Three Weeks!

In three weeks, I will be packed and ready to head the airport in the evening. My plane leaves the 13^th but very early in the morning so I am getting there the night before.

I am doing well with everything. I see that Isabelle got onto my blog so I hoped you all enjoyed that! I had my first final yesterday, Ottoman Empire, and I was happy about how it went. I have my History final on Friday and then my two Sociology classes next Thursday and Friday. I am so pumped for this weekend as I get to go to Ephesus and Pergamum! But since I still have my finals to worry about, I will be studying on the bus rides. Then in two weeks, I will be in Greece!!

I have many emotions and it is starting to become real that I am leaving soon. This week has been very chill. I haven’t had much motivation to study but I still have a little bit. Since Trista moved out, I am the only one in my flat and it can get lonely. Also since classes are basically over (last one is tomorrow as the professor missed so many classes this semester, she needed to make one up), I don’t get to see my friends as often. I am having a late lunch in about an hour with Judith which will be wonderful. I will really miss all my friends here but will be happy to see all of you when I return!

It's Me, Isabelle

Hey Guys! This is Isabelle, Abigail’s pillow pet. I have seen Abigail blog the whole time we have been here and she has never let me blog even one entry. Well, I thought it was about time that I get to write one so here I go!

We have now been in Turkey for about three and a half months. My how time flies! It feels like I was just let out of Abigail’s suitcase onto the bed in the dorm. I am much happier with the bed in our flat. It has a nice wall that I can lean on when Abigail is gone. There is a window by my bed which is nice. Lately the weather has been weird. One day it is super sunny and warm and then all of a sudden it will storm. The temperature varies a lot but lately, Abigail has left the window open a bit for some fresh air to come into the room.

I spend most of time on Abigail’s bed. I wake up usually somewhere on the bed as Abigail moves a lot and I never know will I will end up! Anyway, Abigail gets ready for class and I just chill on the bed. She goes to class and if she leaves her ipod on the table, I will listen to it for a while. She sometimes takes it with her as she likes to listen to music as she is walking to class or if she has time to kill between classes. But I like when she leaves it as I love listening to Taylor Swift and I am a huge RENT fame so I listen to the soundtrack a lot. I snicker to myself when Abigail returns and wonders why her ipod is always low on battery!

Abigail keeps her room pretty clean so I don’t have to worry about that. Though the stupid ants think they own the place. I hate when ants decide to make their home in our room. Thankfully they haven’t been too bad recently. I like when Abigail gets back from class because she usually goes on Maddie (her laptop) and starts listening to music. She loves Christian music and country. Though she does have this Other playlist with a mixed variety of pop/Disney songs. Yeah, weird combination. She usually Skypes with Darrell every night. She gets so happy when she talks with him. Well they don’t talk, they message chat as video doesn’t usually work. I sometimes say hi to him but since my nose is so big, I can’t type very well (I am typing this with my horn and it is taking a long time!). But she also Skypes with other people like Debbie, Val or her family.  She misses them all. Anyway, she loves to talk but you all already know that!

She usually heads to bed about 11 depending on when she has class. I enjoy cuddling with her as she turn off her light. She usually prays for a while and then she curls up and sleeps.

Yeah, so I haven’t experience Turkey like Abigail has but it has been a nice change of scenery. I did get to go to Cappadocia a few months ago which was fun! I might go to Ephesus/ Pergamum next weekend but I don’t know.

Oh, Abigail is back! Take care all you wonderful people!

Surprise Visit In Class

I had a very strange experience in my Gender class yesterday. We were all sitting listening to our professor talk about sex workers when all of a sudden, the door flies open and a guy comes running in. A guy that looked like a ninja and who dropped a huge plant right at our professors feet and runs back out!  I had the angle that I could see a guy outside the door recording it. We were all so surprised and I almost had a heart attack! There was a note attached. It said basically sorry to take up a moment of your time but every minute soil is getting destroyed. Please plant this plant. It was something I would kind of expect at Beloit but not really here. But we all had a good laugh. Lets just say, it took a few minutes to focus our attention back to our discussion! 

See You Later Trista!

Last night, I had to say “see you later” to my wonderful flatmate Trista. She is heading to travel for about a month starting with Greece. She was going to take all her stuff in her old apartment and only take one backpack for her trip. People get on my case for a lot of stuff but she had lots of stuff! I will give her a break as she has been here since last September. Since she had so much stuff, I had to go with her to Kadikoy. We hugged several times and said how much we love each other. While I was on the bus home, I started to tear up and cried when I got home. She has been one of my closest friends here and I will really miss her. I will have to get use to having the house all to myself. I will miss coming home and having her to talk to but we will for sure stay in touch and will see each other someday.

Nations Church!

I am so grateful for my "home away from home" church here in Istanbul, Nations Church. The hour and a half bus ride one way is totally worth it. Coming into the 5th floor of the building, my heart just cries out for joy. I love walking in and seeing so many smiles greeting me. Well, not so many as this is a newly planted church but you get my drift. It is so nice to feel so welcomed.

I usually get there early with Judith and we mingle and talk with people. Then Pastor Payton will tell us to come over to the chairs and we start in with worship. I love worshipping with these people whose hearts are for the Lord. Then we have a few announcements and offering. Then we have a message. Usually it is Payton but a few times, a member of the church will give a message. After the ending song and prayer, every time they say, “Let’s now have cay”.

I love cay! Not just the cay and the treats but the time of fellowship. I miss just talking with other Americans and Christ-followers. Today, our fellowship was longer then usual which was awesome.  We had a band visiting us and they are performing tonight at the church. We went out to lunch to the Trump Towers mall by the church. We went to a nice restaurant and had a variety of food. Everyone was so full and so very happy. I really enjoyed talking to a few women, including the pastor’s wife Clover. They really care about me and tell me how happy they are that I am attending Nations Church.

I feel so blessed to be part of this church, even if I just have a few more Sundays with them. I will never forget the love I feel when I walk into the church, a church that looks nothing like church, just a huge room on the fifth floor of some building. I love it and I know God is working in lives of the people in the church and around that area. 

Football to the EXTREME!!

Last night the big match between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray happened. I was smart and stayed inside and away from all the action. However, I could hear yelling and shouting at times from my house. The outcome was that they tied 0-0 but this meant that Galatasaray one the Turkish league championship.

Some of my friends were on the European side and people were celebrating like crazy with shouting and waving flags everywhere. Today on my way to church, this guy was were a Galatasaeay shirt and we were heading to Kadikoy. Even though I didn't know what the two old men were saying this this guy, I knew that they were saying that he shouldn't be wearing that shirt around here as Kadikoy is Fenerbahce territory. Then, like Turks do, the old man shook his head and made 'tsk tsk' sound. I found it funny as I learned my mistake a few weeks ago!

To read more about the craziness:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18046286

The two teams going at it!

Interesting Dream

I had the most interesting dream last night. Let me tell you two things first. One, I have been watching a lot of episodes of The Office. Second, last night, I went to church and saw a women perform a drama of Esther and Mary.

In my dream, I was surrounded by all the members of The Office. One woman was saying that I was pregnant as her husband was my doctor. I was so confused because I went to the doctor for a different reason and since I never had sex before, it was not possible. The whole dream people were being mean and calling me names. I was saying over and over that I was a virgin but nobody would listen to me.

When I woke up, I was super confused! But then when I thought about it, I was feeling how Mary, the mother of Jesus, was feeling. Nobody believed her either and they all shunned her. Nobody believed her that the Holy Spirit came upon her and made her pregnant.

Anyway, dreams are interesting and thought provoking.