(D) John Hickenlooper*
(R) Scott Gessler*
(R) Tom Tancredo*
(R) Tim Foster
(1-4)↓
(6-1)
(8-1)↑
(18-1)
(D) Stan Garnett
(D) Morgan Carroll
(R) Mark Waller
(D) Don Quick*
(R) Ken Buck*
(1-1)
(1-1)
(3-2)
(3-2)↑
(9-1)↓
(D) Ken Gordon*
(R) Pam Anderson
(D) Joe Neguse*
(R) Scott Gessler
(3-2)
(3-2)
(4-1)↓
(OFF)
(R) Scott Tipton*
(D) Joe Garcia
(D) Gail Schwartz
(2-3)
(4-1)
(4-1)
Hi,
My name’s John. I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m from Chicago originally, but I’m living in Istanbul now – a long way from home. I hope I’ll be a productive member of this community and hopefully I’ll learn a lot from all of you too.
Thanks in advance for everything.
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and why are you interested in COPols? Did you live here before Turkey?
How do you like living there? It’s huge, isn’t it?! I met people that lived in Istanbul that had never seen half of the city–something like 20 million in population currently living there.
How did you come across Colorado Pols?
No really, it’s a serious question.
so I took a 5 week vacation there. I went the wrong time of the year (much too cold–I went in February) although there were very few tourists which made the trip great. Europe’s biggest blizzard in a couple of decades hit while I was there so all the plans I had made to travel down the coast got canceled and I ended up in Istanbul the whole time.
It was magical. I loved it there. I actually and seriously thought about moving there. The people, the culture, the food, the ancient ruins–all genuine and fascinating. The people were some of the kindest I have ever met in my life. Incredibly patient and very open hearted.
Lots of teaching jobs for English speaking foreigners–I met an American named Scott Fisher, who was a professor at an all girls school in South Korea and he showed me a list on line that you could look at and apply. I could not believe how many countries were looking for English speakers.
Fascinating sidenote, but Scott, who was in his early 30s’, had just traveled for 3 weeks in Iran–it was easier to get a visa for Iran because of his South Korean status and he had taken the train from Iran through Turkey to Istanbul and was flying out from Istanbul back to SK. He loved Iran. Said the ruins were just stunning. The people were so warm and welcoming and he thought it spoke volumes about them that they could distinguish between GWBush–who they despised–and Americans in general, who they really seemed to adore and welcome.
Scott had also been to North Korea (which is a rarity for an American) and had served with the State Dept. in Iraq and wrote a book about all three countries called Axis of Evil World Tour, by Scott Fisher.
Here’s a link: http://axisofeviltour.com/
I was also there right in the middle of the bird flu outbreak and the Danish cartoon riots so that was interesting!
It was a once in a lifetime experience. I’d love to go back and travel down the Med coastline to see more of the ruins down by Ephesus. They are supposed to be some of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world. I just have to go a little later. Even a month or so later would have been completely different weather.
I visited Istanbul for two weeks for some R&R years ago and found the city vibrant and active (especially the Nevizade District). Historically, Istanbul is an amazing place to experience.
And, there is nothing on this earth better than a real Turkish bath (well, almost nothing better).
The one impression that lingers is all people in Istanbul are looking to get something from you (usually money). I’ve yet to go to a city where there were so few people to trust.
Unlike Greece or Italy, they are open about ripping you off and don’t try and bs you about what they are doing.
There’s a Turkish saying about this–to loosely paraphrase, “Turks are so honest, they are even honest about cheating you.”
Maybe that is what rubbed me wrong, it was so obvious that it seemed shallow.
I see your point. Every time a cab driver took me for a ride (literally and figuratively), I knew I was about to get screwed. But quite honestly, I got waaaaaay more fucked over in Greece. I’ll take Turks any day. They make up for it in other ways by sudden acts of true and unsolicited generosity.
It is driving me crazy that I can’t remember the name of the group, but those two phrases are now stuck in my head!!!
It was a 80s New Wave song! Help me end this and someone tell me the song!!
popularized by They Might Be Giants in 1990.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I…
Tiny Toons version:
Though the song was originally performed by the Four Lads in 1953.
…that’s Turkish, right? Or at least Chicagoan.
He’s clearly a payday lender.
I mean- I like Turkey, have great memories of experiences there
But why Colorado Pols?