Some part of me still cannot register the fact A) that I am actually here and B) that I've only been here since Friday night at midnight. However, the amount of Turkish I know kind of points out to most people that I haven't been here long.
When I arrived Friday night, four people were waiting for me in the airport with balloons, signs, and a bouquet of flowers the size of my torso. I might have been extremely tired and a little bit stressed out from traveling for at least 24 straight hours and then loosing two of my bags, but I was so happy to see them. We all hugged and did the Turkish kissy-kissy thing, I attempted to speak Turkish, they laughed, Elif started speaking perfect English to me, and then we headed home (evde).
I stayed awake long enough to meet the cat, who's name translates into English as Almond, have some tea, recive a tour of the apartment, and watch a little bit of a Turkish soap opera. I didn't wake up until 4:00 pm the next day when I discovered that the bags I was missing had all of my clothing. AKA all my underwear.
So the next day, wearing the underwear I've had on since I borded the plane at MBS, I went with Elif and Anne to watch the hockey practice in downtown Ankara. Getting there was quite an adventure because my Anne is a crazy driver; but then again, so are all Turks. When we got to the ice rink, I met a lot of excited, sweaty, happy Turkish people with names I cannot pronounce who hugged me, fed me chocolate, and kissed my face. Tomorrow I will start training with them at 8:50 am and stay in a hotel with the team for five days before they head out to Austria for a week. Apparently, the last time the Turkish team played Austria, they lost 15-0 - which sounds just like all the other hockey teams I've ever played for.
I think I'll fit in just fine here.
When I arrived Friday night, four people were waiting for me in the airport with balloons, signs, and a bouquet of flowers the size of my torso. I might have been extremely tired and a little bit stressed out from traveling for at least 24 straight hours and then loosing two of my bags, but I was so happy to see them. We all hugged and did the Turkish kissy-kissy thing, I attempted to speak Turkish, they laughed, Elif started speaking perfect English to me, and then we headed home (evde).
I stayed awake long enough to meet the cat, who's name translates into English as Almond, have some tea, recive a tour of the apartment, and watch a little bit of a Turkish soap opera. I didn't wake up until 4:00 pm the next day when I discovered that the bags I was missing had all of my clothing. AKA all my underwear.
So the next day, wearing the underwear I've had on since I borded the plane at MBS, I went with Elif and Anne to watch the hockey practice in downtown Ankara. Getting there was quite an adventure because my Anne is a crazy driver; but then again, so are all Turks. When we got to the ice rink, I met a lot of excited, sweaty, happy Turkish people with names I cannot pronounce who hugged me, fed me chocolate, and kissed my face. Tomorrow I will start training with them at 8:50 am and stay in a hotel with the team for five days before they head out to Austria for a week. Apparently, the last time the Turkish team played Austria, they lost 15-0 - which sounds just like all the other hockey teams I've ever played for.
I think I'll fit in just fine here.