Rave as you will about Turkish healthcare, I've had nothing but trouble with it. (Remember this?) Up until now I could at least say that I had little difficulty with the government health insurance (SGK). Up until now . . . So Turkey has two health insurance systems, the government insurance, which was formerly provided... Continue Reading →
Number 13
"How many kids are in your family?" "We have twelve siblings." "What number are you?" "I'm number 13." I can't count the number of times I have had this exact conversation. I am the thirteenth child in my family and I was born on the 13th. I am Lucky 13. My sister Jacqueline died before... Continue Reading →
Half?
Taking a break from life this morning, I want to write about the Turkish language. People are always asking me if it is hard to learn. I don't find it difficult, it's just different. If you are a language person, you probably will get it pretty easily. The key is to stop translating and start... Continue Reading →
Death
I have been thinking about death quite a bit lately. Seems to be all around me. As I push on, I try to think about happier things. Today's thought was how cool it will be if there really is a Heaven. Of course, seeing my Dad again would be great. And it would be totally... Continue Reading →
Regrets
I have one regret in life. That is not to say that life was or is easy. Rather, I look back at those rough life experiences and refer to them as my "Lessons Learned." My regret? Four and a half years ago I decided I did not want a band at my wedding. I didn't... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Life: a wedding, a funeral and a baby
I am back stateside and it's been a different kind of visit. My "holiday" is never quite a vacation when I am home. It's usually full of running around to markets and doctors and whatnot. But I'm fine with that. That's what it means to be home for me. Yet I always manage to get... Continue Reading →
Limes!!! (or green lemons?)
I have seen limes from time to time in Turkey, but not often. The first time was on vacation at a restaurant in Kas. I hunted them down afterwards and finally found one store selling them. They were imported and extremely expensive. More recently, I have seen them at specialty shops usually around the holidays. ... Continue Reading →
What did, do, the Protestors Want?
It was very early in the protests when I realized that no one was actually voicing their opinion. They weren't clearly stating what they wanted. Obviously, much like Occupy Wall St., it was hard to do. The protests were growing around the country, but there was no clear leader. No one to make demands. One... Continue Reading →
Turkey Rising: What I did during the protests
I was in Istanbul when it all started. I was safely tucked away on an island, and really didn't know what was going on. Friends started to share translations of news reports and videos. At the time, I was amazed by it all. I didn't have a full comprehension, I probably still don't. But when... Continue Reading →
The Protests in Turkey: Once a çapulcu
You must be wondering why I never wrote about the protests here on my blog. The beginning of the protests directly coincided with a job offer here in Ankara. This offer came as quite a surprise, and I had decided it was something I really wanted to do. And so began the long process of... Continue Reading →
Warning from US Embassy – Adana
The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Turkey that the U.S. Consulate General in Adana has been authorized to draw down its non-emergency staff and family members because of threats against U.S. government facilities and personnel. The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens defer non-essential travel to southeastern... Continue Reading →
Photos of the Day
Rafting fun at Melen Çayı near Bolu -- a day trip from Ankara.
Cherry Cobbler from scratch
When I was a kid, I always requested the same cake from Mom, a white box cake, with light blue icing and decorated with cherries. It wasn't that I liked this cake so much, it was that I thought it looked pretty. I loved blue and I loved cherries. Eventually I moved on to dark... Continue Reading →
Adventures in Ankara 