Pro at Pro Evo!

The last couple of weeks, since i arrived back in Turkey, have been spent not doing much apart from lazing around and doing essays. I have however found a new hobby! That is playing pro evo 2010 in one of the many playstation shops around eskisehir, okay it may not be the most adventurous thing ever but it's pretty cool. Having handed in most of my work for the first half of the semester, with the rest due in January, im beginning to think about my plans for xmas and the new year. I have a few ideas floating around my head, with options such as Cyprus, Istanbul or Olympus, something is telling me to go back to Istanbul for the umpteenth time, i duno what it is about the city, im just drawn to it as many people are, it's fascinating! But the idea of Cyprus is appealing, if all the logistics can be sorted out, it would be pretty cool spending new years there. i have also pretty much decided to go back home for the semester break, i would have liked to have done the trip around eastern Asia but the financial means dont appear to be there and besides it would be nice to spend some substantial time at home, jus basically doss around, my favourite activity. What else? Hmm, it's bloody cold! Thought a year in Turkey, would mean sun, instead it feels like frickin' Siberia at times! Makes English rain feel exotic!

Back In Eski Town

I haven't posted for a while, but in the mean time i have been to the UK and back. Right now, im feeling pretty rough, with the flu and a cough, so i haven't really left the apartment since i came back, just a couple of times, once to go play PES 2010 at a local PS3 shop. I had left for England on the 19th November at 1am, but the train to Istanbul was delayed until 2am, i slept pretty much thru the train journey but it arrived two hours late in Istanbul as it was supposed to be there at 7, but arrived at 9am. I then jumped on the E10 bus to Sabiha Gokhen Airport which took around an hour and then i sat around a couple of hours until boarding which was just after midday. I arrived in England at 16.30, but my mum had broken down, so i had to call one of my closest mates to see what he could do and someone came and got me around an hour and half later, i owe them big time! So i finally got back at around 20.30, but then was definitel a great sense of relief. I spent the two weeks pretty much sitting at home and seeing close mates, before i went back i thought i would be going here, there and everywhere, but i just didnt feel like doing much. My lil sister had been bought a lil Ford KA, so i insured it and drove it around, certainly felt nice to be back :) So two weeks past, Eid past, a simple one, spent at home and partly working in my dads restaurant and i came back on a 8am flight on wednesday morning, after another whole day of travelling i finally arrived back in my room in Eskisehir at around 22.30. I sat there thinking, it feels like just yesterday i was sitting here packing to go home, how those two weeks flew by i dont know. Time is flying uncontrollably, i'm just trying to hold on to its wings :)

Time for a UK break!

I must admit i have slacked with the blog and haven't updated it in a while, but the last couple of weeks have been as eventful as ever, and i'm noe preparing to go back to the UK in a couple of days, the excitement is starting to take over! I spent last weekend in Istanbul, and even got the opportunity to see the great DJ, Grandmaster Flash perform live, in a tiny venue so it felt very personal! That was amazing and i also walked all around Istanbul as per usual, but this time visting the little bazaars and picking up bits and bobs. The previous week i had accompanied Leyland to his usual volunteering gig at a local school which aims to help small children gain extra education to their government provided education, which was quite eye opening. I have also had a couple of exams and an essay to hand, I can't believe i actually had to learn something, the audacity of it! Nevertheless the last couple of weeks have been good and I think i'm ready to land on British soil and taste some of mama's food :)

Olympos Fire

Antalya/ Olympos

I spent last week in Antalya, where i went white water rafting, which was an incredible experience. The instructor was a bit of a comedian constantly pushing people in the water, but i escaped as i had my treasured Hugo Boss watch on me and i attempted to explain sentimental value, he understood enough to not push me in. The following day was spent swimming in the Mediterranean sea, which wasn't too cold but was far too salty, i was pretty dehydrated after as i think i drank atleast a couple of litres of salt water! The following day was spent in Olympos, where the eternal flame was burning, it was interesting to see the concept of natural elements making a fire burn forever, it made me contemplate though, because nothing lasts forever, something may last a very long time but in the world everything is eventually perishable, it was amazing to see that fire burn bright and fight in strong winds and rain. We had a 7 hour bus journey back and it gave plenty of time to Leyland and myself to philosophise. I came to the conclusion i'm a very lucky boy lol That if you could have chosen the hand life would have dealt you, there aren't too many better options, so i'm thankful, i'm more than thankful to Allah. However, sometimes you can have everything and at the same time have lost everything, it's what measures as importance to you, for example a KG of Gold is worthless if you have no water to quench your thirst in the middle of the desert. In my two months here i have already had poignant moments and have seen many magical sights, but sometimes you just need to appreciate everything back home first, all though it's probably too late, i think i finally do.

New Job!

I have spent my first day in Antalya, and i have to say that it is pretty impressive! It feels slightly like a ghost town due to there being no tourists but thats not really a bad thing :p No doubt that it is a beautiful place though. Today, we will be going white water rafting, and i can not contain my excitement :) I have some interesting news, in that i will now be teaching english at a private education school. It's primarily a part-time post, which i can do around my own studies, so it sounds like a great opportunity. Once, i took the job i was thinking in my head, how if anyone asked me what i did in my year abroad, i could say i studied international law, travelled around, and taught english, not a bad life is it?

Mash'Allah

water anyone?

No prizes for guessing what this shope sells.

My culinary skills.

Turkish construction.

Time is flying already!

After having spent the early part of the week in Istanbul, due to my family visiting, i was able to visit some of the more tourist orientated elements of the city. I took a trip to the Archaeology museum which had things from as early as 8/9th cetury BC and also revealed a lot about the history of the Ottoman Empire, such as how they took over from the Byzantines and which Sultan was in charge when, all fascinating stuff. However, the best was yet to come, we went to the Topkapi Palace museum, which gave fascinating insights into Islamic history, they had on show hairs from the beard of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the rod which Musa (AS) used to split the ocean, the arm of Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) and swords from the the first four Khalifas' and the Sahaba and much more, really amazing! I had had a great time and after another sad farewell with my mum, came back to Eskisehir on Wednesday. I have to say those four hours on the train from Istanbul to Eskisehir, seem to fly by everytime, the scenery on the way is breathtaking, its just so beautiful and poetic, i seem to lose myself in it everytime! Although, i was rather glad to get away from the chaotic nature in Istanbul and be back in more peaceful territory. I have atlast realised how fast time is going, so im just trying to poise myself and appreciate everything and take it all in as much as i can. This year has started to fly already, guess thats the problem when you adapt to life. Im also planning to go Antalya next week, im going to try and travel as much as i can, but it looks like time is running away already, but i guess thats a given for all of us.

Small city or Big City?

I am currently in Istanbul, with the family visiting. I am doing my best to impress them with my basic Turkish, seems to be working so far lol! It has been another action pack week, which has ended with my arrival in Istanbul, a city which i fell in love with the moment i stepped foot into it. However, this time i seem to be fed up with the constant crowds, haggling and traffic! This has made me realise that everybody settles into a lifestyle and once we are brought out of it, we get frustrated. Eskisehir is my Turkish Loughborough, my hometown, my comfort zone. Istanbul is my Turkish London, nice for a couple of days, nice history, but a bit of a headache. Im not doing another Victor Meldrew, i do still love it but it's fact that im a Hometown boy and i prefer Eskisehir for that cosy factor. Most of the week has been spent socialising, i did do a little reading, it's a start! I also cooked last night, a mean chicken curry, which fed 6 people, i surprised myself with the culinary talents, but im no Jamie Oliver. The Turkish Adventures are going pretty well at the moment, theres still that little bit of homesickness in me, but time is flying, i'll be home for Eid pretty soon! I think i'm beginning to like this place :) Don't worry Loughborough will always have my heart though!

Living it up in Es Town!

The last two days have been actioned packed, on Friday I experienced traditional Turkish folk music in the Serdivan Cafe, the entertainment was interesting, that was until it got a lot more interesting, when the customers started to get up and dance and before you knew it, more than half the people were doing the traditional dancing, I got dragged up but me dancing to turkish folk music is not a pretty sight! I was fascinated by what I would call real Turkish culture, it's easy to see it masked by the new European culture. On Saturday, The Erasmus students were given the opportunity to Midas City, an old town actually, which had beautiful landscapes and mountainous terrain, I think the pictures speak for themselves. We also visited Sultan Beyazite's Tomb. So, it was tiring and yet refreshing to experience some real culture. All, I can say though is that for the folk music nor the mountain climbing, will I be quitting the day job!

Brown, Sarkozy, Al-Essad, Obama?

Yesterday i was invited round for dinner at a friends house and quite a few of the Erasmus students came. After dinner, we embarked on a conversation about politics. Everyone was bemoaning the lackings of their own state/nation, whilst we also intriguingly listened to takes of human rights abuse and poor social security systems, there was conversations on communism, capitalism and everything in between lol! What i found though, was that no matter how much someone bemoaned their country's politics, it didn't matter, because regardless of that, everybody held their own nation as the best place to be, for one reason or another, so i guess home really is where the heart is, but if the heart was ever allowed to wonder, i couldn't have wished for a more intriguing place, i guess in reality, for the next year, Eskisehir is home!

Lock, stock, the f***ing lot!

Today at long last I finally received my timetable and after having visited most of my Lecturers, it looks like it's going to be a few months of long, hard, independant learning lol! Understandably, it's not easy for them to lecture in English but they have set quite a few semester papers and are there to help when required, though it all appears quite flexible, i am warned that there is quite a lot of work, so it looks like a lot of reading is going to take place! If anyones interested the subjects i've taken for this semester are Humanitarian Law, Welfare State and Social Rights, International Law, European Legal Systems, Rights in Roman Law and of course Turkish for beginners :P On a much brighter note, i've found a DVD shop round the corner, which sells British/American DVDs, get in!! :) This is great news considering i have watched the only 3 DVDs i bought with me about 10 times each, they were Snatch, Layer Cake and Lock, Stock & Two smoking barrels! Thank you Guy Ritchie!