So much has happened since my last post! I surprised my family by going home for Christmas.  I will never forget the look on their faces as they walked into my mom’s house expecting to decorate cookies.  That was wonderful. Plus just being home, surrounded by friends and family, it was ‘holidaytastic’! As for coming back to Istanbul, it was a breeze. The beauty of the city alone just resonates deep within me. In many ways, I feel like I am still very much adjusting to my new country, which can be overwhelming and isolating.  Also, some of the best…