Now it's time to say goodbye...

Where did the time go? There we all are,(Kloe and other exchange students) dancing at one of our favorite clubs. I feel like I just came to Turkey. Everything new, meeting all the other yobanci orenci(foreigner students) for the first time and now I am saying good bye. Exchanging emails and wondering who you will really keep in touch with. All my friends from U.S. are writing me "see you soon". I am in love with a Turk...what do I do about that? Wow life flies by! I guess just live in the now and enjoy as much as you can! I will always have a special place in my heart for Turkey and I know this isn't the end. I am excited though to see friends and family(of course). I miss food variety, sushi, blue water seafood, my mama's cooking, big fat Mexican burrito!!!!!! In my Turkish city variety is lacking for sure! I also miss Yoga and people to run with! Paths to run on and not getting stared at like a freak when you run by! OK that is it for now...I still have a month and a half.

Our tour guide

My girls and I headed to Iznik for a couple of days. All we really had heard was "there's a lake." Tamam...Let's go! We started to explore the city, popping in and out of the ceramic shops. People watching as usual I notice a little man. He hopped up as he saws us coming but he started heading away from us instead of towards us...huh? We start to pass him when he pops around and yells, "hosgeldiniz" (welcome in Turkish). He directs us into his favorite ceramic shop. Ok thank you???????? As we come out he is waiting for us holding three Erik(green sour plums). He gives one to each of us. Again it is the talking with the hands and eyes. I have become "good" at speaking turkish... I connect words without any verbs. He invites us for cay(tea). We follow him and his little cane to the local corner men's cay place. In turkey there are tons of places with men only sitting inside drinking tea. It is a ltiile intimidating but in we stroll, three bayan yobancis(foriegn girls) and our new friend Mehmet. We all get cay and almost as fast as we get it his is gone. We signal to him in a way, "how do you drink it so fast?" He pulls out his dentures for us. I love it! Anyways he decides to show us his city. We try to go to the museum but it is closed. He tries to talk the guy into opening the door for us since we are yobancis. It was hilarious. Next we follow him to the camii(mosque) in the photo. He points out the stone carving... cok guzel(very beautiful)!! The topping on the cake was when he brought us to the stone wall fortress that surrounds the city. There is a cemetary. He starts signing this beutiful Turkish song and making a sleeping hands gesture. He was singing for the dead. I have a video...I'll show you later! You never who you are going to meet and how they will affect you. Thank you Mehmet!

Switzerland

Even when you are there it seems fake. The Swiss people have created this wonderful harmony with nature and modern life. They have nice cars, trains, showers, every modern thing yet preserve this amazing nature around them. We were able to drink from the water falls and the fresh spring feed faucets all over town. In many cities around the world you can't even drink water from the tap let alone an outdoor faucet. I love it! My sister, her man and I hiked the SHARK'S FIN. It deserves capital letters and we freaking rock! This vertical climb took us 3 1/2 hours up and 2 1/2 down. It is worth the pain because when you get to the top...this is your view! Imagine the panoramic! We caught our breath, devoured some peanut butter sandwiches and took a small nap amongst the wild flowers. Then it was back to Turkey.