My name is Sean Higgins. A South African expat living in Istanbul, Türkiye.
When I arrived in Istanbul on a cold and rainy day on March 17, 2020 the first SARS-COVID-19 death had just taken place. The day before, March 16, 2020, all schools and Universities were closed for three weeks as part of governmental measures for controlling the pandemic. Almost all restaurants and businesses were closed except for those places offering essential services.
My reason for coming to Istanbul was to do a four-week Advanced TESOL course and then go to The Philippines where I planned to teach English. But with my exit flight to The Philippines canceled, I had become a temporary resident in Türkiye by default.
During those early days of the pandemic lockdown restrictions, it became very easy to find an apartment and to get government permission to live in the country.
I’m grateful to meet the challenge of having the opportunity to experience life in this unique city, garlanded by the Black Sea in the north, and The Sea of Marmara in the south with the Bosphorus Straight in between, it is the only city in the world to be built on two continents.
But, above all, it’s the rich history and culture of Istanbul, famed for its natural beauty and strategic position, that served as the capital of three great empires for over 1,500 years that sets it apart from all other cities. First, Byzantion, then Constantinople and finally Istanbul, the ancient city, still fascinates and intrigues visitors today.
It is to these ruins and remaining sections of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople, wedged in place at the tip of the historical peninsula that I visit often, with my self-guided tour books in hand to piece together the rich, overlapping history of the three great Empires.
But there is much more to it than checking out ruins, walls, palaces, and cisterns.
It is the people I enjoy more than anything else. By getting to know the history of the country is inextricably linked to Turkish culture.
So, I follow the different guided touring routes and will write about these in future blog posts.
Go to my content page for more information.