Got change?

While I write this post am all the more wiser having already been in Istanbul for more than a week. What fascinates most people is the fact that being an Indian I do not look any different from the Turks, thus the obvious language problem gets obviated and it is presumed that I would be fluent in Turkish, let alone know it!  But that is not what this post is going to be about - the trivialities of linguistic placement.  Minibuses usually ply between two places here at Koc and the surrounding areas, especially Sariyer.  After much haggling at the dorm office I had finally been allotted a room in the Acarlar area, but more about that once I shift in.  Like the past two times, I was supposed to board the minibus, say the name of the place, and hand in 1 YTL -

 no more, no less was the job prescribed to me in order to avoid any embarrassment on part of not understanding the language.  

I have always had a fascination for front seats, used to be the whiny kid who always fought for the front seat in the car, no matter whose car it was.  Why would it be any different for a bus, especially given the fact that Koc rests on a hill top and the view is amazing as you go down the slope.  Luckily the minibus starts off from the campus itself, so there I was having taken care of the routine 1 YTL payment, sitting comfortably on the front seat.  I had managed to grab the front seat the first time too, but then the bus was virtually empty. After a 5 minute wait the bus started inching out from the bay on to the university roads.  A content smile snuck up on my face - reason you ask ? Well of course if you manage to get something done hassle free in a foreign land, the sense of accomplishment is overwhelming :)  If you're a regular visitor to this blog, by now you would DEFINITELY have guessed that things are about to take a turn ;) 

Two minutes into the ride, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and as I turned to check out who it was, before I knew it a scarfed lady in her late forties shoved 1.40 YTL into my hand and mumbled something in Turkish with a smile.  I did not know how to react. Was she paying me coz I look cute ? *highly unlikely* Was she cuckoo? I could not come up with any plausible reason as to why she would give me money.  I held on to the coins firmly clutched in my sweaty palm, sweaty out of anxiety as to what those coins were doing in the palm of my hand.  Before long another passenger did the same and this time it was just a YTL, friggin' cheap bastard, I thought to myself.  The anxiety grew as a third passenger followed suit.  I could feel the copper of the coins melt into the sweat and leave a metallic odour that was making me nauseous.  By this time I hadn't noticed but those standing had been staring at me with fixated eyes as if accusing me of ignorance.  You could have imagined my face at the verge of a mental breakdown just trying to answer the simple question - WHY ME ?! 

An old man was kind enough to tell me in broken English that the money was supposed to be handed over to the driver.  Why the hell didn't that strike me before ?! *slams forehead* So I handed over the money to the driver, as if clearing my hands of a cursed treasure, and finally drew a breath of relief.  The embarrassment was still there, but what the heck, the awkward moment was over!  Alas, life never screws you just once, so the driver turns and asks me what I can only imagine is the destination of the people who gave me the money is.  As if handing over wasn't enough, how was I supposed to remember their freakin' names ?! He started talking loudly and what I can imagine was Turkish swear words.  At this point of time my instincts got taken over by fear, and I got off at the next bus-stop not caring where the hell it was!  Turns out Emlak Konut isn't far off from Acarlar, discovered it walking all the way uphill that day :P

Sometimes I really wonder why is it that I hafta get a kick out of MISadventures while all others have anecdotes to tell with OTHERS making a fool of themselves.  Ah well feed on my misfortunes you leeches! My day will come soon ! ;)