Life's a short trip...: Inspired MGMT and avoiding HW

Inspired MGMT and avoiding HW

Posted in Labels: family friends MGMT Dazed and Confused Istanbul

Well, I'm doing my Turkish homework, desperately trying to drill all these verb endings into my head while listening to my feel good playlist. Then, MGMT comes on "Time to Pretend" Clearly one of my new favorite songs. It's about taking advantage of your youth, the prime of your life. Some of lines mention partying and what not, but I choose to believe it's about little more then just partying. It's about living in your present time. This a concept that I feel we never talk about or fully attempt to do. My favorite movie of all time, the classic teen angst film, Dazed and Confused (clearly Ben Affleck and Matthew McConaughey), also touches upon this idea that we are taught our present is just something preparing us for the future. Well I say we can't do that. We gotta live now. I'm in Istanbul now, will I ever be here again? Certainly not in this context. So I have compiled a list of all the things I would like to do while here. Dare I say a plan of sorts? Maybe, but more like a checklist.

1) Tour the Aya Sophia and Topkapi Palace

2) Take the Ferry Tour of the Bosphorus

3) See Troy

4) Attempt to get a tan in southern turkey (Bodrum, anyone?)

5) See the caves and underground cities of Cappadocia

6) Travel to some part of Greece (Athens or Islands)

7) See Sofia, Bulagaria

8)Attempt to Go to Damascus, Syria

9) Ride a camel

10) See Camels wrestle, it's a sport here

11) Weekend in Ephesus

12) Dinner with the crew at Galata Tower

Well that's the list for now. I'm sure things will be added and deleted. Some accomplished, some not cos that's life you just gotta try and see what comes of it.

I have some more thoughts, the song continues by saying "I'll miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world. I'll miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog and my home. Yeah I'll miss the boredom and the freedom" It recognizes that in taking advantage of the present, you have to get out of your comfort zone. Of course I miss my family and friends. Just three months ago, my sister got married and we welcomed Wilder into our family. It's awesome to say I have brother now. That's their present, their marriage. In addition, to that I have some of the best friends in the world. I know alot people say that, but I really do. I have never felt judged or belittle, its just not like that, its comfortable and free. Of course I miss that, but at the same time I'm making more friends here and learning to just as comfortable with myself as I am with my friends.

What I really miss is the comfort I have at Saint Mikes. In talking to some of my other friends that are abroad or away, it seems its something we all miss. The song says "I miss the boredom and the freedom," it's so true. Every weekend at Saint Mike's can be somewhat predict by you and the season. Every night is different and holds its own stories and laughs. There's never a moment in which you feel that maybe tonight there won't a good laugh or story, but I can also pretty much predict that we'll get ready with music, pregame with the boys, go to or have party, head back to someone's apt for late night snacks and stay up way too late. The culture of Saint Mike's means that there's always going to be someone around. I miss coming back to my apt and watching TLC with my roomies during dinner or heading over the boys after the lib just to chill and watch the Celtics. It's not that my homesick, I just miss these little moments and routines, but that's point of this experience to create other little moments that connect you in a unique way to a different group of people. For example, I had been at Saint Mike's on Sunday I would have watched the USA/ Canada hockey game at the boys apt. But would I have been answering questions about communist or chant ADB, no way. I'm going to remember that game because I watched it in Turkey and I laughed almost the entire time.

Lastly, I have a correction to make. In my post called Merhaba, I mentioned that Istanbul did not recycle. I was completely wrong. A friend pointed out that Istanbul is actually one of the leaders in recycling, they just do it for everyone. When trash is collected it is sorted by the city in recyclables and not recyclables. Now I may breathe a sigh of relief, when I thrown my water bottle away. YAY for being GREEN! My apologies for not looking into the matter before talking about it.

Time to get back to hw. More pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/47744895@N05/

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