To quote Mean Girls is always a good way to start a blog post.

 “Have you ever walked into a room and realized everybody is talking about you?” Well, how about THIS Lindsey Lohan – Have you ever sat in an interview that you are meant to be having but someone is doing it for you because you don’t speak the language? No I think not. And this is how I spent my morning; dressed in my suit (I now have a suit which means I am no longer a child which is pretty scary – I still cannot easily distinguish my left hand from my right hand) looking as proper as I could and trying to persuade my interviewer that I was a worthy candidate with meaningful eye contact, guessing when to smile and to nod appropriately.  I think my work may have paid off, as if I can collect the relevant paperwork I can start my INTERNSHIP AT THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT. Yipppeeeeeee!!!!! (more news to come as this story advances, as your guess is as good as mine as to what this involves, when , how, ne?)

I have been back in Ankara for 11 days now, which has flown by. Leaving England was standardized (stannardized –wahey) by mine and my fathers visit to Mcdonalds before arriving at the airport. This has become some kind of tradition now – and my father suggested that on my wedding day we should make this pilgrimage as a homage to all the times he has driven me too far off destinations.

As always my flight was pretty good – many thanks to Turkish Airways with their free and unlimited alcohol, and I was greeted by my ever amazing Turkish host family – whom even at 3am opened their house up to me and made me feel welcome and warm. I can not express my thanks and love for them for making my time in turkey so much richer, in being able to embrace Turkish family life.

Something I didn’t know about Turkey fact No.1
- When a man proposes to marry a woman, he does not simply have to acquire her father’s permission as we do in England. It is far from a private affair. As I experienced yesterday a Turkish proposal goes like this; (Just to clarify – it isn’t me that was proposed too – but my host familys cousins.) All the family gather as if it were to be a party… the father of the man who wishes to marry said woman then asks the woman’s father for his permission. Usually, there is some pretend suspense and then he permits it and everyone is happy and it’s great hurrah hurrah. However, it seems this proposal went a little rougher than planned – and the girls father took over 2 hours to grant his eventual permission – what a dawwwwwg!

Settling back into Ankara life has been strange. It’s been odd trying to look at it with fresh eyes as I try and play host to the new Erasmus. Missing orientation week has meant I am a little out of the loop – but I am hoping this will change! And with that I will leave you in suspense, as I can’t be bothered to type anymore and my back hurts. 

İngiltere'de Noel ve Ocak

After convincing my Professors that I was a strict Christian, and that Christmas was spiritually very important to me, I was able to sit my exams early and go back to England on the 22^nd of December. I was then able to spend 6 weeks back in my homeland, which was much appreciated.

The spirituality of such a visit was distinctly lacking, but the alcohol, cheese, QUORN and much needed reunions were plenty.  This post will be brief as most people reading this I would have spent my time with back at home. Thank you everyone for making it so lovely.

Things that you don’t realize about your home country until you leave it;

POSITIVES

·         How great it is to instantaneously judge people whilst overhearing their conversations on public transport.

·         How wrong you are when you expect everything to have changed whilst you are away.

·         That road regulations are there for a reason, and they should be respected.

·         That Gangham Style doesn’t have to be played on repeat – and it is a good thing that the majority of the world knows this.

·         Cadbury chocolate is the best chocolate.

·         English people drink atleast quadruple that of the entire world. Fact.

·         That your nationality is something that is actually tied to you, and something you can not rid no matter how far away you are.

·         Your family are there – and that’s is where your roots lie.

Negatives

·         Most people on said public transportation are as boring as fuck.

·         English people are unwilling to talk to people they do not know  - and can sometimes be insanely rude.

·         English people drink atleast quadruple that of the entire world. Fact.

·         The Nottingham accent is not sexy.

·         Having to say goodbye is hard, especially in bad circumstances.

RIP Sally Perrons

I would also like to dedicate this to my friend, Sally Perrons who sadly passed away whilst I was visiting. A true inspiration, a beautiful human being taken far too early. May you rest in paradise with all the vodka and cokes you deserve.

I will never forget the last thing Sally said to me as we were discussing my ventures in Turkey. “Life is too short to worry – you should just go for it with full gusto and don’t look back.” I promise I will make this semester count, if only for you Sal.