Continued from previous post
The day is March 20th and while the greater city of Istanbul didn't change much, mine sure did. My family, my real family is here in Turkey for a week. For me and the rest of the exchange students the end of March and April saw a few different people's families come and visit and we all went through the same cycle of feelings. In the days leading up there was lots of anxious feelings, What will they think? Are we gonna be good hosts? What the heck will happen with our host families and our real families? Then when our families were here there was a lot of pride. It has become our city and we got to show it off, speak a little Turkish, and be a local. And then by the end we were glad that they had come, but also glad to see them go. Glad to get back to life here, to what we now consider normal living.
With my family here I got to show them around the city, Galata and Istiklal, Grand Bazaar, Aya Sofia, Blue Mosque, Cistern, Spice Bazaar, Hippodrome, Hamam, the Bosphorous. We even took a two day trip to Cappadocia (Kapadokya) in Central Turkey which was just about the coolest place and one place where I felt like I wasn't on the planet Earth anymore. The week finished with meeting my two host families and on the 27th they flew home while I slept after a long week of hosting. Back to school for a little normal followed by a weekend of Paintball in the pouring rain. For a first time dang those things hurt.
My 19th Birthday followed the next Tuesday (April 5), Took the day off from school and met some friends for a relaxing day in the city. Can't say my next few days were as nice while I was more sick then I remember for a very long time. The weekend brought some other friends to Istanbul and some more showing the city. That Friday (15th) saw Logan and I make pancakes. Oh man, pancakes, so simple, but oh soooo good. That night was a Maroon 5 concert, right on the Bosphorous. Can't say I got to really enjoy it as much as I wanted to but as the phrase of the year has taught us “What Can I do Sometimes?”. Not much but just keep on trucking.
Friday the 22 Logan and I helped our two friends Natalie and Caitlin move apartments. Just a few streets over and very little things still was an experience. The turks we had along to help were nothingThe following weekend saw a very bumpy time. Some bad news on Friday night made for a somber Saturday where Amanda (yeah we're always together it seems like, and annoy each other like siblings) and my family took us across the Marmara Sea to a small coastal town of Trillye. Easter Sunday saw us do a large brunch at Lauren's house where I got to use another box of Pancake mix (my family brought me 3! when they visited) and we enjoyed company, bacon (supplied by another family who visited) While no eggs or jelly beans it was a great Easter.
The week saw great weather start to creep into Istanbul. We tried to go up the strait to Rumeli Castle but it was closed so we enjoyed the coast and some Nargile. The weeks kinda just blend together that point with a day of school here and there and lots of crossing off last things of “List of Things to do in Istanbul this year”. We move into May, and my good friend Natalie went back home. That just started getting me thinking. Home. No I can't start thinking about that yet. NOT YET. Which brings us to last week. When Amanda and Alex and I spent a Wednesday afternoon.....dying my hair....Brown. Yep it's not it's red/orange right now but it will be back to normal soon enough.
The last weekend saw 70 degree weather and sun hit Istanbul. Sunscreen is call on YOU! Oh and my sister (Grace Griffin) just about made me and those exchange students who I showed get on a plane right away and come home. Sis, you got a way with words (that I only wish I could duplicate in my writing as well as these blog posts). Careful how you use them.
So now we're up to present day. With little time remaining. What else will happen? No idea but let's find out.
