Istanbul

restoranda çalışıyorum...I work in a restaurant!
Last week I had my first two days of work here in Istanbul. Through a good friend I managed to get a job working at a tourist restaurant in the tourist area of Istanbul (Sultanahmet). Since I am actually working here illegally, I don't really have a fix job that I have to do...I basically just help out where it is needed. When there are German, English, or French speaking tourists I go and chat with them, take their order, and try to convince them to come check out our terrace ;) (which has an absolutely stunning view). Another thing I do for at least a few hours a day, is stand outside of the restaurant by the menu and try and get people to come in :) . All tourists restaurants do this, and believe it or not it does work. Certainly there are plenty of people that get annoyed by it, but there are also enough people that come in because of it. The workers are absolutely hilarious and we joke around most of the day. Another major perk of working there is that I get to eat the worker's food whenever I want to. It is always some Turkish speciality, which means it is always delicious. Also the workers in the kitchen constantly speak Turkish to me, which is fantastic for me since I am trying to learn the language! The most surprising thing about the job so far is definitely that I am constantly meeting different types of travellers...Australians, Brits, Americans, etc. A lot of them are travelling for a longer period of time and are all doing it in different ways. Talking to them I've learned so many good tips about how to travel and places I just have to see. It also gives me hope that I will be able to travel for a long time! I have also met a few foreigners who live in Istanbul and have established themselves here as English teachers/tutors. So currently I am also trying to establish myself here as an English teacher/tutor...they pay very well here for it :)!
Basically, it's time to start properly living in Istanbul!!!

The restaurant...Cozy Pub.

The view from the terrace...but I need to get a shot of it at night. Everything is lit up at night, even the Blue Mosque. I go up to the terrace every now and then and just take in the view. Amazing perk of this job!