There was so much optimism in March but it quickly spiraled in April, with case numbers rising and things beginning to shut down again. Still, we did our best to break the monotony and have a little bit of fun.
Best Of The Month
A friend was supposed to be visiting in April, and when that trip was postponed, I decided I needed to get out of Istanbul as a consolation. So my friend Gabby and I took off for a long weekend in Cappadocia, where we could hike and explore and relax.
That trip was also an early birthday present to myself, since this was my second pandemic birthday and my second one during a weekend lockdown. Luckily, a few friends in the neighborhood made sure I had a really splendid day anyway, which I am eternally grateful for.
This month I also made the decision to fly to California on fairly short notice, and ending the month with my wonderful family has been such an unexpected treat.
And the reason I came back the US? Vaccination! I got my first Pfizer jab the morning after I landed, which is a wonderful thing.
Worst Of The Month
I didn’t leave Turkey to escape the escalating lockdowns, but it did end up working out that way. The government brought back our full weekend lockdowns and moved the curfew to 7pm, and instituted a full 3+ week lockdown that went into effect the day after I left the country. I’m hopeful these strict measures allow us to have a free and happy summer, otherwise it’s going to be a long few months.
This month also brought two simultaneous potential Covid exposure scares, but I was not infected— which seems to mean my anribodies work, thank goodness. And the friends around me who were infected recovered quickly.
What I’m Loving
Reads: My favorite books this month were mysteries. My friend Yasmine recommended Case Histories by Kate Atkinson, and I loved the melancholy way the stories threaded together. I also borrowed The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith from a friend and it was breezy and fun, a perfect airplane paperback.
Music: I loved the song “You Ain’t The Problem” by Michael Kiwanuka this month.
TV/Movies: Continuing my Al Pacino streak, I watched Dog Day Afternoon for the first time, and it was wonderful— and very different from The Godfather films I was watching in March. I think I should watch more classic 70’s movies.
Once I arrived in California, my family decided it was time for me to start watching The Americans, which I’ve never seen. So far, I love it.
Podcasts: I binged the podcast Last Seen, about the Isabella Stewart Gardner heist. It was a great series, and worth it for the number of times people with big Boston accents got to say “Gardner” and “art.”
The mini series “Secrets & Lies” from Outlook was full of strange stories from their archive, every episode is worth listening to.
I also enjoyed the “Political Correctness” episode from You’re Wrong About, which is just consistently a fascinating podcast.
The Film Files
Though we had to skip March, Masha and I continued our flower-photography photoshoots in April, and it was as much fun as the first go round.
In Cappadocia, I thought it would be nice to shoot double exposure of my travel companion and the gorgeous landscape. The pictures came out great, but really it was just nice to stretch that creative muscle again.
Ephemera
After being stalked by my visitor cat for two years, I finally learned his name! He’s known as Yaşlı (which means “old” because apparently the neighborhood people who look out for him think his face looks old) and he’s a street cat. A little insight into my furry friend’s secret life outside of my apartment!
Upcoming
I’m in California through the end of the month, and then I’m back in Turkey! And hopefully the ban on intercity travel will lift so we can head to some beaches.
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