That's how it starts

I. What a day. Strange to be employed and not feel totally worthless for a change. $$$ C.R.E.A.M. $$$ How do I begin to summarize? I want to make this short because what I want most in the world right now is a shower and a good old faceplant, but at the same time I don't even know how I can possibly shorten the insanity that was today. First of all, my school has a service vehicle for teachers so I don't have to pay for transportation to or from there (if I want to get there a little early and wait a little bit after, I'll decide later if it's worth it or not). I get breakfast (poğaca, simit, peynir) and lunch (whatever - today it was dolma, soup, and börek). I learned later today that the service vehicle is ONLY FOR FEMALE TEACHERS. Boy oh boy is that only the beginning. The male and female teachers do not even eat together in the cafeteria! I will need to save the male/female dichotomy for another post because it...will be a novella.

I am teaching FIVE different grade levels and my whole day was a whirlwind of tea drinking/promises to answer my questions without answering my questions/ffffed up schedules/receiving a thousand books/walking up and down stairs/a million children everywhere. My schedule is set for this week, but it might change so next week's schedule will be my schedule for the rest of the year. Allegedly. Today I taught four different classes and three different age levels, and went into my first lesson with the head English teacher being like "yeah do whatever, good luck" and the regular teacher warning me, "they are out of control, God help you." Jesus Christ. And they were absolutely and terribly out of control. My first three classes were so nahhh (broken equipment, at least three seri troublemakers in each class) that I was totally stoked on being able to actually teach in my last class. What an interesting notion! In my second class, there was a girl who was born and spent a few years in Boston so her English was impeccable. Afterward she informed me that their regular teacher's favorite way to discipline is a lot of screaming. Uh? And I was also encouraged by at least five teachers to bring candy every day to reward (read: bribe) the students. Uh, spoiled much?

The highlights of my day (no sarcasm!) were my last class (as mentioned above) and getting to talk in Turkish with one of the school employees. She is an older woman, and sooo cute. She refills the tea and cleans up, etc. (there are like a million such employees at this luxurious ass school). Anyways, she came into the teacher's lounge when I was alone and I talked to her for quite a bit. Seriously it seems like everyone's favorite question is: "are you married? Why not?" She was no exception, but she also was just so happy to be chatting and actually gave me legit time to stammer along in Turkish. She wasn't just waiting for her time to talk, if you know what I mean. Really, seriously, awesome.

Also, pleasant surprise: I thought I was teaching 25 hours a week, when in fact I am teaching 25 forty minute lessons a week. Which means that I am getting paid 7 DOLLARS more an hour than I originally thought. Woah.


"Salep" that my aunt just brought to me in the midst of my bs typin'. That's aaaall cinnamon on the top. Click here for info on this dank beverage.

II. So, no one (except for maybe big Z) ever knew about this blog that I started after moving to Madison last year. I began it with the intention of charting my adventures in the wild wild midwest, but only wrote six entries (we'll see how long this one lasts, am I right?). Anyways. I just happened to visit it recently and was pretty into the fact that a year ago TODAY I wrote an entry about being an "old person"(click here to peep). Sangeeta is the co-star, so obvi I'm feelin it (but that entry was written before the first time we even hung out...which is weird to think about!).

III. I just did a conversation exchange with my cousin which was also super positive, and now I'm sappin' on this delicious beverage. Oh yeah and I forgot to mention a few important other deets: 1. I actually found shoes that kind of fit me and aren't totally ug and 2. Speaking of ug, OH MY GOD NO, I saw Uggs being sold at this expensive shoe store here, FYL Uggs! Do not infiltrate Istanbul! (already saw two naaah girls on the European side wearing them. Vom.) 3. Buuuut when I was trying to find shoes/work appro clothes there was a surprising amount of cute ass thangs in stores here. Something definitely changed since I "studied abroad" but I am obivously down. 4. I treated myself to these delicious Bugles-esque chips on the way home (see below). They are called "Patos" here. Crunch is the best texture of all.

Miss you,
"