Geocaching on Büyükada

My big brother Kyle came all the way from California to visit me! How lucky I am? We skype and email semi-regularly, but we hadn’t seen each other in person since Christmas of 2013! After a very happy reunion at the airport and a feast of delicious Turkish food, we started planning his itinerary. Kyle… Continue reading Geocaching on Büyükada

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Categorized as Istanbul

Morning ‘Gezmeks’ in Kadıköy

“And what did you do this weekend, Mehmet?” “This weekend, I eated…” “I ate. Yes, good.” “…I ate pizza and I went to the cinema.” It’s 2012 and I’m talking to my students in Yalova about their weekend. “Very good, Mehmet.  And you, Dilara?” “Yes, Laurel Teacher?.”   “What did you do this weekend?” “This… Continue reading Morning ‘Gezmeks’ in Kadıköy

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Categorized as Istanbul

Cappadocia in Winter

I met Charlie in Paris in 2009, back when we were two Michiganders trying to prove to the world (and ourselves) that we were more than just Midwest yokels.  After several kilos of cheese, a handful of weekend excursions, and one unspeakably traumatic viewing of “The Antichrist”, we became very close friends. Nearly six years… Continue reading Cappadocia in Winter

Black Sea Region Adventures

Since I first came to Turkey two-and-a-half years ago, Trabzon has been at the top of my bucket list.  Whenever I told my Turkish friends this, they’d raise their eyebrows and say, “Trabzon?  Really?”  I always wanted to go to see the Sumela Monastery, simply because I thought it looked really cool.  So a few… Continue reading Black Sea Region Adventures

Ankara Adventures With Clive

Last weekend, I went to visit my friend Clive in Ankara. Clive and I were roommates and coworkers in Yalova and after months of systematically wearing him down, I coerced him into being my best friend in Turkey.  Clive moved to Ankara this fall to get his masters in English Literature at the very prestigious… Continue reading Ankara Adventures With Clive