Thursday, May 29, 2008

Caddebostan Charter Meeting!

With Tom Branum from Indy. He came all the way to issue the charter!



Tom and Linda with the president of Caddebostan.
The actual charter!
Congrats!!
Posted by Picasa

Greece Pictures




Posted by Picasa

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Greek Isles

I am currently at a port outside of Athens. There are only two days left on this little cruise that I took with four friends. The islands are truly breathtaking. They really are whitewashed with blue shutters and trim. We have been to Bodrum, where we got on the boat, Mykinos, Paros, Syros, and some others. Syros or Paros are my favorite. More quiet and quaint. Much more my style than the party areas. But last night we danced and danced on the boat since we had to be back on by 21:30. In Mykinos, Mandy took my out for a beautiful dinner. It was so beautiful. We could see the lights from the docked cruise ships in the bay and the lights of the little villages. The food was wonderful too, as well as the company.

The best parts:
-Sunsets
-Friends
-Gyros
-Reading
-Dancing

Saturday, May 17, 2008

A perfect day.

This morning I went to Sirkeci after getting off the tram in Kadakoy to leisurely walk over Galata Bridge, to pick up pictures I had made for class and they turned out pretty well. I am sure my mom would have a few comments since she is a professional, but I think they're good. (That is saying a lot because I am really critical of photographers too.)

I then met Sevgi and her great sister Beria in Sultanameht to go to the Kapili Carsi, the Grand Bazaar, where I got some things for Troy and a bought some gifts to take (mail) home to America. We proceeded to Besiktas where we met Ozkan and Fatih for lunch and watched the boats go along the Bogaz.

Then Fatih and Ozkan took us to Uskudar to meet up with the other people going to Volkan's Warm Turkish Home. We went to Kucuk Camlica and looked at some great views and then went down many hills to Volkan's home. The home is amazing. He lives near almost all of his family and in the middle of the buildings is a huge, beautiful garden. His grandparents were working on the small field. Almost everything we ate was organic and came from the garden. His mom made my favorite soup too! Everything was delicious.

We ate outside in a beautiful patio. There was fruit for desert and a strawberry jello-type thing and Mado ice cream. Cay/tea of course...Everyone was so happy to be there.

They gave everyone individual gifts. His mom made/knitted the girls socks, little towels, and scarves. Volkan picked out specific books for everyone. It was incredibly thoughtful. His brothers are also just as good looking and polite as Volkan, so that was a plus too.

Volkan's mom is the most incredible woman. She held me really close to her after desert. It made me want my mom so much, I think she could tell I was a little home sick after such a loving experience.

When left his home and went to Buyuk Camlica and saw some spectacular views of the city all lit up. It so breathtaking. I really was going to cry, one, from the beauty, and two, from knowing I will have to leave it behind in just one month.

This day was so so perfect. I will never forget it.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Realization

Today I realized whoever I marry will become fat. I love to bake. I'm sure it's mixture of my mom and grandma and Nelly. (All bakers.) Although I don't cook, so hopefully he'll go good at that. =)

Last Saturday I went to a Besiktas match (soccer) with my friends. It was great, they won 5-1! It was the first futbol/soccer match I had ever been to! Here are a couple of pictures!




Then....Galatasaray (another Istanbul team) won the championships!! And Istanbul went wild!!!!!!!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Happy Mother's Day

I wanted to wish all the mom's I know a Happy Day! Besides the obvious giving birth part, mothers are extraordinary. The older I get the more amazed I am by my own mother and all the other mothers out there. Keep it up, you're incredible!

Hilarious!

http://www.postcardsfromyomomma.com/

This site is sooo funny, I love mothers...I am in no rush to be one, but this is great...happy reading!

Friday, May 09, 2008

Wonderful Treat!

 
The 6560 district governor came to Turkey with a tour group and I was lucky enough to be able to meet him and his wife for dinner. Mandy, my great friend and Ambassadorial Scholar from Las Vegas, came with me. It was delightful to have dinner with everyone. I could go on and on about how nice it was to see them, because it was, but words really can't describe what a treat it was!
Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

"Istanbul is the place to be!"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24404084#24402968

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24404084#24404084

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24404084#24403636
I love my mom.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Since my trip was too big, here is a condensed itinerary of what happened!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

• Đstanbul - Left Superdorm (afternoon)
• Ankara
o Arrived at Kağan’s house and ate dinner
o Left Ankara and spent night in the van on the way to Şanlıurfa (overnight)

Sunday, April 27, 2008
• Gaziantep
o Picked up Laura
o Passed by a lake with Fıstık trees
• Şanlıurfa
o Arrived
o Ate Urfa Kebap
o Looked at a small mosque
o Explored the streets of Şanlıurfa, led by two little kids
o Visited the big outdoor mosque
o Hung out on top of the big castle
o Hung out in big area with the water and fishes
o Went to the garden and well where some biblical person stayed for a long time
o Went to the place with the women dressed in purple, out in the middle of the
desert
o Saw the first university
o Saw some other castle place, where the kids attacked me, Andrea, and Murat in
the van
o Drove to Mardin, with Sinan driving for part of it
• Mardin
o Arrived in Mardin, and ate dinner
o Stayed in Öğretmen Evi

Monday, April 28, 2008
• Mardin
o Climbed the rooftops
o Visited the holy school
o Had çay in this place where Andrea and Sevgi saw some soap opera star
o Walked around Mardin and visited another cami (Ulu Cami?)
o Visited a museum that was closed
o Visited an Armenian church
o Visited a touristy monastery
o Drove to another small town to eat lunch (where they had a special rice dish), but
had problems with van door on the way
• Tigris River – got in river, and climbed the big hill next to it
• Diyarbakir
o Arrived, and visited a mosque
o Walked around, and ate dinner at the place with the meaty merçimek çorbası


Tuesday, April 29, 2008

• Diyarbakir
o Drank çay while the driver took a nap
o Drove overnight to Mt. Nemrut
• Mt. Nemrut
o Arrived at Mt. Nemrut, drove to top, and climbed the rest of the way up
o Looked at the heads on the top of the mountain
o Drank çay on the top of the mountain
• Adiyaman
o Got tire fixed
o Ate breakfast
o Went to Armenian church, played ping pong
• Gazientep
o Dropped people off at bus station and airport; picked up Emiel
o Ate dinner at the place with the baklava
o Sinan and Emiel left
o Met with Hakan and Murat, and ate cheese oil
o Stayed in another Öğretmen Evi

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

• Gazientep – Went to airport, took flight to Ankara
• Ankara – Took flight to Izmir
• Đzmir – Took cab ride to Selçuk
• Selçuk
o Had breakfast at the Kiwi Pension
o Went to the carpet shop
o Visited the ruins at Ephesus
o Walked along the highway back to Selçuk
o Visited the temple of Artemis, where Brian got attacked by a dog
o Walked to one restaurant and decided not to go because the menu sucked; instead
ate lunch at Istanbul Café where there was a little kid for a waiter
o Visited the ruins of the Church of St. John
o Bought souvenirs at a place near the Church
o Watched the sunset on the back of a truck in Sirince
o Bought fruity wine
o Ate dinner and got lots of dessert
o Drank wine and ate dessert in Kiwi Pension


Thursday, May 1, 2008

• Selçuk
o Woke up in Kiwi Pension and had breakfast
o Took a bus to Denizli
• Denizli - Took a bus to Pamukkale
• Pamukkale
o Climbed Pamukkale
o Took a mini bus to the train station in Denizli
• Denizli
o Bought tickets at train station
o Ate in a brothel
o Took a train home overnight (for 18 hours!)

Friday, May 2, 2008

• Istanbul
o Arrived in Istanbul
o Took bus back to Superdorm

Friday, May 02, 2008

 
Sevgi and me at sunset!
 
Wine (almost juice) tasting!
 
PAMUKKALE!!!
 
Reacting mini-ataturk at the real Pamukkale!
Posted by Picasa

Part 2 Spring Break...southwest Turkey!

 
Efes
 
Library
 
Friendly turtle at St. John's Church
 
We watched sunset in Sirinci, a little Greek village known for it's wine. I made Sevgi, Josh, and Brian climb into the back of a truck with me to watch it!
Posted by Picasa
 
Hasankeyf Bridge...pronounced similiar to cave...but there are not caves there, as I much later realized!
 
Diyarbakır wall, only second to the great wall!
 
Our group on Mt. Nemrut!
 
Awesome!
Posted by Picasa
 
Sevgi and me outside the monastery by Mardin.
 
IN THE TIGRISSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
The whole group in the Tigris! haha.
 
Sevgi, her future husband (a famous Turkish soup star) and me in Mardin. We happened to be where they were filming the show!! I told him he was handsome in Turkish!! hahahahaha!
Posted by Picasa

Spring Break 2008 - Southeast Turkey

 
Our group at Kagan's house!! We stopped in Ankara on our way to the southwest and Kagan's family invited us for an incredible warm Turkish home!
 
Sevgi and me in Urfa where Abraham got carp!
 
Harran
 
Hakan and me with some kids in Mardin
Posted by Picasa