i need a residence permit before my first 30 days in Turkey run downDeadline: October 9th
today, my friend and colleague said i'll need a photo, and for that photo i must shave as part of receiving a government issued id
history of a beard: full beard for a year and a half, before that scruff+ for at least 4 and a half years--some of these skin bits haven't seen sun in the good part of a decade
updates as the events unfold
October 9th:
my friend and collegue says i can probably keep the beard, i think because it is not a religous beard (how would he know?) and so i went to have a photo taken.
at the teknofoto, i narrowly escaped the photographer adding a long dark beard and robe in post production. it is possible that every photographer in the city thinks an american needs a photo disguise for Iran. and, with limited Turkish, one could imagine how difficult it would be to convince them otherwise. (nothing more to explain here, i'm as confused as you are).
so after some confusion, the beard is still here, but the outcome is yet to be determined. i am one document away from convincing local authorities that my residence is legit, but they have not seen my photographs yet. they have seen my beard and failed to mention it as a problem. but who knows if the spiritual signifigance of facial hair is determined after the paperwork?
October 11th:
yes, still bearded. no, no residence pass.
simple tasks need translators, complex tasks too. need residence pass to have a bank. need a bank to get paid. Fortis practically went under, money will be coming there.
October 13:
beard, yes, residence pass no. my friend got yelled at in the rector's office, where everyone wears a different suit (it's cute really, in the states, walk into any bureaucratic building and you'll see black suits styled the same way. here, the brown pinstripe with lavender tie doesn't always work, but at least he's trying something different), and he wants to find my papers through happier means (who could blame him). so, we're waiting. i'm waiting to be paid, owed 1,800 dollars right now.
Things Take Time in Turkey (a little alliteration we've been taught [not one of my favorites]).
my friend and collegue says i can probably keep the beard, i think because it is not a religous beard (how would he know?) and so i went to have a photo taken.
at the teknofoto, i narrowly escaped the photographer adding a long dark beard and robe in post production. it is possible that every photographer in the city thinks an american needs a photo disguise for Iran. and, with limited Turkish, one could imagine how difficult it would be to convince them otherwise. (nothing more to explain here, i'm as confused as you are).
so after some confusion, the beard is still here, but the outcome is yet to be determined. i am one document away from convincing local authorities that my residence is legit, but they have not seen my photographs yet. they have seen my beard and failed to mention it as a problem. but who knows if the spiritual signifigance of facial hair is determined after the paperwork?
October 11th:
yes, still bearded. no, no residence pass.
simple tasks need translators, complex tasks too. need residence pass to have a bank. need a bank to get paid. Fortis practically went under, money will be coming there.
October 13:
beard, yes, residence pass no. my friend got yelled at in the rector's office, where everyone wears a different suit (it's cute really, in the states, walk into any bureaucratic building and you'll see black suits styled the same way. here, the brown pinstripe with lavender tie doesn't always work, but at least he's trying something different), and he wants to find my papers through happier means (who could blame him). so, we're waiting. i'm waiting to be paid, owed 1,800 dollars right now.
Things Take Time in Turkey (a little alliteration we've been taught [not one of my favorites]).
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3 comments:
Hey kuey,
Here is an interesting article I just read about community activism and organizing in Oxford and Hamilton on behalf of Obama.
http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/546#more-32473
It features MU's own Don Daiker.
I noticed earlier you said you would like to help in the election in some way. o doubt you've thought of this, but one of the best ways to do that would be to try and convince or show as many people as possible in the region you're in that Americans aren't all from Texas and we all hate GWB and his policies. Hell, Texas is going to be a blue state in 4-6 years so that's evidence of the dislike of Bush in many ways.
What do they think of Obama there? Have you had any political discussions like that at all?
Ben! i see from the changes that you picked up the Beckett play. how did you like it?
talk soon,
stef
chris- thanks for the link. good to see some familiar faces. i think i'll make a post about Obama/McCain in Turkey, maybe once i know more. for now, i know that many Turks are watching the debate, but i don't think Obama/McCain differ too much on foreign policy in Turkey,and I've seen that view expressed from Turkish citizens and mainstream media.
stef- wish i had time for Beckett. that quote comes thanks to markanarch
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