May 7-10: Trip to Gaziantep. Alex and I hung out in Antep for a weekend, visited a school, factory, hospital, bird preserve, and museum, all run by SANKO, a Turkish conglomerate. We saw kelaynak, an endangered (and kind of ugly) species of bird, learned about the Zeugma civilization, saw how towels are made, ate Ottoman-style food, played in the Euphrates river, and hung out at a private elementary school with about as much money as my university. We bonded with a bunch of the people all the trip, all university students from Ankara or Istanbul. The best part was we didn't have to apply to the program or pay for any of it- our employer pulled a few strings- although, as expected, everything was in turkish.
The next week was filled with festivals. I went to two nights of Gazi University's festival, and saw Magda (really cool turkish rock band), and got pushed aside by a girl wearing a headscarf and bondage pants. The next night was some mediocre chick who wasn't wearing any clothes- think Britney gone Turkish. I tried kokoreç, (roasted sheep intestines- a turkish specialty), with ayran for the first time, which was actually very very good. I also tried midye, mussels with rice and lemon squeezed over them, sold on almost every street from 9-1:00 am. Even better than kokoreç. I am going to miss this country.
That weekend was TOBB's festival, from Friday to Sunday, where I got to hang out with students, listen to Turkish music, play on a huge trampoline, and just generally goof off. I also learned how to dance Turkish-ly, which involves holding pinkies while standing in a circle, then stepping three times and sticking a foot out, (think bar mitzvah, not hokey-pokey), not to any particular beat. Then repeat. Sometimes the guy on the end twirls a napkin.
Since then, Alex and I brought our Muslim friends, who we hung out with on Easter, to church with us, and visited their mosque (camii, in Turkish, or "Mos-Q" when they pronounce it in English). I received declarations of undying love from two of my students, and played (life-size) chess for the last time with a good friend I'll leave behind. Alex and I taught two weeks of classes, after six weeks without, then had our last week off. We've spent time with a dozen different friends, saying goodbyes with picnics and giving away various things- our Brita water filter to one friend, the coffeemaker to another. We took photos, but not nearly enough.
I'll miss them, students and coworkers and friends. Teasing my students on their english, and hearing them roar with laughter when I try to chide them in Turkish- whether at my pronunciation or just the idea of me speaking their language, I don't know. I'll miss the woman who looks no older than I am, who cleans my desk and empties my trash every day, and the man (nicknamed Merhaba) who makes deliveries and has a constant smile. My officemates, Faruk joking and talking to me in rapid Turkish, and Nesrin smiling and complimenting me, and Nurcihan willing to listen to my petty complaints and act sympathetic, even when I didn't deserve it. Fatih, the much put-upon recordings person, with a full load of classes, two whiny native speakers, and a bit of a midlife crisis on top. And all the great people I've met or gotten to know over the last month- friends of the last native speakers, graduates, students at the real university, the daughter of a diplomat who lived in NYC for six years. Being temporary is one of the hardest experiences of my life- knowing that I'll leave, and no one here will expect to ever see me again. Undying love aside.
Turkish-style picnic with Engin & Ozlem- grilled lamb chops, kofte, chicken, veggies & garlic!
Some favorites: Kutay, and Sevket, Ömer, and Yusuf
Selçuk trying to murder me with a chess piece; and one of my prouder moments- beating Cağkan, mechanical engineer/chess wiz, at his own game
