I left the United States on a blustery February day in the spring of 2010. Plugged into my iPod, a couple of books in my carry-on, soaring expectations dazzling my imagination, and fear settling in the pit of my stomach. The young woman who lifted off from JFK airport that day never returned.
I didn't speak Turkish. Prior to applying I was assured that all students and all professors spoke English, so I would have no problem with the course load. Since my college did not offer Turkish, I hoped to take advantage of the opportunity to study Turkish while in the country. However, the school required Turkish in order to function at the University, between acquiring a dormitory, registering for classes, and in many cases, actually attending the courses.
I learned Turkish by the seat of my pants. I studied traditional folk songs in Choir, language in Turkish, culture and art in Sculpture. My Turkish "family" in Ankara was my rock, I depended on them when I got bit by a dog and needed rabies shots (how does the Turkish medical system work?! I had no idea) or when I needed a taste of home.
I don't like to "party," so I didn't have friends, which was an experience I was not prepared for. I learned to become independent and not to lean on others for support, friendship, recognition. I became my own friend. While taking precautions to be safe in a country that is sometimes too friendly in an inappropriate way to young foreign women, I enjoyed my time in Turkey on my own terms, and no on else's.
I still find myself waking up in the morning craving çay or börek. I miss my Turkish "family," and I wonder how the children are growing up. I have started planning my return trip with my grandmother and my mother. A country as rich as Turkey in culture, hospitality and history deserves more than a single, cursory visit.
I can't wait to go back.
