I cannot believe I only have a month left here. I feel like everything is still starting, and I'm not ready to watch things start to end. I just walked into our grocery store and there is a huge Santa outside and all kinds of lights and decor inside; so festive. I shop like a Greek, eat like a Greek and it feels like home. It's truly a bitter sweet feeling knowing I'll be leaving soon.
Today was a wonderful day though. I woke up, recovered all my Spain and Venice pictures that were corrupted. Did some house hold stuff and then caught the bus into the city. I took pictures for my photography class and enjoyed the alone time walking through the streets. I walked into a souvenir shop and started talking to the guy working there and he couldn't believe I was here by myself and for so long. We chatted for a while and they both offered me a drink... coffee, tea, orange juice. They are so kind and it's horrible how as am American; I don't know how to read or understand that genuine offer. I questioned why, I questioned do I pay, I questioned if it’s bad (two men & me by myself) when walking away I realized it was just that, a genuine offer.
I continued on my journey, showed my passport & got a stamp to cross the green line to the North side (occupied Turkey). I was searching for some warm boots for the winter because my roommate found some nice little boots and I don't feel like freezing this winter, although there is no way around that (side note: today's high was in the 80's and it's snowing in WA). So I wondered and went to a local bakery for a helumi pitta boat and got it to go. I'll admit I was cracking up on the walk back... here I am so excited about this food, walking with my headphones in, shoving strip after strip of pitta down my throat as Turkish men were oooogaling me in passing, I honestly start cracking up. I couldn't stop laughing because they stare so intensely. I had to stop myself and I was going to sit on the curb and eat, but I didn't make it that far.
Two guys stopped me and asked me to take a survey. Long story short I took it and no way can they use it for what they needed but they did end up with some contact details, haha. Only one of the guys could speak poor English. It was hilarious; he couldn't quite understand what I was doing over there. He said, "you on a walk?" -yes "you come across boarder just for sigimi (place I had food from) and a walk" -I giggle, no I was shopping and got hungry (totally not true, I wanted my boat!) "Be careful, that makes you fat" -I almost lost it! He was so serious and like honestly saying that food makes you fat as if I had no idea and AS IF it was okay for a man to say that to a woman! Silly Turkish friend. After asking 5 times if they could walk with me to the boarder and making sure I was okay with it and it didn't make me uncomfortable, we headed towards the boarder together. My friend, Boran, wanted to make sure he wasn't being anything I didn't want him to be and clearly stated, "I only like you because you are American, you understand?" haha, poor guy. He had visited San Diego for 3 months and got to see LA and go to six flags; he misses the US and wanted to go back one day. He said I was the first American he had ever talked to/seen on the North side. I'll probably get lunch with him sometime, nice guy.
So then I headed back, crossed the border and walked down Ledra street to the bus station to head home. I made some Turkish tea that I bought in the North, hung out, went grocery shopping and here I am... So content and happy with everything.
I did get some AWESOME henna done last night, by the way! One of my friends got the stuff to do it and my roommate gave me a few henna tattoos (if you don't know what it is, it's basically a ink you put on your skin, it dries and cracks off and leaves a beautiful red/brown stain in the design you made) My Turkish friends liked it and so did everyone else in the stores.
To be more random, Turkish men > Greek men. I honestly crossed the border today, back to the south, and got so disgusted by the Greek men! They think it’s okay to get super close in passing and look you up and down and stare in your eyes if that’s all even possible. Sure Turkish men do the same but some resist a little more and they are friendly and more open to speaking with you. It’s going to be weird back in the states, I’ll feel invisible! Don’t think I’ll miss that part of life though!
Thanks for keeping up on my blog. One month and counting… I have Egypt awaiting me and then a long series of tests and projects. Cheers,
Kayla Dawn
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