Famous

A hot shower is one of my favorite ways to restart my soul.  You get in and you’re completely vulnerably naked while having fresh water pour over you washing away the dirt and grime and oftentimes sleepiness and down feelings.  For me my shower has become a way for me to reconnect with God—I’ve purchased special things to wash/condition my hair, face, and body.  This simple act of self-care goes a long way and I’m reminded that I’m made new through God’s outpouring of love amidst my vulnerability and through the luxury of the world around us.  After stepping out of the shower I pick out some fun clothes and get my hair to look pretty rock-star.  I feel good.  I know that I’m Trent today (if that makes any sense)—I know that I am who I am and that it’s good enough.  Usually by the end of the day I’ve lost this sense of self and have to find ways to regain it. 

I decide to treat breakfast as a sacred time so I make everything look perfect on my plate and choose some fresh cheeses, a hard-boiled egg, toasted bread, and two sides—Nutela and Turkish honey. Man, its fancy.  To top it all off I pour myself a cup of Çay (pronounced Chai which just means tea in Turkish).  I choose the best seat in the room and take a picture.  After posting the picture with a few hashtags on Instagram I instantly get over 300 likes.  Now I am realizing that its in this outward “liking” that I’m striving for—that I’d be validated based on others’ opinions of me rather than an inherent love for self.  That’s not okay, folks. Its not okay for me to care more about what other people think than it is for me to just LOVE me.  So, its that which is rolling over my mind as I’m decompressing from my day’s travels. 

After breakfast we all pile in our tourist bus to get to our first site for the day—Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s Mausoleum.  Atatürk is a national hero because in between the World Wars he completely revolutionized Turkey’s identity as a country single handedly.  He changed the national alphabet, secularized the nation in countless ways, and improved the economy and education for all Turks.  Essentially he threw the Ottoman Empire at the wayside and brought in modernity with one foul swoop.  Because of this Turks plaster his face EVERYWHERE—I’ve decided to participate in this celebration by buying my very own Atatürk watch so I know when I’m “Ata-time!” Anyway, his mausoleum was immaculately designed with honor engraved in every detail.  It was incredible.  I quickly averted museum fatigue by linking on to the Drahotasaurus and buzzed through the artifacts and artwork to get a holistic sense of what this place was about.  We’re here for a month and I’m concerned about getting a general impression to better know how to explore this culture with elementary-aged students.  On my way out of the building where Atatürk’s tomb was a group of about 10-15 high school graduates in their caps and gowns rushed around me wanting to take a picture.  I think they may think I looked like someone famous...or just really liked my big hair. I'm not really sure.  I was fairly embarrassed and was probably blushing except that I was already red from being in the sun for a bit.  They kept asking where I was from and what my name was, and it felt a bit overwhelming.  This would be the first of MANY times when complete stranger-dangers would ask me for photographs—continue reading to hear about how one kissed me.

After the Ata-tomb we piled back onto the bus and headed to the Ankara Castle.  I think this maybe considered more of a shantytown built up around the original castle, which smelled repugnantly of piss, but regardless, the view was incredible.  Lindsey and I may or may not have bypassed a section of the castle to go buy earrings and a Coca-cola, but that remains to be verified by officials.  Oh, I also took a picture while around the Ankara castle that I’m completely obsessed with.  It has the most beautiful yellows and blues.  See Facebook for the example.

On the bus ride between the Ankastle and the Mosque we discussed the idea about seeing Tarkan in concert.  Who is Tarkan you ask?!?!?!?! Well, he’s a 42 year old Justin Beiber, duh!  Really, he’s the ONLY pop star we’ve become acquainted with and so naturally we’re dedicated life-long fans forever and ever, amen.  Sadly, later we come to find out that he’s cancelled/postponed his concert in Ankara because of the rioting—there’s too great a risk that something could get out of hand.  However, we had a great time chortling about what it was going to be like going to a Turkish pop concert.

The Mosque had pretty fountains, places to take your shoes off, and a bunch of little bookstores to teach your kiddos how to pray.  I had a fun time trying to speak in English to a group of conservative women wearing Hijab and long robes about a necklace I wanted to purchase—in the end I found out it was “a blessing and a very very very good thing for me to buy right now.”  So….I did! 

I had noticed this alcove with Arabic script written above it and a basin with a faucet.  There was a copper cup hanging from a chain just above it.  I could see some people washing their hands, others taking a drink from the cup, and still others just scooping up the water in their hands to drink.  I asked Gökhan what it was and he said it was a drinking fountain.  He was chuckling as he told me to go have some.  Again, so…I did!  I dragged my friend, Alexis, along with me to stand in line.  I of course had her take a picture of me drinking from the faucet and I returned the favor.  What I WASN’T expecting was a man behind me to try and get my attention as I walked away.  He was making a gesture with his hand by pointing to his ear and nodding his head upward.  I began to panic because I think I’ve forgotten to do something culturally appropriate and begin to try understanding what this man wanted.  Mind you…I only know how to say “hello”, “thank you”, “where’s the bathroom”, and “please”.  None of these really worked in my context.  So then, the man made the same motion with his finger pointing to his ear nodding his head up but this time he said “Bah boo boo boo bah boo bah boo boo.”  I think to myself—“Oh NO! Gökhan has forgotten to tell me that I needed to say something after I got my drink of water and now this man is calling me on the carpet for not doing it.” So, naturally I started to say “Bah boo boo boo bah boo bah boo boo” back to him. He shook his head and said it again “Bah boo boo boo bah boo bah boo boo.”  So, again…I said “Bah boo boo boo bah boo bah boo boo.”   He shook his head again and I became desperate at this point because other people were looking at us now.  So, I drag him over to Dr. Hazan and asked him to translate for him.  Dr. Hazan begins to try speaking with him and he repeats his babble—Dr. Hazan looks at me and says that this man likes my hair.  The man mimes a camera at me and I roll my eyes.  We take a couple pictures.  Then he pulls my face toward him and kisses me on the cheek and then forces my head the other way and kisses my other cheek.  Mind you please…that he was missing several teeth and the other ones were much like chicken-broth-yellow.  So, lesson to be learned here?—don’t do what Gökhan suggests with a laugh.

The rest of the evening was filled with eating amazing food.  My favorite was again the dessert—Ekmek Kadayıfı.  It was like a pancake soaked in carmelized syrup with a thick cream plastered on top! Holy Moly. It was out of this world. 

I wish I had time to write more, but I have to get ready, pack, and eat breakfast within the next 50 minutes…doh!