From Home to Home

I just got back to Istanbul having traveled to the States for 10 days to celebrate Christmas (a little late but Mom still had some Christmasy branches strewn across the dresser), catch up with close friends, and detox from a busy semester. It was a good break in preparation for a second semester of teaching and travel, and searching for jobs..

I felt as though I was in two places at once this time. Turkey has become normal to me, and I felt it especially as I walked around the Istanbul neighborhood of Besiktas just a few minutes ago. Such a brief trip to States in a way left me feeling like an overstimulated tourist. Maybe it's because my bedroom had vanished, and because I was living out of a suitcase, or because I was sucked into the exciting, amorphous lives of my family (Dad's just opened his third pizza restaurant!), or because I'm so used to being alone in Turkey. On the other hand, I'll miss those I spent time with even more now. I've sort of stimulated a sore, but that's a part of being away. I don't love my time in Turkey any less, that's for certain.

Tomorrow I leave the country again. In early February I'll return to Bilecik and get to work. To those of you whom I saw during my trip to the States, thank you. It was a wonderful pleasure seeing all of you. I just wish I could have you here!

Peace