Bir Ay!

          For those of you who don't speak Turkish, the title of this post is One Month! And yes, crazy as it seems, I have been in Turkey for a month! It was actually one month in Turkey last Sunday, but today is one month since I arrived in Aydin and started living with my host family, so it works. Because of Bayram last weekend, I didn't make a post so this is just going to be about what I've been up to for the last two weeks. 

          Last Monday, we had 2 new students in my class which was exciting for me because I wasn't the only new one. Granted they were both Turkish and can actually speak, but still. I also had my first religion class which was a bit terrifying because I felt uncomfortable saying that I was an atheist but I wasn't going to lie and say I was religious and that was just a kind of deep conversation for me to try to get into in a language that I don't speak. I also had PE and as anyone who knew me in the US is aware, I do not like PE and I was very happy when I finished having to take it last year. But it turned out that I actually do have to take it here, but we are basically not expected to do anything, so I used the opportunity to work on the language and try to make some friends. Tuesday, Priya and I met with our liaison (it got me out of history which is always a good thing) and talked for awhile about our experiences so far. We also went and met our principal who was new and didn't know that there were any foreign students. Wednesday was the first day of October which was very shocking to me because time is passing so quickly. I just couldn't believe that it was suddenly October, especially when it is still in the mid to high 80s everyday here. Thursday was my host sisters birthday so we celebrated that with some insanely delicious cake and some family time. Also on Thursday, Priya and I had to give short speeches just introducing ourselves, but considering it had to be in Turkish, this was a bit stressful for us. It actually ended up being a really cool experience because everyone would clap and cheer after every sentence we said in Turkish. I knew immediately that it was one of the moments from my exchange that I am never going to forget. I wish that I had a picture or a video of it because looking out over that giant crowd of people as they all clapped for me made me feel so included and like I belong here. It also made me realize just how much I have changed in just one month on exchange. I went to prep for5 years before coming here and in all those years, I was never brave enough to make an announcement during an assembly. And yet, less than 2 weeks into school in a foreign country, I got up in front of my entire school and made a speech, in my second language. That is just proof of how different I have already become and I can't wait to see how much more I will change. 

        Priya and I with our coordinator. 

         My host sisters birthday cake. 

My piece of cake. It doesn't look that good but it was truly one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. 

          Friday was our first day of break for Bayram. My family spent the weekend in Marmaris, a small tourist town on the Mediterranean, and I absolutely loved it. Friday evening, we took the short drive and I had a bit of a realization during that drive. We turned a corner and I caught my first glimpse of the Mediterranean just as the sun was setting, turning everything pink. It truly took my breath away just how beautiful it was. I glanced at the clock and realized that if I was at home, I would be in school Doug the same thing I've done for so many years and instead I am here getting to live my dream ( and for free, no less). When we turned that corner and I took in the view, I was squished in the backseat of the car with my 3 sisters as everyone sang along to the radio and I realized how lucky I am that this is actually my life now. This thought stuck with me throughout the whole weekend and I still remain in awe of how incredibly lucky I am. We arrived in Marmaris where we were greeted by our grandparents and then, we promptly got dinner which made me very happy. Saturday was the main day of Bayram, and you can read all about what my family did in my last post. It was funny because the whole atmosphere of Bayram felt so much like Christmas back in the US. The whole weekend, people stopped by and called to wish everyone a happy holiday and family came and visited throughout the weekend. On Sunday, we went swimming in the Mediterranean which again hit me with a thought of just how different my life is now. That night, we went shopping and ended up staying and listening to some really good singers at a coffee shop for quite awhile. It was so nice just to spend time with my host sisters and listen to some really good music. Monday we went swimming again and just hung out with our family and a super adorable little boy who came up to our apartment for awhile. Tuesday, we had to go home, which was sad because I always hate leaving the ocean but I discovered how classy Turkish bus trips are ( they give you food and drinks and each person has their own TV. It's nicer than most domestic flights in the US). Marmaris is very much a tourist destination, so there were a lot of people from all over Europe there, and many from England. I very much enjoyed hearing English spoken by a native speaker again, and the fun accents certainly didn't hurt. 

The sunset over the mountains as we            drove into Marmaris. 

I was wearing Illini socks one day. It made me think of my family in Illinois. 

Me with the Mediterranean Sea behind me. I wish we could go back!

Me and my host sister. 

          It was so beautiful there. 

The little boy I bonded with. I wish I could have brought him back to Aydin as well!

      

                    Happy Bayram!

          We had a very short week of school after Bayram since we didn't start until Wednesday which was very nice. This was the first week that I really felt like my Turkish was starting to improve and I actually enjoyed trying to talk with my classmates during breaks. On Wednesday, we finally went to get our residence permits which give us permission to live here for the rest of the year. We were technically supposed to get our permits within a month of arriving here, but we didn't have some of the papers we needed so we were a little late. So on Wednesday, Priya and I got to leave school a little early and go and pick up the other YES students in Aydin. We also got to look around their schools a little while we waited which was fun and interesting. We got some really wierd looks since we were both in our uniforms and neither of the other school wear uniforms. We finally headed to the police station and filled out some forms. We then waited for over an hour before being told that we couldn't get them that day and would have to come back the next day. So on Thursday, we went back to the police station and although it took several hours, we were able to get our permits and we are now legal to be here! 

What happened when me and Priya had to wait after school to go to the police. I have about 10 more just like this. 

          I mostly just studied and hung out with my family on Saturday. On Sunday, we spent the afternoon at my family's summer house in Kuşadası, which is a small resort town about an hour from Aydin. We swam in the Aegean which was very fun, but it was very windy so it was very rough. We stayed there for a few hours and then started back to Aydin. On the way back, we stopped in the fish market in town to pick up some fish for dinner. Although it smelled pretty bad, it was pretty fun to watch everyone buying their fish and the sellers cutting them up and weighing them. Last night's dinner was interesting because we each got our own fish and it was still a complete fish when it got put on your plate. You had to pick the bones out and pull off the head and tail. Needless to say, it was not one of my favorite meals but it was certainly a different experience. 

       

The "beach" by the Aegean. It was basically all rocks on all sides. 

The beautiful sunset over the sea last night. 

A cute little street in Kuşadası. This kind of street is everywhere in the little resort towns here and they are exactly what I imagine Greece looks like. Plus, I knew my mom would love a picture of the gorgeous bougainvillea. 

          We leave tomorrow for orientation and a visit to the the U.S. embassy in Ankara and we will be returning Sunday night, so I may or may not post next Sunday. Thanks for reading! Have a great week! Hoşçakal!