—Using pictures she had in her mind, ideas she wished for, photos from magazines, sketches from designers and wisdom from the locals, a 2 bedroom village house with garden was born. From central control—a comfortable seat outside on the entrance terrace with full view of the country side and fresh air—Shellie monitors her business of renting flats in Istanbul with the ease of an iPad which easily packs away in her handbag. Garden shoes stand at attention at the door ready for duty when called upon for pruning and primping the garden in full Spring bloom. This house on the outskirts of the village is now a habitual and natural stop for villagers coming and going—and animals as well.

September | October 2012

Derryn Snowdon

LALE Features

s v DISTRACTION MINDFULNESS In our present day lives where everything is fast paced and electronic, the internet gives us instant access to news and media and mobile phones keep us connected 24/7 how can we be truly present in each moment without distractions?

September | October 2012

LALE Features

Nowadays many of us find ourselves distracted by thoughts and worries about things not present, so much so that we are not only ‘not present’ in the present but we are also getting more and more stressed by the confusion & intrusion of thoughts and worries in our minds.

ack to City Life after the summer holidays...does it have to mean ‘busyness’ and distraction? Or is there another way?

‘Mindfulness is an ancient Buddhist practice which has profound relevance for our present-day lives. This relevance has nothing to do with Buddhism per se or with becoming Buddhist, but has everything to do with waking up and living in harmony with oneself and with the world.’ (KabbatZinn, 1994, p. 3) After a school concert Isabel, who is a mother of 3, complained that she had missed the whole performance. ‘How could you have?’ her friend replied, ‘You were

there right beside me!’ She replied that although she had been physically present, her mind had been elsewhere. She said she had been distracted, worrying about problems at work and about a formal dinner party she was planning and many other things. She wondered whether her daughter had recognised her absent gaze when their eyes met at one point. She hated ‘missing’ things in this way but didn't know what to do about it. Similarly Ahmed, a father of two young girls says that he is missing their growing up. He is an alternative health practitioner and has a daytime and an evening job. He is much in demand and he wants to build a modern and lucrative practice. He described how he

tries to spend time with his daughters but regretably finds that often when playing with them his mind is elsewhere – planning his next conference paper, going over structures for his new practice, etc. In our present day lives where everything is fast paced and electronic, the internet gives us instant access to news and media and mobile phones keep us connected 24/7 how can we be truly present in each moment without distractions? How can we simply enjoy what we are doing and seeing right now without thinking and worrying about something else, or some time else past or future? Isabel and Ahmed find themselves regularly

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of anxiety in the 1950s are now the norm. Such high levels of stress in our bodies is effecting our ability to enjoy our lives and also ultimately it is Health Foundation website www.bemindful.co.uk , Professor Mark Williams states that what effecting our health and our overall well-being. Mindfulness offers a moment of calm to focus all your senses on one thing – like a form of meditation. Eating without other distractions means we enjoy our food more and being more aware of what we are eating which can help our bodies get more from food as our intestines are not stressed and so they work better to extract goodness from the food. Mindfulness is also about bringing into play all our senses. Our senses can multiply the richness of the experiences we have. When the world around us is shouting and yelling at us we dull the messages from our senses to be able to manage each day. The same is true for eating. We get by on a lot of eating while distracted and it is having a slow but significant effect on our physical and mental health. We have become so action oriented. What happened to just being,? What happened to just savouring the moment? (Excuse the pun!)

mindfulness? Make a list. Choose the steps that most move you forward to act on first. Why not take the first step today! www.dsilifecoaching.com derryn@dsilifecoaching.com Want to know more? Some resources on Mindfulness: Website: Bangor University, Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice www.bangor.ac.uk/mindfulness/index. php.en?menu=0&catid=0 Paperback: Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness meditation for everyday life by Jon Kabat-Zinn Audio CD: Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon KabatZinn

Self-Reflection Questions Gauge your level or mindfulness by answering the following questions: • • in situations where although they are physically present they are not mentally present. Their minds are busy thinking about many other things in the past or the future. All this distracted thought takes them away from enjoying the present moment and that in turn adds stress to their daily lives. They are not alone. Nowadays many of us find ourselves distracted by thoughts and worries about things not present, so much so that we are not only ‘not present’ in the present but we are also getting more and more stressed by the confusion & intrusion of thoughts and worries in our minds. In this century we are more stressed than ever before. On the UK Mental were considered clinical levels

September | October 2012

• •

How often do you get distracted or find yourself mentally absent from the events surrounding you? What sort of things do you find yourself thinking about? How do you feel after such events? Observe yourself over the coming few days to see if your answers to the above questions are accurate.

In the above exercise you became more aware of how distracted you are everyday. Initially you reflected on this then you checked your reflections over a period of time. These two activities are ways of becoming more aware of you current state on the mindful-distracted line. Mindfulness is concerned with being more aware. So just by completing the above tasks you have taken your first step towards living a more mindful life. What other steps would you like to take now you have some awareness of

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Burรงin Barlas

INFORMATION REGARDING PROPERTY PURCHASE, CITIZENSHIP & LAWSUIT FILING I- Amendments Regarding Property Purchase

oreigners will be able to purchase property from all sides of Turkey provided that such purchase is within the legal limitations. The condition of reciprocity, which used to be the former determination, is totally removed in the updated act. Foreign citizens will be able to purchase property up to 30 hectares in Turkey. Additionally, there is one condition for the foreigner with the intention to purchase land of 100 decares which is to develop a project plan for such land. A list of countries shall be determined by the Council of Ministers and such list will present the citizen of the countries that are permitted to purchase property in Turkey. Such citizens will be able to purchase, rent and collect income from their properties. In addition, such list has still not been published even though the act is enforced. In brief, the citizens of the mentioned list will be able to purchase property from all sides of Turkey, except the areas restricted by the Ministry of Defense, just like a Turkish citizen.

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Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg , Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Vatican.

Turkish citizen and the mother is not, the illegitimate child shall only be legitimatized by a court decision or recognition of the father. In case, the aforementioned methods are applied and succeeded, the illegitimate child acquires the Turkish citizenship.

First of all, a foreigner with the intention to file a lawsuit or initiate a collection proceeding in Turkey shall grant a proxy to a Turkish lawyer. It should be noted that; in the event that a foreigner intends to issue such proxy in his/her country, s/he shall pay attention that such proxy bears the mark of APOSTILLE or is approved by the Turkish Consulate. It should also be noted that the mark of APOSTILLE formalizes the document.

b) Execution of Foreign Court Settlements

In case a marriage is uninterrupted and has lasted for at least 3 years, a foreigner may acquire Turkish citizenship.

Namely, in the event that a foreigner is married to a Turkish citizen and gets divorced in a foreign country, s/he shall file a recognition and enforcement case.

The foreigners that hold the qualifications stated below, may acquire Turkish citizenship upon application.

In the event that the foreigner that has issued a proxy to a Turkish lawyer files a lawsuit or initiates a collection proceeding is under the obligation to deposit warranty to Turkish authorities. However, the citizens of the countries listed below are exempt from such obligation.

III- Information Regarding Acquiring Turkish Citizenship

• •

a) Acquisition by Birth:

•

The child of a Turkish mother is automatically deemed to be Turkish whether s/he is legitimate or illegitimate.

• •

II- The Procedure for Foreigners to File a Lawsuit and Initiate an Execution Proceeding and Execution of Foreign Court Settlements in Turkey a) The Procedure for Foreigners to File a Lawsuit and Initiate an Execution Proceeding in Turkey

Argentina ,Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China,

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In order to execute a foreign court settlement in Turkey, a case called “recognition and enforcement” shall be filed.

However, in the event that the father is a

b) Acquisition by Marriage:

c) Acquisition by the Decision of the Council of Ministers

S/he shall be full of age. S/he shall be residing in Turkey 5 years before application. S/he shall not carry any dangerous disease. S/he shall speak enough Turkish. S/he shall have a profession or an income that is enough to compensate for him/herself and the ones that s/he is obliged to look after.

mums ‘n kids

Carol Crous

Back to School Tips

he long summer holiday has come to an end and it is time to help you child adapt to a new rhythm. This change in daily routine is not that easy for all children.

During the holidays children go to bed later than normal, get up later, do not have their meals at stipulated times and within no time we expect them to adapt to a stricter routine. I suggest that next year you start the week before school starts getting them use to a new routine by making small changes which should start with going to bed earlier. Going back to school means going from a laid back routine to rules, homework and set routines. Easing your child into this new routine need not be so hard if it is done with enthusiasm and a positive attitude. Children tend to get a little anxious about going back to school because a lot of newness awaits them, i.e. teacher, classmates, subjects, after school activities and experiences. Your child might have trouble sleeping and be irritable. Younger kids may struggle with separation anxiety. Positive reinforcement will be needed with words like:” I know you can do this”, “ you are going to have a great time / day ”, “ I will be waiting for you to come home and tell me all about your day”. Before school starts go out and buy school supplies for your child. Allow them to be a part of the process of choosing a new schoolbag, pencil case, stationary and homework diary. Buy a family calendar on which you can write the school events of the first semester and any upcoming holidays and birthdays. The latter all helps your child to feel organized and prepared which will lessen the feeling of anxiety. The mother of one of my students have a blackboard in their kitchen on which she writes all upcoming events and in brackets she indicates the amount of days up to the event, i.e. “Christmas holidays (62 days). Every week she updates the amount of days until the event. This way the kids keep track of all upcoming events and birthdays. They always know what is going on. Before school starts try to arrange play dates with old school friends.

Once they reunite with their friends and start to chat about the new school year most of their anxieties should subside. Go over the travel plan to and from school with your child and go over the after school arrangements. Talk with them about the after school activities at school or activities away from school which you know they like to participate in. Start making these plans in order for them to have a clear idea of what their days and week might look like. Visit a bookshop and buy a few reading and exercise books for them to go over and help refresh their knowledge of mathematics and reading. All this will go a long way in helping them to feel confident and less anxious about going back to school. Another way for your child to settle into school quickly is to encourage them to make friends by initiating play dates early on in the new school year. I would suggest that you also arrange for old school friends, who might be in a different school or class, to come over so that they learn to foster relationships with their friends. Give your child ideas for play dates i.e. inviting a friend over to swim or to play with Lego, etc. The more you talk about the new routine and the new school year the better your child will settle in to all the newness that awaits them. During the first weeks it is very important that they feel they can manage the work in the new grade that they are in, therefore, I would suggest that you help them with their homework so that they feel successful during the settling in period. Listen to your child and be aware of any signs of anxiety i.e. loss of appetite or sleep, during the first weeks, as it is always better to get to the bottom of any difficulties your child might be experiencing at school sooner rather than later. Carol Crous LEARNING SPECIALIST The Learning Center Istanbul & Little Genius www.thelearningcenteristanbul.com www.littlegenius.com

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Nick Cullen

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t is a popular misconception that all grandparents are old and doddery, out of touch with modern times and snooze their days away in a rocking chair. The actual profile of the average grandparent is in fact very different from the above stereotype. Parents are becoming grandparents at a younger age and as such are more active, energetic and in touch with current trends. Improvements in medical care and nutrition are also resulting in longer life spans. Today’s generation of grandparents often have a living spouse and are generally healthier and more financially secure than their predecessors. As a direct result the population of grandparents is growing steadily and they are generally willing and able to take a pro-active role in family life. In an increasing number of families both parents work full time. Juggling career commitments with childcare and running of the household leaves many parents (especially mother’s) stretched and under resourced. It is in these circumstances that grandparents can be a godsend to the family unit. With up to four grandparents to join forces and provide support to both the parents and the child they are a valuable resource. To keep costs down many grandparents often become the principal child carer during the working week. Grandparents are well qualified for this role as they have the childcare and life experience that parents are sometimes still learning. This frequently makes grandparents the linchpin of the family unit. As many grandparents are retired they have ample time to spend with their grandchildren. Although sitting for youngsters provides a good reason to spend time together, it is important for children to mix with their grandparents

for other reasons. Despite the significant age gap the two generations can share a wealth of interactive experiences that will also strengthen their bond. Time together can be even more pleasurable when the two generations share common interests. So when passing quality time with your grandkids keep in mind that children thrive when they are being industrious and creative. Seek out a variety of interesting activities keeping in mind that younger children have a limited concentration capacity. Below are my favourite “top ten” activity suggestions for grandparents and grandchildren to enjoy together. The list has ideas for a range of age groups from toddler to teenager:Research your Family Tree This is the perfect project for different generations of the same family to collaborate on. Information on family roots can be sourced through on-line research (youngsters can be a valuable guide to the older generation in this digital age) to visiting local libraries, churches, mosques and registry offices to check records and gather data. Kids can even draw up a questionnaire for when they talk to other family members to learn more about the family’s history. Exchange letters or cards Youngsters today are used to communicating via “clipped” email or sms messages. So sadly handwriting is becoming a dying art form. Writing a card or letter is a much more personable way of keeping in touch with loved ones. Handwritten letters are special and can be kept as mementos for years to come. It is also the perfect way for grandchildren and grandparents to keep in regular touch. An added bonus is that a regular exchange of communications will also ensure an improvement in your child’s handwriting skills. Shared Hobbies Grandparents revel in the chance to introduce their grandchildren to new experiences. What better way to impart a new skill to youngsters than through a favourite hobby? I have fond memories of my grandad making me (with my design input!) a pair of stilts from some spare wood, which kept my friends, and I entertained for many happy hours. My other grandfather had an allotment on which he grew vegetables. I used to take great pride in digging up his produce. I am not sure my mother was so pleased when I arrived home covered in mud (grin). So whether it’s knitting,

mums ‘n kids cooking, stamp collecting or photography the older generation has a wealth of knowledge to share, which may lead to the new generation adopting a lifelong interest in the hobby too. Playing Games The good news is that cognitive skills can be integrated into games. One of the most effective and enjoyable ways to give children’s brains a healthy work out, develop concentration and keep language or maths skills sharp is by playing games. Many grandparents will be familiar with the “Hang Man” game, which can develop spelling and word decoding skills. Tiddlywinks, Noughts and Crosses and Draughts are all old favourites and will encourage kids to concentrate on strategic game play skill sets. You’re also sure to have many laughs too. Arts and Craft What could be more amusing and creative than painting your own family portraits? Use photographs of parents, siblings, grandparents or cousins to base your artwork on. To take your creations to another level use papier-mâché to give a two dimensional effect. Once dry hang your artwork just like in a stately home! Pets If grandma or grandpa has a cat, dog or budgie why not encourage your child to visit a bookshop or library to learn about the pet, its background and habits. Then under the grandparent’s guidance the grandchild can assist with feeding, grooming and exercising

the animal or bird. This will instil a sense of responsibility in the child. A journey down Memory Lane During their lifetime grandparents will have witnessed and experienced historic events such as the landing of the first man on the moon, royal coronations, the inaugural Concorde flight or sadly even wars. Whether for a school project or simply a teenager’s curiosity a chat with a grandparent can bring history to life! Hopefully such talks will encourage the youngster to research the event further through history or photographic books. Fun Days Out Kids are easy to please. It is possible to take them on a fun day out without breaking the bank! If you are spending the day with your grand kids why not take them on a personal journey. For instance visit the church where you married grandpa, explore the area around your childhood home or pass by the school from which you graduated. Reliving childhood memories will be interesting for both generations and a great opportunity over which to bond. Intellectual stimulation Some of the best conversations take place during a shared activity. Whether playing a game, visiting a museum or walking in the local park there is always something to point out or exchange views about. Grandparents can through these exchanges develop and enhance the child’s vocabulary and listening skills.

Make Reading Fun Whether it is reading a bedtime story to a toddler whilst making amusing character voices, helping a youngster with their homework reading assignment or assisting a teenager with a book review, grandparents have the ability to bring books to life. If granny and granddad live in a different city they can read the story via video link on Skype or send a regular voice tape through the mail. Grandparents make positive role models to younger family members. Their steady presence can assist children to become confident and well rounded individuals. Most importantly both generations can enjoy common interests together, which will have social and educational benefits for the child. NOTE: The Tirtil Kids specialized, multilanguage bookshop stocks a wide range of books and educational games covering the above topics for children of all ages and reading grades. Our experienced staff will be pleased to advise parents on book titles and other products to meet their child’s specific needs. For those who are unable to visit our shop in Istinye Park we offer an on-line purchasing facility via our website www.tirtilkids.com. Tirtil Kids shop location:- Istinye Park, Floor minus 2, Istinye, Istanbul Shop Tel: 0212 345 5370

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mums ‘n kids

announcements

IWI MUMS ‘N’ KIDS MEETINGS & PLAYGROUPS

Every 3rd Thursday of the month, 8PM, Place TBA

Please contact Coordinator Molly Grunberg mollyhouser77@yahoo.com 0533-638-4028 if you have any questions. Also “Mums`n`Kids” doesn’t only mean that it’s for mums only – “Dads`n`Kids” are just as welcome!

Günışığı Child Center

European Side Pregnant & Infants (0 – 12 months) This is an opportunity to meet other pregnant ladies and mums of infants, as well as share the joys and trials of motherhood while creating a support network. A guest speaker is invited periodically to talk to the group regarding pregnancy and new parenting topics. When : Every Tuesday. Time : 10 am – 12 pm. Location : Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places. Cost : FREE. Coordinators Lavinia Ganga LavLG@gmx.de Walkers – Younger Toddlers (1- 2 year olds) When : Every Tuesday. Time : 10 am – 12 pm. Location : Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places. Cost : FREE. Coordinators Asra Ghori: asraghori@gmail.com or 0535-036-2962. Tej Nerula: tej.narula@gmail.com or 0544-553-2182. Preschoolers (2+) When : Every Tuesday. Time : 10 am – 12 pm. Location : Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places. Cost : FREE. Asian Side Coordinator Katie Belliel kbelliel@yahoo.com Pregnant & Infants (2+) When : Every Tuesday. Time : Vary. Location : Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places. Cost : FREE. Coordinator Katie Belliel kbelliel@yahoo.com “Asian Babies” (1year – 4 years) When : Every Wednesday. Time : 10 am - 12 pm. Location : Beyaz Firin Playroom Suadiye Cost : FREE. Coordinator Aischa Erten: aischa@erten.net or 0532-324-2739. European Side Moms Nite Out Join other moms for an evening without the kids.

Speech Language Therapy, Psychotherapy, Psychological Counseling, Early Intervention Services http://www.gunisigicocuk.com/ Levent (0212)283 33 30 Çiftehavuzlar (0216) 467 37 51 Coordinator Asra Ghori: asraghori@gmail.com or 0535-036-2962. Children with Special Needs For resources and recommended specialists for children with special needs. Coordinator Debbie Sainte-Rose: debbiesainterose@yahoo.com or 0531-7691368. Attachment Parenting International (API) Non-profit group to help parents & professionals network, find the support, information and empowerment they need to form strong bonds and enduring relationships with their children. Open to parents of children up to 3 years of age. Cost : FREE. Coordinator Nilüfer Devecigil: ndevecigil@hotmail.com Anael http://www.anael.com.tr/ Family Center Coordinator Iris Steinfeld iris.s@anael.com.tr Do-um http://www.do-um.com Family Center

INTERNATIONAL PRE-SCHOOLS & CENTERS’ PLAYGROUPS: Bosphorus International Pre-School (BIP), Emirgan www.bipschool.net Teacher-organized-activity, song-and-circle time and half an hour of garden play (weather-permitting). Coffee, tea, milk and cookies provided. When : Tuesdays, starting Wednesday, October 5. Time : 10 – 11.30 am. Cost : FREE. Age Group: 0 -3 years. Coordinator Ms. Colette Laffan-Perşembe: cpersembe@bipschool.net or 0212277-8444. Note: Call Mondays to reserve, there are only 10 spots. ONLY ONE known adult per child please. MAY 2012 57 British International School (BIS), Zekeriyaköy, Etiler www.bis.k12.tr Indoor and outdoor garden play (weather-permitting), followed by snack and music time. Known adult to stay and supervise child. Days and locations: Tuesdays and Thursdays in Zekeriyaköy; Mondays and Fridays in Etiler, beginning Tuesday, September 14.

September | October 2012

announcements

mums ‘n kids

Gymboree, Ulus /Ortaköy or Istinye Time : 9 -11 am (both campuses). Cost : 10 TL per session. Age Group: 0 – 2½ years. Coordinator Mrs. Amanda Ilhan, Preschool and Primary Deputy Director: amandailhan@bis.k12.tr or 0212-202-7027 ext. 116. Woodsview International Nursery & Pre-School, Tarabya www.woodsviewpreschool.com This is an international English-speaking Playgroup. Each session includes a simple craft activity, refreshments (coffee for the parents) and music time. There’s a large selection of toys to play with each week. It’s a great place for babies, young children and their mothers, fathers and caregivers to get to know each other. Come along and join in the fun! Free Play Time (getting to know colours, playing dough), Music Time and Tidy-up Time. Music time is much more than simply singing songs. We will try to incorporate some clapping rhythms, instruments, and a few action songs or dances to develop the children’s coordination, and also their fine and major motor skills. Our mission is to get the kids rocking and rolling, tapping and clapping, banging and shaking, marching and stamping, moving and swaying to the beat - and they will be having a really great time. The parents will too!

www.gymboreeturkey.com Free Play’ for ages 0- 5, including coffee or a drink for mums. Several ‘Play & Learn’ 45-minute classes in English and Turkish, including food, beverage and Free Play for different age levels. Cost : 45 TL per class (Note: 8-week minimum for groups of 5). ‘Drop-off Program’ for ages 2 -3.5, including snack, music, art, fitness and play classes. When : Tuesdays and Thursdays. Time : 10 am – 12.30 pm. Cost : 70 TL. Coordinator Ms. Esra Taşar: esratasar@gymboreeturkey.com or 0212-282-7666.

IWI’s Mums ‘n’ Kids Team organizes activities for you and your children to enjoy. We remind you that you are responsible for your child’s safety at all times. IWI cannot take responsibility for injury and extra cost incurred during any activity

When : Mondays and Fridays. Time : 10.30 – 12.30 pm. Cost : 420/month. Age Group: 0 – 3 years. Coordinator Ms. Sharon Harding: Sharon@woodsviewpreschool.com or 0212-299-3906 (-67 65). Elite Celebrations by Woodsview International Nursery and Pre-school www.woodsviewpreschool.com Choose your Party or join in for Mother and Me time. Ms. Sharon Harding: Sharon@woodsviewpreschool.com or 0212-299-3906 (-67 65). LOLA (Lots of Lovely Art) http://www.lotsoflovelyart.com/ After-school workshops, Toddlerart, Weeked workshops, Holiday camps, Themed Birthday Parties,. Free English Kids Library, books and DVDs Ms. Alara Hindle: alara@lotsoflovelyart.com 0212- 322- 3771 Kindermusik at Play to Learn Pre-school http://www.playtolearn.com.tr/ In Akatlar, and Nişantaşıi, offering different music classes. Village Program 0-18 months My Time Program 18-30 months Music and Me Program 2-4 year olds Ms. Özlem Hun: info@playtolearn.com.tr 0212-3523031 or 0532-237-2272 My Gym, Akatlar http://www.mygym.com.tr/ Please check for classes as many are offered by age. info@mygym.com.tr 0212-351-7727

September | October 2012

OTHER GROUPS & ASSOCIATIONS Alcoholics Anonymous / Al-Anon

Open AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings in English are held in the Union Han building on Istiklal Caddesi, Tünel, next to the Swedish Consulate at 6:45 every Monday, Wednesday, Friday (contact 0533 626 5724 ). There is an Alanon meeting at 6:30 pm on Thursdays in the same location. On Sundays, there is an open AA meeting at 4:15 pm in Harbiye (contact 0539 606 0123).On the Asian side in Kadikoy, there are meetings at 6:00 pm on Thursdays and at 5:30 pm on Saturdays (contact 0537 433 8368). A full listing of all English-speaking AA meetings in Turkey with local contacts can be found on the AA Europe website: www.aa-europe.net

Circolo Roma

The Italian Association organizes several activities, such as rithmic gymnastic for girls, cooking classes, drawing and painting, yoga, salsa dance, Italian and Turkish conversation, sale of Italian Books, Italian Cinema and more and more. The wonderfull liberty hall can be used for private parties and conferences upon contribution. Please contact info@circoloroma.com.

Die Brücke

The Friends of ARIT Istanbul, with branches in North America and Ankara, was established to support the ARIT in Turkey and carry out its scholarly activities. The Istanbul Friends run a yearround program of tours and lectures for members and guests. Membership is open to all interested residents of Istanbul. For further information: 0212 257 81 11.

“DIE BRÜCKE e.V.” (‘THE BRIDGE’) is a platform for the German speaking community. It was founded in 1989 to serve the needs of a steadily growing community. It is not a German club; it is open for everyone who speaks German. “DIE BRÜCKE e.V.” issues a monthly newsletter. Different gatherings, charities, information concerning daily life, bi-national education, help with bureaucracy and immigration laws in Turkey are covered as well as assistance to newcomers. Many cultural activities are also organized, like visits to concerts or exhibitions. Contact: +90 212 458 98 50, www.brueckeistanbul.org, info@bruecke-istanbul.org

AWI (American Women of Istanbul)

NVI

ARIT (American Research Institute of Turkey)

The AWI is a social network open to Americans, Canadians and spouses of U.S. or Canadian citizens living in Istanbul. The AWI provides social programs ranging from special interest groups to charities. If you’re a newcomer to Istanbul please contact our newcomers committee so you can start to feel at home in your new country. Contact: Robi Olsun (ozgunduz@usa.net) or Linda Caldwell (linda@delikiz.com)

Belgian Friends of Istanbul

The Belgian Friends of Istanbul help Belgian newcomers to feel at home and make friends quickly. We gather together on a regular basis during a dinner, drink, day at the beach or at the museum, and try to keep our traditions alive like the annual St. Nicholas party for the kids, New Year’s Dinner, Easter brunch. We have our own facebookpage on which members exchange useful info about job opportunities, housing, babysitting, Belgian cultural events in Istanbul, etc... Contact Nathalie Bevernaegie, bfistanbul@gmail. com, www.bfistanbul.be

British Community Council

The British Community council (founded 1942) supports ten pensioners and local charities by its fundraising events. Helpers and new members of the BCC are always welcome.. Contact person: Michael Ashor, chairman@bccistanbul.org, 0212 2497 296, 0 545 588 1933, www.bccistanbul.org

Bridge Group - All Levels

Our bridge group meets on Fridays at 11a.m. All levels of bridge players are welcome. Please contact Sandra at (212) 257-9781 or 0532-483--5319.

CHICAS - Spanish Speaking Women of Istanbul

A group open to all ladies who speak our language, or would like to practice it. We have lots of fun, hilarious Latin parties, and last but not least, cultural venues. Come on, jump on in, you won’t regret it! Contact: Ninoska Gutierrez Sierra 0533 651 35 81 , Norma Maranges 0532 314 29 34, Lorena Martinez 0533 388 63 09 e-mail: chicasestambul@yahoo.com.mx It has also an own blog: http:// chicasestambul.blogspot.com/ and it’s in Facebook under “Chicas Estambul”.

The Dutch club Istanbul is a group of people who like to keep typical Dutch festivities alive, for people who have connection to Holland, who like to meet up with Dutch speaking people. On a monthly basis we organize a get together. Among the festivities we do the typical celebrations like Sinterklass (5 December) and Koninginnedag (queensday). For further information and details check our website www.nv-istanbul.org or contact: secretariaat@nv-istanbul.org Mariska Steenkamer 0530 828 65 65.

Fransız Fakirhanesi - Little Sisters of the Poor Contact: Mother Mary 0212 296 46 08.

FOCI (Friends of Contemporary Istanbul)

Working with the international community in promoting the growth and development of contemporary art, the Friends of Contemporary Istanbul aim to enrich the rising art scent in Turkey and to contribute to the cultural life of Istanbul. For further information, please contact Jasmine Taranto – VIP Coordinator & International Relations at 0 212 244 7171, info@contemporaryistanbul.com

Friends of India

Sonica Purl 0544711 01 23

InterNations

InterNations is an organization where global minded people have the opportunity to network and exchange valuable tips and topics regarding expatriate subjects. Twice a month we organize events and provide our members to meet and network. For further information, please check our website http://www.internations.org

Istanbul Accueil

Welcomes French-speaking newcomers in Istanbul. We publish a bimonthly newsletter with many activity groups (bridge, baby groups, cooking, cultural outings and social events, etc.) Our common language is French and all French-speaking people are welcome! www.istanbulaccueil.org, email: istaccueil@gmail.com

September | October 2012

OTHER GROUPS & ASSOCIATIONS The Istanbul Ottomans Rugby Club

Practice every Saturday afternoon at the Dikilitaş Spor Kulübü in Besiktas (directions available at www.ottomansrugby.com). Players of all ages (14+) and levels of fitness welcome, including ladies for our newly formed Ottomans Women Rugby Club. Please contact Özer Önkal at +90 533 482 6262 or email: ozer.ali.onkal@ ottomansrugby.com or ozer212@yahoo.com

PAWI (Professional American Women of Istanbul)

The Professional American Women of Istanbul, is a network of American/Canadian women and spouses of Americans/Canadians living in Istanbul. PAWI strives to empower and support members by promoting professional and personal growth. Members inspire each other to achieve and share success. PAWI meetings are held the second Saturday of each month. Each meeting features a guest speaker, and locations alternate between the European and Asian sides. Contact info@pawistanbul.com or visit www.pawistanbul.com

SWEA

(Swedish Women Educational Association) A world-wide network for Swedish or Swedish-speaking A world-wide network for Swedish or Swedish-speaking women with a chapter in Istanbul. Contact Jessica Lundgren jessica.lundgren@jlu-prod.com

Istanbul Toastmasters

The English speaking Istanbul Toastmasters club is the only local branch of Toastmasters International, an organization that helps its members improve their communication and leadership skills in a supportive environment. ITM meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 19:30-21:30 at the Metro Park Hotel in Taksim. Guests are welcome to attend two meetings free of charge. For further information contact: Madeleine Pelletier, Vice-President Education 0535 227 1074 (vp-education@istanbultoastmasters.org) or Alper Rozanes, Vice-President Membership, 0532 243 3753 (vpmembership@istanbultoastmasters.org).

Patchwork Group

Contact Cynthia Royce 0536 348 4086, cynthroyce@hotmail.com

SEDplatform for animals

SEDplatform has been formed by a handful of expat and local volunteers to make a change in the way animals are being perceived and treated in Turkey. To this aim, we have launched education in schools, educational activities, proper on-hand care of street animals, sterilization and adoptions campaigns, pet care brochures and World Animal Day activities in Istanbul. We have been active since 2001. Contacts: Big Dog Yuli 0532 314 8238, Kit Kat Robi 0542 423 0633 or Cat Lady Leyla 0555 404 3113; email: sahiplenelim@sed-tr.org New kitty site: www.onlarbizimkedilerimiz.org

*Please check our website www.iwi-tr.org for updates to this page. If you represent a group and want your group updated or listed on these pages, e-mail esbie@iwi-tr.org. These pages are for your information only; the IWI does not accept any responsibility regarding these groups or their activities.

Speech Bubbles

Is an international group aiming to perform high-quality Is an international group aiming to perform high-quality musical theater and donating the income to NGO’s supporting children and education. Speech Bubbles is composed of amateur and professional dancers, singers and musicians from II countries. Contact Tom Godfrey 0532 736 7702; www.speechbubbles.org

Sublime Portal

The Sublime Portal is your expat on-line community reference for all things Turkey. Here you can find a lively group of people who discuss everything about Turkey, network and organize social events. Over a 1000 members and still growing... www.sublimeportal.com

Support Group for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Looking for the support of other parents of children with special needs and additional resources for your child? Please contact Debbie L Sainte-Rose for more information at 05317691368 or debbiesainterose@yahoo.com.

September | October 2012

partner offers

Our Partner Offers page will list various offers and discounts that our partners are extending to IWI members. In order to redeem these partner benefits, you must show your IWI Membership ID card.

The LifeCo The LifeCo Detox and Well-being Center in Akatlar is offering a 50% discount on yoga classes (15TL with discount). Classes are twice a day at 8:00 and 18:30. www.thelifeco.com

The Learning Center Istanbul in Yenikoy offers free consul-

DoubleTree by Hilton Istanbul-Moda offers a 10% discount

Time Out Istanbul in English is offering a 25% discount on subscriptions. Make Time Out Istanbul in English your monthly go-to guide for the city by contacting: Gizem Unsalan 02122871990 gizem@timeoutistanbul.com www.timeoutistanbul.com/english

for IWI members in its outlets till the end of 2012! The Doubles Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options featuring international dishes. Our open buffet offers a variety of signature dishes each bursting with flavor. At lunch and dinner you can also choose from our a la carte menu consisting of unique dishes from a variety of cuisines. La Gazetta Café & Bar, with its spacious garden view, is ideal for your little breaks such as the morning coffee or five o’clock tea. You can also relax after an exhausting meeting or catch up with old friends for a quick break… Elemental Fitness & SPA invites you to discover the healing power of water. Our professional staff will bring you a variety of massages from different parts of the world in a unique peaceful environment. Please do not forget to bring your IWI membership card with you! For detailed information about our The Doubles Restaurant’s cuisine weeks and La Gazetta live music nights please follow us: www.facebook.com/DoubleTreebyHiltonIstanbul Moda and 0216 542 43 44

Kadiköy Şifa is offering members: * A 10% discount for all medical services at both their Kadikoy and Atasehir hospitals. * For Longevity and Wellness Clinic services • A discount of 20% for cash payment more than 1000TRY. • A discount of 10% on installments more than 1000TRY. • A discount of 7% for single procedures. * For Varix Center (Varicose Veins and Vasculer Surgery) treatments, 15% discount byildirim@kadikoysifa.com , http://www.kadikoysifa.com/ipc/

tation to parents to determine the educational needs of your child and how best to address them. www.thelearningcenteristanbul.com info@thelearningcenteristanbul.com

NBA Saloon (Etiler) as an IWI Partner is pleased to announce that IWI members will be given the following privileges up until December 31, 2012: * 20% discount on all hair, make up and nail spa services * 10% discount on Mystic Tan (UV free tanning) To take advantage of this beauty offer at NBA Saloon where you will discover the “new you”, you are invited to the following address: Nispetiye Caddesi. Selçuklar Sokak. No:9 (Valet parking is available) For questions please contact Enver Celikbas at 0533 774 08 27.

Hillside Sports is offering a 20% discount on general memberships to IWI members. For details, please contact:

galiahasid@hillside.com.tr

One Night Dress: Stuck on what to wear for a special occasion? Violet Benhabib from One Night Dress in Nişantası rents out exclusive designer dresses and is offering a special discount of 15% for IWI members. The contact person for IWI members is Mrs. Ester and she can be reached on 0533 3633347 or 0532 6469314 for an appointment. Visit http://onenightdress. net/ to see a sample of what is on offer. For more information e-mail vbenhabib@gmail.com.

September | October 2012

classıfıed ads

GUITAR LESSONS for Children or Adults

Spice up summer with private guitar lessons available in rock, blues or jazz by graduate of the Berklee College of Music with 30 years’ performance experience. Gentle, non-stressful approach with Turkish instructor who speaks English. Can travel to your home. Reasonable rates. Also has jazz duo, trio, quartet group for weddings and parties. Contact: Ali Ağca, 0533 353-1221, erdoganagca@yahoo.com

Professional Massage

I can come to your house... Pregnancy massage, cellulite massage, relaxing massage, full body massage, osho re-balancing, massage or wax. Call me for more information : Hatice Yildrim Tirli 0532 260 41 18 / 0542 434 19 32.

TURKISH LESSONS: PRIVATE AND CONVERSATIONAL

For ladies and men, group or one to one lessons, at your home or workplace, from an experienced native teacher fluent in English and French. Adjustable to your needs and time schedule. Please call 0530 310 21 32 or email rbensan@superonline. com for full information.

TURKISH LESSONS & Orientation

Taught by certified native (Turkish & English)speaker. 20 years experience in language teaching from ages 3-60. Fluent in German. Member of IWI. Orientation services offered for Newcomers. Contact : Nevra Bayraktar 532 590 8944 nevrabayraktar@gmail.com

HOMEWORK HELPER, TUTOR, PLAYGROUP LEADER

American native-English speaking homework helper and language tutor specializing in lessons for children, in your home References available from some of the best families in Istanbul. Reliable & Experienced with ages 9 months - 15 years old Available to lead organized playgroups for infants. Will travel between Tophane and Istiniye. For inquiries contact Renée 0539 466 55 50 or email renee.elaine@gmail.com.

* Non-commercial classified Ads are now FREE for IWI members! September | October 2012

Directory - International Schools

September | October 2012