Last week my wallet was stolen. It contained my passport, my Turkish residency permit, my PA driver's license, credit cards, ATM cards, and more. I don't want to get into all the details, but let me say this to my American friends who are wondering why I was carrying my passport - you need it much... Continue Reading →
My Second Thanksgiving in Turkey
Last year I wrote a post about the meaning of Thanksgiving to me, and about those things for which I am thankful. After that, I tremendously enjoyed cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for my friends here in Ankara, and wrote about that too! This year, I am really missing Thanksgiving at home. Since it is not... Continue Reading →
On Being Gay in Turkey
No, I'm not gay. Although I do have a former neighbor who might argue that point. Lot's of my friends are black, I mean gay. I have to laugh here. I have heard so many times over the years, upon an acquaintance discovering I am part African-America, the same sentence, "Lots of my friends are... Continue Reading →
Kurban Bayram
Today is the eve of Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha), another Turkish holiday. It begins on Sunday and ends Wednesday. It's another one of the Muslim "biggies". The date of the holiday changes from year to year according to the Islamic calendar. I have mixed feelings about this holiday. The good side is that everyone has a... Continue Reading →
Remembering Ephesus
If you are Catholic and practiced at one time, it is hard to forget St. Paul's letters to the Ephesians. You may forget the text, you may even forget who wrote them, but that name, "the Ephesians," is somehow stamped on our brains. Most likely, it was because we heard the term "Ephesian" so many... Continue Reading →
Adventures in Ankara 