Over the past months in İzmir, I discovered that winter here can be surprisingly active and rich. One of the biggest highlights for me has been hiking, which slowly turned into my favorite winter activity. I even organized two hikes for PiYA, first in Balçova and then in Kaynaklar. The climbs were not always easy, and some people complained along the way, but everyone made it to the top and the views were absolutely worth the effort. Beyond these events, hiking became a regular part of my life. I also went alone, with friends, and even with a professional hiking association. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. on a Sunday turned out not to be a problem at all when nature was waiting. These experiences made me appreciate the landscapes around İzmir even more and also made me met people from diverse backgrounds. İzmir itself continues to surprise me. Some weekends, I leave home with both my swimsuit and my winter hat. Swimming in the sea around 2 or 3 p.m. is still possible, but once the sun goes down, the cold arrives quickly. This contrast feels very typical of winter life here. Cultural discovery was also an important part of these months. At the end of November, I was lucky to visit several mosques in Kemeraltı with my mentor Emre, such as Hisar Camii, Kemeraltı Camii, and Şadırvan Camii. I learned more about prayer times, community practices, and symbolic details such as the 33-bead rosary (called “tespi” in Turkish). Food played its role too, of course. I finally tried kelle paça (thanks to Emre also) and ended up loving it. The version mixed with ezogelin soup was especially tasty and quickly became one of my favorite discoveries.
During this period, I went to the cinema many times, including screenings at Karaca independant cinema, at the French Institute and a cine-concert at the old Elhambra Opera House in Konak.
Two friends came to visit me in İzmir, and it was a pleasure to show them the city. Staying in the center with them was also a reminder of how much time can be saved compared to daily life in Buca. Seeing the city through their eyes helped me appreciate it even more. Ironically, I actually discovered through a book showing old maps of Smyrna that Buca used to be connected by train to Basmane and Alsancak stations.
For some reason it appears that this lines were shut down and now they are building the metro extension to Buca, which is the reason why the traffic is intense there, since the metro stations works take a lot of space and hinder normal car circulation.
I continued exploring antic cities in the region and have now visited 18 in total since September (almost one every week!). One place that really stood out was Magnesia on the Meander. Its huge stadium, which could host around 30,000 people, has an impressive echo and feels surprisingly modern in its scale. Winter was sometimes cold, with temperatures close to 0°C and strong wind, but it was mostly sunny. Sharing Christmas and New Year moments at the office, in the apartment, and at the Spanish club made this season feel warm despite the weather. The celebrations are not called Christmas here, but the familiar colors and atmosphere were still there. Alongside conversation clubs with students or teaching to children, I also spent time working at the women’s center, where I met retired learners who are highly motivated and eager to learn. Working with a different age group was refreshing, and the atmosphere there is always very positive
I also took part in the “longest night” run on December 21st, running 6 km along the shore. The atmosphere was unique, many runners wearing flashy outfits, and running by the sea at night made the event feel truly special. Daily life slowly became more familiar. I discovered new places, like the library in Kültürpark, and started going regularly to the pazar. Cooking at home became a habit, and I found a sauna–hammam–swimming pool facility that I now go to every week to swim and relax. At home, simple moments also matter, like playing card games with my flatmates after long days. Taken together, all these experiences make me feel that I have really settled into life here, feeling busy in a positive way, fulfilled, and deeply connected to İzmir.
