Yes, it is a serious problem, and i do not know what kind of solutions are there. But i presume they also have been sending out their own prospective students in advance to get ready for clergy level positions (not only priesthood) way ahead of time. Don’t take my word for it, though. I’m really oblivious to it.
I’ll ask an Orthodox friend to find out the accurate answer to your question, and i’ll let you know.
Do Christians get harassed frequently? Well, not really. The ones that get harassed are the ones like me, namely the converts. It is perceived as commiting treachery against your history and your own people. Remember that the Ottoman Empire was solely expanded on the grounds that they were conquering in the name of Islam. They were without a doubt the superpower of the 15th and 16th centuries. But it all falls back on evangelizing the world. In other words, Islam and the notion of being a Turk is so intertwined that you can’t separate the two. It is in our history, in our cuisine, in our language, in our traditions, culture… Therefore, for a typical Turk (even a secular one) the historical context is so deeply engraved on his/her mind, it’s as if Islam is the Protagonist and Christianity is the Antagonist in a long novel, so to speak. People discuss the current mishaps of the West (politics) among themselves, yet still refer to the Crusades for crying out loud! You might come across overhearing such conversation at a cafe or a restaurant. It is our identity at this point. Therefore, when a Muslim Turk converts, it is treacherous (not speaking legally, of course). So in short, if you’re a foreigner who minds his own business as far as religion, and not trying to act like one of “those missionaries”, then you’re absolutely fine. Turkish people are very hospitable and welcoming by all means, they love interacting with foreigners. Just don’t start meddling with their faith…
Moreover, the following is the mindset of many (including the government): We are a 99.7% Muslim nation. There is absolutely no need for even a single new church to be built, and no need for non-Muslim religious education or schools (hence prohibited), no need for “those missionaries” since we believe in the last prophet (Muhammed) who accepts Jesus and Moses. Therefore, if a foreigner is coming into our land preaching anything against our belief, it is nothing but that of a foreign government’s doing. How do “those missionaries” even get the funding? They are trying to undermine our government, our nation, and only intend to take away this long disputed/desired land back and put it under a Christian rule."
I know a few phrases and practice pronunciation but don’t really have anyone to teach me how to speak properly. My background is staunchly Western European (German, Irish, French…my family has been in the USA since the 1800s). I was raised Roman Catholic but officially switched a few years ago. I love the Byzantine rite.
I hope it was the Summer time, then, which is definitely the best time for Istanbul (June or early September)