Brrr.. it's cold in here!

Yes, winter has officially arrived ... well, it feels like it has anyway. Some days are still beautiful with the sun shining and the wind NOT blowing but most days are a bit on the dreary side, the wind is blowing and the sun - well, it's on break for a bit. The night time is completely different - as in, VERY COLD! It was 5 degrees C the other night. This isn't so bad but ... I'm leaving Turkey - at least for a few days.

That's right, we are off to the Czech Republic! Prague specifically! It will be my third trip to Prague. The weather is expected to be at 1 degree C. So, it will be even colder than it is here. I was in Prague last year this time and don't remember it being so very cold. I guess I'll be reminded.

You know it's interesting - traveling. I've had the opportunity to go to a few different countries and I just realized, I've never traveled to a different country without hitting the United States at some point. So this will be my first trip to a foreign country from a foreign country without going back to the United States. I'm not sure what to expect - maybe nothing will be different. However, it's official as of this trip - Turkiye is home. I will be coming home to Turkiye. How cool is that?

I will blog again when I return and I'm sure I'll have some photos to post as well. I really need to work on that in the future - more pictures. I look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions.

:)

Apartment hunting...

Learning a new language is like decorating a new apartment. One has to decide on what kind of home they are looking for – will two bedrooms work for you? A big kitchen? How many bathrooms? Will the language be used in more than one country/place? Is the vocabulary unlimited? How many tenses are used?

And once the apartment is found – do you have the main pieces of furniture that you need? Where do you go to purchase or obtain that furniture? And, normally, no matter how much you try to get JUST what you need – you always want to get things that are not necessary, little extras… a poster, some art, or a special comforter for the new bed. Do you have a dictionary? Learning verbs and how to make the different versions (tenses) is considered a very important starting point with a new language. However, one is usually lured into learning phrases that don’t literally translate which mean are good to know, maybe, however, not helpful in the long run. The goal being to speak fluently (or at least communicate with a functioning knowledge of the language).

I have a little knowledge of both apartment hunting and learning languages. Those of you who know me, know that I have moved quite often (four times just while in Turkey) and have dabbled in eight languages, thus far! So, it is with my experience that I make these statements...

Thinking that now you have the main pieces of furniture – vocabulary, verbs, a few useful phrases … one needs to make the apartment - home. Some place that one wants to dwell with the feelings of safety and understanding. Some place where it’s nice to visit with old and new friends. Having a working knowledge of a new language is great but to be able to not have to worry about saying the sentence wrong or mispronouncing something can lead to fear. Having a fear to speak ones’ new language can lead further to frustration and an apartment that is only partially furnished and not shared or enjoyed. One should not have such an apartment.

In order to avoid this situation – one should shop carefully and seek out only the most knowledgeable and patient of salesmen. A salesman that is dedicated to the basics and is willing to negotiate. Once the basics are accomplished, practice, practice, practice … Only through practice can one truly have the best arrangement in the apartment as well as the best knowledge of the language. In order to have the best arrangement – one may need to invest in more than one salesman, perhaps even a professional interior decorator. It will be worth the investment in the long run.

In time, usually about a year, one will find that they are comfortable in their new apartment and it’s not a problem to find the bathroom in the dark. Lights are needed sometimes when one is tired or a little addled (for whatever reason) but eventually, knowing one’s way home and way around will become second nature. Using one’s newly acquired language will become natural and going between one’s native tongue and the new language will be an everyday event no longer a reason for fear or anxiety, maybe even conscience thought …

Choose your apartment well. Make sure you want to stay there for at least a year, if not more. Know your stores and the availability of professional interior decorators as well as local salesmen. Start out with only the basics and move up to painting, art, etc. Just as your apartment will reflect your personality over time, your newly acquired language skills will also develop and become part of your personality. In time, you will consider yourself a native and wonder why decorating was difficult at first, for now, it seems so easy. Your apartment and your speech are beautiful!

And we're back...

It’s been forever since I’ve written and I apologize. So much has happened! Let me update you…

The seasons have changed. Summer was very, very hot. The summer days reminded me of my time in Florida. Each day was nice in the morning but by 1300-1400 the temperatures reached all time highs and the heat was almost unbearable. No matter how hot it got though, it was never completely unbearable. I did learn to carry a fan in my bag at all times and that turned out to be a saving grace. I must say, riding my bike was also a good thing - nothing like having the wind in your hair on a hot day. I can understand why riding a motorcycle is so alluring.

It’s October now and well, Summer is gone and the heat almost forgotten. Some may be wishing for it again soon. Fall is upon us and it’s wonderful. Chilly mornings and evenings – days full of sun and enough warmth. Jackets are optional for the most part however, I believe the days are soon coming when jackets will be mandatory.

With the change of the seasons, a change in address also occurred. I’ve moved to a different part of Turkiye. I am in a city which is located at a higher altitude which means cooler temperatures and snow! I am so looking forward to winter and the precipitation it will bring – hopefully in the form of snow. Of course, yesterday, we had a thunderstorm that lasted about 15 minutes but in that short time, the sun was shining, then the rain came (as if dumped) and then hail rang as it hit the glass windows and then, the sun was out once more. One must be quick not to miss the wonders of Mother Nature here, it seems. J

I’ve had the opportunity to host a friend from home (America) here recently. We made the mandatory stops in Istanbul – SutanAhmet, the Grand Bazaar, etc. We also went to Izmit and some cities nearby. It was lovely. The scenery, the friends, the tea – all were wonderful. I really enjoyed being able to show off Turkiye and some of it’s wonder to a fellow American.

I’ve fallen in love… with this country. It’s a beautiful hidden gem. The people, the culture and of course, the food, are all wonderful. My new home, in Eskisehir, is in the city centre and although the view is nothing like it was in Izmit, the view has its own beauty. The city sleeps but not very long. A few hours in the early morning is all. So, there is a lot to do and see. I will be going out soon to take pictures. For those of you on Facebook – you can see multiple postings of Eskisehir and the beauty it contains.

I will end here for today. I have internet again so I will be writing more regularly (at least once a week). Looking forward to hearing from you!

Friends

Friends – how does one define a friend? Is it someone who is there for the moment of need or someone who you can call when you find some extra time? I’ve been told that friends are “for a reason, a season or a lifetime”.

Friends for a reason are usually only around or active for a specific event in one’s life. Not that this diminishes the importance of said friends… these friends were probably the most important people around during a specific time. It’s just that once the purpose is served, these friends move on. I know that I have been a friend for a reason to many people over the years. I am always glad to have been of help (in whatever small way) but you know when it’s time to move on. Cards are always welcome.

Friends for a season are around a little longer. A season can be defined by the calendar or by a chapter in one’s life. I know having been former military that quick friendships are made overseas and many, unfortunately, don’t continue past the tour. Other friendships are made out of circumstance and could continue for a couple of weeks, or months or years. Some of those friendships that do endure the comings and goings of the other friends as well as the good, the bad and the ugly… these are the friends for a lifetime.

I am very happy to say that I have a few very good friends that have seen me at my best and my very worst. I am thankful for these friends. I like to think that we will one day, look back at our experiences and laugh, good and hard, about some of the decisions (mainly mine) that were SOOOO important and turned out to be, well, not so much.

With this in mind, I like to think that the friendships I have made in Turkey will ultimately be those of a lifetime. Something in the way that people treat each other and how they cherish a friend and friendship leads me to believe that this will be true.

Turkey will always be home to me. J

Time has continued to move quickly. It is rather interesting that I have not found myself bored here. I always have something I can do and somewhere I can go. In fact, with two days off recently, I made it to Bursa ... it's a city fairly close to Izmit. It is known for it's history, food, and University. I was very lucky to have some local tour guides. They took me from one end of the city, it seemed, to the other.

I went into my first Mosque in Bursa. I didn't know what to expect but it wasn't what I found. I guess I was thinking it would be like the historical churches I had visited in my other travels. I remember the first time I went into an old Church in Sicily - it was beautiful in a low-light sense of wonder kind of way and had an air of solemn tranquility. One did not want to talk or make a noise as to disturb the

atmosphere. Almost like one had gone back into history for a visit. With this in mind, walking into the Mosque was quite different.

The Mosque was very large and open and airy. It was well lit and bright. There was a "sky light" (for lack of a better description) in the middle which allowed natural light in and illuminated a fountain. The fountain took up the middle of the floor with water flowing gently over the edges into a pool. The gentle sounds of water and prayer were heard. It gave one a soothing feeling. As is well here, kind of thing. The Mosque was beautiful as well, with carvings and Arabic writings in gold ... uniquely beautiful.

We visited many places and saw wonderful artisans and their work in everything from shells to silk. Ultimately, we visited Tophane. It is on the top of a hill and was once used as a lookout post for invaders. The lookout is still there and it is beautiful! The view from this place should not be missed!

Having only a day really to spend in Bursa, it was lovely. The company was wonderful and I got to see more of Turkish culture. I am very thankful to my Grandmother for she taught me very early in my life to appreciate the art of playing cards. In Turkey, this is also important. My tour guides, and friends, and I spent the evening trading card games. I've found that I've missed playing cards. It really is a great way to spend the evening with friends.

Of course, leaving Bursa one can not miss the IKEA. It is conveniently located next to the bus station (otogar). So, yes, I did make a stop in there. :)

I've also had the privilege to attend a traditional Turkish wedding. Having never seen any wedding other than an American wedding, I was very curious to see the differences and similarities (if any). The wedding was not an event… it was a holiday. It started on Saturday and continued through Sunday night. It was a lot of fun. Although I was not able to attend Saturday evenings’ events, I was there for Sunday at the coiffeurs and then the ceremony. It was lovely. Music, dancing and family were all there. It was a wonderful day and I am so happy for the new couple as well as having the opportunity to share the day with them.

I will say this about Turkish culture, there is an overall air of love, well-being and fun. I don’t see these people as those that worry about the small things… instead they appreciate the little things. Each act is received with true appreciation, no matter the size. It is very enlightening to be among people who appreciate what’s really important, family and friends. Each day I spend in Turkey is a day that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Unexpected Pleasures

WOW!! It's July already! This year is just flying by! I can hardly believe I have been here in Turkey for almost four months. I can say that my Turkish has improved since my arrival... I can tell when Turks breath between words now... jk ... actually, I can understand much of what is being said. The language seems to be focused on verbs... now that I can recognize those, I'm doing fairly well.

The weather continues to get hotter... I'm starting to get used to it. What else can you do? Actually, I'm sporting a fierce tan - one not unlike those I used to work for in my youth. I have no desire to get darker but riding my bike and enjoying the outdoors as much as possible works against me there. No matter... too much to see and do!

My flat has become home. I have perde - curtains. I know, the first time in my life that I've hung curtains on my own... normally, I go without but it's necessary here. :) I've actually cooked in my apartment as well. Scary but true. Don't worry, it was only breakfast after all, I don't have a stove in my flat. I just have a hot plate (which is more than enough). ha ha

I've managed to travel, locally... I've made it to the Black Sea (Karpe) again, Gebze, and Degemendere. (spelling?) The Black Sea was lovely - I went swimming and hung out with some friends. The day was perfect, the sea was cool and the company, very nice.

In Gebze, I was able to join a "coming of age" celebration. It was a traditional celebration with music, dancing, family and fun! The music was traditional Turk Folk Music ... something that I've found here, many of the villages have area traditional dances ... everyone learns them and everyone, young and old, gets out and dances. Needless to say, I was dancing all night. It was wonderful.

One thing that I found really inspirational... belly dancing. That's right, the traditional belts with the "jingles" on them were found and the castinettes brought out. I even wore the belt and did my own belly dance! Evidently, I did it fairly well, I had money tucked into my belt ... by women. :) No hour workout in a gym could do more for you than a half hour of belly dancing! WOW!

Across the bay in Degemendere is a lovely, seaside town. The people are laid back with an air of "Carpe Diem". The food is very good and everyday is an outside market that sells wears from around the area. Many pieces of handmade jewelry can be found here, metals and leathers. For an afternoon of meandering and browsing, this is the perfect place to go. :)

Life remains great here in Turkey... I'm looking forward to the next opportunity to explore even more of Turkey ... I'm loving it, especially the dancing! Who knew???

Some Random Thoughts....

Internet...

Who would think that having the internet (when you want it) could be such a pleasure?? Let me tell you ... ME!! I have gone more than two weeks without a steady connection to the "net" and I was about insane! However, thanks to my Turkish friends, I have internet as it is meant to be... at my beck and call! About time!! I love it!

Weather...

As the days get longer, the weather remains gorgeous. Thanks to the altitude of my apartment, I always have a lovely breeze. The sun is hot only when you are in it for long periods of time. It's always a beautiful day in Turkiye!

Summer Nights...

I was sitting the other night at the Seaside with some friends. It was so lovely... the sound of the water nearby, pleasant conversation in English and Turkish, laughing with new friends and watching the night lights of the city on the opposite shore ... it doesn't get much better than this. :) I would have never thought I would ever be enjoying life as I am. I'm so glad!!!

Exploration...

Yesterday, I found a new place to explore. I took the ferry across the bay to a little town on the shore. It is a quaint little town - very quiet, not a lot of traffic or horns, people walking and taking in the serenity of the beach. I spent some time walking, window shopping (browsing the outdoor market) and, of course, eating. It was a great way to spend my afternoon. I am looking forward to spending more time across the way and beyond. :)

And now, it's time for me to get some things ready for tonight... Have a great day!!

Summer has come!

More Adventures... Diane Style,

I haven't had much time of late to get anywhere but I finally made it to the Black Sea. I visited a number of small towns including Kandıra and Karpe. I ate french fries (of course) in a restaurant called "Karpe Diem" - thought that was appropriate considering the area.

The town of Karpe is right on the sea. It is dotted with quaint shoppes and restaurants, fishing boats and of course, people. However, I didn't see many "tourists". It's a place that if you aren't familiar with the area, you wouldn't go there. It's a must see though... Locals only area. :)

It took me three buses to get to Karpe but it was well worth the effort. The view was amazing, the water cool, clear and blue! The water was so inviting - you know I had to go swimming. I didn't have my bathing suit but that doesn't matter here!! Yes, I went swimming in my boy shorts and halter top. It actually covered more than the bikini on the girl laying on the beach. :) It was WONDERFUL to go swimming. I got a great tan... more of a tan (tan lines, see below... I think they will always be there.) I really enjoyed my day at the Black Sea - so much so that I can't wait to return!



Some ramblings for this week...
All hail - the sunshine! Yes, summer has arrived in full sunshine here in Izmit! It's gorgeous. I had already started my "farmer's tan" and now, it's in full ... tan lines at their best. I've often wondered - how come the tan lines show up so quickly and yet, it takes the rest of the summer to get rid of them (and I'm not completely certain, will I)!!??


With the sunshine, comes the heat and let me tell you ... it's hot! The other day it was 33 degrees Celcius! For North Americans, that's around 91 degrees Fahrenheit! It's only June, evidently in August it is normal to have the temperature reach 40 degrees C ın some places... quite honestly, I didn't do the conversion to F because I'm afraid it will be over 100. ha ha The interesting thing though about Turkey and the heat - some women still walk around completely covered, head to toe, scarfs and long sleeve shirts. I don't know how they do it. I couldn't. They even swim like that too! I would be afraid of drowning!

I went shopping at the Pazaar... ıt's hard to ignore when it's rıght under your kitchen wındow. I found myself walkıng the entıre length of the market ... you can buy anythıng from spıces and tomatoes to shoes and underwear! I thınk thıs ıs where the orıgınal ıdea for "one stop shoppıng" came from. Needless to say, sınce I don't cook (one thıng that hasn't changed!) I only got a few veggıes and trıed on some shoes ... ıt was great! I am lookıng forward to Frıdays now - so I can do more browsıng... Turkısh style.


Türkiye contınues to keep my ınterest and keep me on my toes! I'm contınuıng to learn the language and now, ıf people speak slowly, I can understand most of what they are sayıng. I work on my Turkısh every day and I am lookıng forward to when I can understand everythıng!


I wıll keep you posted ...

Another week goes by...

OMG!! Time is so flying! I am in my flat and, I must say, absolutely LOVING it!! Yes, it's not completely furnished but really, furniture is overrated. I mean, I have a couch and a bed and did I mention the view??? Yes, I think I did - a couple of times I'm sure.

So... what's going on this week for your entertainment?? Well, never expect "5 (five) minutes" to actually MEAN five minutes. In fact, contrary to normal thoughts - Turkey has proven me wrong. I received a call saying the telephone company man would be coming to install my phone line in five minutes, so I could get my internet turned on as well. Well, the call ended and of course, I was still in my "pj's" since it was my only morning to sleep in and get this... as I was thinking about getting dressed, the doorbell went off. The doorbell, by the way sounds like an attack of baby blue jays (who ever thought that was a welcoming sound never saw Thornbirds!!), so I threw on the closest decent things I could find (scary to say the least). Therefore, you can only imagine what I looked like - did I mention I had not brushed my teeth yet and let's not consider the condition of my hair!? Regardless, I answered the door, traumatized an old man and now I have a turkish phone number- not that it will help you to get in touch with me because it's just a live wire hanging out of the wall. But hey, in just up to three working days I should have an active internet connection. This means, I can end my pilfering career without any jail time!!! Yeah!!

Some random Turkish moments ... today over lunch while chatting with a Turkish friend, we were discussing books and authors ( wow, right???). Anyway, I brought up Kafka - the freak that he was - and my friend made the comment, "Only abnormal people can write". I love it!!! I want to write a book while I'm here and I think this is my justification! I can now feel like it is my personal calling (being that I am far from "normal") to be a writer. I always knew I was meant to write, I guess I was just waiting for the job description to become obvious. Who knew I needed to come to Turkey to figure that out?

Did you know that if you give someone your phone number they take that as an open invitation to bother you at ALL TIMES of the day and night? I know that "no good deed goes unpunished" but damn, really - I thought I was helping his guy out with English and only come to find out it was his way to get my number. One day, I swear, I'm going to dye my hair blonde (for real) - that way when I make SUCH stupid errors, I can blame it on that! One would think I wouldn't fall for such things, anymore.... ha ha I finally figured out how to turn my phone on and off though - so maybe it's okay. Oh and by the way, some comments don't require translation - think about what I said to him ... haven't had any more calls. 1.2.3. I win. Next.

Turkey continues to be a lot of fun. I am loving my position and the students are great. Haven't made it to the club - probably a good thing - not sure Izmit is ready for the way I dance. :) Of course, maybe my hips aren't ready for my dancing anymore either! Ha ha.

So... I will leave it here for now - all continues to go along swimmingly. I'll be in touch again soon. Let's hope the blue jays aren't calling anytime again soon!! (Especially when you are wearing what they consider here to be NOTHING!!!) :)

Take care - Hafta Gorusuruz ... (1.2.3. Next week....)

Another eventful week here in Turkiye!

Let’s see … So, I moved into my new flat last week but who knew it would take an entire week to truly make it “home”. I called on a couple of friends to help me with the shopping. This may seem funny considering I am usually fairly adept at shopping but … I’ve been a tad slower in getting into the groove here. However, thanks to my friends, the shopping is now complete, I hope. The place is more “homie” (or is it “homey”), lol. And the good thing, I don’t have to share it with ANYONE! Yeah!!!

I will enjoy sleeping in/on a bed tonight – for the first time since coming to Turkiye and really, it’s even longer – the last time I slept in/on a bed was in Praha. Wow! I think it will be rather nice to sleep on something specifically meant for sleep…! J

I still haven’t bought curtains (or Perde pronounced per-da). I will eventually get to that but I haven’t found any that aren’t something out of the 1970s. You know, the beads all the way to the floor. (Unless I could find the beads that make a picture – maybe a sunset or a martini glass?? That would really announce that I am the American here, huh?) I’m sure it would be a lovely addition to the flat but I’m thinking it’s just not me. Of course, I don’t normally like curtains anyway – blinds are just fine, however, they don’t have those here either! Good thing I’m on the fifth floor (actually the 6^th since they call the first floor, “sifir” or zero!)

Some random moments from this week … you know you are an English teacher when you try to correct a student in their own language and they are laughing harder at your attempt to pronounce something than you are at their attempt to speak English! Only this job can this be funny!

While biking through the park (on the way home) today, I notice one of those industrial sized blow-up slide things. (The type at block parties and that are available for rent.) With further investigation, I saw they had six trampolines set up next to each other! It was completely enclosed. You don’t have to ask whether or not I “bounced” on over or not!! Of course, I did! Within moments, I parked my bike and found myself jumping up and down – screaming like a little kid. It was awesome. Coincidentally, some of my students were there (unbeknownst to me) and they took pictures!! OMG! So, I now have documentation of a failed front somersault! Enjoy!

The weather continues to be interesting… at my elevation, the temperature seems to be a bit cooler. I got dressed for work the other day in a turtleneck sweater (Thanks Kay! Great Christmas gift!) and my jeans (to be changed at work). By the time I made it to work, I would have preferred to be in shorts and a tee- shirt. Although, I will say – I looked good. (And we know that according to SNL – it’s better to look good than feel good, and Darling, you look Marvelous!! Ha ha ) I had no idea the breeze off the water could make such a difference! I now know better.

I will not be able to go anywhere this month thanks to moving and all of that so … I will have to content myself with working even more!! That’s right… I’m working 40 hours and still loving it. J

Enough for now, I think, I need to go put ice or heat? On my knees. Ha ha . I miss the days of dancing … BUT … some students have told me of a place close by. Stay tuned, maybe next week I’ll have gone there???

Moving Time...

I know I've only been here for two months (already!!) but I'm moving... okay, only across the city centre but I'm still moving to a new town. Currently, I am in Yahyakaptan (pronounced: Ya-Ya [like the sisterhood] Captain), it kind of reminds me of the Navy days, "aye aye Capt'n". :) It's about five kilometers (formally thought of as four, however anyone who knows me, knows I am not a reliable source for directions or distance. ha ha) away from the City Centre of Izmit. Now, I will be moving on about three or four kilometers on the other side of the City Centre to Guztepe (Goozed-te-pay). It means beautiful hill.

This is the view from my bedroom window.

My apartment is completely empty with bare walls and a lovely view of part of the city and the seaside. I am looking forward to making it my home over the next few months ... should be an interesting feat. :) Once I get something in my flat, I will post a couple of pictures. :)

For now, enjoy the view of outside the flat. I will be able to ride my bike directly into the City Centre or take the scenic route down by the seaside. How cool is that?

Some random Turk moments... I've had the opportunity to hang out and meet some really neat people. Imagine sitting at a restaurant and having someone approach you with the greeting, "You speak English?" This is not an extraordinary occurance here. I've met people from Holland, Finland and Texas just this past week.

I went to a sports pub to watch a football match (also known as soccer)

and was surprised to find myself sharing the place with "Kursh", the kedi(the cat). Evidently, this is not an unusual thing to have a "pub kitty" as a mascot. Kursh was a very large cat too. I'm not sure what they are feeding her but she was not your normal, average-sized house cat. In fact, she was a very well mannered, people oriented kitty. Made me miss mine at home.

I've discovered tattoos here! Yes, they have tattoos and piercings, just not as many as in the States. One of my students showed me to the establishment and I got my very first... henna tattoo. It's gorgeous - I designed it myself while in Praha last fall. The process of getting the tattoo was fairly easy. The artist was pretty good, also. I got my "anchor" put on my ankle. I like it but am glad it is not permanent. I don't know that I am ready for another permanent one, just yet and I think I want to get that done in Greece. That's another story all together. So, in a few more weeks, the henna will be gone and so will my tattoo.

The weather has officially turned... it's Spring - with lovely, warm days and brisk evenings. I am told that very soon, Summer will be here and it will be incredibly hot. Can't wait. My apartment is so high up, I will be getting the breeze from the sea. I'm thinking it will remind me of living in Italy which had the same circumstances. (No air conditioning). lol

On a final note, I'm going to be posting more often - many of you have expressed a want for this so ... I will try at least once a week. :) As always, I look forward to hearing from you - feel free to leave a comment or continue to email me... dmillerms@gmail.com

April Showers and Istanbul

April Showers bring May Flowers???

Okay, that works in America but here? Not so much - in fact, the tulips have bloomed and are now starting to die. I always wondered about that - why would you want a flower that takes all winter to come up again and only blooms for what? a couple of weeks and then dies again. Seems to me the flower spends more time germinating and less time making my world prettier - let's go with something a little more, permanent. (Don't ask me what, I'm not a gardener!!) Just some random thoughts for you. I'll add a recent photo of the tulips in Istanbul. Just so you can see what I am talking about.

Which brings up the point, I finally made it to Istanbul!! Yes, it was lovely. I spent the day as a tourist. I normally do not like to do this but I felt in order to truly experience the Sultanahmet area, I should act as almost EVERYONE else there - a tourist. I took a "tour" bus to Harem (pronounced - Har-um) and then took the ferry across the Bosporus Sea to Istanbul. It is also the same ferry that takes one from Asia to Europe. Pretty cool, if you think about it. I drank beer on two different continents in the same day! Life is good.

I arrived in Sultanahmet. This area is beautiful. I started with the Spice Bazaar. It reminded me of an exotic flea market. People spoke every language possible and I believe, one could find just about anything there. Myself? I was drawn to the Harley Davidson Shirts! How often would that opportunity arise? Harley Davidson, Istanbul...I know what my brothers are getting for their birthday's this year!

Speaking of Birthdays - I spent mine here last week. Thanks for the all the well wishes. I ended up having food and fun with friends. Good times!

Back to Istanbul... The Blue Mosque and Ayia Sophia are beautiful. The Palace is lovely ... I took more than 100 pictures. One needs to be a tourist when coming to here. Of course, since I am less than an hour-and-a-half away, I chose to stay outside of everything. I will wait for a dreary day to explore the insides of these structures. The Hippodrome is pretty cool and it is conveniently located in the same area as everything else.

I also found a pub or two and enjoyed libations with my travel partner for the day, Sam. Sam's mum works with me. Sam and I managed to do an informal assessment of pricing of the beer in Istanbul. With a random sampling of just three establishments, we determined, the mean price for a pint is about 6 Lira which converts to about $3.60. A bit pricey but in a Moslem country - I'll pay it, depends on how thirsty I am.

I enjoyed my day in Istanbul and plan on returning but I am going to be exploring the lesser "touristy" places next time. Although not less touristy but possibly more interesting, I am hoping to go to Izmir next month... I'll keep you posted.

Turkey remains an interesting place. I have yet to get bored and for those that know me - well, it's always a fear. I'm learning Turkish and might be up to 100 words, if you count 1-20....ha Seriously, though, it's not as hard as one would think. It's a fairly easy language if you understand pronunciation... that being said, I still don't have a complete sentence down.

Enough for now... Turkey is a hidden jewel. Others can have Italy and Western Europe - I'm digging it here!

So much can happen in just a couple of days... Turkey remains an adventure... Who would have thought just getting a package could lead to a trip to the back door of a post office? Or, asking to hang out in another country (ie: residency visa) could lead to not one, not two but three trips to the not so local police station? That's right... I am finding my way around a new country and without a sense of humor, I'd be at the airport, crying, asking for a one-way flight to anywhere! So, in all, Turkey isn't for the faint hearted, nor is it for those in the "high-maintainance" department. Sorry. No time for all that.

The post office, although a lot like what one would expect - you know - mail in and out, people waiting in line for stamps, sorta thing. Yeah... so not happening here. First, don't use the front door - are you kidding? One needs to know who to talk to and where he (yes, it's almost always a He) is located - in this instance - in the back, a hole-in-the-wall, office. So as you are looking for your package - you might want to know when it was sent and do the math... you don't get notification of arrival. If you did, that would put too much pressure on the folks that pilfer through your packages! We wouldn't want to rush their "inspection" - afterall who would

know what they might want to take, I mean "need", for themselves. Maybe some clothes? Maybe a DVD or two? or Maybe, just maybe the MnMs your mom sent you. Don't worry, when you pick up your package, it will be "resealed" with PTT tape (The Turkish Customs/Postal System "official" tape) and you will be left remnants of your original package (ie: custom slip with "clothes" on it, or empty MnM boxes). Unfortunately, the rules of "mail" are not the same here as in the United States and most other civilized countries.

And, dealing with the police... ha ha; Alcohol may be required. Well, that depends. It depends on 1. how much you HATE public transportation and 2. if you can lie- I mean, think- on your feet. Yes, I hate public transportation almost as much as I hate having unnecessary surgery (I tend to avoid that at ALL costs) and as for thinking on my feet - I'm good, however, I have less than s

ix weeks of Turkish. Enough said. Thankfully, a big smile can go a long way. Although, smiling too much can lead to a "friendly recommendation" of not smiling - never know what others might think if you are smiling. (Isn't that the best reason to smile? You know, the old adage... Smile, so others can wonder what you are thinking/ are up to?)

The first trip to the Police Station was interesting, the second, boring (as well as entirely too long) and the third, a trial. I'm just glad it's over and I don't have to return for at least a few months, besides, the head- chick- in- charge scared me - for those that know me, that's hard to do. (And her English wasn't the best, however, there was no way you could misinterpret what she was trying to say.) Wow!!

Other than that experience, Turkish people are great. Okay, the people in Turkey that I have met are fantastic. Most are very friendly and want to be helpful (if they spoke my language, they would be). I like the food, although what they call meat here is more like, well, it's not your angus beef from Texas. It's good, however, I'm seriously considering becoming a vegetarian. I have nothing against a good steak, God knows, I'd eat it, if there was one available... so, it looks like stuffed grape leaves and cheese are the main courses. I will say this, I had dinner tonight out in town and it only cost $4 and it was awesome!! I had cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese (three different types), stuffed grape leaves (vegetarian), a cucumber sauce (it kicked butt) as well as toasted bread. I had some kind of dessert as well and it looked like fudge but was a little different - very rich, very chocolate and very good. I had all of this as well as fresh squeezed orange juice ... life is good. I was full and, did I mention the price? OMG! I'm liking this. :)

In all, I have to admit, with so much happening already, I am SO looking forward to seeing what Turkey can throw at me in the near future... I will say this, bring it on! Better make it interesting as well... :)

Stay tuned...

Carpe Diem!

Seize the Day!

It isn’t hard to acclimate when you are around good people. I have to say, the couple of Canadian teachers I met initially upon coming to Turkey, have really had a positive effect on me. Okay, I am not a negative person, but sometimes when others are nothing but down on everything, it happens. Well, this couple have such a great attitude, even when things were less than perfect… I am very happy to have started this adventure. Meeting people like them makes it worth it!

So, now I am here and I am teaching. I have always wanted to be a teacher. I’ve thought about it since I was young girl and finally, I am doing just what I wanted to do! And, as an added thought- eventually, I will be getting paid for it.

The area of Turkey that I am living is very nice. The bus system is highly developed in that you can take the bus almost anywhere. In fact, I haven’t heard of a place that you can’t take the bus to get to. However, I will admit, I’ve never had any love of public transportation so I took it upon myself to solve this little inconvenience.

I bought a bike. That’s right. I am now a cyclist! What fun. Of course, for anyone who has had the “luck” of experiencing European drivers, you will know the risk I am taking each time I decide to pedal, anywhere. Luckily for me, there is a designated bike path almost the entire way to the school where I work. Also, the times that I am on the road are “off” traffic hours. So, I am pedaling my tush off (quite literally) and I love it!! It’s great exercise and it allows me extra freedom. I can come and go at my will – no need to wait for the bus or worry if I have money for the bus. Life is good.

The time has moved so quickly. It’s hard to believe it’s been a month already. In fact, last month I was in the UK. Life is about taking opportunities. I have always believed in no regrets – I don’t know that it’s possible to have absolutely NO regrets however, when I am old and sitting in my rocking chair on my porch, I want to have so many memories of all the things I did – NOT the things I wish I had done.

You only get so many Seasons – how are you spending yours?

Where to begin...

Most people say to start at the Beginning... however, I am a believer that a "beginning" is subjective. One has many beginnings ... life, marriage, divorce, career choices ... and bearing this in mind, I begin in Turkey.


I had taken a course to learn how to teach English. It was an interesting thought considering I am a native speaker of English and well, how hard could it be to teach. I mean afterall, teaching isn't difficult, right? Little did I know, teaching is much more than standing in front of a class and speaking about a dedicated topic.


So, I learned how to teach my native tongue and had a lot of fun in the process. For all that know me, this is not a surprise. It is with this experience behind me that I take on a new opportunity, a new beginning as it shall now be referred to... in Turkey.


So the adventure begins with a flight. A flight across the large pond, as some say, the Atlantic Ocean. I had very little "extra" money so I took the most inexpensive flight I could find. With this option, I found not only was I "saving" some money, I was experiencing as many airports as humanly possible. At least it seemed that way.


I flew from Philadelphia to Boston, from Boston to Dublin, Ireland, from Dublin, Ireland to Manchester, UK. After a brief stop in the UK and a visit to Wales, I found myself back in the airports on my way to my final desination. I started at Manchester to both London airports, and finally from Heathrow to Istanbul, Turkey.


As I said, it was the cheapest way to arrive and have a few days of holiday in Wales and the UK. The bus ride between Gaitwick and Heathrow Airports is an added expense (of 25 pounds) and an hour long. It would have been easier to go directly to Heathrow and spend the hour shopping. Regardless, I finally arrived in Instanbul. This however, was not my ultimate destination. I was going to Izmit. It's a little city about an hour and half South of Istanbul.


My Turkish vocabulary consisted of "hello," "I am," and "bye." I had listened to a CD of Turkish language while on my flights but most of it didn't stick. I met my driver, thankfully, he had a sign with my name on it. That's a great thing to see when it's the only sign you can actually read. It makes me think of illiterate individuals... how empty and difficult life must be. Luckily, it is something that can be changed with a little effort and time. Of course, for me, being surrounded by 99.8% of non-English speakers will also help me to learn Turkish much faster.


I made the ride to Izmit and finally was in a room by 0200 (2 am) local time. I met my housemates, fellow teachers, and knew right away, the adventure had started. My housemates were great and I had a good feeling about this decision I had made.


Let the adventure begin!