Cliches and growing up and crap!
Wow. Looking back over all my time in Turkey, I can really see how I've grown and changed as a person. Not only have I changed, but I feel like I changed the people around me for the bet......
er....
Thats just too sarcastic, even for me.
However, its really just my way of making it ok to talk about how I have changed, by first ridiculing myself for doing it. So, cliches in 5, 4, 3,
2,
1,
I drink coffee now, which is kind of strange. I used to avoid it with vehemence, now I can't wait to drink fake nescafe with delicious findik(hazelnut) flavoring. Granted, it is by no means real coffee, but its a step in the right direction.
My hair is short, and I'm considering keeping it so. And I brush it flat against my head, so there is no poof at all. My long haired ways may have been abandoned in favor of short, stylish hair.
I have to wear a shirt and tie to work everyday. The only other uniforms I've had to wear in my life were a bubble island tee that could be covered in sticky bubble solution and still be acceptable, and theater costumes, which mainly included make-up and several times tights. Oh and cowboy boots. I can never forget the cowboy boots. Therefore, I feel somewhat odd that I have graduated so quickly to matching my tie with my shoes on a daily basis.
I feel responsibility to my living space. This may be a given for some other folks, but I'm sure they haven't been living with 6 other dudes for the past 2 years.
Smelly dudes.
Therefore, I've always felt any cleaning or house maintainance was like mowing grass with toenail clippers. But now, when something needs to be done, (and in Istanbul, everything always needs to be done), we grab our trusty crappy power drill/mop/bleach and go to work. Between Kate and I, we've sealed windows, installed shelves, built a bed, installed a washing machine, and repulsed assault after ruthless assault of mold.
I'm wearing a watch, keeping a calender, all the things that real grown-ups do. I don't feel like a grown-up, but I also don't feel like I'm pretending. I just feel kinda, happy.
posted by Mark VK @ 7:02 AM
3 Comments:
My God, MARK! I haven't cyberly seen you in MONTHS! I thought you were digitally DEAD.
Welcome back to the blog, dearest. And could you move your newfangled planner? It's taking up my internet cafe counter space...
hey there Mark and Kate,
Very cool to read your blog (I've been lurking over the past few months.) Makes me remember how living and working abroad makes you "pay attention" to the little stuff, like views from ferries and mold and how you're willing to wear a tie and how close you stand to people in public places and how you cross the street and the nature of a hello and all that. I always have found the real discipline of the traveler is to keep paying attention when you come home.....stay well! Cathy R.
Mark, this entry is so wonderful to read. As a older friend who knew you as a boy and a laid back college student, I think your examples of change are fabulously honest and original. That's you, Mark- are fabulously honest and an original. I also found Kate's list of what she missed in the US and what she like to Turkey to also be very honest and poetic.
I'm impressed and happy for you. Thanks for the greeting to Danielle on video. We had a blast for 3 days on the Rhine Rive drinking white wines and biking. See you all in AA.
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