Wednesday, December 1st, 2004

Well, my dad has departed and I’m back to normal life here in Ankara. I’m a little lonely but really ok. It’s nice to be back with friends, and I’m keeping busy. So I really can’t complain.

So anyway, here’s what will happen to me over the next few months. On December 14th I’m heading to England for the Christmas holidays. This will be an extended trip, as I couldn’t get a return until the 20th of January without spending a few hundred extra dollars. So, my plans are to be with my Aunt Liz and Uncle Ian in Wiltshire for most of December, then head to London to be with friends from my year spent there. I know enough people that I should be able to keep busy for most of it! It should be a nice break from things.

Then, I’ll return to Turkey. I have a new function! My internship with Ankara University has finished, but I’ll begin another one now with CCID. Their meetings went very well here in Turkey and it seems like some exchange programs will be developed to bring Turkish students to America. So I will stay in Turkey, visit different schools that will participate, and generally help begin to set up the programs. I will be the “Program Facilitator”, basically the CCID ambassador to Turkey. It’s a nice opportunity and I’m happy to do it, as I can continue to spend time here and learn about Turkish culture and life, as well as developing some very useful international relations-type skills. I’m really excited about this! And as for thoughts on nepotism, I will answer to the CCID board instead of my father, so no problems should arise as long as they feel I’m appropriate. So yay! What an opportunity!

I’m glad to do this. Even though I miss home sometimes, I can’t deny that I’m learning so much here and developing so many skills. I need to prolong the stay here to continue absorbing as much as possible. Home will always be there; I can return to the US whenever I need to. Probably by summer time most likely. But we shall see… you never know what can happen!