Kindra says: Lounging on a beach in Kas aptly named Big Pebble Beach, waiting for the sun to come out again so we can dry. This is our second day off since we started walking the Lycian Way 15 days ago, and we have finally found our rhythm.
When we started, we felt compelled to keep pace with the routes and times suggested in Kate Clow's guidebook-after all, if a 60 year old British woman can do it, should be a breeze for us, right? Normally yes; after a week or so of that, however, we learned a few key things: she was NOT cooking, and therefore finding, her own food, and was NOT finding a campsite, and therefore searching around villages, setting up a tent, making a fire and packing it all away again the next morning after making her own breakfast. Which also means she probably wasn't carrying a tent, cooking supplies, or more than food for lunch and snacks, so her pack was much lighter and she could go longer without feeling as much wear and tear. And it is likely that she didn't do it all day after day, but rather in sections. We started picking up on it when we realized that in a week of hiking and meeting dozens of mostly German hikers, we met not 1 other person doing the whole hike, and not 1 other person only camping. Because most people are doing this for vacation over 2 weeks for about 1/3 the total distance, and want to do the highlights. We have basically no time limitations and want to not just finish the whole thing-we want to enjoy it. We aren't doing what everyone else is doing, so we can't do the 10 miles a day everyone else is doing.
Once we realized that we weren't bound to the guidebook, and we had nobody to prove ourselves to, our pace came naturally-wake up about 8, leave camp around 10, stop for a 2 hour lunch and nap, and hike until just past the next village, coming in about 5. With our new discovery of cooking over a fire instead of our camp stove, it's been an incredibly free and life giving week. Our rhythm is basically awesome.
We have started connecting with God more since finding this new pace, and with each other. We were just asking God to bring people into our lives along the trail that we could have more than a 10 minute relationship with and could share our hearts with. Wouldn't you know it, the very next morning we met a family of 3 from Holland, hiked with them all day, stayed at our very first (and possibly last) pansion with, and spent yesterday afternoon with swimming! We even met up for cards, dessert and wine in the aqueduct just beneath our campsite. We have connected with them so well, and feel wonderfully blessed, rich and full with all that matters.
The calm ocean waters are getting warmer, and we are reveling in how much food is available in supermarkets!! Summer is almost here, and we are basking in it!
We will stay in the area probably another day or so before heading back into the wild mountains, too many rocks to be reasonable, spiky plants that seem specifically designed to hurt you, and mostly the same food from village to village For now, we are here, and we have enough.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Lycian Way: Week One
Austin here with an update from a sunny beach surrounded by the ancient Lycian ruins of Patara. Today is day eight, and we are lounging with a well WELL deserved rest day. The last three days have been ten mile plus days with late arrivals into our camping spots. We are feeling surprisingly strong, blisters and sun rashes (and a ankle issue for me) aside. The trail is breathtaking and varietous, with dramatic mountains, turquoise ocean waters, sleepy beaches, and scrub filled, history laden trails (with lots of rocks, Kindra's favorite!). For instance, for the last two days we have been hiking literally beside or on an ancient Roman aqueduct! The sun and quiet are our constant companions, except the quiet part is replaced by sometimes obnoxious Turkish men saying Hello Hello in the touristy towns. The tucked away villages are better, full of kind, sweet villagers ever ready to help us find my daily desire of a liter or two of raw cow's milk, or who are generously sharing their food and company with us. Turkish is an amazing advantage for us on the way, being without it would be a tremendous challenge.
My dad sent us a GpS, and that has also been a life saver. Many times trail markers disappear, and the rocky goat trails are a nuisance to navigate.
Our relationship is finding a new rhythm, one with early mornings to avoid the heat and long coversations about simple normally assumed staples like food, water and camp spots. A huge inspiration to us has been the TV miniseries Long Way Round, where Ewan Mcgregor an Charlie Boorman motorcycle journey the long way round the globe, and face constant challenges and excitements. Our journey is similar: we find unexpected terrain, amazing ruins, frustrating ascents, and much more. More than anything, we have discovered a new face of Turkey, one that challenges the beauty of places like Zion National Park and Croatia, and reveals the sacred, simple life of Turkish villages. I confidently say that we will be so much more culturally and experientally rich after this month on the Lycian Way.
Tomorrow we return to the trail, with a grueling nine plus hour day (hopefully not our norm!). Until a week or two, gorusuruz!
My dad sent us a GpS, and that has also been a life saver. Many times trail markers disappear, and the rocky goat trails are a nuisance to navigate.
Our relationship is finding a new rhythm, one with early mornings to avoid the heat and long coversations about simple normally assumed staples like food, water and camp spots. A huge inspiration to us has been the TV miniseries Long Way Round, where Ewan Mcgregor an Charlie Boorman motorcycle journey the long way round the globe, and face constant challenges and excitements. Our journey is similar: we find unexpected terrain, amazing ruins, frustrating ascents, and much more. More than anything, we have discovered a new face of Turkey, one that challenges the beauty of places like Zion National Park and Croatia, and reveals the sacred, simple life of Turkish villages. I confidently say that we will be so much more culturally and experientally rich after this month on the Lycian Way.
Tomorrow we return to the trail, with a grueling nine plus hour day (hopefully not our norm!). Until a week or two, gorusuruz!
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Signing Off From Izmir
Austin here; tonight is the last night that we will have in Izmir. We packed our bags. We cleaned our apartment. We repacked our bags because they were too heavy (mine was 45 pounds!!). We finished watching The Long Way Round, a TV miniseries all about two motorcyclists going from London to New York the long way around; through Asia, Europe and North America, which has inspired us immensely for the new adventure ahead: the Lycian Way, a 500 km track in southern Turkey
There are so many stories to share, so many amazing memories experienced, so many rock bottom lows, so many sky high highs; it's hard to imagine them, they simply all blur together. What we know is that God is faithful, and He has been a good gardener of the garden of our souls and for that we are grateful. We look forward to new exciting adventures with each other, God, and people we haven't met yet, and of course with nature that is so unbelievable. We hope to keep you updated here and there as well, but mostly we just hope to unwind and detox from the city and find ourselves in the now and in this incredible, blossoming season.
All the best to you wherever you are in your journey; remember, your path may be going into a difficult valley, but perhaps it is just so that you can then come to a mountain peak in the distant fog that you can truly appreciate.
That's all; Austin signing off from Izmir :)
There are so many stories to share, so many amazing memories experienced, so many rock bottom lows, so many sky high highs; it's hard to imagine them, they simply all blur together. What we know is that God is faithful, and He has been a good gardener of the garden of our souls and for that we are grateful. We look forward to new exciting adventures with each other, God, and people we haven't met yet, and of course with nature that is so unbelievable. We hope to keep you updated here and there as well, but mostly we just hope to unwind and detox from the city and find ourselves in the now and in this incredible, blossoming season.
All the best to you wherever you are in your journey; remember, your path may be going into a difficult valley, but perhaps it is just so that you can then come to a mountain peak in the distant fog that you can truly appreciate.
That's all; Austin signing off from Izmir :)
Friday, April 18, 2014
I can hear the winds of change blowing
I can hear the north wind blowing. That special wind that says, "Something new, something different, is coming." The wind that say, "It is time for you to move on, to go to a new place, and discover new things." Maybe you can hear it too in your own life, but maybe not.
Austin here with another blog update. And let me tell you that we are soon leaving Izmir. We quit our jobs a few weeks ago, and we spent 12 incredibly exciting and intimate days with my dad, stepmom and half brother, Sean. Traveling Turkey in a whirlwind style, we first saw Cappadocia- the dwelling place of ancient Christians- where we explored caves, underground cities, and wonderful valleys. Then we moved on to Isatnbul for a day trip, a place that neither my dad nor Bea had seen. And finally we finished our time in Trabzon, a picturesque, Switzerland-like ocean paradise with mountains, monestaries, waterfalls, and fresh made yellow butter (which I brought home by the kilo.) Our parting with family brought on many emotions: the longing to stay with poeple that truly understand us, the desire to retutrn to the comforts and comunities of America; but also the realization that we still have a journey to fulfill, a road to follow.
So, in 2 weeks time, Kindra and I will move out of our Izmir apartment, and step off on our greatest feat yet: to hike the Lycian Way, a 500K trail , stretching the southern coastline of Turkey, filled with amazing beaches, steep trails, and a wide open space where we can simply enjoy each other and God in nature without the wild and chaotic distractions of the city. We have never undertook such a trek, and within our excitement also lies uncertainty and a hesitancy of our ability to complete it. The nice thing is we can always use public transportation or hitchhiking for part of the trek since it usually follows a main highway. But our desire is to hike most, if not all, of it. So in this season of transition, we are preparing our home, we are getting last kisses in with our cats, (both of which have grown into phenomenally cute and full sized animals, making it impossible to say goodbye), we are saying goodbye to dear friends that have helped our sails fly open during our time in Izmir, and we are enjoying the last comforts of having a home.
You may ask, what lies beyond this month long hike that we will be attempting? That answer is also uncertain, but our rough plan is tor travel more in Turkey, and then to Georgia, and from there fly to Japan, and continue our hiatus in Asia.
Life has never been so rich or crazy for us, but we do count ourselves so blessed and lucky to experience the life that is always new and dynamic. And we will see where this new chapter and potential discovery of new continents and cultures takes us. So stay tuned for our journey ahead, and pray for us, that we would not miss one iota of a chance to learn and grow into the fullness of people that we are truly made to be.
Austin here with another blog update. And let me tell you that we are soon leaving Izmir. We quit our jobs a few weeks ago, and we spent 12 incredibly exciting and intimate days with my dad, stepmom and half brother, Sean. Traveling Turkey in a whirlwind style, we first saw Cappadocia- the dwelling place of ancient Christians- where we explored caves, underground cities, and wonderful valleys. Then we moved on to Isatnbul for a day trip, a place that neither my dad nor Bea had seen. And finally we finished our time in Trabzon, a picturesque, Switzerland-like ocean paradise with mountains, monestaries, waterfalls, and fresh made yellow butter (which I brought home by the kilo.) Our parting with family brought on many emotions: the longing to stay with poeple that truly understand us, the desire to retutrn to the comforts and comunities of America; but also the realization that we still have a journey to fulfill, a road to follow.
So, in 2 weeks time, Kindra and I will move out of our Izmir apartment, and step off on our greatest feat yet: to hike the Lycian Way, a 500K trail , stretching the southern coastline of Turkey, filled with amazing beaches, steep trails, and a wide open space where we can simply enjoy each other and God in nature without the wild and chaotic distractions of the city. We have never undertook such a trek, and within our excitement also lies uncertainty and a hesitancy of our ability to complete it. The nice thing is we can always use public transportation or hitchhiking for part of the trek since it usually follows a main highway. But our desire is to hike most, if not all, of it. So in this season of transition, we are preparing our home, we are getting last kisses in with our cats, (both of which have grown into phenomenally cute and full sized animals, making it impossible to say goodbye), we are saying goodbye to dear friends that have helped our sails fly open during our time in Izmir, and we are enjoying the last comforts of having a home.
You may ask, what lies beyond this month long hike that we will be attempting? That answer is also uncertain, but our rough plan is tor travel more in Turkey, and then to Georgia, and from there fly to Japan, and continue our hiatus in Asia.
Life has never been so rich or crazy for us, but we do count ourselves so blessed and lucky to experience the life that is always new and dynamic. And we will see where this new chapter and potential discovery of new continents and cultures takes us. So stay tuned for our journey ahead, and pray for us, that we would not miss one iota of a chance to learn and grow into the fullness of people that we are truly made to be.
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| View from our balloon as we begin our flight |
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| Getting them fired up! |
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| Overlooking the beautiful Cappodocia area from the top of an ancient castle |
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| Austin's dad and little brother in Cappodicia, on top of the castle |
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| Amazing old "staircase" in the Ihlara Valley, an area filled with winding, hidden cave dwellings and endless adventurous explorations to find |
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| The view just down the road from our apartment in Trabaon |
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| Hiking up to the Sumela Monestary |
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| View of the Monestary from the trail |
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| Uzungul, a lake in Trabzon |
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| The view from our top floor apartment in Trabzon |
Monday, March 17, 2014
Reflections
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| Kindra and I painted a tranquil waterfall scene in our bedroom; it took a long time, but was totally worth it! |
Austin here with my first blog update in a long while. I have felt hesitant over the last few months to blog, simply because this stage of our journey has had such personal and impacting effects on me. I am developing into the man I was always meant to be, and to go through that process has meant wrestling with and struggling through the difficulties of my past and present. The concept of blogging is an interesting one; ANYONE can read about how your life is going, whether close friend or distant relative. It's easy to blog about how things are going well, or to share some of the hardships without the most painful or intimate details. But it can be uncomfortable to be totally real, to reveal your inner soul, the depth of longings and fears that you feel.
So enevitably, I will hold back from sharing everything about everything, but I would like to spread out here a few personal thoughts of our last few months. Our reasoning for staying in Turkey was developmental in nature, to learn deep things from God about ourselves. And I would definitely say that this has happened, through a number of unexpected avenues and pathways. We faced immense hardship searching for a new apartment while working 30+ hours a week teaching English, and our relationship grew apart as we were sooo busy and focused on different things. After a series of difficult conversations and relational dischord, we discovered how apart we had become, and how it was necssarry to "restart" our relationship, and do things like shopping at the pazar together and cooking together as opposed to doing things apart to be more efficent. Life is not about efficiency; life is about being present with those closest to us, and I am definitely sure that simply being with Kindra and having a ton of fun together through life's ups and downs is so much better than slugging through the journey alone. I have a tendency to do most things on my own, like I don't need anyone, like I have a deep rooted belief that no one has my back, and that I have to fend for myself. This is so not true; Kindra is one special girl who time and time again surprises me with her care, ingenuity, and energy for life. I am so thankful for her.
Through the journey, I have learned a few things, the first one being that I don't want to live in Turkey again. Now, don't get me wrong, Turkey is a great country full of natural beauty, rich culture, and great food. Living here and learning the language has been a fulfilling and beautiful experience. But at the same thing, through working and living up close and personal with the culture this time round, I have been able to see more deeply into some of the culture's pitfalls. Conformity is paramount in Turkey, and to be different, say to be a homosexual or a Christian Turk or a minority such as a Kurd or someone who wants to follow their own dreams and not their family's is to go against unsavory traditions that are rooted in control and fear, not in love or freedom. Families can be quick to mock, criticize and disown their children for any of the reasons I mentioned, and although this similar attitude can exist in America, I see it being much more prevalent and destructive in Turkey. There are also an alarming number of unhealthy relational disconnects between fathers and their sons, and I know a number of young Turkish men who feel belittled and distant from their dads. In addition, in our workplace (and most workplaces in Turkey), employee discrimination and greedy business practices are unbelievably present, and discouraging to think about. Add to this a toxic corruption scandal surrounding the Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan, and it's easy to see why I am ready to move on, at least from city life. To balance this all out, I would say that we have made a great deal of close friends, and found a niche in Izmir, with a huge park nearby and snuggly cats (who are growing like crazy!).
On a more positive note, my journey into good nutrition has evolved: I am currently a relatively strict follower of the Weston A. Price Diet (somewhat similar to Paleo). Given the resources of cheap and fresh meats and dairy, it made sense for me to give it a try at this stage of our trip. I now eat daily liberal amounts of butter, eggs, meats of all varieties, properly soaked bulgur and walnuts, homemade unpasteurized yogurt, beetroot tonics, and some vegetables cooked or raw. Additionally, weekly I will consume some form of animal organ meat, and perhaps a homemade bone broth. Crazy, right? It's totally the opposite of the FDA/USDA's recommendations for reducing fat/saturated fat intake, but I personally think these recommendations are based on bad science and a huge lobby from the grain, sugar and processed vegetable oil industries. Anyways, I feel amazing, and I also feel I have finally found my dietary niche. Sometimes I do want to simply go out and hunt an animal, maybe someday. Our roommate Uluc is totally in on the diet too, we drool while talking about butter and meat, all while Kindra laughs at us and eats her chocolate pound cake.
Looking back on the last twenty months or so, since we began our journey, so much has happened. We have WWOOFed, bought and subsequently destroyed a cheap car, met amazing people, met difficult people, camped in every weather imaginable, saw many of the world's most stunning beauties, learned a lot about eachother, discovered endless avenues of the closeness of God, and found ourselves in a whole new way. This six month run in Turkey has solifidied in many ways who we are and what we desire out of life. I have learned about tenderness, about representing myself, about caring for Kindra. I have also matured a great deal; I feel more equipped to handle difficult people and manage uncomfortable environments. Most of all, I feel that I have a better grip on the life I want to live, one of tender love and presentness to anyone I meet, one of people surrounding us, a community where we can care for and accept each other. I want a life not based on status, on money, on career, on fake pleasantries, on hiding my heart, but rather a life free and real and loving, where I can be fully myself, and give others the space to feel the same. I want a life in the wild, where we make our own food and have property where nature and peacefulness are ever present. I want a life of freeing others and discovering more and more the freedom and experience that God has for me. I want a family, children who are in our midst day in and day out, not away at a daycare or school, but rather soaking in our love and learning to find themselves underneath our shade. This is all a great deal counter cultural, but I don't mind it, I am not afraid to be different. Are you?
As you finish reading this, I wish you a beautiful day and a wonderful journey in your life, in its own way and time. We are unsure of our steps after Turkey, but we are sure of the spirit in which we want to take them, and this is enough for us :)
Love be upon you!
Friday, February 28, 2014
What We Have
Our journey continues, having nothing to do with our physical location. As spring approaches, new things continue to develop and grow around us and in us.
For example...
We have a Turkish roommate! His name is Uluch, and he is a great friend of Austin's from his previous time living in Izmir. He's an awesome roommate, and complements us both so well.
We have kittens we are quickly becoming cats, and are currently in some weird obsession/love stage with Austin, following him around the house everywhere meowing and wanting to be held by him or lay on him. I'm trying not to be jealous... ; )
We have natural gas!! Hot water for showers, gas for cooking, it's a wonderful luxury now and we are SO thankful!
We have 2 American couples coming to visit in the next few weeks, and Austin's dad/family coming to visit shortly after!
And we have had a fresh deposit of joy and playfulness in our lives, with our French friends having stayed with us for the past 4 days!
As a result of that, I have a slight desire to live in France someday, especially as a significant proportion of the coolest people we've met on this trip are French or live in French. Hmmm....
With so many new things coming into our lives, it can be easy to forget about the internal journey we are on, and it can be tempting to just distract myself, to not reflect on what is happening inside, right now.
There are times when we feel incredibly blessed.
There are times when we feel lost.
There are times when we feel hopeful and energized.
There are times when we feel discouraged and lethargic.
It is a wonderful and painful blessing when God allows things that are already present in your heart to be exposed by circumstances, by reality. The popular example is a man who reacts in anger to someone provoking him, and telling God about it, "God that man was so terrible, he MADE me so angry!" And the Lord responds, "Son, it wasn't that man who MADE you angry-he just revealed the anger that was already in your heart." The true condition of our hearts is exposed in the moment of difficulty and trial; it's not the external stimulant that causes the reaction, but the reaction that is born out of what is in us.
This season is revealing what is in us. The good, the bad, the ugly; the flowers, and the weeds.
For me (Kindra) I am learning how quickly I give up. I give up fighting for things I know to be right or needed, I give up on trying new things, I give up on learning new things, I give up on trying to connect with people, and I give up trying to connect with God. Quickly, with very little resistance. Throughout my life I've learned that when I fight, I lose. I can't win, and when I try, it just hurts those around me (especially myself) and creates unneeded drama. I am learning that these are all LIES, and it is hugely important for me to learn how to fight well. Fight for our marriage, fight for friendships, fight for people's relationships with God, fight for life.
Our French friends spent the past 4 days or so with us after returning from their Turkish travels, and it's easy to say that we haven't laughed so hard, over such a long period of time, possibly ever! We played games like tag, hide and seek-ish (French version, it's way better!), and all sorts of variations every day. Aaaaaand 2 nights....1 in a big park for 2 hours, and 1 in our apartment for several hours, in the dark, with plenty of shrieking and pranks. Friendship is truly one of the greatest and most powerful gifts God has given us, and it is something to be cherished and protected.
When we have times like that, we are reminded that there is unbelievable JOY to be had and FUN to be experienced. We have been reminded that really, we are most ourselves, most thriving, when we are childlike, not allowing the anxieties responsibilities and cares of life to stifle the life that is desperately trying to breathe through us.
To help us continue in the spirit of play, fun, enjoyment, laughter and new things, we've made an ADVENTURE LIST! It has about 20 things to do in the area that we'd really love to experience, and we have a goal of doing as many things on that list as possible. It's been a great motivator for us, and I totally recommend it to anyone wanting to encourage more innovation and new things in your life. =)
With only a short 4 weeks or so left before we travel with Austin's dad/family, we want to make the most of the remaining time we have here, and give Father all the room in our lives to do what He wants.
I pray you are having a meaningful and intimate internal journey with God of your own, and that He is showing you beautiful truths about yourself and Him.
For example...
We have a Turkish roommate! His name is Uluch, and he is a great friend of Austin's from his previous time living in Izmir. He's an awesome roommate, and complements us both so well.
We have kittens we are quickly becoming cats, and are currently in some weird obsession/love stage with Austin, following him around the house everywhere meowing and wanting to be held by him or lay on him. I'm trying not to be jealous... ; )
We have natural gas!! Hot water for showers, gas for cooking, it's a wonderful luxury now and we are SO thankful!
We have 2 American couples coming to visit in the next few weeks, and Austin's dad/family coming to visit shortly after!
And we have had a fresh deposit of joy and playfulness in our lives, with our French friends having stayed with us for the past 4 days!
As a result of that, I have a slight desire to live in France someday, especially as a significant proportion of the coolest people we've met on this trip are French or live in French. Hmmm....
With so many new things coming into our lives, it can be easy to forget about the internal journey we are on, and it can be tempting to just distract myself, to not reflect on what is happening inside, right now.
There are times when we feel incredibly blessed.
There are times when we feel lost.
There are times when we feel hopeful and energized.
There are times when we feel discouraged and lethargic.
It is a wonderful and painful blessing when God allows things that are already present in your heart to be exposed by circumstances, by reality. The popular example is a man who reacts in anger to someone provoking him, and telling God about it, "God that man was so terrible, he MADE me so angry!" And the Lord responds, "Son, it wasn't that man who MADE you angry-he just revealed the anger that was already in your heart." The true condition of our hearts is exposed in the moment of difficulty and trial; it's not the external stimulant that causes the reaction, but the reaction that is born out of what is in us.
This season is revealing what is in us. The good, the bad, the ugly; the flowers, and the weeds.
For me (Kindra) I am learning how quickly I give up. I give up fighting for things I know to be right or needed, I give up on trying new things, I give up on learning new things, I give up on trying to connect with people, and I give up trying to connect with God. Quickly, with very little resistance. Throughout my life I've learned that when I fight, I lose. I can't win, and when I try, it just hurts those around me (especially myself) and creates unneeded drama. I am learning that these are all LIES, and it is hugely important for me to learn how to fight well. Fight for our marriage, fight for friendships, fight for people's relationships with God, fight for life.
Our French friends spent the past 4 days or so with us after returning from their Turkish travels, and it's easy to say that we haven't laughed so hard, over such a long period of time, possibly ever! We played games like tag, hide and seek-ish (French version, it's way better!), and all sorts of variations every day. Aaaaaand 2 nights....1 in a big park for 2 hours, and 1 in our apartment for several hours, in the dark, with plenty of shrieking and pranks. Friendship is truly one of the greatest and most powerful gifts God has given us, and it is something to be cherished and protected.
When we have times like that, we are reminded that there is unbelievable JOY to be had and FUN to be experienced. We have been reminded that really, we are most ourselves, most thriving, when we are childlike, not allowing the anxieties responsibilities and cares of life to stifle the life that is desperately trying to breathe through us.
To help us continue in the spirit of play, fun, enjoyment, laughter and new things, we've made an ADVENTURE LIST! It has about 20 things to do in the area that we'd really love to experience, and we have a goal of doing as many things on that list as possible. It's been a great motivator for us, and I totally recommend it to anyone wanting to encourage more innovation and new things in your life. =)
With only a short 4 weeks or so left before we travel with Austin's dad/family, we want to make the most of the remaining time we have here, and give Father all the room in our lives to do what He wants.
I pray you are having a meaningful and intimate internal journey with God of your own, and that He is showing you beautiful truths about yourself and Him.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Turkish Whirlwind!
It hasn't been 2 months since our last blog post......really....
This past month has flown by faster than any in recent memory, but first I'll (Kindra) backtrack to where we left off and reflect quickly on the holidays.
We kicked off the Christmas season with a Christmas party at our *now old* apartment for coworkers from Amerikan Kultur, complete with cookie decorating and carols. Despite the fact that we had to work Christmas Eve AND Day, we a wonderful Christmas in Izmir, watching 'Elf,' going ice skating, and even eating out at the only "Mexican" restaurant in town (which certainly was a far cry from Santa Barbara, but still great.)
Since Christmas, we have been in an absolute WHIRLWIND of changes and more new things, starting with the biggest: a new apartment.
We knew going into our agreement with our old place that we may not be able to stay for the entire time we were here, but it was still an emotional and difficult period for me. Saying goodbye again to a place that had become home and familiar was far from what I wanted to do, but since the owners had another group coming in and there wasn't enough room for all of us to stay, we had little choice in the matter. So we began what turned out to be an outrageously confusing, frustrating, and unpredictable experience. 2 of my more advanced B2 students, Burcu and Devran, basically took us under their wing and came with us to look at apartments, call people, translate, ask questions, steer us clear of shady people/places and generally find an apartment for us for an entire week! Without their help, we have no idea what we would have ended up with: as it is, we found a wonderful place right across the street from the biggest park in Izmir, with 3 bedrooms and a gigantic living room. For almost exactly 1/2 the price we were previously paying.
After an exhausting/disappointing/emotional week of house hunting, we signed the lease, which was a whole experience in itself of drinking chai with the landlord and realtor for 1 1/2 hours while the realtor wrote up the lease by hand, only to enter into the next, far more challenging hurdle-making the apartment into a home.
One of the reasons the apartment is 1/2 the price is that it's 2x older, and hasn't been lived in for we don't know how long, but the previous tenants were students....it is the definition of a fixer upper. Oh, and it was empty, meaning no furniture. And in Turkey, no furniture means NO furniture: no refrigerator, no stove, no light bulbs, sometimes no light fixtures....there's a reason they call them "bosh", which literally means "empty."Step 1 though was to make the place liveable. No small task, considering we were starting from the place of sitting down on the old, wooden floors to eat dinner, and would stand up with layers of dust, dirt and grime attached to our entire bodies. I can't remember any time I've cleaned more in my entire life, but the end result has been absolutely worth the effort and that much sweeter. Step 2 was to find furniture, for which we employed the help of Burcu and Devran again, which was another crazy, cultural experience.
Step 3 was a rather unexpected one- preparing our guest room. We had known that our French friends that we met on the road in Croatia would be coming to visit, but we had no idea when or how long they would stay. We found out after "living" in our new place for 1 week in our new pad, which really means cleaning and working our asses off for 1 week, that our friends would be coming in 2 days- woohoo!!! Also, oh, crap-we JUST finished making the place liveable today, and haven't even started on a guest room....but yay!
And so began the terrific 2 weeks we've just passed of having our lovely Frenchies stay with us. It was a time of belly laughs, amazing French food, and community. We went on hikes and ice skating, made bonfires, had dance nights, played countless games of Dominion, engaged in several nerf battles, played soccer, and hosted a house warming party for our Amerikan Kultur colleagues. But one of the coolest things we did with them is take in 2 kittens from our local park!! They're each 3 months old, and were sufficiently pathetic looking to convince us to take them in. They have been a source of supreme joy and laughter for us, and we just named them today. Saffron and Cossette have stolen our hearts!
I've learned afresh why French is one of the coolest languages in the world and many moments just sat next to them listening, enraptured by the intonations and musicality of every word (even when they were just talking about what to do for dinner.) Did you know that there are several words for kissing in French, depending on what kind of kiss it is? Aggressive, romantic, slow, fast, etc. In French each of these has its own word. Don't even get me started on the words for making love: they have phrases like "the 6th sense," "entering the Garden of Eden," and way more that are all significantly more romantic and poetic than the "it's business time."
Esteban and Zihya left this afternoon, and it's just Austin and I in our new apartment for the fist time since we made it inhabitable. With cutting our work hours at Amerikan Kultur in half and beginning more lucrative private tutoring, we should have much more time to do the things that we love most: hiking, being outside, connecting with God, learning new things, making new friends, and traveling. Our French friends will be back from their Turkish couch surfing/hitchhiking adventures in about 3 weeks, and in the meantime we will be doing.....well who knows, really? We'll be taking each day as it comes, and savoring the moments in a world where anything is possible. For now, at least, we'll start with trying to get an oven that works and gas so we can have hot water. =)
This past month has flown by faster than any in recent memory, but first I'll (Kindra) backtrack to where we left off and reflect quickly on the holidays.
We kicked off the Christmas season with a Christmas party at our *now old* apartment for coworkers from Amerikan Kultur, complete with cookie decorating and carols. Despite the fact that we had to work Christmas Eve AND Day, we a wonderful Christmas in Izmir, watching 'Elf,' going ice skating, and even eating out at the only "Mexican" restaurant in town (which certainly was a far cry from Santa Barbara, but still great.)
Since Christmas, we have been in an absolute WHIRLWIND of changes and more new things, starting with the biggest: a new apartment.
We knew going into our agreement with our old place that we may not be able to stay for the entire time we were here, but it was still an emotional and difficult period for me. Saying goodbye again to a place that had become home and familiar was far from what I wanted to do, but since the owners had another group coming in and there wasn't enough room for all of us to stay, we had little choice in the matter. So we began what turned out to be an outrageously confusing, frustrating, and unpredictable experience. 2 of my more advanced B2 students, Burcu and Devran, basically took us under their wing and came with us to look at apartments, call people, translate, ask questions, steer us clear of shady people/places and generally find an apartment for us for an entire week! Without their help, we have no idea what we would have ended up with: as it is, we found a wonderful place right across the street from the biggest park in Izmir, with 3 bedrooms and a gigantic living room. For almost exactly 1/2 the price we were previously paying.
After an exhausting/disappointing/emotional week of house hunting, we signed the lease, which was a whole experience in itself of drinking chai with the landlord and realtor for 1 1/2 hours while the realtor wrote up the lease by hand, only to enter into the next, far more challenging hurdle-making the apartment into a home.
One of the reasons the apartment is 1/2 the price is that it's 2x older, and hasn't been lived in for we don't know how long, but the previous tenants were students....it is the definition of a fixer upper. Oh, and it was empty, meaning no furniture. And in Turkey, no furniture means NO furniture: no refrigerator, no stove, no light bulbs, sometimes no light fixtures....there's a reason they call them "bosh", which literally means "empty."Step 1 though was to make the place liveable. No small task, considering we were starting from the place of sitting down on the old, wooden floors to eat dinner, and would stand up with layers of dust, dirt and grime attached to our entire bodies. I can't remember any time I've cleaned more in my entire life, but the end result has been absolutely worth the effort and that much sweeter. Step 2 was to find furniture, for which we employed the help of Burcu and Devran again, which was another crazy, cultural experience.
Step 3 was a rather unexpected one- preparing our guest room. We had known that our French friends that we met on the road in Croatia would be coming to visit, but we had no idea when or how long they would stay. We found out after "living" in our new place for 1 week in our new pad, which really means cleaning and working our asses off for 1 week, that our friends would be coming in 2 days- woohoo!!! Also, oh, crap-we JUST finished making the place liveable today, and haven't even started on a guest room....but yay!
And so began the terrific 2 weeks we've just passed of having our lovely Frenchies stay with us. It was a time of belly laughs, amazing French food, and community. We went on hikes and ice skating, made bonfires, had dance nights, played countless games of Dominion, engaged in several nerf battles, played soccer, and hosted a house warming party for our Amerikan Kultur colleagues. But one of the coolest things we did with them is take in 2 kittens from our local park!! They're each 3 months old, and were sufficiently pathetic looking to convince us to take them in. They have been a source of supreme joy and laughter for us, and we just named them today. Saffron and Cossette have stolen our hearts!
I've learned afresh why French is one of the coolest languages in the world and many moments just sat next to them listening, enraptured by the intonations and musicality of every word (even when they were just talking about what to do for dinner.) Did you know that there are several words for kissing in French, depending on what kind of kiss it is? Aggressive, romantic, slow, fast, etc. In French each of these has its own word. Don't even get me started on the words for making love: they have phrases like "the 6th sense," "entering the Garden of Eden," and way more that are all significantly more romantic and poetic than the "it's business time."
Esteban and Zihya left this afternoon, and it's just Austin and I in our new apartment for the fist time since we made it inhabitable. With cutting our work hours at Amerikan Kultur in half and beginning more lucrative private tutoring, we should have much more time to do the things that we love most: hiking, being outside, connecting with God, learning new things, making new friends, and traveling. Our French friends will be back from their Turkish couch surfing/hitchhiking adventures in about 3 weeks, and in the meantime we will be doing.....well who knows, really? We'll be taking each day as it comes, and savoring the moments in a world where anything is possible. For now, at least, we'll start with trying to get an oven that works and gas so we can have hot water. =)
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| Enjoying Christmas Day with Elf and a hot chocolate =) |
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| Our Christmas loot! |
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| The tree we painted in our new living room with Esteban and Zihya |
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| Our Christmas party at our old apartments, with some coworkers. |
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| We learned about light drawings from the Frenchies, and experimented during our bonfire. |
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| Savoring a sunset from the park across our apartment. |
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| Our new kittens from the park, Cossette and Saffron. |
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| The house warming party at our new place, with 2 pictures as gifts from coworkers. |
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| With one of my students and friends who helped us with our housing debacles, Devran. |
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| Some of our favorite students and coworkers, from L-R: Umut, Nevzat, Aycha, Burcu, Devran, Tulparay. |
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| Beautiful Zihya |
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| Austin posing with a new house warming gift. |
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| From our balcony window. |
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| We found a terrific free world map, so naturally it's on our wall! |
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| Esteban! |
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| Burcu with her gorgeous dog Caramel playing at the park. |
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| Our view from our living room. Not so bad... |
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| From Fehtiye, where we spent New Years Eve! |
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| Yuuuum! |
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| The uncle of our coworker Aycha, who took us and another coworker, Tulparay, to her families house in Fehtiye/Mulaga for NYE |
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| Aycha with her cousin. |
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| Tulparay and Aycha. |
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| Fehtiye is absolutely beautiful. |
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| Austin took a NY dip in the ocean! |
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| On the drive from Mulaga to Fehtiye. |
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| At her families house in Mulaga. |
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| We were treated to a totally organic, home grown, traditional Turkish breakfast in Mulaga. A meal we still talk about. |
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| The city square of Bornova, where we work at Amerikan Kultur. |
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| Our fish!! Before the black one started eating the white one they lived together, now they have their own tanks. |
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| Austin took a trip to Mars when a friend Uluch took us on a tour of his work at Space Camp Turkey. |
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| Flight control, we are ready for launch. |
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| The next astronaut |
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| The beautiful ruins of Agora in Izmir |
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| Agora |
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