The First Two Months

I cannot believe that we are already going on our third month in Turkey. The time has flown by so quickly that I have hardly taken any time to sit down and reflect on everything. Tonight I find myself processing all the little lessons learned and discoveries made over my time here in Turkey so far. Here is some of my list:

1. The food here is delicious, but I would give my left arm and maybe even one of my dogs for some mediocre Thai food right now.
2. Turkish people will be the first ones to push you out of the way to get onto the train, but also the first ones to help you if you actually fall down.
3. I get frustrated easily when I can’t use language to communicate what I want to say.
4. I love listening to people speaking Turkish. I find it fascinating even though I can only understand about 20 words.
5. The bakery down the street will give you a free sample of something fresh out of the oven every time you stop by just to look in their case. I walk by for no reason very often.
6. Being scrubbed down by a hot, steamy, barely-clothed fat Turkish woman is not as bad as it sounds.
7. The mountains are only a one hour car ride away, and the beautiful Mediterranean is only a 30 minute train ride away. Even though I don’t make it to either of these places too often, I just like knowing it is a possibility.
8. I thank God every day for a little slice of “America” within our TAC walls. The campus community helps keep me sane on a daily basis.
9. I also thank God everyday for internet downloading. No need to live without Glee, Grey’s Anatomy, and Dexter. And Skype is a modern miracle!
10. My mantra lately has been a little song I learned as a kid in Bible school. “Have patience. Have patience. Don’t be in such a hurry...” Everything here takes at least twice as long as you would expect...from trips to the eye doctor to getting shower doors fixed to getting a stupid filing cabinet for your office.
11. I am constantly amazed at the amount of history that surrounds me. I even sometimes stop while I’m walking down the street and ponder about what could be under my feet.
12. I am a very social person, and I drive myself crazy having my own gigantic office. Sometimes I miss my cramped little closet of an office I shared with Marianna at Harding.
13. Thinking of all the awesome trips I have planned this year helps get me through the tough days.
14. I am still trying to figure out my job here. It frustrates me to no end that I don’t feel settled in it yet. I just keep reminding myself....one day at a time....