After what seems like a lifetime, I am gearing up to leave. I've been packed since Monday rearranging things, distributing things, tying up loose ends, and saying my goodbyes to the waves of friends and family who keep asking me when I am leaving. Meeting up Friday night to see people that I have known for almost my entire life to people that I have become so attached to during my time at Rice was really moving. Thank you guys. I really appreciate it. In case you missed it, as of 4:20 PM CST TOMORROW, I am on a jet plane, flying off from my beloved state of Texas to embark on the next chapter of my life. With a little pit stop in London. Sadly, I don't think I will have to time to go visit my best friend, Justin, who is studying abroad there. No disrespect to him, but I really don't want to miss my connecting flight.
This is not going to be the first time that I have been outside of the US for an extended period of time, but because the location is worlds apart from the tropical climate that I grew up in, this will surely be an experience. This is the first time away from my family in a long time so I guess it will be kind of bittersweet. But as that image pervades my mind another one becomes stronger and stronger... Come to think of it, I have actually never lived anywhere where there has been constant snow. Even thinking about it makes me smile. Seeing all of the hills on the coast of the Black Sea covered in a soft white blanket. My family thinks I am crazy, but I think that it is just perfect for me. All of the mosques and the Topkapi Palace bathed in a glorious white wash. But sadly, I will have to wait until mid-November/early-December for such a site. Meh, I guess I'll deal.
There is one thing that I am sure that most people who go abroad won't miss that I am sure to; that would be my kitchen. Many people don't know that for me, cooking is not only my way to relieve stress, but also my most enjoyable pastime and hobby (not to mention that everything I make is delicious). It is a weird circumstance that I have found myself in, thinking that could try to take another suitcase filled with 1/4 of my kitchen, but in reality this cannot be done. Just seeing all of the airport security descend upon my bags in a laughing riot of disbelief would be worth it if they let me send it through, but yeah... it is an unreasonable request. I have resigned to the fact that I won't be cooking and the constant reassurance from all my friends about the wonderful food that I will get to experience will hopefully get me through these next 4 months. I will however take extensive notes on the food, ingredients, recipes, and techniques that I will encounter and post them here in order for my friends and family to try out for themselves. I will make what I have learned how to make when I get home.
In these final hours, I've been mulling over the itinerary of things for us to accomplish during our week of orientation in downtown Istanbul. Not being daunted, I feel that even though it will be hectic, I will thoroughly enjoy: my walking tour of Sultanahmet, breakfast on the Bosphorus, dinner in Beyoğlu to experience Klemuri (Authentic Black Sea cuisine), Tour of Topkapı Palace (home of the Ottoman sultans), Yerebatan Sarayı (Basilica Cistern, a massive underground water storage system for the old city), a journey to Mısır Çarşısı (Spice Market), and finally on to Koç University. I will share pictures as soon as I can. I have been told that the flight into Istanbul is a miraculous sight flying down into the city with the mosques on the horizon will make a spectacular picture and with my newly acquired Nikon S630, I can assure you that I will document it and all the other sites justly.
Until then,
You are what you eat and I am hungry for adventure!
Jordan
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indeed - snow is awesome
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