Off to a Good Start

Everyday here is exhausting, there is so much to see and learn. Yesterday I spent most of my time hanging out in the cafe's at the English schools I will be working at. I sat around with the cooks and helpers and we read through my Turkish grammer, I would pronounce the english for them and they would pronounce the Turkish for me. I ended my time there being able to say some simple sentances. Everyone is excited to try their english on me.

I went to the large market district today, it's all large avenues closed to traffic. (except local delivery) And the streets recently had pipes repaired or intalled under them, leaving much of it unpaved gravel and the entire street covered with mud. I will probably be going to Old Constantinople this weekend. One of the Turkish men I work with, Hassan, is a licenced tour guide and says he will brush up on his history and show me and a few of the other Americans around the historical sites.

Today I woke up to the first call to prayer, when the city is very still. People are moving around now, my one turkish room mate Azlah just left for work.

Here is a picture of the crew working at Maksem Cafe at the main campus in Bahcheshire.



My roomate Azlah is on the left, and I wish I could remember the two men's names. They were really great fellows.