I’m not a fearless traveler. I don’t bounce into a country, speak a new language badly but confidently, adventurously trek into backstreet restaurants and proceed to try the most ethnic dish on the menu.
No, that’s not me. I can be timid. It can take me days to warm up, to feel comfortable in new surroundings. I don’t walk around scared, but I do feel unsure a lot of the time.
 |
| Dolmabahce Palace, right on the Bosphorous. |
The easy way out, I suppose, would have been to have joined a tour group, or to have stayed in a hotel in the touristy part of town. I’d be assured of groups of English speakers, menus in English, easy transportation (in English!) to and from the sights.
Ah, but again – that’s not me.
My dad likes to say that I was the kid who started preparing my mom and him for my eventual flight from my childhood home. I went to summer camp (I was a homesick child who hated summer camp; I went anyway), then enrolling in a residential high school summer program. I went away to college, lived abroad for a semester, moved to San Francisco. These were not easy things to do at the time. I was taking risks, becoming more independent. And I grew – a lot.
 |
| My apartment is on top of that hill, in a neighborhood called Cihangir. |
So when I was planning this trip to Turkey, I decided to rent an apartment in a non-touristy part of the city. I admit that it’s been challenging at times – I have to navigate menus and bus maps and decipher the many types of Turkish cheese sold at the market. But it’s also been so rewarding. I’ve met a lot of lovely (mostly Turkish) people, including Billur, my social and super-helpful landlady. I’ve discovered neighborhood bars, gotten recommendations for restaurants and cafes. Along the way, I’ve fallen in love with this beautiful, sprawling, chaotic city.
 |
| Bar snacks! |
In the end, isn’t this why we travel? Not just to see the sights, but to stretch ourselves, to have our own fears and beliefs challenged, and – of course – to have an amazing time.
You are SO my shero, Jen. I can’t wait to “hear” and see more!
jake (the girl)
excellent issues altogether, you just won a logo new reader.
What might you suggest in regards to your post that you made some days in the past?
Any sure?
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or did
you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to design my
own blog and would like to know where u got this
from. kudos
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this brilliant blog!
I guess for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your
RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and will share this site with my Facebook group.
Chat soon!
I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your
blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself?
Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a nice blog like this
one nowadays.
I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest
but your sites really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to
come back in the future. Cheers
Having read this I thought it was extremely enlightening.
I appreciate you spending some time and energy
to put this content together. I once again find myself spending a
significant amount of time both reading and leaving
comments. But so what, it was still worth it!
I just want to tell you that I am newbie to blogs and actually liked you’re web blog. More than likely I’m want to bookmark your blog . You actually have perfect posts. Thanks a lot for revealing your web page.
Hello! I simply would love to give a huge thumbs up for the great information you have here on this message. I will certainly be returning to your blog site for more quickly.
This is really fascinating, You are a very professional blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and sit up for searching for more of your great post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks!
Hello this is kinda of off topic but I was wanting to know if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding experience so I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!
you employ a wonderful weblog here! if you’d like to develop invite posts in this little blog?
you have a fantastic blog site right here! would you such as to make some invite blog posts on my blog?
I uncovered your blog website on google and examine a few of your very early articles. Remain to maintain the great run. I simply added up your RSS feed to my MSN Information Viewers. Looking for ahead to learning more from you later!?
An interesting conversation is worth comment. I assume that you must write a lot more on this subject, it could not be a frowned on subject yet generally people are inadequate to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
Heya i am for the primary time here. I came across this board and I to find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I’m hoping to provide something back and help others such as you aided me.
This really answered my trouble, thanks!
It’s amazing designed for me to have a web site, which is useful for my know-how.
thanks admin
Oh my benefits! a fantastic article man. Thanks Nonetheless I am experiencing issue with ur rss. Don?t recognize why Not able to sign up for it. Is there any individual obtaining identical rss issue? Anyone that recognizes kindly respond. Thnkx
This website is really a walk-through for every one of the info you desired concerning this and also didn?t know that to ask. Peek right here, as well as you?ll definitely uncover it.
Spot on with this write-up, I genuinely think this internet site needs a lot more consideration. I?ll probably be once again to review far more, thanks for that details.
After checking out a number of the articles on your web page, I honestly like your technique of blogging. I book-marked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Please check out my website too and tell me how you feel.
Hurrah! After all I got a weblog from where I be capable of truly get useful information concerning my study and knowledge.