Monday is the Happiest Day of the Week

School is back in full swing today, it's really interesting to watch someone's progression with acquiring a language. Like hearing someone say "You too" when you bid them a nice day after months of only receiving "Thank you" in reply. It's enough to make me giddy. This is also the week after midterm exams and everyone is able to let out their breath. By and large the students claim they did horribly. They may be overly modest, but that doesn't seem to be one of the prevailing traits of the young bourgeoisie here.

Turkish, like English, uses lots of exaggeration for humorous expressions. Some are the same, like saying that you are starving when very hungry but a few catch me off guard, such as when a friend of mine told me he was about to lose consciousness after we walked up a hill. He was actually referring to being very hungry, but I thought he had over exerted himself from the climb.

And now a never before seen photograph from Cevahir.


There is no escape. However it is comforting to know there are only as many Starbucks Coffees in Istanbul as there are in and around my home town in California. Then again, that number isn't exactly a low one.