Cheesy in Cappadocia

Seven years ago Hilary and I went on our first date.  She was a freshman.  I was a sophomore.  We were in the pits of finals week and our grades suffered accordingly.  I had a mullet and an insanely tasteful wardrobe and Hilary was the portrait of youthful exuberance and loveliness.  High School Musical had recently disgraced the earth, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin and Saddam Hussein were still alive, Orhan Pamuk was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, and Pluto was still recognized as a planet.  The Twins were relevant and hopeful - and playing in the Dome.

Last week we celebrated the ride with yet another journey of our own.  She retains her aura, mixing in increased maturity with her rare beauty and life-giving approach to the world.  And I...sigh...the hair, the charisma, gone.  I simply am.  BUT- She graciously keeps me around, letting me soak in her presence and enjoy the enriched life of a man with an amazing woman by his side.  Don't ask me why.  As my old friends used to say, I'm outkicking my coverage.

So we set off for Cappadocia to celebrate.

First time behind the wheel in Turkey - scary.

First stop: The underground city in Derinkuyu.  I had to shut off my imagination to enjoy the winding, shrinking, crowded depths.  Very cool, though. 

                       

                                                  
                       
                         

Then we headed back above ground for some fresh air.  

Church or mosque? 

We left Derinkuyu and headed to Uçhisar to its castle in the clouds.

        

From Uçhisar we continued on to Göreme - the heart of Cappadocia from what I could tell.  We trekked through the Göreme Open Air Museum, but couldn't take pictures (to preserve the frescos in the old churches).

For dinner, Hilary tried a local specialty - stew cooked in a sealed clay pot.  The waiter chops the pot open at the table.  We were treated to a nice little serenade as we enjoyed our delicious meal.

 

After dinner we went to a rooftop cafe to watch the sun setting behind the mountains.  We took in the cool night air and the phenomenal view and felt super duper lucky to be here and now and to be with eachother for such a long time.  We couldn't have imagined a better way to celebrate.  But then...

...this happened.

                                                       

The consummate cheapskate, I, thought it would be cool to camp in Cappadocia instead of experiencing one of its renowned cave hotels.  Being the inexplicably awesome wife that she is, Hilary agreed.  We were woken at 5:30 by the sounds of blowtorches outside our tent.  Unzipping the tent unveiled a sky full of hot air balloons.  They were so close to us we could hear the people talking in them.  What an exhilerating wakeup call.

We packed up camp, ate breakfast, and headed to the region's famed valleys bright and early. 

Can you see me?

Cappadocia was one of the places we were frequently told we needed to see while we were in Turkey.  We were not let down.  The incredible landscapes and unique experiences will stay impressed in our memories for a long, long time.  It felt like a fitting culmination to our year.  One day we might wake up from this dream, but until then we are soaking it all up.  We are so grateful for this time we've had.  And even more grateful for the life we've been given to live side by side.

We love and miss you all,
Mike and Hilary

Visa-vis with International Hoop-Jumping

Behold...

The highlight of our lone trip to Ankara

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 - - Roughly 8 am

At this point in our trip we were on our way to the radiation clinic, walking through this park, trying to catch some sunlight for warmth - Ankara was about 20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than Adana.  With just enough warmth, food and sense of direction, and not quite enough sleep, we felt mostly positive about our day's mission: getting chest x-rays to verify we do not have tuberculosis.   

Our day started the night before around 10:15.  We walked from our place to the bus office to shuttle to the Otogar for the 11:30 bus to Ankara.  The 7-hour bus ride stopped halfway to disrupt anyone who was lucky enough to fall asleep.  The second half of the journey went a little quicker as Hilary and I both finally got a few hours of sleep.

After waiting at the bus station in Ankara for the metro to open for the day (it was only 6:30 am) we entered the city center.  We were travelling with Can and some of his family, so he showed us a nice little place for some breakfast.  We were all pretty tired, sore from the bus seats, and anxious about the business we each had to attend to afterward.  

Slightly revived from breakfast pastries and coffee, our two parties went our separate ways.  We set off toward the north end of the city where the clinic was located, passing the site of the above photograph.  We walked up and down the streets surrounding---

I've tried to finish this stupid post too many times.  I'm bored.  It's boring.  It's a boring story.  It was a long, annoying day full of travel (14 hours) and waiting at the doctor's office (2 hours) and then waiting for the results (another 2 hours) to prove we don't have TB in order to get our visas for NZ.  Normally we wouldn't need to do this and the visas would be free and easy, but because we've been living in a country that is not on the list of countries that are a low risk for tuberculosis, we had to spend the time, money, and stress on a situation that is still in limbo (we are still waiting for the x-rays to arrive in New Zealand and I'm mildly worried because I've passed my deadline for the whole process).  And I feel guilty about being so bent out of shape by such a small problem in such a fortunate life filled with undeserved blessings.  There.

Getting Excited

Bitten by the Adventure Bug

We had no school this Wednesday (Turkey's Labor Day) so we decided to make the most of it.  We booked a cheap hotel in Narlıkuyu - a tiny, picturesque village that surrounds a little bay on the Mediterranean.  We hadn't even heard of the place before Monday, but it sounded cool, so we sprung at the chance.

We took the shuttle straight from school to Mersin and caught the next bus out of town.  The ride was beautiful, winding through the relatively fertile coastal hills.  We arrived, checked in, and were seated at a seaside fish restaurant (which Narlıkuyu is famous for) just before sunset.

 The View from our Hotel Balcony

At the Restaurant

Fully relaxed, content, and satiated we excitedly planned to head to the hotel's private beach and then to "Heaven" and "Hell" - the nearby caves - the next morning.   After some coffee and çay we decided to go for a leisurely walk in the surrounding foothills of the Taurus Mountains.  In short: a delightful midweek taste of paradise in Southern Turkey.  We felt so grateful for such an amazing opportunity, one we'll certainly never forget.

What made our evening particularly memorable, however, had not yet occurred.  Although we stuck to paved, mostly lit roads, exploring a new area before seeing it in the daylight was a little nerve-wracking.  Still, we were flying pretty high, talking about how enjoyable living with a sense of adventure has been over the past few years together.  Accordingly, Hilary gasped and started exclaiming,  "Ouch" with increasing volume and intensity.

We didn't see anything in the moment, but Hilary was either bit or stung on the toe by some critter we'd disturbed on the road.  Shortly the pain started working up her leg.  I carried her the rest of the way back to the hotel which felt a lot further than the half-mile it probably was. 

Back at the hotel, soaked in sweat (me) and writhing in pain (her), we eventually decided to take the hotelier's offer to drive us to the nearest hospital.  In the mean time, Hilary's mouth and hands started feeling numb. 

Fortunately we had finally gotten around to getting health insurance two weeks prior.  The hotel owner's English was good enough to get Hilary the care she needed.  Two IVs and a blood test later, we found out that the bite or sting was not poisonous.  Just an allergic reaction.  The likely suspect was a scorpion, but we're not positive.

We left the hospital with a prescription for some cream and pills.  All told, the hospital visit plus the medicine from the Eczane - or pharmacy - set us back a whopping 2 TL and 45 kr - that's about $1.50 USD.  American Healthcare, we do not miss you.   

A rare moment when Hilary's face 

wasn't torqued in a heart-breaking grimace

Safe and sound at the hotel again, we tried to salvage what sleep we could.  I had more success than Hil, who couldn't find relief from the pain and swelling.  I did wake up far too early, though, and went off in search of Advil.  I was already hungry, but the hotel's breakfast bar didn't open for another two hours.

So I hitchhiked to Kizkalesi, a neighboring beach town known for a castle on an island.  I found the Eczane, but it was closed.  The people I asked didn't know when it opened or where another one was.  After waiting around for awhile I finally talked to someone who said it opened at 8:30 - still an hour and a half away.

After waiting for a bus back to Narlıkuyu for a while I decided to simply wait it out in town.  I started exploring the town and ended up on the beach for most of the hour.  I had almost the whole thing to myself, as the intelligent beings were still sleeping or eating breakfast.  Shortly, I triumphantly returned to the hotel, Advil in hand, a short time later and we trudged downstairs for some free breakfast.  

Tough as nails and determined not to let a little scorpion ruin her relaxing vacation, Hilary was still set on going to the beach.  

The rest of the trip progressed without incident.  I burnt all the living skin off my shoulders and back like the blithering idiot I'm prone to be and we hobbled home to Adana in time for supper.  Given another chance, we would love to go again.

Safe and sound,

Mike and Hilary

State of the Season Address

Hello again friends, family, and foes,

While things over here had been relatively quiet - yet pleasant - for a while, I do believe they are starting to gain speed once more.  Spring weather has been here for quite some time, but we're now feeling the momentum and expectation that come along with it.  

During a rogue midweek holiday, Hilary and I headed to neighboring Tarsus.  We had been meaning to go there all year, but it kept being pushed back.  We had ridden past it on the way to Mersin several times, but had yet to stop.  Finally, on Children's Day we boarded the train toward the site of many Christian pilgrimages.

Arriving in Tarsus with minimal preparation or research we thought we had an idea where St. Paul's Well was - the main tourist attraction.  Following my bravado and keen sense of place, we set out in what ended up being the exact opposite direction.  BUT- we found some delicious lunch at a local haunt.  Thus refreshed, we unsuccessfully asked for directions several times, but thought we were on the right path.  

At one point we heard someone yell,  "Mike!  Mike!"  It turned out to be two of our friend's students.  They seemed to speak less English than we speak Turkish, so rather than giving us directions they offered us a ride.  They drove like Turkish teenagers, but we made it safely to the well.  

I think they arranged these rocks after St. Paul moved away or died.

Well...

After that we walked through the old historic city center.  The old streets and homes reminded us of Antakya, which we loved.  Then we hit the main drag for a cold treat.  

Happiness > Manliness

Our school year is passing by quickly and we have long been considering what we'll be doing once it finishes.  From the outset of our plans to move abroad in 2012 we both felt ready to spend the following few years away from home (Minnesota) and were relatively open as to where they might be spent.  We've gone back and forth (in our minds) between South Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand, and Turkey among other places.  From one day to the next our preferences continued changing, with no clear leader emerging for most of the year.

Our boss approached us a few weeks ago, giving us until the end of April to decide if we were staying here another year.  After much praying, hemming and hawing, we decided not to come back to Turkey next year.  It was difficult, because we have really enjoyed our time here.  The relationships, experiences, foods and general growth this year have been huge blessings.  

However, we feel we have a relatively small window of time we wish to live abroad and there are more people to meet, places to see, things to do and ways to grow.  We love being in Turkey this year and we are extremely grateful for this experience, but we have faith that we are making the right decision.

So we narrowed it down to either South Korea or New Zealand.  Both have lots of pros and cons for us, but we can share more on that later.  This post has already grossly exceeded an appropriate length.  Let me just say this: After receiving lucrative job offers to teach ESL in South Korea Hilary and I (after loads and loads of prayer) decided to move to New Zealand in August 2013!!!

New Zealandish-looking tree in Adana

To make a long story longer, I have been getting really geeked about camping/hiking/backpacking lately.  So I forced Hilary to make the 3-mile trek along the river to the closest bit of nature for a local day-hike.  She lovingly obliged and we had a piece of the world to ourselves for a few hours.

Picnic in the Park

...and then the cows came.

We love and miss you all.  We're headed back to Minnesota mid-June for about a month-and-a-half.  We are trying to enjoy the present and experience today, but we are definitely looking forward to seeing the family and friends that await us home.  

Love,
Mike and Hilary

Marching Forward

While I'll probably never forgive myself for that title, it is certainly appropriate.  Our big winter break was behind us along with our lone visitor of the year.  Students quickly settled into comfortable study(?) habits.  Our extended family added three healthy babies on the other side of the world.  Our window of decision-making for next year is slowly closing.  We started thinking about summer plans.  Our close friends are steeped in the excitement and preparation for their own journey abroad.

There were still many positive things that happened in March, but it often felt like the world around us was moving along in a more interesting, meaningful way.  Facebook, Skype, and email showed us all that was happening around us without us.  Our adventures were mainly relegated to the classroom and a rogue game of Dungeons and Dragons.  I spell all that out not to throw a pity party, but to acknowledge that humdrum everyday life can exist in all corners of the earth and in many circumstances.

The test that befell us was to embrace the present.  To enjoy this experience - that we wanted - now.  To make the most of life where we are, when we are.   Although we didn't pass with flying colors, we survived.  We're now into April.  We are still so grateful for this chance to be living in Turkey.  We've loved the experiences we've had and the growth we've felt and seen in each other.  We look forward to the experiences and growth yet to come.

We love and miss you all,
Mike and Hil

That's what friends are for

A few short weeks ago, we were graced with our first (and possibly only) visitor of the year: Reuben Haggar.  We were looking forward to hosting Reuben for months prior.  I will try to abstain from blindly flinging gross exaggeration and hyperbole across the screen, but enough good things can not be stated regarding his visit.

A brief history: 

Reuben is one of my best friends from my years at Bethel University.  We lived together several years and most of my strangest, most disturbing, absurd and hysterical collegiate experiences somehow involve that man.  For four brief but formative years our paths were greatly interwoven.

Since graduation, Reuben ran away from myself and the rest of the western world to teach in South Korea for three years and China for the past two years.  Although he's visited the States a few times, we hadn't spent significant extended time together in about five years.

When Reuben told us he was going to visit us in Turkey we were ecstatic.  When he told us he was staying for a week we were equally filled with anxiety.  To host someone in our tiny apartment in a relatively quiet city (no offense, Adana) for an entire week had the potential to turn problematic.  Add to that the facts that we had to work all week and that we have all possibly changed over the past five years, we were quite nervous about what to expect.

From our standpoint the week with Reuben exceeded all expectations.  It was one of the best experiences of our time in Turkey.  Spending time with such a close friend from home on the other side of the world created a unique and quite surreal air to the whole adventure.

Hilary and I took him to our school (where he got to see me bumble through a lesson), traveled to Gaziantep for the first time, introduced him to some of our friends, showed him Mersin and the Mediterranean, ate every Turkish thing in sight, and experienced the hamam (Turkish bath) among other things.  We even sent him out by himself on one of the castle excursions we tried in the fall.  

Reuben's visit really gave Hilary and me a chance to realize all the things we've learned over the course of our time here in Turkey.  We saw how far we have come and re-experienced Turkey in a surprising way.  This new found comfort and competence in daily life here not just as visitors, but as hosts in a place we've made our home was a pleasant side effect of the visit.

The most important and unforgettable aspect, however, was simply spending with Reuben.  Our friendship picked up where it left off and it was so refreshing to spend time with someone who we had so much history with.  We laughed a ton, recalled many great memories, spoke about our lives and hearts, and added more incredible pages to our stories. 

Saying our goodbyes the last morning as our bus arrived was one of our hardest days abroad.  Not wanting the great fellowship to end and not knowing when our paths will cross again filled all our eyes with tears.  

Reuben, thank you again.

Mersin's shore

We're on a boat

Peek-a-boo

The (inexplicably closed) Castle in Gaziantep

Deliciously toasty Sahlep

Everyone else is welcome to visit us also, of course.  Expect similarly glowing reviews and well wishes.  

We love and miss everyone and hope you all are well wherever you are,

Mike and Hil