Selam Muhammed! Hos geldin. Tesekkurler şu okuyorsun için. Bu aksam, aksam yemegi yaptim. O sevdim! Ama salata yaptim, ve ben yavas. Bu sabah, agirlik kaldirdim. Dikkat! Bana tatli ol, ben guclu! Dun, Sinan ve ben Katherine Taksim'de tanisdik ile. Kebap yedik ve cay icdik. Simdi football mac. Seyretmiyorum, ama Sinan Simit Sarayi'da seyretiyor. Mac seyretiyor mi? Dusunmiyorum, cunku bana football sevmiyor. Tamam, o gec ve erken uyumak seviyorum. Iyi aksamlar! Iyi haftasonu!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Rice
I just finished a whirlwind dinner. I took a nap because I was exhausted from working out then declaring war on mold in Sinan's apartment (we made this place look awesome I might add). I was secretly hoping to wake up to dinner being made but alas, it was 7 o'clock and there was no food ready - I think everyone had the same hope as me. The thing about cooking at Sinan's apartment is you never know who has eaten or who wants to eat, and you don't go around taking a count of who is going to eat. So I threw garlic, green pepper, salt, crushed red pepper, chicken into a pot, and a lot of onions and tomatoes and let that simmer.
Now I wanted to tell you about the rice cooking process here. At home, in the States, we put rice and water in a machine, and wait for it to click twice. Here, first I heat up oil and cook about half a water glass of this long brown rice, until it turns really brown (I usually use 2-3 water glasses of white rice). While this is heating up, I wash the white rice, usually about three times (Draining it is a pain, I usually lose about half the rice). Then I add it to the brown rice, and roast that for a few minutes. Then I add the water, some salt, a couple of chicken bouillon cubes, then let it cook. Ideally once it is finished one puts a paper towel between the rice and the lid to soak up the moisture but I either forget or we don't have paper towels. It does turn out well, I must say, each time I time it better and I become more efficient.
And the salad - no lettuce is used. I finely chop cucumber, green pepper (seed and cut out the ridges), cabbage, onions, tomatoes (Sinan's sister peels them - I did the first two times but it took absolutely forever), and I grate a carrot (sometimes my finger too). It's best with olive oil, pomegranate sauce, and salt. Of course, I don't have to make it this way, but it really is delicious.
I also fried some cauliflower and onions rings tonight. Rolled them in flour, water, salt, and paprika and dropped them in really hot oil. Delicious. I put lemon juice and oil on them.
The thing about spending a lot of time on dinner is that makes it really good, and then when it is really good, it is eaten quickly. I wish there was some way to change that ratio.
I haven't mentioned I started some private Turkish lessons with a student from Bogazici University, the university I live near and that Sinan attends. They are very cheap and can last over 2 hours sometimes. Muhammed is great and so knowledgeable. I'm probably the student from hell, asking him all of these picky questions without giving him preparation time, but he always manages to answer them. The lessons jump all over the place but I think once we start using a book they will get more organized, but one thing keeps leading to another and we don't want to leave anything out. I am so glad I am not working now so I can focus on learning vocabulary and doing exercises. Soon I am going to have to bring in song lyrics, news articles and other things and explain them in Turkish. Also I'm going to post some stuff in Turkish and he'll correct. Maybe next week. Hopefully soon we'll start speaking in Turkish because I am a little discouraged by how bad my Turkish even though I've been in Turkey a total of almost 6 months.
Still no word from the job and I am loving it. Cooking, studying, sleeping, cleaning - it's great. I wish there was some way to keep living like this but of course there isn't. I'll enjoy it while I can!
Now I wanted to tell you about the rice cooking process here. At home, in the States, we put rice and water in a machine, and wait for it to click twice. Here, first I heat up oil and cook about half a water glass of this long brown rice, until it turns really brown (I usually use 2-3 water glasses of white rice). While this is heating up, I wash the white rice, usually about three times (Draining it is a pain, I usually lose about half the rice). Then I add it to the brown rice, and roast that for a few minutes. Then I add the water, some salt, a couple of chicken bouillon cubes, then let it cook. Ideally once it is finished one puts a paper towel between the rice and the lid to soak up the moisture but I either forget or we don't have paper towels. It does turn out well, I must say, each time I time it better and I become more efficient.
And the salad - no lettuce is used. I finely chop cucumber, green pepper (seed and cut out the ridges), cabbage, onions, tomatoes (Sinan's sister peels them - I did the first two times but it took absolutely forever), and I grate a carrot (sometimes my finger too). It's best with olive oil, pomegranate sauce, and salt. Of course, I don't have to make it this way, but it really is delicious.
I also fried some cauliflower and onions rings tonight. Rolled them in flour, water, salt, and paprika and dropped them in really hot oil. Delicious. I put lemon juice and oil on them.
The thing about spending a lot of time on dinner is that makes it really good, and then when it is really good, it is eaten quickly. I wish there was some way to change that ratio.
I haven't mentioned I started some private Turkish lessons with a student from Bogazici University, the university I live near and that Sinan attends. They are very cheap and can last over 2 hours sometimes. Muhammed is great and so knowledgeable. I'm probably the student from hell, asking him all of these picky questions without giving him preparation time, but he always manages to answer them. The lessons jump all over the place but I think once we start using a book they will get more organized, but one thing keeps leading to another and we don't want to leave anything out. I am so glad I am not working now so I can focus on learning vocabulary and doing exercises. Soon I am going to have to bring in song lyrics, news articles and other things and explain them in Turkish. Also I'm going to post some stuff in Turkish and he'll correct. Maybe next week. Hopefully soon we'll start speaking in Turkish because I am a little discouraged by how bad my Turkish even though I've been in Turkey a total of almost 6 months.
Still no word from the job and I am loving it. Cooking, studying, sleeping, cleaning - it's great. I wish there was some way to keep living like this but of course there isn't. I'll enjoy it while I can!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Another outing
Today I went out and about again, and thankfully the weather stayed clear the whole time. Most of the morning and early afternoon there was blue sky! Unbelievable.
I wanted to check out western Istanbul, where it is more conservative and less touristy, and to just kind of wander around. I visited some mosques, walked through some neighborhoods, and just tried not to get lost. I visited an area that was known for its wooden houses up until the 1970s, when they began to be replaced by newer (and safer) apartment complexes. I do wish I lived here 100 years ago so I could have seen all of the wooden houses along the Bosphorus and even in other parts, but now, it is full of apartment complexes. Anyway, this neighborhood, Zeyrek, did have some still. I clearly was the foreigner, but it was nice to be in a new area and see "everyday life" - children playing, women talking, men cutting or delivering things. I see a lot of that where I live but it is refreshing to be somewhere new. Walking to Zeyrek there was a neat street with lots of cheese shops, hanging pig carcusses, honey combs, and bags of spices and nuts. I wish I had gotten a picture but I felt uncomfortable and out of place. The final stop was the Fatih mosque, an area really known for being conservative and the covered women. I went today because there is a huge bazaar. Unfortunatly by the time I arrived I was almost dizzy with exhaustion and being in a bazaar was the last thing I wanted, so I turned back home (which was going to be quite a hike). I took some videos, I have been having problems with uploading videos but I'm at Sinan's and he has this magic aura with computers where they work when they are around him. I'll put some photos up at least.
Oh yeah a job update. I interview at 2 places on Monday and both are actually hiring. The first place I have read and heard bad things about, and I just got an uneasy and uncomfortable feeling there, so I clearly didn't accept or tell the lady yes or no. The next place I knew I would like more because I like their method. It is Wall Street Institute, an English language school worldwide. Instead of a teacher presenting the lessons, it is by computer which is nice so students can complete it in their own time (if they work a lot, have a family etc), AND it's good because people work at different paces, and this way students can go as slow or as fast as they need to. So students complete the lesson online/on the computer, and they also have a tutor person to talk to to ask questions. Then I come in. Once they finish that, we review the material and practice it. SO I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO PRESENT THE MATERIAL!! I still need to know my stuff, but still, it's a good way for me to dip my toes into teaching ESL. In addition, the average class size is 3 people and they are all at the same level. That does mean I will see new people everytime so things are inconsistent, but it's better than having a class of 16 people for 2 months where they can be ALL levels (language schools are notorious for passing people when they aren't ready and so forth and everyone learns at different paces) and it is so hard to keep the quick ones from answering all the questions blah blah, so the Wall Street Method sounds pretty good to me. So here's the not so great stuff: I will probably work 6 days a week, I am paid on a salary so I might get screwed over with my hours (language schools are also notorious for overworking their teachers), my salary is definately liveable but when converted to US dollars it's just over $1,000 a month!!, and the center where I will probably work is FARRRR away. The guy says there will be an opening there within 10 days so he'll call me then. Hopefully I can change to a center nearby but I'm not getting my hopes up. Ok, that was a long explaination of that - sorry! Now for some pictures!
Flowers at the bus stop
Inside of Beyazit Mosque
Beyazit Mosque
Graveyard outside of Suleymaniye Mosque. My cousin told me something about how the tops of the gravestones have different types of hats to show the rank of the person (back in the Ottomon era)
Old vs. Modern. Zeyrek
Zeyrek
Mosque I went to see in Zeyrek but it is being restored.
Great house in Zeyrek.
Bazaar near Fatih Mosque
Bazaar
I wanted to check out western Istanbul, where it is more conservative and less touristy, and to just kind of wander around. I visited some mosques, walked through some neighborhoods, and just tried not to get lost. I visited an area that was known for its wooden houses up until the 1970s, when they began to be replaced by newer (and safer) apartment complexes. I do wish I lived here 100 years ago so I could have seen all of the wooden houses along the Bosphorus and even in other parts, but now, it is full of apartment complexes. Anyway, this neighborhood, Zeyrek, did have some still. I clearly was the foreigner, but it was nice to be in a new area and see "everyday life" - children playing, women talking, men cutting or delivering things. I see a lot of that where I live but it is refreshing to be somewhere new. Walking to Zeyrek there was a neat street with lots of cheese shops, hanging pig carcusses, honey combs, and bags of spices and nuts. I wish I had gotten a picture but I felt uncomfortable and out of place. The final stop was the Fatih mosque, an area really known for being conservative and the covered women. I went today because there is a huge bazaar. Unfortunatly by the time I arrived I was almost dizzy with exhaustion and being in a bazaar was the last thing I wanted, so I turned back home (which was going to be quite a hike). I took some videos, I have been having problems with uploading videos but I'm at Sinan's and he has this magic aura with computers where they work when they are around him. I'll put some photos up at least.
Oh yeah a job update. I interview at 2 places on Monday and both are actually hiring. The first place I have read and heard bad things about, and I just got an uneasy and uncomfortable feeling there, so I clearly didn't accept or tell the lady yes or no. The next place I knew I would like more because I like their method. It is Wall Street Institute, an English language school worldwide. Instead of a teacher presenting the lessons, it is by computer which is nice so students can complete it in their own time (if they work a lot, have a family etc), AND it's good because people work at different paces, and this way students can go as slow or as fast as they need to. So students complete the lesson online/on the computer, and they also have a tutor person to talk to to ask questions. Then I come in. Once they finish that, we review the material and practice it. SO I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO PRESENT THE MATERIAL!! I still need to know my stuff, but still, it's a good way for me to dip my toes into teaching ESL. In addition, the average class size is 3 people and they are all at the same level. That does mean I will see new people everytime so things are inconsistent, but it's better than having a class of 16 people for 2 months where they can be ALL levels (language schools are notorious for passing people when they aren't ready and so forth and everyone learns at different paces) and it is so hard to keep the quick ones from answering all the questions blah blah, so the Wall Street Method sounds pretty good to me. So here's the not so great stuff: I will probably work 6 days a week, I am paid on a salary so I might get screwed over with my hours (language schools are also notorious for overworking their teachers), my salary is definately liveable but when converted to US dollars it's just over $1,000 a month!!, and the center where I will probably work is FARRRR away. The guy says there will be an opening there within 10 days so he'll call me then. Hopefully I can change to a center nearby but I'm not getting my hopes up. Ok, that was a long explaination of that - sorry! Now for some pictures!
Flowers at the bus stop
Inside of Beyazit Mosque
Beyazit Mosque
Graveyard outside of Suleymaniye Mosque. My cousin told me something about how the tops of the gravestones have different types of hats to show the rank of the person (back in the Ottomon era)
Old vs. Modern. Zeyrek
Zeyrek
Mosque I went to see in Zeyrek but it is being restored.
Great house in Zeyrek.
Bazaar near Fatih Mosque
Bazaar
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Explorations
Today I went to Çukurcuma, an place known for it's little antique shops off the beaten path in Taksim. I wasn't sure what it would be like on a Sunday, and unfortunately everything was pretty closed up and deserted. I would like to return and do a little more exploring because I wasn't too adventurous today - I felt pretty out of place but hopefully during the week there will be more people. I went into one shop that was just full of Things.
There is also a little French street just behind the well known French high school. It goes down a hill and it filled with cute little places to sit and eat and drink. I wish my pictures turned out better, I don't know why they are such bad quality. Sorry!
Next I continued walking down Istiklal Cad., past the Galata Tower and down to Karaköy where I wandered by the Golden Horn/Bosphorus for a bit, then I headed home.
This is a tiny map but just to give you an idea of where I am talking about. That's the Bosphorus off to the right and the Golden Horn heading off to the left. The purple line is my path today, and the messy blob is me wandering around Cukurcuma.
Pictures
This is our small but mighty CELTA course group. From left to right it is Sarah, Funda, Matt, our tutors Amanda and Nicky, and then me.
My roommates! Myeriko (I don't know how to spell her name!!), Başak, and Çağdaş.
The filling for the potato börek - potatoes, onions, parsley, butter, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper.
Wrapped up, soon to be covered in egg yolk and milk and then baked.
Potato börek and some tost, çay, cheese, and tomatoes and cucumbers in the background.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Unemployed
Hello!
What a great week. I have finally gotten to do nothing! But I've been busy doing little things - cleaning up the house, washing my sheets, cooking, reading, watching funny TV shows (I really recommend "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"), and most importantly, applying for places! It's been quite grim, I only have one interview next week with one place, and I actually already talked to this institute when I was out here in November. I am truly hoping they have a position open close by, last I heard they were only open in different cities or on the Asian side. What is great about this institution is that you don't really make lesson plans or teach, but students work on lessons on the computer, and then you have a group of 3 that you go over what they have worked on. Sounds like a good way to get my feet wet in the ESL world, but we'll see. So yeah, places just aren't hiring now, even though I qualify for many of the language schools because of this certificate.
As far as the visa situation goes, I'm just kind of putting it on the backburner and hoping I'll get a job where they help me with it. I still have 3 weeks so as long as I have a day I can just hop on a bus to Bulgaria (that makes it sound easier than it is...).
I've been working on my potato borek. Here's a quick recipe. Cook potatoes, mash them, add them to some cooked onions. Add parsley, red pepper, salt and pepper. Roll it up in phillo dough, cover it with egg yolk and milk, and put a little black cumin on it. It's tedious and I could buy it for so cheap, but it is fun and really good. Of course, eat it with tea.
Weird it's not letting me post photos. I will finish this post and then try it with Internet Explorer.
The only other new thing is that I sort of tutored my roommate's sister, Burcu Kara, who is a soap opera actress and kind of a star in Turkey. She wants to improve her English and me not knowing Turkish will force her to speak it. We met at a Starbucks and just kind of chatted for a couple of hours, we must have been a funny couple - I just got my hair cut so I have curls bouncing all over my un-made face and she is this glamorous straightened hair, well made-up star, and our conversation is clearly not natural. She is very sweet and while watching TV at breakfast yesterday with the roommates (again, hopefully pictures to come) we saw her picture come up as one of the "well-dressed" stars.
I was about to go exploring today because yesterday was such a nice, sunny day but then it started to rain! There are a lot of places I want to go check out, and I think today I might start with Cukurcuma, an neighborhood known for its funky antique shops. I was going to go on a farther away expedition but with the weather I don't want to be wet and lost because that is not a good combination.
Ok hopefully I have some pictures and stories to share!
What a great week. I have finally gotten to do nothing! But I've been busy doing little things - cleaning up the house, washing my sheets, cooking, reading, watching funny TV shows (I really recommend "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"), and most importantly, applying for places! It's been quite grim, I only have one interview next week with one place, and I actually already talked to this institute when I was out here in November. I am truly hoping they have a position open close by, last I heard they were only open in different cities or on the Asian side. What is great about this institution is that you don't really make lesson plans or teach, but students work on lessons on the computer, and then you have a group of 3 that you go over what they have worked on. Sounds like a good way to get my feet wet in the ESL world, but we'll see. So yeah, places just aren't hiring now, even though I qualify for many of the language schools because of this certificate.
As far as the visa situation goes, I'm just kind of putting it on the backburner and hoping I'll get a job where they help me with it. I still have 3 weeks so as long as I have a day I can just hop on a bus to Bulgaria (that makes it sound easier than it is...).
I've been working on my potato borek. Here's a quick recipe. Cook potatoes, mash them, add them to some cooked onions. Add parsley, red pepper, salt and pepper. Roll it up in phillo dough, cover it with egg yolk and milk, and put a little black cumin on it. It's tedious and I could buy it for so cheap, but it is fun and really good. Of course, eat it with tea.
Weird it's not letting me post photos. I will finish this post and then try it with Internet Explorer.
The only other new thing is that I sort of tutored my roommate's sister, Burcu Kara, who is a soap opera actress and kind of a star in Turkey. She wants to improve her English and me not knowing Turkish will force her to speak it. We met at a Starbucks and just kind of chatted for a couple of hours, we must have been a funny couple - I just got my hair cut so I have curls bouncing all over my un-made face and she is this glamorous straightened hair, well made-up star, and our conversation is clearly not natural. She is very sweet and while watching TV at breakfast yesterday with the roommates (again, hopefully pictures to come) we saw her picture come up as one of the "well-dressed" stars.
I was about to go exploring today because yesterday was such a nice, sunny day but then it started to rain! There are a lot of places I want to go check out, and I think today I might start with Cukurcuma, an neighborhood known for its funky antique shops. I was going to go on a farther away expedition but with the weather I don't want to be wet and lost because that is not a good combination.
Ok hopefully I have some pictures and stories to share!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Ides of March
It's that time of the year again in Istanbul. I'm not talking about sunshine, or tulips, or the sparkling Bosphorus. The Cat Mating Season. I've been surrounded by yowls, night and day. It would be one thing if the cats were cute, but around where I live they are the scruffiest, grayist cats I've ever seen. They loiter by the garbage bins waiting to feast on the goods people dump - you just have to be careful not to squish them when you drop off your garbage. I've seen them ripping through the garbage bags like it's a bag full of chicken. They glare at you when you walk past, except for this one really disgusting one that has an eyeball missing. Hooray for more kitties on the way!
On a more positive note, my course is finished! Mixed feeling to be honest - it was nice to be in a routine in a sheltered and caring environment, and we all did become pretty close. Now, instead of worrying about one lesson every other day, I will soon have to worry about probably two different lessons (2 hours each) each day, with demanding students expecting results. I'm considering starting part-time, so the work load is not overbearing because I am still at the point where it takes me 3 hours to plan for 1 hour of teaching. So right now I think I will apply to language schools, even though the hours can be difficult, then maybe once I build up my confidence I can move to a school. I hope to find some private tutoring, even though that can be even more stressful because there is SO much expected from you, and it is exhausting (but I could charge the equivalent of $58/hour! I will probably only do $30 at first a)so I can find customers b)I don't know what the heck I am doing and c) the economy is really hurting people here). My roommate's sister is a soap opera actress so I think I will start with her.
Another concern right now is my tourist visa expiring. It lasts for 3 months, and I have been here 2 months as of today, but if I am going to start work soon, I should probably do something about it this week or weekend. Options include having a nice European weekend (Prague anyone?) but expensive, or a sketchy but cheap over-the-border jump to Bulgaria. An issue of working part time is they might not help me get a work permit, so I will have to keep jumping in and out, and I think they are cracking down on people working on a tourist visa. Ahhh.
I just got back from a really big grocery store and I noticed good stuff! Tabasco, Worcheshire sauce, Pringles, Synders of Hanover pretzal bites, maple syrup ($17!), DUNCAN HINES CAKE MIXES!!! ($8), AND Prego Spaghetti Sauce (~$7). The tomato sauce situation is strange out here, I usually end up buying paste somehow. Anyway, exciting! I also found brown sugar and cream!!
Ok my cover letter needs some SERIOUS work. Also, I just learned my mail has been delivered to the floor above me, so the girl will bring it by later on, sorry if you are wondering why I haven't mentioned anything to you personally about something you sent, that is why! Also, I had troubles loading the video of my house up, I will try again later. Thanks for checking in!
On a more positive note, my course is finished! Mixed feeling to be honest - it was nice to be in a routine in a sheltered and caring environment, and we all did become pretty close. Now, instead of worrying about one lesson every other day, I will soon have to worry about probably two different lessons (2 hours each) each day, with demanding students expecting results. I'm considering starting part-time, so the work load is not overbearing because I am still at the point where it takes me 3 hours to plan for 1 hour of teaching. So right now I think I will apply to language schools, even though the hours can be difficult, then maybe once I build up my confidence I can move to a school. I hope to find some private tutoring, even though that can be even more stressful because there is SO much expected from you, and it is exhausting (but I could charge the equivalent of $58/hour! I will probably only do $30 at first a)so I can find customers b)I don't know what the heck I am doing and c) the economy is really hurting people here). My roommate's sister is a soap opera actress so I think I will start with her.
Another concern right now is my tourist visa expiring. It lasts for 3 months, and I have been here 2 months as of today, but if I am going to start work soon, I should probably do something about it this week or weekend. Options include having a nice European weekend (Prague anyone?) but expensive, or a sketchy but cheap over-the-border jump to Bulgaria. An issue of working part time is they might not help me get a work permit, so I will have to keep jumping in and out, and I think they are cracking down on people working on a tourist visa. Ahhh.
I just got back from a really big grocery store and I noticed good stuff! Tabasco, Worcheshire sauce, Pringles, Synders of Hanover pretzal bites, maple syrup ($17!), DUNCAN HINES CAKE MIXES!!! ($8), AND Prego Spaghetti Sauce (~$7). The tomato sauce situation is strange out here, I usually end up buying paste somehow. Anyway, exciting! I also found brown sugar and cream!!
Ok my cover letter needs some SERIOUS work. Also, I just learned my mail has been delivered to the floor above me, so the girl will bring it by later on, sorry if you are wondering why I haven't mentioned anything to you personally about something you sent, that is why! Also, I had troubles loading the video of my house up, I will try again later. Thanks for checking in!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
One week left!
Hi hi hi! I hope everyone is well. Nothing new to report, I taught 2 forty minute chunks this week to the intermediates, who are much quicker and there are more of them. A challenge I ran into was getting their attention. My first lesson there were 19 of them and it was a speaking activity - yikes. I need to step up and take charge and think of different ways to get their attention. They aren't rude, but they just get engrossed in their work. Anyway, things are just still crazy busy but I am more accustomed to it.
This upcoming week is my last and I am kind of scared, because once it is over I need to start facing the real world, where I won't have my tutors holding my hand walking me through my lessons and so forth. I need to start thinking about resumes and cover letters and interviews. I haven't even decided on what kind of a place I want to work in - I know I could get a job in a language school, but the hours are kind of funny, like nights and weekends. I also don't want to work too far away and I want to get paid a reasonable amount. A lot of places in Istanbul are not good places to work in (low pay, don't give you 2 days off, a lot of turnover in management) so I need to do some research. I think at school we will talk about it this week as well.
That's about it! Yesterday I finally went and did something cultural - there was an exhibit about the wooden houses in Istanbul. Very interesting and well put together and it makes me want to go explore Istanbul to find wooden houses before they are knocked down to put a modern apartment building in. Oohhh I had an embarrassing event. It was raining of course, and I was sitting on the metro coming home and I had my dripping wet umbrella in a bag (they gave me a bag at the exhibit) which was on my lap. You can guess what happened. The bag leaked all over my crotch without me realizing it and it looked like I peed on myself. Oh well.
Tonight I am going to my relative's house for a women's day dinner. Hopefully I can meet some people and make some connections of things to do and ways to get involved. I've been here almost 2 months and don't really have a circle of friends which needs to change. It's been fine because I've been so busy but with the course ending it would be nice to have people to go do things with.
That's it for now! Thanks for checking in and please keep in touch. I will try to load a video of my apartment in another post now!
This upcoming week is my last and I am kind of scared, because once it is over I need to start facing the real world, where I won't have my tutors holding my hand walking me through my lessons and so forth. I need to start thinking about resumes and cover letters and interviews. I haven't even decided on what kind of a place I want to work in - I know I could get a job in a language school, but the hours are kind of funny, like nights and weekends. I also don't want to work too far away and I want to get paid a reasonable amount. A lot of places in Istanbul are not good places to work in (low pay, don't give you 2 days off, a lot of turnover in management) so I need to do some research. I think at school we will talk about it this week as well.
That's about it! Yesterday I finally went and did something cultural - there was an exhibit about the wooden houses in Istanbul. Very interesting and well put together and it makes me want to go explore Istanbul to find wooden houses before they are knocked down to put a modern apartment building in. Oohhh I had an embarrassing event. It was raining of course, and I was sitting on the metro coming home and I had my dripping wet umbrella in a bag (they gave me a bag at the exhibit) which was on my lap. You can guess what happened. The bag leaked all over my crotch without me realizing it and it looked like I peed on myself. Oh well.
Tonight I am going to my relative's house for a women's day dinner. Hopefully I can meet some people and make some connections of things to do and ways to get involved. I've been here almost 2 months and don't really have a circle of friends which needs to change. It's been fine because I've been so busy but with the course ending it would be nice to have people to go do things with.
That's it for now! Thanks for checking in and please keep in touch. I will try to load a video of my apartment in another post now!
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