Bilecik, Turkey. My New Hometown.

The first part of my blog entry will be formatted similarly to a visa/mastercard advertisement. I feel it's an appropriate and direct portrayal of my first few days in Bilecik.

Cigarettes offered: 10

Cups of tea presented: 27

Compulsory tours of the town: 3

Handshakes: 13

Turkish Hospitality: priceless

Upon entry to Bilecik, I let out a long sigh of relief. My hopes were confirmed when I arrived at the bus station, took a look around, and noticed people, buildings, civilization. You see, I wasn't sure if a town of 45,000 meant dispersed farmland, or, as I've encountered, a small albeit bustling metropolis. For a town with so few people, this place is buzzing. And wonderfully enough, my guide person (a colleague at Bilecik University), showed me to a nice hotel for the next few days until an apartment is found. I have a small balcony that looks over onto a small park where people drink chai until late hours of the night.

One thing I'm wary of is the fact that few (very few) people speak english. My conversations, then, are limited for the time being. I find myself writing down new words frequently, and consulting the Turkish-English dictionary ad nauseam. The turkish word for car is 'araba' for all you inquisitive folks out there.

So despite getting a handle on my digs, I still have no idea what I'm doing tomorrow. I'll be picked up at 8:30 and driven to campus where I have an office with said colleague. I believe tomorrow is more devoted to logistical/administrative things than teaching, which is probably best.

But don't mind that... Turkish hospitality: what a wonderful thing! I've been treated like a King, and to fill you in, guests are traditionally treated as guests from God. I'm pleased to see the tradition lives. I'm apparently very interesting, and I've been inheriting a barrage of bewildered, or cautious, or warm stares from people around town. I feel, in a way, like a pet monkey. I see, I do, and that's how it works. Simple tasks, like saying "thank you" are met with silly smiles and rapid dialogue amongst friends. I'm toying with the idea of telling people I'm Matt Damon, and that I'm taking a year off of acting to teach english at Bilecik University. I'll let you know how that goes.

So now I'm back in my hotel room, absolutely exhausted. It's funny how the unfamiliar functions as an energy drain. It only hits you when you lay down, but it's effect is instant and nearly paralyzing. Goodnight all. Sleep well.