Sitting in history, my only class in Turkish, not really understanding anything except that they're talking about the Byzantine Empire. I can't wait until I can understand this!
You know, this whole Turkihs thing is a LOT harder than I though it would be. Really. I actually am not quite sure how I thought it would be, but not like this. This is weird, sitting in a class and literally not being able to understand anything. In one way I really hate it, but then again... it's kinda fun.
I guess I've started to miss my friends more. Especially Emily. So many things I look around and think, wow, I wish Em could see this. Or, I'll turn to say something to Em and she'll be not right next to me and I guess it's then that I feel the homesickness.
Oh! I successfully (I forgot to write about this last night, too busy complaining) took the bus from ACI to Konak, and from Konak to the ferry station, and took the ferry to Karsiyaka and shopped at the bazaar there and came back by bus (121 runs from Karsiyaka to right next to my house in Alsancak, just so you know) with no problems at all. And I did it almost by myself, with only a little help from Stuart and Semra, who (respectively) told me what us to take and then rode with me 1/5 of the way to his own house.
You know what this means, don't you?
Freedom. I now know that I can take a city bus and go where I want to go and come back and not have problems. Besides proving that by taking the city bus to and from school every day (my bus is 86, which runs -- or which I take -- from the school gates to right behind the Alsancak Camii, which is a short walk from my house), I have now proved it outside of school.
This is so great. The bus system here is wonderful. I love not having to ask someone to take me somewhere, just being able to go. And I think that's one of the main differences between Carmel and Izmir. In Izmir, there are places to go.
I've said it before, I think, but I'll probably say it again: I can't wait to start Turkish lessons. I can do some of the mannerisms and understand all of them (most specifically the "no" head-lift tongue-click that used to be hard for me to get) but that's different than being able to actually speak.
I've got a free period coming up next, so you'll probably get more from me then, if I've gotten sick of reading Robin McKinley and/or Danielle Steele novels in the school Library (which, by the way, is a godsend -- now all I need is a library card!) So, more later today, perhaps.