Corrections: Major and Minor

Correction the first: I wrote in August that I'd seen the Mediterranean. Not true. I've known this for several weeks now, but I've been trying to time this admittance with other corrections so you weren't overwhelmed. What happened is this: on the leg from Seattle to Amsterdam, the woman next to me says that if I'm going to Istanbul I'll be seeing the Mediterranean.

If you care to do me the empathy, keep in mind that this is my second of four legs from Walla Walla to Bolu. I left Walla Walla at 6am Monday and arrived at 3pm Wednesday. So, when this lady (which flight attendant spiked her cranberry juice with crazy sauce?) tells me that Istanbul's on the Mediterranean, I leave off all cares of 7th grade geography (with your pardon, Ms. Sachse), and blithely agree.

Feel free to do your own research, or check out this picture.


Correction the second: not everyone in Bolu is completely enamored with its mayor, Alaaddin Yilmaz. I'll say no more here except that Bolu's "Champs-Élysées"-- Izzet Baysal Street-- has been under construction a bit too long for comfort.


Corrections Miscellaneous: at home, in Walla Walla or Seattle, I'm a big hugger. My family are very warm-blooded people: when we fight, we holler, and when we love, we hug and kiss. I love to hug. I give hugs to everyone, even a certain Roma who's known to avoid them when possible. And back home, it's funny when it's awkward. But, oh! Literally the last thing I want to be in this country is physically awkward with people I don't know very well. I'm over-thinking it, obviously, because people here are completely gracious with me.

But the real gem today was when I was walking down the infamous, aforementioned Izzet Baysal Street and saw a senior colleague of mine. I won't name names, but this is someone for whom I have deep respect, and what did I do? In the middle of Bolu's city centre, I tried to give this man a hi-five.

I burn.