Dear friends, sorry again for such a long, gaping silence. Blogging is hard with unreliable internet access and a foreign keyboard. However, you will be happy to know that I now have internet at home and am currently typing on my very own Mac. It's about time. I have apparently gotten used to the Turkish keyboard layout and am now

mistyping everything on my Mac. Oh well.

So, what is new? Halloween is just around the corner and to commemorate the holiday we are having a Halloween party in Amasya. I'm not sure who, if anyone, will come. But it will be a party, regardless. We are going to carve pumpkins and (maybe) have home made Halloween cookies. We'll see. I want to dress up as something, but I can't decide what. There are so many jokes that wouldn't be culturally relevant here--like if I dress up as Julia Child--it's hard to decide what to do. I thought about just coming as a 1950s housewife, but I'm not sure that anyone would get that either. Basically, my options are quite limited. I'll let you know how it goes.

So, I recently made a short trip to a place called Niksar (a small city in neighboring Tokat province). Niksar is quaint and has some interesting cites. It boasts Turkey's second largest castle, if you can believe that!

This is a picture of me under and arch at the castle. The entire castle complex is actually pretty large and spread out. I hadn't really planned to rough it, evidenced by the fact that I was wearing black slacks and flats. However, part of the road up to the castle was being worked on, so we ended up off roading and climbing up a pretty steep, damp patch of land to get to the castle. It was not glorious, and I am glad that no one was watching, but it was kind of fun and at least makes for a good story. Also, let's all make a note that, though I am kind of famous for tripping and falling, I did not once slip and fall. Not once. Maybe Turkey has given me the grace and poise I have been missing--ha ha, probably not.

Amasya has turned cold. It is mostly overcast these days, but not as gloomy as I expected it to be--check in with me two months from now! The mountains are misty, and that is kind of a new thing for me. We don't have mists or mountains in Austin. The coal smoke from home heating is getting a bit annoying. I think that I may develop black lung (while this is an exaggeration, I have been coughing a lot this week. Just saying...). But all things considered, I'm feeling pretty good about autumn in Amasya. The apples are ripe, and we do have the best apples in Turkey.

So, it seems that blogging has been feast or famine so far. I hope (sincerely, sincerely hope) the trend will end soon because that means that I will finally have internet at home.

This evening I broke down and decided to go to a cafe to use their wi fi. Interesting fact, after a couple weeks of using Turkish computers, I feel rusty typing on an American keyboard. It's kind of weird. Even though it's still really hard for me to type correctly on a Turkish keyboard, I've obviously become used to it.

There are other things I've become used to as well...For example, a lot of people smoke in Turkey--a lot of people. In America I was skittish about sitting down on a patio with too many smokers around. Here I have learned not to blink if a person lights up in a building, even though people are technically not supposed to smoke inside University buildings.

People drink a LOT of tea here. A lot. If you go to visit someone in their office at the university, they offer you tea. If you visit someone in their home, you better believe that tea is going to be part of the occasion! But, more interestingly, sometimes it's even offered if you are just in a shop. Tea is always (almost always) served in 'tulip' shaped glass cups. Tea is offered with every meal. It is also served very hot--too hot to drink. At our hotel in Ankara they served tea with lemon as an option, but otherwise I only ever see tea served with sugar cubes and NEVER with milk. Adding milk to tea and buttering bread are two things that, as far as I can tell, are just weird weird weird from the Turkish perspective. Anyway, the long and short of it is that I, thankfully, enjoy tea and quite enjoy all of my tea drinking throughout the day. Apple tea is pretty good, too.

Speaking of consumable items...there aren't many things here for vegetarians because a lot of food has meat in it (that was only a little redundant). I am not above picking meat out of my food (I would starve otherwise), but sometimes there are limits. Yesterday, I reached my personal limit. I was forking through an orzo pilaf, trying to work around all the pieces of (lamb? beef? I really don't know), when I saw something...with a valve or a socket. For all I know it was a piece of heart, or eye, or ugh...I don't want to know. It was a tough lunch. Anyway, just had to share. It's probably pretty normal for people who eat meat to come across these kinds of anatomical things, but I eat tofu and beans and those things don't have sockets or valves or tendons and I like that about them. I like that a lot.

A little bit of lit in the morning

This morning, as I was brushing my teeth my hand grazed our soapholder and it just fell off (the soapholder, not my hand). And, instead of cursing or throwing something, the only thing that my tired and beleagured mind could think was--Things Fall Apart (Chenua Achebe anyone?). So, I have been prompted to express my life in Turkey through film and book titles:

Things Fall Apart--this not only refers to the soap holder, but also the glass shelf in the bathroom that slid out of it's holder one morning and shattered in the sink. This also refers to the tub, the outside casing of which is always coming apart. Whatever.

O Brother Where Art Thou?--one man, upon hearing that I only have one sister shared that he also has two daughters and then said--wistfully--for a father to have a son is very lucky (translated from Turkish). Doug Shea, what do you think?

Vanilla Sky--there's no vanilla extract here because it contains alcohol--never mind that plenty of Türks drink rakı, which happens to be alcohol. Whatever.

Who Let the Dogs Out?--there are big, ugly, unkempt dogs everywhere. The other night I was walking to the gym and crossed the street because I saw that there was a dog ahead on my side of the road. I get to the other side of the road and realize that there was an even bigger dog on the side I crossed to. Whatever.

The Idiot (shout out to Dostoyevsky)--Whoever constructed the finer details of our apartment was...an idiot. As you can guess from the 'Things Fall Apart' entry, the apartment I live in is not exactly high quality. I mean, it's nice and big and bright and has a great view, but there are strange things--strange angles that hover close to but never quite reach the 90 deg. mark. It's weird. Also, the tiling work is ridiculous. I mean, the tile itself is fine, but whoever did it left SUCH a mess. I am still scrubbing off the excess grout. What is that about?

On reflection (it's time for me to go get ready for class), only two of my complaints are listed under literary titles--sorry if you feel cheated. I will however take a minute to tell you about this fascinating book I've been reading, called The Seed and the Soil, written by an anthropologist who lived in a Turkish village for two years in the early 80's. In the village, at least the way it used to be, women had it rough. Rough. Anyway, I recommend that you read it. It's very interesting. Also, you won't even believe how important bread is here. It's really really important--eaten often and should never be wasted. If you read Seed and the Soil you'll understand why.

Ok, plan to write more soon. Later!

Hot Water, I Forgot How Much I Love You

That is right, friends--yours truly has hot water again ın the kitchen AND the bathroom. Shabam. Sha. Bam. You dont even know how good hot water feels until you go without it for a week.

So...lıfe ın Amasya contınues. I just fınıshed a class wıth a room of students who clearly dıd not want to be present. When class started there was a grand total of 2 (2!) students ın the room. The others fıled ın after some tıme, but I stıll dont actually know how many students are supposed to be ın the class because there has not been a sıngle day where they have all been present. So that ıs fun.

I took away my fırst cell phone today. I felt kınd of lıke a meany. I announced several tımes over the last week that I would take cellphones away ıf I saw them beıng used ın class and today I turned around and one of the boys was just textıng hıs heart out, so I just swooped ın and took ıt. BAM. He got ıt back at the end of class, though, and looked approprıately sheepısh.

I feel lıke I am makıng small strıdes. But hey, a strıde ıs a strıde. For example, I have one students who for the fırst week and a half spoke to me ın Turkısh and nary a word of Englısh would he speak. He has sınce bought a dıctıonary and learned the phrase ´one mınute, teacher´ and that ıs what he says when he ıs stumped. One mınute, teacher. At least he has started usıng Englısh.

That ıs all for now. Wıll wrıte more soon!

Dear Readers I appear to be faılıng at thıs whole bloggıng thıng at the moment. Not to go ınto too many detaıls but let ıt suffıce to say that lıfe has been very busy of late and I am just now gettıng back to an equılıbrıum. An equılıbrıum whıch makes the luxury of bloggıng entırely possıble. I bet you are wonderıng two thıngs rıght now--where are her commas? closely followed by--where are her dotted I´s? Both questıons are valıd--at the moment I am typıng ın a Turkısh keyboard. I´m certaın taht wıth a modıcum of ıngenuıty I could fınd the comma and wıth a bıt more tıme to spare I could be more concıentıous about typıng wıth the dotted I, but ıt turns out that ı am both lazy and dumb, so you wıll just have to suffer wıth my poor punctıon (please note that I have just found the comma key).

So, let us dıscuss lıfe ın Turkey. It has been WILD. I fınally have an apartment, but alas do not have hot water yet. In the last month Turkey has taught me many thıngs about the world and myself. Fırst, I wıll never wear shoes ınsıde my house agaın because ıt makes everythıng so much dırtıer so much faster. Everyone here takes off theır shoes when they enter homes. Very good ıdea.

Revelatıon about myself--I would rather take a cold bath (whıch I have been doıng for 1 week now) ın a clean bathroom than a warm bath ın a dırty bathroom. Its a tough call but we all have to draw our lınes ın the sand.

Turkısh food ıs good but has lots of meat ın ıt. As a result I have been takıng turns eatıng the same three or four dıshes, rotatıng them ın and out of my dıet on an almost daıly basıs. I now eat eggs--one of the few non-cheese sources of proteın I can fınd ıs a dısh called Menemen, whıch ıs basıcally lıke mıgas but wıth a lot more tomato sauce. It ıs pretty good. I cant complaın yet but just waıt untıl I hıt the 3 month mark--there wıll be plenty of complaınıng then, I expect.

Amasya ıs turnıng cold. Fall has kınd of arrıved. The aır here (mountaın aır, you know) ıs very crısp and at nıght quıte chılly. I lıke ıt. Its also dry, whıch means I dont have to deal wıth huge frızzy haır all the tıme. Thıs ıs a relıef.

Everyone here ıs very nıce. For example, the guy who made our curtaıns (our perdici--perde ıs curtaın and ıf you add ci on ıt means the person who makes curtaıns--yee haw language acquısıtıon!). Sorry, let me start that orıgınal thought over agaın--the guy who made our curtaıns gave me a rıde to the buıldıng where I teach classes today, whıch happens to be a vıllage outsıde of Amasya. He fırst offered to take me to the bus and then when he notıced that I had mıssed one bus he told me (ın Turkısh) that he would just take me there so I dıdnt have to waıt. Super nıce. Pretty much everyone here has been nıce so far.

I wıll wrıte more soon but must go now to prepare for the fırst Mexıcan dınner of the year (I am so excıted!). Wıll be ın touch!

Amasya: This ain't my first rodeo, but sometimes it feels like it

So, friends, I have been in Amasya since Thursday afternoon and I have had some highs and some lows. Oh my goodness, where to begin? Here's a good place: my new favorite Turkish word is saçma.

--note: there are regular calls to prayer, which I can hear from my room in the lojman (guest house) where I'm staying. It turns out that there are also irregular announcements from the town about cool things that are going on. Like, this guy gets on a loudspeaker (whenever he feels like it?) and just shares cool stuff going on. Welcome to Turkey.---

Anyway, back to my new favorite word: saçma. It means nonsense. Since learning this, I have thought saçma a lot. For example, yesterday I woke up and, despite knowing (or believing) that I would have a class and also knowing the place where my class would happen, I had no idea how to get from the lojman (guest house) to the classroom (bus? which bus? where was said bus caught?). So, I went to the Education Faculty to talk to the most wonderful Turkish man in existence, Rasim Bey, and basically throw myself upon his mercy. Well, Rasim (and his office mate, a very nice history professor) helped me out. It turns out that I never ended up going to my class because so few students showed up for the previous ones they just kind of cancelled (class situations are a long story that is best left for later). But, Rasim did, basically, end up spending his entire day trying to get us our Residence Permits. We went to the Amasya Municipal building twice and then ended up at the police station. However, stuffed inbetween those visits were the following: a visit to a photo center, an apartment for rent, and four trips the University office where they gave us our letters. This must be confusing to read because it's definitely confusing to write. It was even more confusing to experience. Saçma!

However, we ended the day in the most pleasant way imaginable--dinner at the home of a very nice Turkish couple. The food was really good (you'd be surprised by how much soup they eat here). We ended the meal with berry preserves made from berries that they picked themselves, you know, on the mountain. Unbelievable! (that will have to be my next Turkish word).

So, thus ended a confusing, saçma-filled day.

However, here is a reward for sitting through this blog post:

This is what Amasya looks like (not at its best, but close). It really is a beautiful town. Those are old Ottoman houses hanging over the Yeşil river. Pretty pretty. You can't see it in the picture, but there's a castle on top of the higher of the two mountains in view.

A little bit of Anıtkabir

Hello Everybody! Another day in Ankara. Another day without an iron...

I am so desperate that I have started bringing my shirts into the shower, hoping to steam some of the wrinkles out. No. Such. Luck. I wore a wrinkled shirt the day the US Ambassador to Turkey spoke to us. OH WELL!

Things in Ankara are going well for all intents and purposes. I met the representative for my University yesterday (Mehmet Bey) and he was wonderful. He even invited us to a dinner with his family (which we just returned from). Yesterday, during our alloted "school reps" time, he sat for most of it and taught me words in Turkish. He even drew some street diagrams to better explain words like: "round about" and "4-way stop." Now I know how to not only handle, but narrate, most Turkish traffic situations. Hurray!

Aside from meeting him, orientation has been going strong since Tuesday. It's one thing after another--we've met with embassy people, and Turkish language people, and English language people, and all kinds of people, really. It's quite impressive. It's also quite exhausting. I'm back to a normal sleep schedule, but still have weird symptoms of jetlag, like I get hungry at the wrong times and still feel sluggish in the early afternoon (which is when I would normally be asleep).

Anyway, enough about me, let's talk about Ankara! So, since posting last, I have seen more of Ankara and I really really like it. It's surprisingly quite for such a big city and is fairly clean and seems to be well-organized. There is a park nearby (that I may have referenced in an earlier post) that is very pleasant to visit before dinner time. I also had my first trip to a Turkish bookstore, which was 5 stories! The yabancı (foreign) books were on the 4th floor. I definitely got some exercise hiking those stairs! I bought a book of poetry by a Turkish poet named Nazım Hikmet. Apparently he is quite famous in Turkey. I think I will enjoy torturing myself with reading (and not grasping) his poetry for the next ten months. We'll see. Turkish literature is pretty interesting because when they changed to the Latin alphabet about 90 years ago the entire country became illiterate, so it seems like there is a real disconnect between the literature of the Turkish Republic and the Ottoman empire. It's interesting to think what American literature would be like if everything after the WWI was essentially disconnected from whatever had come before (by the way, these are just my musings, don't take any of them too seriously).

So, pictures. I almost abandoned this blog for a Tumblr because I thought it would be easier to upload pictures. Well! What's not easier about Tumblr is figuring it out in Turkish! I spent 30 minutes tonight alone, just scrolling through pages, hoping to be able to find a log out or log in or sign-up button. Something! Instead, it just kept taking me to "Mehtin's" Tumblr page. Mehtin has one follower. I have since abandoned both Tumblr and Mehtin and am sticking to Blog Spot. Whatever.

Anyway, I finally got to upload this picture:

How do you like my 'fro? This was taken at Atatürk's Tomb (Anitkabir) in Ankara. It's really cool because the site is (huge) and on a high hill that affords a great view of Ankara. The city is kind of dusty and hazy, but once you are on the ground it's quite nice. It's a third of the size of Istanbul (population: 15 mil.). Though 5 mil. is still a lot for one city, at least in my opinion, it's nice.

Going to Atatürk's Tomb helped me understand a lot about the Turkish love of Atatürk as a leader. No matter how patriotic you can get as an American, we do not have a single leader who we revere and love in the same way that Türk's love Atatürk. It's very interesting. At the Mausoleum, they have tons of his stuff, pictures of him, quotes from his speeches. Everything. It's very interesting. The entire complex is huge!

Anyway, tomorrow we get to go to a castle. A CASTLE! I really really love castle's. I will definitely have more pictures. I think that's it for now. I'm going to go to sleep and rest up for another fun fun fun filled day of orientation!