I write from another of my favorite places in the world: the Teahouse Kuan Yin in dear old Wallingford.
I've been Stateside now for just over two weeks, and I'll admit that there's a lot of readjusting I need to do. There're a lot of blondes here, for one. It's also strange to share space with familiar faces again and to be expected to settle back into the routine of the life I'd built myself here before leaving.
I apologize for not having written in so long. The last few months of my stay in Turkey were taken up with travel, final exams, and various applications for study and work. But I'm happy to catch you up now.
On the return from the Black Sea the last weekend in April, we took a detour and discovered several underground caves that had been lighted and made ready for touring by the locals. Our tour guide was also an accomplished aerialist.
I stayed put in Bolu for a couple weekends, and I was lucky enough to receive some visitors. We spent a lot of time outdoors that weekend, and the boys tried out the lake.
We went to Trabzon, the girls and I. We stayed at Duncan's with Will, Jeremy, and Wyatt, and met up with Kate, Erin, and Mackenzie for a trip to Sumela Monastery and a most excellent pide joint. There was also Turkish coffee, but you aren't surprised about that.
After that, I spent June mostly in a blur of giving final exams, grading, applying to METU, and traveling to Ankara to do so. It got really hot. Politically as well as barometrically, but you can read about that on your own. (The Editorial Board of The New York Times has this to say, Al Jazeera featured this, and Anne Applebaum of Slate posted this yesterday.)
I flew home, and Mom drove me to meet Erich in the Tri-Cities. When we finally got to Walla Walla, I was already a couple hours late to the joint bachelor-bachelorette party for Seanacey and Kojiro. My first real meal back home was a slice of pizza from Sweet Basil.
The next few days were an actual blur of wedding preparations: cutting and arranging wildflowers for bouquets, boutonnieres (yes, that's how it's actually spelled!), and vases; readying lawn games; rehearsing; getting nails done; cutting muffins and arranging cold cuts; and more fun. It was an incredible blast, and Kojiro and Seanacey are one of the most beautiful couples I've had the privilege to stand for.
After the wedding party left town, so did Erich and I. We went to Portland for the 4th of July holiday and stayed until the U.S.-Belize Gold Cup match on Tuesday. In between, I finally got to meet Ruby, my incredible niece. She's five months old and already better than the TV.
I also got in a couple games of Bananagrams in the park with Michael. We both won a game each, so we're due for a tiebreaker the next time I'm in Portland.
I came home to Walla Walla for a night and then drove to Seattle the following morning-- yesterday. I've found out that I won't be able to return to Turkey as I'd initially planned, but there may be something in the works for a much later date. Right now I'm trying not to worry too much about it. So I'm applying for work in various fields, trying to catch up with family and old friends, and keeping busy enough to keep my mind off the fact that so much is up in the air for me right now.
I've been Stateside now for just over two weeks, and I'll admit that there's a lot of readjusting I need to do. There're a lot of blondes here, for one. It's also strange to share space with familiar faces again and to be expected to settle back into the routine of the life I'd built myself here before leaving.
I apologize for not having written in so long. The last few months of my stay in Turkey were taken up with travel, final exams, and various applications for study and work. But I'm happy to catch you up now.
On the return from the Black Sea the last weekend in April, we took a detour and discovered several underground caves that had been lighted and made ready for touring by the locals. Our tour guide was also an accomplished aerialist.
I stayed put in Bolu for a couple weekends, and I was lucky enough to receive some visitors. We spent a lot of time outdoors that weekend, and the boys tried out the lake.
We went to Trabzon, the girls and I. We stayed at Duncan's with Will, Jeremy, and Wyatt, and met up with Kate, Erin, and Mackenzie for a trip to Sumela Monastery and a most excellent pide joint. There was also Turkish coffee, but you aren't surprised about that.
After that, I spent June mostly in a blur of giving final exams, grading, applying to METU, and traveling to Ankara to do so. It got really hot. Politically as well as barometrically, but you can read about that on your own. (The Editorial Board of The New York Times has this to say, Al Jazeera featured this, and Anne Applebaum of Slate posted this yesterday.)
I flew home, and Mom drove me to meet Erich in the Tri-Cities. When we finally got to Walla Walla, I was already a couple hours late to the joint bachelor-bachelorette party for Seanacey and Kojiro. My first real meal back home was a slice of pizza from Sweet Basil.
The next few days were an actual blur of wedding preparations: cutting and arranging wildflowers for bouquets, boutonnieres (yes, that's how it's actually spelled!), and vases; readying lawn games; rehearsing; getting nails done; cutting muffins and arranging cold cuts; and more fun. It was an incredible blast, and Kojiro and Seanacey are one of the most beautiful couples I've had the privilege to stand for.
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| Erich took this picture. It's lovely, right? |
After the wedding party left town, so did Erich and I. We went to Portland for the 4th of July holiday and stayed until the U.S.-Belize Gold Cup match on Tuesday. In between, I finally got to meet Ruby, my incredible niece. She's five months old and already better than the TV.
I also got in a couple games of Bananagrams in the park with Michael. We both won a game each, so we're due for a tiebreaker the next time I'm in Portland.
I came home to Walla Walla for a night and then drove to Seattle the following morning-- yesterday. I've found out that I won't be able to return to Turkey as I'd initially planned, but there may be something in the works for a much later date. Right now I'm trying not to worry too much about it. So I'm applying for work in various fields, trying to catch up with family and old friends, and keeping busy enough to keep my mind off the fact that so much is up in the air for me right now.
Thank you for reading and for caring. I wish you the best and that we may meet again soon.
