Sunday, January 15, 2012

Let's Play Catch Up

Oh good god... I've really neglected this haven't I? Two months, my goodness. I've so much to say, and I've started to say it in other blog posts... but I never got around to finishing them... So Instead I will grace you with the loveliness that is this really huge, covers everything, magnificent and crazy blog post. Hadi ya! Let's go!

Kapadokyan Christmas
So for Christmas (I haven't posted since Christmas? Oha...) we went to Kapadokya (Cappadocia). It was beautiful and historical and wonderful and awesome! It was great being able to spend a special time with my exchange family. We took a bus down from Ankara and went to see a pottery-maker, as well as fairy chimneys, 2nd and 3rd century chapels, as well as each other. We had a great time laughing and seeing the sights - it was definitely one of the best Christmasses.


New Years
New Years in Turkey was definitely a different experience from what I'm used to. At home I'll usually go to a friend's house and we'll drink sparkling cider (that's what it's called, right?) and stay up until midnight and later and watch the ball drop and play video games and do silly things. Here it is a family gathering. We had my baba's side of the family over, down to the last little cousin. We put up a 'New Years tree' and had a fantastic dinner. Then, we played bingo until we held hands and watched the countdown 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, and then lots of cheek kissing and Turkish coffee.

My host sister, Naz :)
Haircuts
Never have I ever gotten my hair cut by a man. Never have I ever gotten my hair cut in Türkiye. Never have I ever felt more like a post-pubescent Shirley Temple.
Note on this: My hair is now just a little bit (quite a lot a bit) purple.


Izzy's Book Suggestions:
The Dervish Gate by Ahmet Ümit and The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak. These books work together in an amazing tandem, bringing forth new ideas about whirling dervishes, Rumi (Mevlana) and the spiritual love that transcends a physical one.

NOTE: I will have another blogpost coming quite soon about the gloriousness that was our giant Turkey tour :D

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