Yesterday I woke up at my customary time of noon, ate a light, yummy breakfast of çay and bread and jam (as usual) and then anne asked me if I would like to go to the beach or stay in. Of course, I said I'd like to go to the beach. So I got my suit on and anne and I went. Aslý was still tired from camp, so she said, and because of that she stayed inside watching TV all day. I met an adorable little girl of about 5 or 6 at the beach -- the daughter of one of anne's friends. her anme was Tefne, and she spoke French (and Turkish, of course) but little English. I speak little Turkish and even less French. Nonetheless, we got on famously -- she was absolutely adorable. I hope that next time I see her, I have one of my presents with me to give her.
Anyway, after we got back from the beach and the market, where I learned the words for milk (süt) and sausage (sosis) we went to the internet café again, where I found another email from mom and from Stuart. After looking aournd a very slow internet for a while, we went back home, and about five minutes later we went next door to anne's (adorable) sister's house for supper. Teyze, as the Turkish word for aunt has me call her, quit smoking that day and so was waving an unlit cigarette around, to the amusement of the (slightly pompous in an endearing way) raký-drinking men. "Do you know what this is, Elisavet?" one asked me in a thick accent.
"Raký," I replied dutifully.
"Lion's milk," one of the other men put in. "We are the lions."
I wore my boys lie shirt to the dinner also, which drew much comment. Anne loved it, and told me to show it to teyze, who nodded at the message and said "Always!" The men told me not to wear it, the women commented on how much they loved it. It showed the interesting relationship between Turkish men and their wives. I guess the man's comment was correct when he said, "We are the lions." Because if Turkish men are the lions, Turkish women are the lionesses. Beautiful, capable, graceful, protective of their husbands and their domains, and always in control. In any case, I adored teyze, who reminded me strangely of Bonnie. I love my new family, and they definitely remind me of my family at home.