Sofia, Bulgaria

This last weekend we decided to go to Sofia, Bulgaria since we are both on duty at school next weekend (holiday weekend), so we won't be able to take advantage of the three day weekend. Our trip started very early on Saturday morning. On Friday night we had a student call to arrange a taxi to pick us up at the school to take us to the airport at 3:40 am for our 6:00 am flight from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Sofia. We received a call at 2:55 am from the taxi and all I could communicate was that they were supposed to come at 3:40. We received another call five minutes later from the security guard telling us our taxi was here. I told them we needed the taxi at 3:40 so the security guard had them wait. There were only eight people on our flight so the check-in counter didn't even open until 4:45. We took off on time at 6:00 am from Istanbul and landed in Sofia at 7:10. We went straight to the hostel to drop our bags off and after sitting down with one of the staff at the hostel and having her walk us through the map of the city we decided to do the day-trip to the Rila Monastery. We left for the trip at 9:45 with two girls from Australia and an older Japanese couple. It was about a two hour drive to get to the monastery in the Rila mountains, but the drive was very scenic...at least for when we didn't fall asleep. We probably picked one of the best days of the year to visit since the sky was clear blue and the trees in the mountains were in bright fall colors. We first hiked up to a cave where Saint John of Rila spent many years of his life. After the cave hike we went back down to the monastery and spent a couple hours walking around and having lunch. We ate at a traditional Bulgarian restaurant where we had Shopp's salad (a Bulgarian specialty) and potatoes with cheese (fries with shredded goat cheese on top). Katie had chicken wrapped in bacon for her main course and I had the pork mixer which was five different kinds of pork. The pork mixer filled the entire plate and I could barely finish. The meal was awesome. After our time was up we rode back to the hostel, again falling asleep in the car. When we got back we did a little walking around the city before heading back to the hostel for dinner. The hostel offered both free breakfast and a free spaghetti dinner with beer. We even got our room for half off since we booked a private room, but they overbooked so we chose to stay in a six bed dorm, so it was a pretty good deal with the meals included too. We talked for a while after dinner with two Australian girls and a girl from Vienna, Austria before we headed to bed. The Australian girls were headed to Istanbul the next day and were planning on taking the train (about 12 hours overnight), but we told them the flights were only a little bit more so they ended up booking a flight instead. The next morning after breakfast we followed the map and walked around the entire city with another girl, Sita, from Vienna who we met at breakfast. We saw all of the main attractions, the most famous being the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. For lunch we went to a pizza place that was really good and after lunch Sita and Katie had coffee in one of the big parks since it was such a nice day. The city center wasn't that big so we had a few hours to spare before dinner, so we decided to walk around the mall before heading back for spaghetti again. After dinner we went to the airport with the two Australian girls for the 10:15 pm flight home. We sat on the runway was 45 mintues because of heavy traffic but landed at 11:50 in Istanbul and rode a taxi home. We were exhausted, but it was a lot of fun.

As a side note, Sita said if we ever come to Vienna to let her know and she will show us around. She said one of the best times to visit is around Christmas when all of the Christmas markets are open, so maybe we'll go a couple weeks before Christmas since we'll be spending Christmas with Brian and Steph in Turkey.

Istanbul Marathon

Last Sunday, I ran the 9k at the Istanbul Marathon with the gym teacher and some kids from the school. This is the longest distance I have ever run at one time and I was amazed when I crossed the finish line and was shown my time of 39 minutes! That's just under 7 minutes per mile. I guess all of the sports I'm playing at the school are keeping me in a lot better shape than I thought...The race started about a kilometer before the Bosphorus Bridge on the Asia side of Istanbul. This is the only time that you are allowed to cross the bridge on foot so it's a pretty big deal and there were tons of people doing the 9k for that reason. It's pretty cool that we got a certificate when we completed the race that said we ran from Asia to Europe. The last half of the race winds it's way through the Beşiktaş area before finally finishing in between the Beşiktaş futbol stadium and Dolmabahçe Palace. It was a very nice run. Next year I would like to run in the 15k...unless I can get myself motivated to train for the whole marathon.

Where I'm From

As an introductory lesson with my 10th grade students we read George Ella Lyon's poem Where I'm From. After reading and analyzing the poem, students were assigned the homework of creating their own Where I'm From poem. The poems they turned in were truly amazing, especially for a non-native speaker.
As a side project, I went through each student's poem for a line or two that I thought stood out. Then I pieced them back together to create one class poem. This is what we came up with.

Where I’m From

I am from the smile of friends as they smile having seen me.

I am from the infinite “what if?”

and the countless nights without sleep.

I am on my own yet never alone.

I am from the symbols of good and the smiles of conformity.

I am from all my hopes and disappointments.

I am from the balls of my father and the womb of my mother,

from anything you likes.

All the paradoxes and decisive acts,

which are actually uncertain thoughts.

I am from the sound of wind

and the leaf that the wind brings

I am from a Lego figure between plastic bricks.

I am both missing and thinking.

The clock sounds tik tok tik tok all the time, never stops.

However the day will come that everything is lost.

I am from deep beneath the ground.

I am from a happy good-bye.

By Mrs W 10^th Grade class

I have mentioned before that my students are fantastic and I wanted to share a little bit of them with you.

You can find the original and more information at http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html.

That's Turkey...

We have almost been in Turkey for two months and I have yet to give you the good stuff about our adventures at the school, Gebze and Istanbul. I am short on time, so I'll give it to you in list format, in no particular order.

• Turkey seems to have its own sense of time. First, this year's school calendar isn't completed yet. Things could change at any time, and I am sometimes informed about meetings after they occur. Just a couple days ago repair men came in to fix something in the bathroom. They said they would be back later. There is still a huge hole in the wall.
• The students here brush their teeth probably nine times a day. I have heard that it is a peer pressure thing - you don't want to be the kid with bad breath. Therefore, when walking down the halls I am met with at least a dozen kids brushing their teeth and talking to their friends at the same time.
• Afiyet Olsun. This is one of the first Turkish phrases anyone who visits Turkey will learn. It is used anytime anyone is eating or drinking anything, and is a wish for good health.
• Speaking of drinking - tea is everywhere. You are offered tea just about anywhere you go and you'd be crazy to turn it down. Not only is it a sign of hospitality, it is delicious.
  
• The concept of a line is still catching on here. When we go into the bank or Turkcell it is completely normal to have someone interrupt you at the counter.
• As Peter (another English teacher) pointed out today, people in Turkey drive like they would walk. If you need to move over you just do it. If passing requires you take up two lanes... no big deal, and if you passed your turn just go ahead and back up on the highway.
• Shops in Gebze. First of all there are two grocery stores (not including the new and awesome GEBZE CENTER) in Gebze that are not religiously opposed to serving alcohol, and many, if not most, women in Gebze are covered. Due to these facts, Eric and I find it extremely comical, and somewhat confusing, that there are handfuls of sleazy lingerie stores around downtown Gebze. AND that these same covered women are shopping in them.

That is all the time I have for now. I have to get some grading done for my fantastic students. I really am loving them!

Beer

With your host Eric Squirrel Wyrowski