Search and Rescue Competition - Edirne, Turkey (Part 1)
Romani dance performance - Edirne, Turkey
Pre-introduction
Context: My University had forwarded an email to all students inviting us to take part in a “Search and Rescue” competition that was to be hosted in Edirne, Turkey where teams from many different Balkan countries were to go head to head carrying out exercises that consisted of drilling, GPS coordination, rappelling and much more. There I was, reading the email and contemplating if it would be worth signing up. One factor that made it all the more enticing was that all expenses were to be paid by the AFAD organization (Which Google describes as “Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency”). The only money I would need to spend would be to buy copious amounts of loukoumi and coffee. But, me being lazy and at times thinking in an “I’ll just do it later” mentality almost had my entry denied from the very beginning. I left it to the last moment and missed the sign-up deadline even though I had more than 2.5 months to send in my application. After panic crept its way in, it occurred to me that I actually did care a lot about joining this competition purely for the experience and knowledge I would gain. I also knew it would be a great opportunity to meet new people and take some very epic photos. So, I fought. I fought like hell to be accepted. I called the department of my University a total of 6 times asking for an exemption, just for the chance to have my application considered. I wanted to go! I NEEDED TO GO!!! I came to realize that the visceral churning that came from the thought of not being accepted was my body’s way of telling me that I had to be a part of this experience. My body knew this would be something great before my mind did. Well, after submitting my application a total of 3 days after the deadline and to even the surprise of the woman working at the office of the University that sent out the email, I got accepted. She had specifically told me “You most definitely will not be allowed into the competition since it’s too late now anyway”. I got the vibe that she was DONE talking with me (maybe that had something to do with the amount of times I had bothered her). I had made it into the competition as a member of the team that would be representing Greece. One thing I was fearful of about this competition would be my physical state as I had had surgery to repair 2 inguinal hernias just 6-8 weeks prior to the event. To sprinkle in a little more risk I even fell off an e-scooter just 3 weeks after my surgery which left me with an injured right radial forearm bone and a completely bashed right knee which if palpated, still feels battered and bruised compared to my left. Nevertheless, I went to Turkey, not knowing what kind of situation I was about to get myself into.
Members of my team waving the Greek flag in celebration - Edirne, Turkey
A few days before the trip: EKAB training (Introduction)
Our university told us that they would’ve taken the responsibility of training and preparing us to be more accustomed and ready for the competition. But, in typical Greek bureaucratic fashion, they practically left us on “Seen”. Just a week before our departure to Edirne, the University told us that they would not provide ANY form of training (or really any sort of help for that matter) in preparation for the competition. So we as a team (where most of us had not even met each other in person before) had to find a way to get some basic training from someone in the field of “Search and Rescue” before competing. Thankfully we had a member of the team called “Dimitri” who did an amazing job in finding someone from “EKAB” (Greece’s EKAB is the equivalent of AFAD in Turkey) to help us out, and when I say “help us out”, I mean it with every fiber of collagen in my body. The person Dimitri contacted was in charge of setting up a day of training for us, he has been a member of EKAB for around 35-40 years now and specializes in heavy “Search and Rescue” operations. He managed to set up a day that included all kinds of activities ranging from triage management, tent set-ups, rope tying, and even how to assess a casualty and transport them from one location to the ambulance. Along with an introductory presentation in the morning accompanied by a plethora of coffee and koulouri. One thing I should note was that this was all COMPLETELY FREE. He and many others of the EKAB team went out of their way to host us and teach as as much as they knew in preparation for the competition. To top it all of, this man had been injured a few weeks prior to helping us. He had fallen from a height of 5 meters and broken 4 ribs during a rescue operation. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude, I hope that in the future I am able to help in whatever manner I can. After an amazing day full of in-depth training and preparation, we felt more confident and ready for what was to come.
En route to Edirne
Heading to Orestiada
The meetup point was at KTEL Makedonia in which we were to catch the 8 am bus heading to Alexandroupoli so we could then get another bus to Orestiada. Before the bus had even left, we had problems. 2 members who were supposed to join us dipped at the last moment without any real notice or warning. This was really bad for us as in order to compete as a team we needed at least 10 people. We were now down to 8… Anyway, we headed off and made it to Alexandroupoli around 11:30. After waiting another half hour for the next bus we headed off to Orestiada which is the closest Greek town to Edirne. Upon arrival, we rushed to the center of Orestiada where we waited for another 15 mins before our private bus to take us across the border and into Edirne where we would be staying for the next week. It was the responsibility of one of our team members called “Theofilos” to arrange our transportation across the border, little did he and the rest of us know the actual type of transportation we would be going with. We assumed a van suitable for 8-10 people would come, not a whole travel bus that fits 50+ people!!! I remember seeing the travel bus parking near us at our waiting stop and jokingly stating “Oh and here’s our bus hehe” to which Theofile replied, “Yeah that’s actually our bus…”. We were living the luxury life. Our bus driver was a chap dripping with wisdom, with insight into what we would expect to see and most importantly, how to avoid any diplomatic episodes. Along the way we also noticed hoards of storks perched atop landline poles with nests as large as a “Smart” car. They were on every pole serving as the security cameras of the local village, scanning for any smugglers entering or leaving the country.
The warning
Nearing the border I could already see the monolithic Edirne mosque in the distance waving at us. An entire city, inaccessible due to large fenced-off plains that spanned the entire length of the country, from the trilateral point where Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey all meet down to the Aegean Sea. Eventually, we made it to our side of the border, got down, and had all our passports checked. One of us though was in trouble from the start. A passport from a member of our team was set to expire in late July (less than 2 months from entering Turkey) which was BAD NEWS for us. We were warned by the Greek border patrol that this was going to be an issue with the Turks as it is law that any passport coming into the country MUST HAVE at least 5-6 months duration before expiration. So with that in mind, we went to meet those on the opposite side of the river, fearing what was to come.
The border
With 6 hours to spare you best believe I spammed cat photos :3
As we approached their side of the border, everything changed. The grass was greener, the patriotic red redder, the flags bigger…much bigger. Oozing with pride in every crevice. We got down and handed our passports to the border control, got our photos taken, and went through security, well, all of us but one. The warnings of the Greek border patrol were indeed heeded and as a result, the next 6 hours would be some of the most arduous and tiring of the trip yet. We waited for bureaucracy to work its slow sadistic magic. While impatience grew with every aching minute that passed on our part, panic and unrest grew exponentially larger for the organizers as they tried to accommodate for our surprise delay. It got to the point where to governor of Edirne had to step in and actually pay the fee that our team member would’ve had to pay because of his passport. I like how within all this upheaval and unrest, our only real concern was if we were going to miss dinner or not. God forbid I don’t get my sandwich with donner and fries accompanied with a refreshing Ayran to top it all off. I should also state that we had 2 members of the AFAD with us from the organizing team who shared in our sorrow of waiting most of the 6 hours with us, initially came to see if they could convince the border patrol to let us through, but to no avail. During the wait we got to chatting with them and I even felt comfortable enough to share with one of them that I was from Cyprus. It’s a strange thing for me being in Turkey, I am never really sure if I should say that I am from Cyprus or not due to the reaction that it may garner. I had some untasteful moments occur in Istanbul because I told people I was Cypriot. For example, my Mom and I went to a restaurant near “Istiklal Cadessi” street. The food was remarkable and so was the service, up until the moment he asked us where we were from. I could sense my mom’s hesitation and in an icy broken tone she spat out “We’re from Cyprus”. The guy’s face went from “Oh so you are tourists???” to “-_-”. But hey, that’s just a one-time thing, well it happened a few more times but that’s for another blog (possible hint for Istanbul blog??? I can barely keep up with finishing this one as it is lmao). This guy on the other hand was chill about it. In fact, he was quite curious and even told me that he has a friend from there.
A message from beyond
Eventually, Allah took mercy on us (Allah as since we were now in Turkey so yeah I am accommodating based on the location :P), a cop came from, well I honestly don’t know where from, he just kinda spawned in. Anyway, 30 minutes after his arrival, we got approved and were given the clear to enter Turkey. We had been waiting for so long that even the Albanian team had had time to catch up to us. Their beta-cuck van was nothing compared to our Sigma-based Goliath (I mean our bus). The 2 members of the AFAD team lead the way to the dormitories with the Albanian team behind them and us following suit. As we continued to follow them we began to notice that they were taking us through roads that seemed to be, well, how can I put this lightly…complete and utter shit. Potholes littered the street just as much as actual litter forcing you to play a game of “avoid the pothole”. To add to the stress, stray dogs would constantly act as obstacles that would be found sleeping in the middle of the roads. When they weren’t on the roads they were either drinking water from wherever they could find it or chasing ongoing vehicles. It seemed the AFAD members were just as confused as we were about the directions, perhaps even more confused than us. This was confirmed when we saw that they were taking us past a maximum-security prison that led to a bridge. At the bridge, the AFAD members along with the Albanian team come to a sudden halt. The bus driver and I got down to inspect the situation. I am not overexaggerating when I say that the bridge was probably made from sticks and rocks barely able to handle the weight of everyday cars passing on it let alone our behemoth. As I stood there nervously laughing at our situation I witnessed a scene that made its mark in my memory, etched into the sulci of my brain never to let go. A silky bokeh glimmered from the moon hung over the sky as if placed there by an omnipotent hand providing just enough light to see the landscape in front of me. The hastily built quivering bridge acting as the central artery or aorta that connected the land with itself to complete the closed circuit. On the other side of the river atop the mountainous terrain stood two mighty pearls oozing in with the firmness of Islam. The “Selimiye Mosque” and the “Eski Ulu Camii”. Both, much in grander, making their mark on the landscape among the wave of lights from insignificant houses surrounding it. Then, in a fit of angst, the bellowing began. It was prayer time. I had managed to capture this scene in all of its Religious significance. It was as if the place had given me a taste of what was to come, telling me “This is what I am, this is what I bring upon you, I cast myself over your sight”. This trip was going to be something VERY different.
The slums
Can’t do much about the blurriness but here is a quick snapshot of the situation we found ourselves in
We turned back and went around the river to get to our destination. But again, the roads that the AFAD members took us through were again something of a treat for the eye. We were led straight through the slums of outer Edirne where masses of Gypsies hoarded the roads arguing with each other about whoever knows what. Cows prancing the streets as if having just finished a late work shift, heading back home, what were shoes but a forgotten relic of ancient times? Something the children had no concept of running barefoot in the muddy streets. No matter, as soon their cheer and glee was interrupted by…”THE GREEKS IN THEIR MASSIVE BUS!” All of them came to a sudden halt to witness this experience. How was this Goliath to morph into a sardine? Thankfully the Gypsies lent a hand and moved their cars and trash bins out of the street, guiding us as we inched our way through whatever available space there was. We made it and waved a grateful thanks to the helpful Gypsies. Passing through more slums we eventually made it to our dormitories. Separated from the slums all within an area of itself. We got off the bus and were greeted by more AFAD workers along with one guy who seemed a bit out of place and had a somewhat of a concerned look to him. He was the only one who actually knew any English and acted as a communicator/translator. The translator’s name was “Hussein”, (keep this guy in mind because he would become an integral part of the story). After separating from the girls (they were to be taken to their dormitories which were a few km away) we entered the camp-like dormitories. The entrance to the “camp” had a security section where those who called this place home were to have their finger scanned and identity identified before being allowed to enter the premises. To confirm the identity of the person who was entering, their ID along with what seemed to be some “social credit” score was displayed on a screen above for everyone in the queue to gaze at. Passing through security we were greeted by 2 young boys who showed a keen interest in us. Their names were “Yunus” and “Atinc”. They were both from one of the Turkish teams that was also competing. These 2 also had a big role to play during our time there. 3 big buildings each with assigned numbers straight out of a scene from 1984. A block, B block, and C block along with another building that hosted most of the facilities such as the canteen, gym, and more. We were assigned to B block. We were then led to our rooms. 2 rooms each with 3 guys. The rooms had 1 shared bathroom (thankfully with a Western-style toilet). One large desk was laid linearly with 4 sections separated by a measly plank of wood serving as border patrol that were the study areas of the residents (now us). Lastly, one room with 4 beds, 1 bed in each corner. The room was more than large enough to accommodate for the 3 of us but there was one issue that lingered like a foul smell. There were no locks on any of the doors except the bathroom. Concerned, we asked Hussein for the key to lock our rooms, he smiled at us and said “There are no locks on any of the doors. All the doors will be unlocked all the time”…It is safe to say that the concept of “reverse psychology” was being taken very seriously here. If all the doors are unlocked then no one would want to steal from anyone else’s room. The same risk level is applies to all of us. It is both impressive and unnerving.
Awkward exchanges and Reverse Psychology
Outside our block were some benches where we sat down to relax while we waited for our “dinner”. Hussein came over to chat with us and a bit of an awkward moment was exchanged that in our heads seemed to edge its way closer to a “diplomatic episode”. We asked Hussein what he was studying, he replies with “Mechanical Engineering”. I was particularly intrigued because he said he had worked quite a bit on CAD modeling of mechanical parts. Back when I was in my teens (God I’m old) I used to own a cheap Chinese 3D printer and experimented a bit with CAD modeling, it is something I consider eventually going back to. Anyway, the thing that caught us “Greeks” off-guard was his reply to what he wanted to pursue a career which went something a bit like “Oh, I really want to work in the Aviation industry, especially on warplanes”. The air instantly became a bit cold between us all and I vividly remember hearing the stuttering when my team members were trying to come up with words that would be framed into semi-coherent sentences to fill the silence. In case you don’t get it, we became a bit uneasy due to the beef that exists between Turkey and Greece. A Turkish guy telling us that his wish is to work on warplanes ignited the flames of the actions of past generations. A quote that stuck with me from Dune Part 1 was “There is no escape - we pay for the violence of our ancestors.” by Princess Irulan. However, this interaction was the perfect example of why you should not judge someone before getting to know them. We could’ve easily taken this personally and had conflicting views about Hussein but the more he spoke about it the more I began to see past it. He would later become one of our closest friends and someone who left an unforgettable mark on all of us. After that interaction, our food finally arrived. Sandwiches with burger patties, fries, and some salad accompanied by a refreshing Ayran. We devoured it as soon as it was given to us. Although we had to wait quite a while for our food, I am grateful to them that they kept their promise of feeding us. We then headed to our rooms and got into bed, awaiting what was to come the next day.
Ending note:
Part 2 coming soon, I promise! Thanks for reading and remember to drink enough water.
