Remember when I said that Istanbul had a booming voice? Well, this includes sounds from humans and non-humans alike.
Right now the most chatty mammals in our neighborhood are the feral cats that line our winding, cobbled streets, hands down. Unlike some of the skeletal cats and dogs that you see so often in developing countries, these felines are well fed by fortunate food scrap finds (we live less than a 3 minute walk from the stationary balık pazarı, literally the fish bazaar) and generous donations made by some of our neighbors.
As spring takes its sweet time making its way to Istanbul, the cat mating season is already well under way. The nightly wails of these female cats usually resemble at least one of the following noises: a young child crying for her mother (MAAaaaAAA), a deep moan of ecstasy (MMMOOOHHHWWW), or even a bizarre chirping sound depicting a tragic pain (phonetically indescribable). Indeed, these felines are looking for love in all the wrong places. Even though I really wish that Turkey was better about its spay/neuter policies, I am looking forward to the cluster of kittens that will surely result from these nocturnal love cries.
When this catty, yet effective, open-air feline dating system subsides in a couple of months, I know that I will still be able to count on the local Istanbulian dogs (both stray and domesticated) to keep a healthy dialogue going with...any animal, human, or other inanimate object that comes within a mile radius. This city's stray dogs roam the streets with a swagger that even the most pampered pet dog would envy (except for you, Gerty). Sometimes when a stray dog and a leashed dog meet in the street, there is a bit of a kerfuffle, but usually the wild dogs spend their time howling at the call to prayer (during which they provide a comical backup vocalist role), whenever the Aygaz truck rolls by with its seductive xylophonic tunes (Aygaz is one of the largest oil companies in Turkey), and whenever a group of juvenile delinquents challenge the dogs' authority.
In a later post, I'll return to the topic of non-humans to tell you about exactly which sanguineous creatures might await you at the Spice Bazaar. Hint: Demi Moore swears by these lovelies to keep her young.
I'll close with a quick internship update: I was accepted to the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Refugee Advocacy and Support Program internship (hereafter referred to as HcA, RASP, or Helsinki)! Now all that is left to do is figure out whether and how to balance my current internship. My training with RASP begins Thursday evening and I am incredibly excited to begin working with this inspiring organization. The working language is English, I'll be able to assist with some on-the-ground casework, and the office has stunning views of the Golden Horn, or the Haliç estuary that unites the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara.
Right now the most chatty mammals in our neighborhood are the feral cats that line our winding, cobbled streets, hands down. Unlike some of the skeletal cats and dogs that you see so often in developing countries, these felines are well fed by fortunate food scrap finds (we live less than a 3 minute walk from the stationary balık pazarı, literally the fish bazaar) and generous donations made by some of our neighbors.
As spring takes its sweet time making its way to Istanbul, the cat mating season is already well under way. The nightly wails of these female cats usually resemble at least one of the following noises: a young child crying for her mother (MAAaaaAAA), a deep moan of ecstasy (MMMOOOHHHWWW), or even a bizarre chirping sound depicting a tragic pain (phonetically indescribable). Indeed, these felines are looking for love in all the wrong places. Even though I really wish that Turkey was better about its spay/neuter policies, I am looking forward to the cluster of kittens that will surely result from these nocturnal love cries.
When this catty, yet effective, open-air feline dating system subsides in a couple of months, I know that I will still be able to count on the local Istanbulian dogs (both stray and domesticated) to keep a healthy dialogue going with...any animal, human, or other inanimate object that comes within a mile radius. This city's stray dogs roam the streets with a swagger that even the most pampered pet dog would envy (except for you, Gerty). Sometimes when a stray dog and a leashed dog meet in the street, there is a bit of a kerfuffle, but usually the wild dogs spend their time howling at the call to prayer (during which they provide a comical backup vocalist role), whenever the Aygaz truck rolls by with its seductive xylophonic tunes (Aygaz is one of the largest oil companies in Turkey), and whenever a group of juvenile delinquents challenge the dogs' authority.
In a later post, I'll return to the topic of non-humans to tell you about exactly which sanguineous creatures might await you at the Spice Bazaar. Hint: Demi Moore swears by these lovelies to keep her young.
I'll close with a quick internship update: I was accepted to the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Refugee Advocacy and Support Program internship (hereafter referred to as HcA, RASP, or Helsinki)! Now all that is left to do is figure out whether and how to balance my current internship. My training with RASP begins Thursday evening and I am incredibly excited to begin working with this inspiring organization. The working language is English, I'll be able to assist with some on-the-ground casework, and the office has stunning views of the Golden Horn, or the Haliç estuary that unites the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara.
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