5 Weeks!!!!!

It is crazy to say that in five weeks, I will be on an airplane headed back to Iowa! Time is such a strange concept. When I first got to Turkey, time seemed to stand still. Febrary lasted what seemed like forever. But then March went by fast and April even faster. Now it is May 9!!! CRAZY!!!

Anyway, I still have a lot to do and see before then however. It have a week and a half left of classes then two weeks of finals. I have two finals the first week and two the following week. It worked out that I can go to Ephesus and Pergamom between my finals. I am really excited and I will have plenty of time to study on the long bus ride there and back. After my finals, I have a few days to chill and then I go to Greece for a week. Then I have a day to pack and then I leave! I will start packing before I head to Greece though because I always start packing early. So much to do but I am looking forward to it, well mostly the trips and not the studying for finals…

Several of my friends who are abroad as well made a list of things they will miss and won’t miss. I started this list a while ago and have added to it. Here it is so far.

What I will miss

Simit, beautiful hills, my friends from all around the world, doner, simple pure Turkish interactions, the ferry, Turkish hospitality, cheap food and clothes, bazzars, Trista, the parks

What I won’t miss

Getting yelled at by all the store clerks, yogurt, not having a microwave/oven/dryer, long bus rides, not understanding conversations in the classroom, cigarette smoke everywhere, kids pointing and laughing at me, stared at everywhere I go

There are days that I am just totally in love with Istanbul and want to stay longer. But then there are days where I am just ready to go home, to see my family and friends and have all my comfort things back. It is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions! But most of the days I am just content and striving to learn even more and enjoy the time I am here. So here is to the next five weeks!