The First Six Months

Time flows, warps, meanders, confounds. I blink and suddenly I’ve been abroad for six months. Whoosh. The months have gone by quickly, and dragged out slowly—sometimes I can’t believe so much time has passed since I finally left Boston; sometimes it seems like it has barely been any time at all. Since leaving, I’ve spent time in five different countries (Turkey, The Netherlands, USA, Georgia, and Armenia), I’ve learned shamefully little Turkish, I’ve eaten piles of cig kofte, and I’ve made some wonderful friends. Here are some highlights, and lowlights, of the last six months. The Deportation. This was probably the defining moment of the last six months for me. It was definitely the absolute worst thing that has happened since I expatriated. But despite how scary and stressful and awful the whole experience was, it’s led to some unexpectedly rewarding results—it allowed me to really choose to be in Turkey, and to appreciate my time here; it stuck me in Amsterdam for an extra week, a city I fell in love with; and it provided me with the craziest story. I talk about my deportation debacle a lot, and now I can laugh about it. And that’s pretty great. Finding a great living situation. For whatever reason, I didn’t have much luck with housing in Boston. I had roommates that ranged from fine-but-not-a-great-fit to so-awful-I-can’t-sleep-because-you’re-making-my-life-hell. Except for the brief period when I lived with my boyfriend (whom I knew I was leaving), apartments in Boston were a series of strike-outs for me. In Istanbul, it’s been completely the opposite. I live in a beautiful apartment in a great neighborhood with Gozde, who is my closest friend in the city. We live together well, we get along well; being home is a delight. It’s amazing how feeling comfortable in your living situation can color everything else. I’m very happy. Gezi Park. The protests around Gezi began only two weeks after I returned from my deportation, so I was eager to avoid them—I’d had enough dealings with Turkish Police to last for the rest of the year. However, Occupy Gezi has affected everything about our lives, from how often I go out in Taksim (not as often) to what I wear when I do go (running shoes). From the beautiful joyful community that existed in the park to the state of stress and anxiety that descends on us like a cloud whenever there’s a tear gas attack, Gezi Park has defined how we move in the space of this city and how we envision our futures, whether we are expats like me, or Turks like my friends. Speaking of which… My friends. I’ve been lucky to meet so many amazing, diverse, exciting people in Istanbul. Even though Lucy, one of my closest friends, has left (damn you, Erasmus!), it’s impossible to feel lonely when I’m surrounded by such terrific people. The Opportunity to Travel. I’m currently in the middle of my summer adventure, so more travel is yet to come. But I’m grateful that I’ve gone to a lot of important places already. Cappadocia, Pamukkale, and Tbilisi were high on my priority list and I’ve been to all of them. I wouldn’t have moved abroad if it weren’t for an insatiable travel bug, so as I move forwards with the next six months abroad, that will continue to be a focus: I will go to wild, wonderful, delightful places, and take fabulous film photos, and share them here with you. Cheers to the last six months and cheers to the next. Thanks for sticking with this blog, whether you’ve been reading from the beginning or just joined me today. I appreciate it. And now, on to the next adventure!