First Turkish dinner party … check! Not sure if I would call the soup potatotastic, but it was good and the company was great.  I really enjoy having friends over and getting to know more about their lives-you just never really know about people. Anyways, I had the main ingredients translated and although it was a bit stressful in terms of just really not having a firm grasp on converting measurements into the metric system… it was a nice, relaxing time.  I am attaching a couple of photos. Forgot how many dishes are involved in these things!!! Just another reason…

This afternoon was my first ceramics class in Turkish! I know what you are thinking… just what the world needs, another homemade vase… right? However, it was really fun and I promise that whatever I make stays with me. The great part was getting my hands dirty and creating something.  The instructor spoke a bit of English and she was very patient. The class is in a craft center by the Haghia Sophia…yes that is my hood now. There are different types of workshops there as well as a small café and gift shop. Not sure if I mentioned it…

The community of international teachers is small and as a result, it can be really comforting and familiar. But the thing is, I didn’t move across the globe for the same old stuff! So last night, I went to a place where I have never gone before… a cooking class! Yes, the cereal for dinner girl took a cooking class and it was really fun! And let me tell you, I can whisk with the best of them. I made Cumin Flavored Chick Pea Soup (delicious), Garlic Scented Pilaf (seriously yummy), Battered Chicken with Honey and Onions (meh…), and Clotted…

I may have mentioned before that working abroad is full of opportunities and amazing fun. However, it’s also full of just plain ole day-to-day stuff with frustrations and aggravations. It’s funny though because now that I have been living in Istanbul for about three months, it feels like my life is just getting settled. The past three years my life could be summed up like this: searching, moving, managing, surviving, searching, moving, and smiling. When I started to think about moving abroad, it was about six months before I actually got a job at the fair in Boston. Then it…

Last week, I had the opportunity to tour some ancient sites in Turkey with my grade five students. We visited St. Jean’s Church, Artemis Temple, Ephesus (including the Terrace Houses) and Priene. As I move and travel around the world, it’s really impossible not to learn about myself. For instance, it’s important for me to get a feel of a person, place, or situation to learn, rules/laws that don’t make sense are very difficult for me to follow, I have fashion ADD, I want to learn to speak French fluently and make chairs, I hate that I am not book…