Preparing for Your Journey

WHAT TO BRING 

Now onto the fun stuff - what should you bring?!? Below are some suggestions, based on our experience. Istanbul is a large city and if you’ve forgotten something, you will likely find most common items you may need, though you probably won’t find the brand you’re used to nor will there be as many options as you’re used to. When packing, be mindful that we will visiting a mosque one one day and in a residential area on other day, where we should wear modest clothing (shoulders covered, necklines not too low, no shorts and longer skirts or pants).

General

• PASSPORT (make sure it has at least six months on it) and consider bringing a photocopy and/or passport photos. In the (hopefully!) unlikely event your passport gets lost or stolen, an extra set of passport photos can make it easier for you to get a replacement) 

• Travel plug adapters, depending on the country you are traveling from. C and F are the most commonly used plug type in Turkey

• We highly recommend bringing a fold up, empty duffle bag with you and if you end up purchasing things, you can store your breakable items in your luggage and softer items in the duffle. If you purchase larger items, like a rug, the shop can give you the best tips for getting it home, some places will ship to your home country for a fee

Photos

You will need to upload digital versions of certain photos to this folder and we will print them on specific paper and have them ready for you to use in the workshops. You’ll need to upload your photos no later than Friday, September 5. Inside the upload folder, you'll find another folder with your name, put your photos in the folder with your first name. You upload send at least two photos, as described below:

• 1 photo of a younger version of yourself. It can be you as a baby, small child, adolescent or in early adulthood. Ideally it’s a photo that evokes a particular feeling or emotion for you.

• 1 photo of a person who has been an important part of your story, someone who has influenced your life or your character. This could be a family member, friend, loved one or an important political, social or artistic figure in your life. Ideally, there is a story behind why this person or photo is important to you.

• If you are a particularly fast creator or have trouble deciding, you can upload two different photos for each type we need (2 photos of your younger self and 2 of an influential person in your life) in case you finish early and want to start on a different one.

Notes on photos/uploads

• Victoria works with mostly black and white photos so we will print your photos in black and white as well.

• If the photo you want to use is currently a physical photo (not digital) the best option is to scan the photo to keep the highest resolution and proportions and upload the scanned version to the folder.  You can scan photos at a variety of places like CVS, Walgreen, Walmart, Fed EX/Kinkos or Staples.

• We will print these as 8.5x11 or A4 sized photos, unless your photo is too small to enlarge.  Keep in mind that smaller photos are going to be harder to work with and will have limited options for thread/yarn

General Supplies

• We will provide the textiles for embroidery (yarn/thread) but if you have any particular colors you love or textiles that have special meaning, you are welcome to bring those to use

• Bring a notebook for sketching ideas or writing notes/ideas about design

• bring a pencil and or/pen for use with your notebook, markers or colored pencils if they help you plan your designs

• We will provide the rest of the common supplies needed for the workshops like scissors and needles.

Clothing

• Scarf or shawl to cover your head when visiting mosques or places of religious significance

• Pants or long skirt and top with sleeves and modest neckline for visiting mosques and more traditional neighborhoods

• Layering pieces, including a light jacket, for cool mornings and evenings, with warmer daytime temperatures

• Rain shell and/or small umbrella (rain showers are a possibility)

• If you carry a purse, make sure it zips closed and we recommend a something with cross body strap 

Footwear

• Comfortable and supportive footwear you feel comfortable walking in for moderate distances and on a variety of terrain. Istanbul is the city of 7 hills and we will be walking uphill every day. Please bring footwear that you are able to walk up hills, steps, cobble stones and uneven streets.

• Shoes you feel comfortable taking on and off and leaving in a common area as you will be required to take off your shoes when visiting mosques and various other locations.

Personal Items

• Glasses and/or prescription sunglasses if needed

• Earplugs (high quality foam or sleep focused noise dampening, such as Loop)

• {Toiletries kit, including your own shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, if you are particular or there are certain brands you prefer to use while traveling

• Refillable water bottle to avoid single use plastic bottles

• Hand sanitizer

• KN95 masks–in an effort to keep our group as safe as possible, you may be asked to wear a mask if you exhibit sign of illness

Luggage

We suggest keeping important items in your carry-on in case your luggage gets lost en route to Istanbul. We also suggest putting AirTags in your luggage so you can track their location, in the event they get lost in transit. 

Weather 

October is a lovely time to visit Istanbul. The weather is mild with daytime highs in the mid/high 60s to low 70s F ( 18-23 C) and evening temperatures in the low 50s F (11-13 C). While usually dry, it can rain in October so we suggest packing a jacket and umbrella just in case. We will be on a boat and a ferry, where temperatures can be cooler and breezy so a light jacket is appropriate.