Routine
Well, I don't know what week of the semester this is, but lots of normal stuff happening. As I write this, I have a huge mountain of papers on my desk. It is that time in the semester when things are piling up and I need to maximize my time to get everything done. Things have become routine for me here. I know what to say to the bus driver in the morning and evening. I can order groceries and some food online. I know how to access my bank account and successfully use the ATM. I can even find my way to a few malls via the bus and metro. I feel like I am making progress and my house feels a bit like a home.
Security
Security is interesting from country to country and the security here is no joke here. From the guard stand at the entrance to the apartment complex to the double-locked doors in my building to the metal detectors at every store, security is apparently everywhere. Although there is more security in the city, I hadn't really experienced a heavy security presence until last weekend near one of the metro stops. Apparently, there was a funeral and someone important was attending it, so that meant that nearly every police officer, special force unit, and other various entities had to protect this important someone. There were tanks, cell phone jammers, and many men with guns strapped to their chest. It was overwhelming. The gun-wielding men formed a barrier which blocked my path, so I had to walk around to get to the metro stop. I always feel very safe here, but the level of security that I saw reminded me that the situation here is fluid and all precautions are still being taken to protect "important" people.
Shopping
Last weekend I bought a coffee maker, grinder, microwave, and blender. Everything is self-explanatory except the microwave. I mean, I know how to use a microwave, but everything is in Turkish, which is fun practice for me. The coffee pot is amazing and keeps my coffee hot all day. I can come home from work and have a cup of coffee without heating it up. I also bought some clothes including pants and sweaters. I have been looking for clothes for a while, but I have been frustrated with the sizes here and refused to go up in size. I usually wear a medium to large shirt back home, but even a large is super tight here. I also wear a size 12 pants, which apparently is 44 here. I refuse to go up in size. So, I asked some of my colleagues where they shop and found some good, cheap places. One place is similar to Old Navy and I was able to find some nice sweaters and corduroys. I bought a lot of things and just spend a little over $100 without having to increase my size.
Ugh...a cold
This week I caught a cold. I knew it was coming. The students have all been sick and it was just a matter of time before my immune system was compromised. Although I was not sick enough to be in bed, I felt uncomfortable and couldn't sleep well. When you are sick, people always suggest various remedies to help you feel better. My friends and office colleagues offered me various types of teas in order to speed up my recovery. So, I have been drinking cups and cups of tea in an effort to feel normal again. Hopefully, the cold will quickly disappear.
Holidays
My favorite time of the year is Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love everything about the holiday season. I love being with family and catching up on a year of life missed. I love eating all of the rich, homemade foods that only come once a year. I love shopping and buying gifts for people who least expect it. I love snuggling up near a fire drinking a gingerbread latte or hot chocolate. I love listening to holiday music when walking into a store. It is magical. I have been pleasantly surprised to see so many decorations and a festive spirit here in Turkey. From the incredible large trees outside the mall to Christmas blend at Starbucks, the signs of the holiday season are all around me. I am in search of a Christmas tree so I will work on getting one and a few decorations next weekend.
Dissertation
This is year five that I have been working on my dissertation and I really need to be finished with this thing. I don't want to work on it and I have definitely had other priorities over the past few years. But I need to finish and submit. I am tired of paying tuition and also worrying about it. I also want to have my free time back. I have finished collecting my data, transcribing, and analyzing, so all I need to do now is write it up and defend. Sounds easy...right? Yeah, right! Must work on dissertation if I want to graduate in this century.
