Every now and then...

I haven't blogged for a while. Sometimes it comes down to either living life or blogging it, and recently it's been more about living than blogging. That said, it's also nice to sit down and type a bit now and then as well, otherwise the days fly by and all meld into one. There are so many times when I'm doing something and I think "I should blog that" and all I remember when I'm sitting here in front of the computer is that I've said "I should blog that" about 15 times in the past 2 weeks. Oh well!
The biggest thing and the thing that is occupying all my mental space right now is the fact that Violetta's coming to visit on Sunday. She came to Spain in February at a time when we were both at a bad point for the visit, and although it was nice having her there, it was hard because she was sick most of the time. It didn't help that she couldn't stay with me and I was packing and getting ready for the course in Barcelona, and I lost my wallet and my cellphone and the weather was awful.... Anyway, she arrives on Sunday afternoon and she will be staying at my flat. She will be my second houseguest (Chris Mazloomi got fisrst dibs on his last night in Istanbul). It's so nice to be living somewhere where I don't have to ask permission for houseguests, I have extra keys, everything is mine (well, kinda mine). We're going to Edirne on Monday, and in my free time next week, I'm taking her to my favourite places in Istanbul. While I'm working, she'll be able to visit my non-favourite places that she wants to see. I'm guessing she'll want to see Topkapi Palace and some other historical places. Maybe a museum or two. I'd like to go with her to the Whirling Dervish museum, but I have to find out when they do the actual whirling....
Other things in my life - teaching. I have really settled into it. I'm happy teaching. It has its strange days, like last Thursday when my Pre-Intermediate morning class spent the whole last hour looking at me with blank stares. And then there are the times when people just say things, and they're hilarious! I'm getting used to the different textbooks, personalising the activities, doing different review games, etc. It's really interesting. My flatmate Lydia is gone. I'm expecting a new flatmate at pretty much any moment. That'll be interesting.
One of the things that's really tough on me is that with my schedule, I work almost every night. It means that I don't have the opportunity to take part in any study circles. There is one that I was invited to on Wednesday nights, which was perfect because I had Mondays and Wednesdays off, but now that Lydia's gone, our schedules changed, and I'm working 6-day weeks and they took my Wednesday nights.... Ugh! It's only temporary but still disappointing. Lucky for me, activity starts pretty late at night in the Baha'i community. In order to make sure people show up for feast, they have dinner first. That means that I can usually get there after teaching.
I know I've said this before, but I'm really happy here. I like Turkey much more than Spain. All my Spanish friends will hate me for that comment but it's true. I think I'm better suited to it. I'd love for my family to come visit me, and more friends to come, but that will come as people get used to the fact that I'm here.
My neighbours are fun. There are lots and lots of kids in the neighbourhood, and those who speak any English at all like to try it out on me as I walk to and from home or one of the 2 corner stores. Now it's become commonplace for me to hear a little voice calling out "Kris abla!" and a tiny hand waving from a window or balcony or sidewalk as I walk by. Abla means older sister so that's cool. I feel at home.