I have been back in the States for almost 2 weeks now. My "vacation" actually started two days early. Having received a call that one of my sisters collapsed at work, I flew home immediately. In almost 2 weeks, my Abla has gone from very grim hopes of survival, to talking and eating, enduring an 11 hour... Continue Reading →
Times Certainly are Changing
Progress. A forward or onward movement. Merriam-Webster. But sometimes progress can mean taking steps back. Last night, I decided I would make a simple dinner, spaghetti, a meal my husband used to make for himself quite frequently when we were apart. Boil water. Add pasta. Open jar of sauce. Dump on top. Easy right? Not... Continue Reading →
Learning to Speak Turkish . . .
Today, I will attempt to buckle down and really start learning the Turkish language. I have been in Ankara almost a full year. So far, I find it pretty easy to get around without knowing the language. It seems there are many Turks who know a little English. When I am at a complete standstill, I always... Continue Reading →
TAKING TO THE HIGH SKIES: what the airlines won’t tell you
Last week, our friends at Turkish Muse posted a story entitled, "10 Things I've Learned About Flying in Turkey." This inspired me to share some of my traveling tips on booking flights with you. I am a seasoned traveller. My first flight, at the tender age of 7, was to Germany. Since then I have... Continue Reading →
CerModern
CerModern - a local art gallery, among other things, is supported by the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (Türkiye Seyahat Acentaları Birliği). The beautifully restored building, resting peacefully beside rustling train tracks, was previously a repair shop for railroad cars. It is now considered an example of “contemporary museum architecture.” In its 11,500 square meters, CerModern... Continue Reading →
Fill My Last Request
Last week, a group of friends fell into a conversation about death, the afterlife, and reincarnation. One of the older women expressed her fear of dying. She said it was not so much because of her age, but rather, because she enjoys life so much! She is very active politically, socially, and so forth. She... Continue Reading →
Language and Pepin the Short
This morning I signed on to Facebook and found that today is a former teacher's birthday. I quickly wished him a "dogum günün kutlu olsun," but I wanted to add a quote from Pepin the Short. I couldn't find one. You see, Mr. D. was my history teacher in the 9th grade. He taught "World Cultures" and... Continue Reading →
A Reflection on Friends
Next week will be ten months since I made Turkey my home. Time passes quickly, and at the same time, moves at the same slow pace of that snail I think is living in my Christmas tree. This morning, I have taken some time to reflect on my friendships, both old and new. As we... Continue Reading →
I Know You Are, But What Am I?
Turks are Turks. It's a relatively new phenomena here that some Turks are identified as Kurds or from other cultures. And in fact, most of those Kurds and others would have likely told you they were Turks, until recently. I have read many articles where Kurds call themselves Turks first. It's the Turks who more... Continue Reading →
A Breath of Fresh Air
Yesterday I had the opportunity to volunteer as a native speaker for an English conversation class at the Turkish American Association in Ankara. It was more of an informal gathering of Turkish women who simply want to practice their English skills. I enjoyed the class. I am told that sometimes they discuss current issues and... Continue Reading →
Cep Telefonu
Cell phones have become amazingly popular around the world. Like an American Express card, we don't leave home without them. I remember the days when I felt naked if I left home without a pair of earrings. Imagine, an entire day without heavy metals and stones dangling from my lobes. It was unbearable! Now it's... Continue Reading →
Adventures in Ankara 