Eating Turkey in Turkey

Let me just start by saying that I have been planning that blog title since this summer! :)  We've been excited about celebrating Thanksgiving with the teams in Turkey since we first heard of the possibility.  But as high as my expectations were (sorry ESI- I broke the first rule of living overseas!), it was even better than I expected.

First of all, Antalya is gorgeous.  From the first glimpse out of the airplane window, I knew it was going to be pretty spectacular.

 

And it only improved on closer acquaintance.  We stayed at a hotel in the old city, with orange trees growing in the courtyard.  It was quite picturesque, to say the least.  Stone pavements, narrow alleys, the occasional stunning view of the Mediterranean, and plenty of charming little carpet and souvenir shops ready to take us tourists for all we were worth! 

 

The cultural center where we had our meetings (the place
with the red shutters), only a 5-10 minute walk from our hotel

 

No filters, no playing around with the colors... and it was even more amazing
in person. (photo credit goes to Stephanie, one of our teachers on the Turkey team)

 

Just chillin' on the Mediterranean.  No big deal.

 

Thursday was our busiest day, by far.  Rachael, Colleen, and I, along with the girls from KZ arrived in the morning after travelling most of the night, and we got there just in time for the first of several group sessions.  The people who run the cultural center (and cafe) where we met agreed to make Thanksgiving dinner for us, which was a huge blessing.  It was absolutely delicious with all the traditional dishes- even pumpkin pie for dessert!  Since we didn't have to cook or clean up, we were free to have most of our sessions that day, which in turn freed up most of the weekend for sightseeing and hanging out.

On Friday afternoon the entire group rented a tour boat to take us up the coast and back.  We started out at 3:30, and it was a two hour tour.  There was one moment in particular, standing at the bow after the sun had set, but before it started getting really dark, that is etched in my memory.  I can't even begin to describe how exquisite it was.  My camera couldn't capture the depth of colors, but here's my best shot anyway.

 



 

But even had I been able to take a perfect picture, to capture all the colors, shadows, and forms, that would only be a fraction of the experience.  Imagine the gentle rocking of the boat, the soft breeze in your face, the air just cool enough to be refreshing without being too cold.  Try to hear the lapping of water against the side of the boat, the faint sound of the guitar as Jim and Rachel play wrship music in the background.  The sound of laughter and conversations is just loud enough to feel enveloped by the easy camaraderie of the group without detracting from the absolute peace and stillness of the moment.  It's the kind of beauty that takes your breath away, that bursts forth in spontaneous praise simply because you can't keep it inside any longer.  Even now I find myself overwhelmed as I remember and try to describe it.  How anyone can experience such beauty and not believe in the One who created it is beyond me.

 

Besides the boat tour, we spent our days in sessions, exploring the city, and just hanging out with friends we hadn't seen in months.  Several of us got together two out of the three nights for swing dancing parties!  The first night there were only three of us, so we spent the evening looking up fun new moves on youtube and trying to figure them out.  I haven't laughed so much in ages.   And I have to say, one of the highlights of the weekend was getting to hang out with our guy friends.  After living for months in a culture where the genders don't mix very much, on an all-girl team, it was a refreshing change!



This is the first time, at least in my years with ESI, that we've had more than two city teams together for the holidays, let alone four countries.  So many phenomenal people in one place, singing, laughing, crying, hugging, playing, walking, talking, dancing, and praising together is something you don't get every day.  I am so thankful for all the wonderful people we're privileged to know, and for the opportunity to spend time with each other in one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.  I only wish it could have lasted longer.

The whole group of us on Thanksgiving- 31 in all.

And now it's time to go back to our respective cities, jobs, and friends, refreshed and encouraged.  Although Rachael, Colleen, and I are already planning our next trip back to Turkey!

I've posted more pictures of the trip on my "Pictures" page, if you want to check them out.

The Lover of My Soul

Heads up: this entry is not so much about life in AZ as it is about life anywhere.  I've been thinking some deep thoughts on love and G*d.  It's not particularly polished or thought out, so I apologize if I repeat myself.  I'm just thinking out loud.

Please don't read this and think that I'm writing to share what I have already attained. Far from it. I am writing about the lack, the giant gaping hole I have begun to recognize in my life and my relationship with G*d. 

..............

We know that we are to love G*d.  And we know that He uses human relationships to model what our relationship to Him is to be.  So what does love look like in my life?  I love my family.  I love my friends.  There is a constancy in that love, and a sense of safety.  My family especially has seen me at times of my life that I hate to recall.  They have received the worst of my anger, pettiness, dishonesty, weakness, and pride.  But despite all that, I never fear that they will stop loving me.  I am secure in their love, as I am secure in His.

But though G*d identifies Himself as both our Father and our friend, that is not all.  He is also the bridegroom.  But that is something I have never experienced.  I've never even dated anyone.  So what am I to do with that?  I have been thinking about this quite a bit since this summer.  And while I have never been in such a relationship to experience both sides of it, I realized that I do have a certain familiarity with one side of the equation.  And that's the side I need to focus on right now anyway, because it's the part that is up to me.  I know He loves me.  But how am I to love Him?

Forgive the seeming irreverence, but I need to have a crush on G*d. 

What is it like to have a crush?  Ahh, now that is one thing I know all too well.  I seek out his presence.  I want to spend as much time with him as I can.  I want to know him and be known.  I want to earn his approval, to look beautiful, to say and do the right thing.  I want to show the best version of myself, or even better.  I want to see him smile and know it's just for me.  When he's not around I think about him and talk about him.  I tabulate his charms and virtues.  I admire him and strive to be someone that he might admire.

That is how it should be with G*d.  I should crave His presence, and seek it out as often as possible.  I should delight in reading His word and learning more of who He is.  I should strive to be pleasing and beautiful to Him, to be even better than I really am, because He's worth it.  When I have a crush, it's hard for me to shut up about him (my poor friends!).  How then, should I talk of G*d, who is infinitely more worthy?  I should dwell on His virtues and benefits, and strive to be the person He intended me to be, the person I know He still sees when He looks at me. 

And what is the return on this?  As I said, I know one side of this equation very well, but have yet to experience the other.  I know what I want in a husband, the deepest desires of my heart.  And while I know that no man, no matter how good, will ever be able to be all this for me, I know that G*d can and will be.  He knows me better than I know myself.  He knows the depth and magnitude of my sin in a way that I can't even comprehend, and yet He loves me passionately anyway.  At the same time, He sees good in me even when I don't see it, and He works to draw it out.  He sees the woman He meant me to be.  He protects me from my enemies, and takes care of me.  He comforts me in my grief and rejoices with me in my joy. 

And, well, this last part was hard for me to learn, but profound.

He thinks I am beautiful  Heartbreakingly so.  He craves my presence.  He longs for us to be one.  He loves me as I have always longed to be loved.  Completely.  Unreservedly.  Passionately.  Unendingly. 

In the words of Charles Wesley's classic hymn, He is the true lover of my soul.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Baku is a fairly large city, with a population of just over 2 million.  It is the capital of the country as well as it's industrial, cultural, and financial center.  And yet in so many ways it has the feel of just one big neighborhood.

The larger grocery stores don't allow you to take bags in (except purses), much like in KZ and Russia, so they provide lockers at the front.  Unlike in KZ and Russia, however, more often than not the lockers don't have locks.  What would be necessary in most major cities in the world is simply overlooked here.  People leave their bags, even their computer bags, in the lockers and just trust that they will still be there when they get back.  And here's the amazing part: they are.

Another impression I've gotten here is that there really are no strangers.  There are simply neighbors you haven't met yet.  Every stranger we have had to ask for help has been so gracious, even going out of their way to make sure we got where we needed to be.  Now I might have chalked that up to hospitality, since I'm obviously a guest in their country, except that I've seen the same general courtesy extended to locals.  One day in the park a girl came up to me and asked if she could borrow  a cell phone.  Unfortunately, I don't have one yet, but the elderly gentleman on the other side of the bench overheard and offered her his phone.  On my way home last week a teenager approached me outside of a little shop and asked if I had 40 qepik (about 50¢).  On the metro, if I feel someone trying to take my bag away from me, I know it's because they want to help me by holding it on their lap.  Rachael has taken several rides with the same taxi driver and one time she realized she didn't have enough money to pay him. So he just told her to pay him the next time.

Welcome to Mayberry.  I love it. 

Now don't worry- I'm still careful.  I keep a tight hold on my purse when out and about, I don't walk down dark alleys, and we never open our door unless we know who it is.  But I have never felt so safe in a large city.  What could be the source of this small town feel in the midst of the big city?  I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure it's because the Azeri people are just generally awesome.  In my humble opinion.  :)

Classroom Shenanigans!





Let me start by saying how stinking adorable our two students are.  Also rambunctious and hard to contain sometimes.  Which description is foremost in my mind depends on the day!  :)  But this post is definitely about the former. 

 

Twice a week after lunch, we work with play-dough.  It's usually free modeling, rather than guided, to let them have fun creating and just playing.  But Thursday, one of the boys was complaining quite loudly that he didn't want to play with clay.  So Colleen and I decided to inject a little silliness into the lesson, in the form of a blue mustache and glasses!  Needless to say, it was a hit. 

 







For the rest of the lesson, they were making variations on a theme, the one common denominator being that every creation ended up on their faces!  And of course, pictures must be taken. 

 

In case you're wondering about the odd angle, it was
the only way we could keep them from falling off!

I'm afraid I may have created a monster, though... one of the boys spent the rest of the day doing silly things and then making a camera motion with his hands, wanting me to take his picture!  After snack time that afternoon, I couldn't get close enough to wipe his face off until did.  My camera might need to take a long break before it's next appearance.   ;)

Having said that, allow me to regale you with one last shot from that day.  They had learned the words fork, spoon, napkin, and cup in their English lesson, so in P.E. they had a "Utensil Relay Race."  Each of them had a plate full of (uncooked) noodles on one side of the room and an empty plate on the other side.  They had to race to move them all using the different utensils we called out.  The fork was the hardest, by far!  It was so funny to see them hunched over them, walking as slowly and carefully as they could.  It was hard to get a good shot, since they were moving, but here's the best I could do.

 

So there you have it.  Our super cute students.  I defy anyone to find cuter ones!   :)