Surreal, Familiar Homecoming (warning: writer in a jet-lagged state)
Well, it's really a shame that I didn't blog more about Turkey while I was there, but to be quite frank I was actually too busy enjoying it to sit down at the computer for too long! More will follow later, I assure you.For now, I'd like to talk about coming home. First of all, Suraj and I had the BEST movie-like reunion at the airport yesterday! He knew just what set of escalators to stand next to, yet I surprised him with a huge hug. We couldn't get over seeing each other, warm and in 3-D...I think I saw a local taxi-driver actually gag, but other than that we were oblivious to the rest of the world. Whooopie!
On the car ride back home, Suraj asked me what it was like to be back - was I experiencing culture shock? What was I feeling? The funny thing is, I've been gone and arrived home to Sea-Tac so many times that the actual surreal feeling of rounding 405, seeing Lake Washington, the familiar soccer fields and buildings, the tall evergreens, has become in it's own right a familar feeling.
It might seem paradoxical, but that's how it feels! In terms of actual culture shock, I think I only truly experienced that after Belize, although there were aspects of coming home from Australia that inspired it as well. One's impression of Turkey might be one of real difference to Seattle, but Istanbul was fairly similar to any other big European city in terms of the physical surroundings - modern bulidings (of course, side-by-side with awe-inspiring ancient ones), running water, etc.
When I got back from Belize, I couldn't believe how big and clean everything was (and Belize, from what I hear, is by far the most similar to the US of the central american countries, with the exception perhaps of Costa Rica). I suppose since I stayed mostly with my aunt in Holland and my cousin and his family in Istanbul, both of whom live in similar homes to ones in the US, I don't feel too much culture shock yet...we'll see how I feel once I have to actually drive again!
I think popular public transport is definitely something I'll miss. Particularly in Turkey, where strangers can be so affectionate with each other (especially when kids are around - there seem to be no physical boundaries with kids, a sleeping kid on the bus will get his/her cheeks pinched and hair stroked by many a passer-by), I experienced the bonding effect of riding the bus.
It's just so conducive to random conversations and connections between people who might not otherwise have talked. I wish we had more public transport here - I've definitely enjoyed the busses before, but they're just not as ubiquitious as they were in Europe.
Anyway, these are just some first thoughts. As I said, I am jet-lagged (not TOO bad but definitely feeling a bit off) so I hope to have more coherent observations later! I felt when leaving Istanbul as if I could easily have stayed another month, which was a bittersweet feeling. Now that I'm at home, I'm going to enjoy it for all I can! | posted by Cheryl, 12/07/2005 08:24:00 AM
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