Thursday, November 4th, 2004

Well, I am even more sick now. Before this thing was a head cold, but now it seems to have moved to my entire body. I’m achy and my nose is now snotting all over the place. Throat is scratchy. I’ve been dosing myself up with over the counter medication and orange juice, and stayed home from today. I think rest is the best thing. I’m so tired after a day of language class and random interviews and whatever else that my body has no time to recover. So hopefully if I stay home Friday and rest some more I’ll be better by the weekend.

What a drag. I’m also worried that I’m missing out on crucial stuff at the language course. But whatever… I don’t get to finish it anyway because of my schedule, so if I want to continue studying there I’ll have to take the class over again anyway. So no big losses I guess.

On Tuesday I went out with friends from the Tandogan campus. Okan and some others… it was really nice. They took my to a huge shopping center that rivals the Coral Ridge Mall in the IC area as far as modernity and expense. We ate at a fabulous İskender restaurant, and then visited an Ottoman style café where the workers were dressed in traditional baggy pants and red hats, served us kahve (Turkish coffee) on tiny copper tables surround by miniature stools, and did dances to the music of a folk musician group. It was pretty neat. Afterwards we went to Atakule tower. This is a large tower perched on top of another shopping center, which rotates and offers a very nice view of the city. We were there at night and everything was beautiful. Ankara is much better at night, although it’s probably just the same as any other large city at night. It reminded me of when I was little and flew over a city at night for the first time… it was like a giant shimmering Christmas tree.

Oh; everyone in Turkey that I know is really sad that Bush is our president again. I am too. I don’t want to get political on here so I guess I’ll leave it at that. I’ve heard a lot of interesting reactions to our elections here over the past few weeks, and it’s been very fascinating and enlightening to learn about how our country’s decisions effect people here in Eurasia. I really hope for better things in the future years.

I’m feeling crappy so I’m calling it a day. Here’s to my future health (hopefully soon)!!!