I know I should be over this by now with as much as I have traveled abroad, but I have to unpack as soon as I get to a place. Like take everything out and put it all away. It just has to feel like home to me. I can't rest until I feel at home. This experience was no different. I had a pretty uneventful plane ride even though the plane was really full to Germany. In Munich, I met up with another teacher who was coming here to Bilkent. I waited for her outside of her gate and then we explored Munich. I was so impressed with both the beauty and people of Munich. People were super friendly and even offered advice or how to use the train, places to see, or foods to try. We ate at a cute, little cafe and enjoyed some delicious food and cold beer. The temps were in the 80s and then environment was inviting with people sitting outside at little cafes relaxing on a Saturday. We walked around and then headed back to the airport to catch our flight to Ankara. Luckily for us, the plane was not crowded, so I had an entire row to myself, but unfortunately that means that many people are not coming to Turkey. I slept all the way to Turkey, which was only 2.5 hours. When we arrived at the airport, we got our bags and met our ride. Bilkent sent a driver and then another teacher came with the driver in a mini bus. We loaded all of our luggage (there were three of us) and then headed to the university. I instantly realized that this was not Africa. Despite the scare tactics from media, life here seems very normal. Everything is developed and it almost feels as if you are in the U.S. except for the language and Turkish flags everywhere.
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| I don't remember the name of this beer, but it was delicious. |
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| salad and some fried, breaded turkey |
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| center center in Munich |
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| mime on the street |
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| hello bakery/deli |
My Apartment
My apartment is impressive. I have two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room, kitchen, and three balconies! I really just wanted to have access to the outside either through a balcony or patio, but this apartment has access through each room! The view is also amazing. I can see the entire city and most of Bilkent University. the floors are hardwood (laminate) or tile. I have no carpet, which is nice. The apartment is missing a lot of decorations and some kitchen things, but for now, I am pretty content. I have tons of closet space to store all of my clothes that I brought.
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| living room |
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| bedroom 1 |
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| bedroom 1 |
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| view from bedroom 1 balcony |
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| kitchen |
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| bathroom |
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| living room |
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| bedroom 2 |
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| view from bedroom 2 balcony |
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| view from living room balcony |
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| view from living room balcony |
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| side view from living room balcony |
The grocery store has been a little challenging for me because nearly everything is in Turkish. It is good because I have to learn the words, but it is bad because I can't find what I need when I need it. They do have amazing olives, cheeses, dried fruits, and fresh figs. The deserts and breads are also amazing. I am living in the land of milk and honey!
