An exhibition about an orphanage Last month, one of my curator friends invited me to an exhibition about/on Prinkipo Greek Orthodox Orphanage. It was presented at the abandoned Greek Primary School at Karaköy and I finally had a chance to visit it last Saturday. It was not as comprehensive as I expected. One of the reasons I found it inadequate was the place was too large of that scale of an exhibition. I felt like I am touring in empty floors. And the second reason that I learned at the end of the display was there are few materials left from the orphanage. There were some legal documents, some visuals in low resolution at showcases and historical information about the orphanage in a chronical order on the walls. On one specific wall, there were 5 screens showing interviews with 4 old men who lived in the orphanage, which is the most impressive and original part of the exhibition. Each of those men has touching stories depends on their orphanage days. They were speaking of how the rooms were cold, how many of their friends had died each year because of cold, poor food and illnesses. At the final part of these sad oral history documentaries, one of these four men recalls a memory that at the last day of his and his siblings in the orphanage, their mother came and took them from there. After they walked 5 or 6 steps away from the orphanage building, she had put down the suitcases and counseled them to take pieces of stones and throw them to the orphanage to avoid having not to come back there again. Definitely it is a superstitious belief but he gladly added in the interview that, "Thank God, we never needed to stay there ever again." -- The installation in the picture, called The Wave of all Waves, belongs to contemporary Armenian artist Hera Büyüktaşçıyan.

The Time When The City Becomes Calm Tomorrow is the first day of the Feast of Sacrifice, one of the eids celebrated officially. When this 4 day-long eid happens along on weekdays, most of the time the whole week announced as a public holiday. This year is one of these long holidays which becomes a 9-day vacation with the weekends before and after it. People are eager to take advantage of this long public holidays. This year also most of the residents went on a holiday from the last Friday which offers others great opportunities to enjoy the city which is quite impossible in everyday life due to the traffic jam and the crowds. I had a long vacation this summer and I will have some more, so, I decided to stay in the city to explore new places, remind and re-visit some others I used to long times ago. Except the day I am going to visit my 95-year-old grandpa, who is living in the nearest city to my town, my plan is to take tours in Istanbul as far as I can. I am sure that this little trips will be going to sweeten up the last days of the beautiful summer. From my visit to Çinili Köşk (The Tiled Pavilion) in the yard of the Istanbul Archaeological Museum last Saturday​

Cahit Arf - II Apparently, Arf family's decision for migration was not easy. They chose to change their lives forever. Also, Cahit Arf's father's efforts to make the minimum investment for Cahit's future sound mean. However, in the end, these life-changing decisions which are highly risky have influenced Cahit's life in a positive way. Not only Arf's, but also the (science of?) mathematics.

Every individual goes through these kind of periods in their lives, faces difficult matters which force them make changes, take risks that made them anxious, uncomfortable, and unhappy. Cahit Arf’s life story only just an example of anything life brings in a painful manner, doesn’t mean that it can’t be for one’s own good. On the contrary, most of the time challenges are there because of make us to push our limits and see the alternative ways.

Cahit Arf - I I keep on writing biographies. Before I start writing, I make research for every single person whether I have a knowledge or not. My latest text was about Cahit Arf, who is a mathematician known across the world for Hasse–Arf theorem, Arf invariant, Arf semigroup and Arf ring. His life story is the most interesting one which I met up to now. I knew that Arf's picture and one of his formulas printed on reddish 10 Turkish Lira banknote which one of the most used cash in everyday life, but nothing more. I am not going to tell his whole story. But there are two points raises my awareness. First is, when he was a 2 year-old boy, his family immigrated to Istanbul from their hometown, Selanik (Thessaloniki), due to the Balkan Wars. The other is his father's attitude, with Arf's own words "My father was trying to appropriate / buy me cheaper." At that time, French frank exchange rate was quite low compared to lira -which is a dream in 2018- and his father decided to send him to France for his high school education which costs cheaper than sending him to the best college in the country. (End of the part -1)

A Travel on the Bosphorus I had a meeting this morning in the Asian Side of the city. After I got off the tramway, I could barely catch the ferry. My foots headed to the upper and the open part of the ferry. My mind was full of thoughts and worries on many subjects. But the Sun was on its one of the heavily disturbing days and didn't let me be with myself. I looked for a seat under the shades. The view was perfect and a lovely breeze brought me some happiness, some relief. I started to watch seagulls and sparkling waves coming out of the motor. After my 20 minutes journey ended, I feel refreshed. And while I was heading to the meeting point, I have already decided to prefer sea vessels much more on my intercontinental routes.

The Issue Not To Leave Me In Peace My previous note was about economics which I am not an expert and as far as possible I don't want to preoccupy with it. Unfortunately, I feel deeply sick and trapped for the last few days. Not me, most of the citizens, I suppose. According to the current rates, 1 USD is 6.5 TL. The economic prognosis tells us these are not our worst days. Every single hour, currency changes, and we hear new expensiveness news. This is heavily depressing and pushes to change one's near future plans: Mortgages, educational planning, career plans, family planning, income-expanse rates etc. In other words, it is the time for reviewing our lives and making new arrangements. I, also, suspend my future plans. I don't want to act emotionally but seeing that my efforts and dreams are wasted, hurts me. On the other hand, it is the perfect time and season to explore Turkey for foreigners. There are so many historical places to visit and also amazing beaches for sea lovers over here: Worth to see!

Economics and the life One of the big economic news of the previous day was the rising in the exchange rate of the dollar. 1 USD is over 5 Turkish liras now. In others words, 1 TL is 0,19 USD. Euro and sterling exchange rates are even worse, I am not willing to say. Due to there is an astronomical gap between the ration of imports and exports in Turkey, the increase in foreign exchange makes every single citizen poorer day by day. It affects all the people in various kinds of areas and products as; technology, food supply, education, medicine etc. For me, this last increment has impacts on my two overseas trip plans. I was planning to visit Barcelona in September, and London during Chrismas. It seems my plans have already fallen through [OR: any better alternative?]. It would be my second visiting London but I was going to be in Barcelona for the first time and I was really excited about it. I am hoping to see better days in which I can make life plans without huge economic concerns.

Starting August A few weeks ago I received an offer from an art gallery in Istanbul. They were looking for a writer to write artist biographies for an art catalogue. After a couple of meetings, we had a deal. Last week we finally clarified the details and yesterday I gave a start. This catalogue includes works of 90 to 100 Turkish artists from various different fields: Litterateurs, musicians, painters, sculptures -even historian and mathematician artists whose academic identities are at the forefront. [OR: who are known for their academic studies.] Writing is going fine so far. I finished a poet's short biography text up to now. I am hoping to finish two more today. It will be a strong [OR: any alternative adjective? ] motivation to keep writing these notebook entries and receiving corrections for improving my writing in English.