floaty not flighty?

My sister told me before I left for Turkey the second time that I am floaty. My personality I guess. Not to be confused with flighty meaning spacey or ditzy. I think this was meant to be a compliment? I mean I handle what I need to though I do not always know what my next step might be. Normally I am confident that I will find that next step.

I just read the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I recommend it. She is funny especially if you are American. She termed this the great age of the spazzy free-for-alls. I got really nervous in the beginning that I might just be too much of a spazzy free-for-all. What do I do after I graduate? What is my next move? oh my gosh marriage...How do I feel about being connected to someone for the rest of my life?(smile)

What if? What if? What if?

I don't have a job blah blah blah? Question mark? question mark? question mark? I regained my confidence after finishing the book. I want a creative, flexible job...huh? This is a photo from our hot air balloon flight through the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Peaceful and serene at sunrise.

Hanging out the laundry...

I haven't been posting this month because many wonderful things have been happening. I went back to Cali for a dear friends beautiful wedding. Then my amazing parents traveled many miles from Minnesota. We went around Istanbul, to the cave cities of Cappadocia and then went to meet my beautiful boyfriend's adorable parents in Didim. A few minor bad things are my photo shop trial membership ran out so I can't edit photos and the wiring at my Istanbul apartment is so bad that I am having major problems connecting the Internet. My beautiful computer is feeling very underutilized! Anyways everything went even better than expected with our parents and everyone should be expecting big news soon. One thing my parents and I discussed is why are there no dryers in Turkey? Is it because they are expensive? They suck up energy? They have most other appliances? Also their laundry washing cycles are about 2 or 3 hours long...huh? They just hang the clothes outside to dry or one big rack in their houses. I need photoshop again because I have many new photos to share. xoxo

Field trip...part two...

After our cable factory adventure we had few hours to kill before heading back across the Marmara sea via ferry boat(really nice big boat fyi). The company bussed us to a near by village of Zeytinbogi(a line over the g and no dot on the i). The old name is Tirili. I wonder why the changed the name? Zeytin means olive and there were olives for sale all over the city. Is it for this olive industry? I know turkey is trying the promote this trade.


















It is a great village with winding streets. It is right on the sea. Here is an example of the beautiful olives and oils they had. These travels back in time are some of my favorite times in Turkey.


















I hope these little villages can hold on.


















We met this man when as we wandered the streets. We were admiring his camii(mosques) as he came walking out with his cane. His face screams kindness. Living in a language and culture different than my own I really like this heightened sense for body language, reading eyes. I also have met some nice Turkish friends who help translate. I have started to write down Turkish and this is helping me learn. He loved us visiting with him and we with him...makes me miss my grandpa. He explained to us he has lived in this village his whole life. A Turkish word for friendly is sicakkani I like this sicak means hot. Warm and friendly...


















This is his school he went to. A grand old building that is in the process of restoration. He said they ran out of money though so the project is on hold. Any donations? he-he.














This is another character I snapped a photo of. He wasn't as friendly as our other friend or actually at all. He never cracked a smile but really classic character standing outside his store house watching the students mob through town. I need to paint some of these images!

Istanbul living...

There are a surprising number of abandoned buildings in Istanbul. This is a city that is so crowded and it seems that so many people need houses, especially on this European side. Many work on the Europe side and commute home to Asia side which makes for a ridiculous amount of traffic. I am surprised some investors haven't snatched these up?

Field trip...

An International cable manufacturer in here in Turkey is partnering with my host university. The company sponsored us students to ferry boat across the sea and tour their company.














We got to tour the factory and see how they make all the different types of cables from different sizes of copper wires to fire resistant new technologies. I love learning about these industrial places. The large scale, the metal, the smells but I wouldn't want to work there. Nice place to visit...


















After our educational tour of big business we art students were able to dig through the companies waste area digging out crazy materials, melted plastic forms, copper bands, colored wires etc. We were like kids in a candy store. It is funny when poor art students get things for free.


















The point of this field trip is that the company will sponsor an art exhibition. We get free materials and they get publicity and a new use for their products. The art students will make sketches and small mock ups of future works. After a jury will decide whose pieces to sponsor and create full scale with any cable materials they like. It makes for a harmonious relationship.

What you wear...

This is piece I did entitle Thin Line. It is paint on fabrics with embroidery. We all have our own ideas about what is right and what is wrong. What dictates those ideas? Family? Freedom of Thought? culture? religon? internal and external factors? If anyone has been paying attention to Turkey women wearing head scarves into the university is a HUGE issue right now. I didn't really know how to tackle writing about it....still not so sure. It is multi-layerd issue I am only beginning to understand. Who can tell you what to wear? Should someone else dicatate what you choose? The headscarf seems to be a symbol of Islam and that is the debate...division of religion and government...but this other article pissed me off! These men sprayed an acid on these little girls legs because they thought their skirts were to short and they even had stockings on...here is the article from Turkish Daily News...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

T

First day????

This is the backyard of my host university. Deniz cok guzel! The cement retaining wall that runs parallel to the sea. The sun is shining melting the snow storm away! I can go out to the boardwalk on my breaks, drink tea and watch the boats pass. I love the view of old and new, 2,000 yr. old minarets surrounded by brightly colored apartment buldings. This city is packed! Today is my first day out and around by myself with out my helpful knight in shining armor. So much easier the second time around.















An interesting thing about Turkish schools from grade school up until university is this cafeteria lunch served on the metal trays. For some reason I really like the metal trays, the sound, the cold and reusable? The meal is between 1 and 1.50 liras per day. Yes it's not gourmet but when you are a broke student it is hot and quite balanced. It usually consists of some starch, (rice or noodles), some sort of stew with a flavoring of meat, maybe a soup, and a dessert item(fruit or Turkish honey soaked sweets), a water and of course bread! The accompanied silverware is a fork and a big spoon. I also like the big spoon...no knife normally.














This is one of the many friends that visit our campus. They come and go from the canteen, as you can imagine more visit during lunch hour. There are tons of stray cats and dogs in Turkey. Bob Barker needs to visit and promote, "don't forget to spay and neuter your cats and dogs." No really i need to research this more...