I. The past few mornings I have found myself violently kicked out of dreamland by some sort of incessant construction work happening a few floors above me. These noises are waking me up at the ungodly time of 9, 10, or maybe, if I'm super lucky, 11. How dare they. My sleep "schedule" was already non-existent/demolished before this point so it really does not matter. Usually the noises infiltrate my dreams before actually physically waking me up, and that's equally as weird. I feel like I'm living in the Winchester Mystery House. Note: Go there if you've never been, it's creepy slash amazing. I've only been twice but I think about it on the reg.
II. The foreigner tax/fee/price. So, I didn't break my laptop charger but instead had EXPROOOOOODED!!! (i.e. it was actually hot to the touch/burning) this balls travel adaptor that my dad's friend lent me. Oops. Anyways, I didn't buy myself an adaptor for so long because my cousin (?) that I'm currently staying with with kept telling me that he wanted to "bargain" and that I would get ripped off - aka the yabancı price (foreigner price). That's def real talk. But one day I was walking around and saw a little electrician's shop and stopped in. Turns out the adaptor (which works swimmingly, by the by) cost 1.50TL (approx. 99 cents), and was actually priced (not OH HI LET ME MAKE UP A PRICE ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOMER). When does that happen? So I bought it, and that night my cousin also came home with one which cost him over 5TL. HA!
On a sadder note, the other day when Dan and I were walking about we decided to find somewhere to have a brew or two. We got dragged into some place in the touristy neighborhood, a place in which the waiters/"employees" were very excited about our limited Turkish abilities. They had a "Happy Hour" which I questioned immediately. Well, they brought us our beers (they made mine smaller...sexist much?) and then brought us another one which they told us was free. And it wasn't. And I knew that would happen, because it has happened like that many a time before. Hopefully one day my Turkish will be at baller level and I can really yell at people who try to take advantage as such. Ugh.
III. Today I was walking towards Istiklal Cd. (Taksim Sq.) when the dudes walking right in front of me, as well as right behind me, were stopped by two policemen. The policemen, prior to that, had been just chillin', leaning on the hood of their car, watching the crowds go by. Sure, sure. Anyway. They were just randomly checking their ID cards, something which I totally forgot happens all. of. the. time. When I walked by the same police pair later, they were checking more bro's ID cards. The entire group (two policemen, 3 my-age Turkish guys) were smiling and laughing, no big deal. But really weird to me.
A few minutes later I was walking along and this girl (same age as me) went out of her way to single me out to ask survey questions to or something? I have no idea. She was so, so enthusiastic about whatever it was she was trying to do that I didn't have the heart to tell her that I had pretty much no idea what she was talking about. So I told her the Turkish equivalent of "nah, brah" and she told me to have a good day. Mysteries of life.
The weather has been super wacky the last couple of days. Almost as strange as summer in Madison, but not quite. Today there was rain and lightning/thunder and then, as soon as I left the apartment wearing all black and booties, it was the brightest and sunniest day of all. Then back to rain. The occasional rain has been totally gnarly, not just a drizzle. In other news, I finished another book (still proudly a member of Book A Week Club) which means my fresh supply is quickly dwindling. Below is a picture from Sunday in Şile (as usual, click to enlarge). I got a pretty great sunburn. My life is very exciting based on this last paragraph, nah? NAAAAH, and the last few days have been weird. Here's hoping for some dankness ahead.
Edited to add: NY Times article on the insane rain/flooding
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