So it is the end of December 2010, I’ve spent my quiet time this week thinking back to everything that I’ve done this year. Here it is:
January:
-First College Acceptance Letter; Susquehanna University (final tally accepted to 4 our of 5 schools, disregarding Lawrence cause I never did here from them)
February:
-End of Yarmouth Basketball
March
-College Visiting Trip in PA with Madre
April
-The best gift of all time my Canon!
-Family Vacation to Costa Rica
-Accepted to Rotary Youth Exchange to Turkey
May
-Sadly I remember nothing from May except little things from school and Memorial Day weekend in Mass
June
-Graduation from YHS
-Head to Hamilton, MA for the summer
July
-Roasted a Pig on 4th of July
-Work at the Farm Bar & Grill
-Clam Fest 2010
August
-Trip to Quebec with Aunt Rachel, Matt and Betsy
-Last Week in the U.S.
September
-TURKEY
-Marmaris and southern coast
-Meet the other Rotary Exchange students, most importantly Logan Kettering (happy now? There’s your name) (just kidding to all you other exchange students, you are ALL important to me)
October:
-Turkish Class
-Eurasian Marathon
-Halloween Party (best costume: Autograph Book)
November
-Ankara Trip
-LOST CAT!
-Thanksgiving
December
-Thanksgiving Party
-Snow in Istanbul
-Galata Tower
-Memorable Christmas
There we have it 4 countries, college, high school, work, school, guess it was successful right? Bring on 2011. I can’t wait.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Mutlu Noeller
What’s that phrase? The first step to fixing a problem is admitting there is one? Well, I admit it. I have been awful, simply awful with blogging about my time here, so as part of the year of 2011’s resolutions, blogging (fingers crossed weekly) will be occurring.Tamam mı? Tamam! (Ok? Ok!) So let’s get down to business.
Today is December 26 2010 and I can’t say that I have ever had a holiday season like the one that I’ve had so far. To start things off, the weather. I mean, I know I’m from Maine and used to snow, sleet, frozen sidewalks and not being able to get in the car in the morning, but I expected at least some chilly weather. I think I would be able to go outside in shorts and a t-shirt and be, well fairly comfortable. The only time that it really feels chilly is when it’s raining, a cold rain, which is one thing that I’m not usually used to.
Secondly the holidays. Well being the 99.8 % Muslim country (CIA World Factbook) the concept of Christmas, birth of Jesus, Santa isn’t really around. I mean they know of it, and some of the malls have blow up snowmen and trees in their displays but it’s not a holiday. There are plenty of lights and what seem to be “holiday” decorations but it’s for the new year.
So yesterday was quite a different day. I woke early and went and took the ferry across the Bosphorous and back. For no reason other then I can never, ever get over the view, the feeling, and there’s just something special about it. I came back home and sent my Christmas wished via email, face book, skype and then went out with Lauren for lunch and tea in Beyoğlu by Galata Tower. We talked about our own Christmas traditions and how it was a first for both of us, doing something different for Christmas. Did I mention the weather was a clear, sunny, blue sky nice 50(ish) degree day. Pretty good afternoon.
We walked down Istiklal (a pedestrian street that I consider to the be hub of Istanbul) to Taksim Square and met with fellow exchange students and Rotary Counselors before going to dinner. At dinner we exchanged secret santa gifts. I received a nice scarf (that makes three) and some Turkish prayer beads or Tespih. Finally dinner started and while dinner was being served there was 4 belly dancing performances and traditional Turkish dances performed on stage. Yeah, a little different from tradition haha. But memorable none the less. I took plenty of video and will post that sometime soon.
Besides the different holiday weekend, school is going swell (when was the last time you saw that word?). Amanda and I have discovered plenty of things to do when not in class and after a certain speech in front of the school a few weeks ago plenty of new people are talking to me everyday.
2011 is almost here and so I plan on posting in the next few days a little recap of 2010. Stay tuned!
As always comments are much appreciated if not encouraged. It gives me ideas on what to write next.
Today is December 26 2010 and I can’t say that I have ever had a holiday season like the one that I’ve had so far. To start things off, the weather. I mean, I know I’m from Maine and used to snow, sleet, frozen sidewalks and not being able to get in the car in the morning, but I expected at least some chilly weather. I think I would be able to go outside in shorts and a t-shirt and be, well fairly comfortable. The only time that it really feels chilly is when it’s raining, a cold rain, which is one thing that I’m not usually used to.
Secondly the holidays. Well being the 99.8 % Muslim country (CIA World Factbook) the concept of Christmas, birth of Jesus, Santa isn’t really around. I mean they know of it, and some of the malls have blow up snowmen and trees in their displays but it’s not a holiday. There are plenty of lights and what seem to be “holiday” decorations but it’s for the new year.
So yesterday was quite a different day. I woke early and went and took the ferry across the Bosphorous and back. For no reason other then I can never, ever get over the view, the feeling, and there’s just something special about it. I came back home and sent my Christmas wished via email, face book, skype and then went out with Lauren for lunch and tea in Beyoğlu by Galata Tower. We talked about our own Christmas traditions and how it was a first for both of us, doing something different for Christmas. Did I mention the weather was a clear, sunny, blue sky nice 50(ish) degree day. Pretty good afternoon.
We walked down Istiklal (a pedestrian street that I consider to the be hub of Istanbul) to Taksim Square and met with fellow exchange students and Rotary Counselors before going to dinner. At dinner we exchanged secret santa gifts. I received a nice scarf (that makes three) and some Turkish prayer beads or Tespih. Finally dinner started and while dinner was being served there was 4 belly dancing performances and traditional Turkish dances performed on stage. Yeah, a little different from tradition haha. But memorable none the less. I took plenty of video and will post that sometime soon.
Besides the different holiday weekend, school is going swell (when was the last time you saw that word?). Amanda and I have discovered plenty of things to do when not in class and after a certain speech in front of the school a few weeks ago plenty of new people are talking to me everyday.
2011 is almost here and so I plan on posting in the next few days a little recap of 2010. Stay tuned!
As always comments are much appreciated if not encouraged. It gives me ideas on what to write next.
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