My year of writing continues in Istanbul

First impressions after landing in the two-continent megacity

After a 26-hour journey from Da Nang, Vietnam that took me through Kuala Lumpur and Dubai, I’ve finally arrived in my new home for the next three months — Istanbul.

My initial thoughts?

IST is one of the least convenient airports in the world, the traffic makes Houston feel like a small town, and this just might be the greatest city on Earth.

I’m not one to get overwhelmed by cities, but Istanbul certainly did the trick. We got out of the airport around 6:30 and hopped on one of the cheap buses to the city. It was comfortable, air-conditioned, and only cost us around 4 euros each. Sounds like a great deal until three hours pass, it’s pitch black out, and you’re still stuck bumper to bumper trying to get to your AirBnB in Kadıköy.

But just as I started to get frustrated by the inconvenience, one of Istanbul’s best sides began to show: the kindness of its people. Rather than get mad, leave, or try charging us for an extra late check-in, she stayed at the apartment an extra two hours and sent us tips for getting around the city more efficiently next time.

That’s the story of this city, I think. As one thing grows frustrating, another comes and evens the mood. The pendulum swings back in favor of the good and you can’t remember why you got annoyed.

You take the wrong bus, then try some random new street food for fifty cents and eat it as you stroll down the Bosphorus with twenty-five kittens following you (this isn’t an exaggeration, the amount of cats here is genuinely insane). Or you log in to your computer to start work for the day, realize the internet’s not good enough, begin to freak out, and then your landlord drops everything to fix the problem right away.

Being here just feels right, at least right now. It’s only been a handful of days, but I can already tell that, while difficult at times, this city is well worth the stress and chaos and intense language barrier.

If you’re on the fence about coming to Istanbul or scared because of the constant barrage of propaganda we see from the West — don’t be. Book the flight and see for yourself. Form your own opinions on one of the world’s greatest cities.