Happy Birthday to me

So yesterday was my birthday. I had planned a normal Sunday. Wake up late, go to church and while away the afternoon with friends. Unfortunately it didn't go as planned. I woke up early and discovered I was rather depressed. Depressed about getting 1 year older. Depressed about being away from friends and family. Just plain depressed. Not a good way to start a birthday.

This is possibly the first year that I've really been concerned about being a year older. Mostly I've never cared much. But this year I'm thinking, it's 1 more year. What have I done? I'm still single. I'm still not getting to make the difference I wanted to make when I started out 1.5 years ago.

Sure I know I am making a difference of sorts. I've been able to affect the lives of countless people by just being here. But, I don't know, I want to do more. I just can't see what it is I want to do, or how to do it. My little niche if you will.

Fortunately friends and family came to the rescue of my poor struggling birthday. Sms', emails and phone calls started to make my day much more worthwhile. Crowned also by the surprsie invasion of my house by my friends here. Bringing cake, chips and coke and all those usual party type things. They just arrived, Turkey style, and started having a party. Those who know me well, know that this is probably the only way to get me to have a birthday party!

So the day wasn't completely lost and I did actually have a good day after all.

And now it's Monday and back to real life...

Time is getting short

So time moves on. And still I'm not sure what my future here is. I don't really know how to proceed. Getting long term residence in Turkey is rather difficult, with only a few options available. So far none of my contacts have panned out.

At the moment I am suspending my studies so that I can visit a few people around the country that I know. Hoping some ideas may come out of it all. But as things stand my stay here in Turkey may be coming to an end.

We shall see what the future brings.

On a brighter note, the days are getting longer and warmer again. Summer is on the way!

As before

I'd like to say that things are getting better. They're not. If anything school is getting worse. I find myself missing more and more of the classes. None of my teachers inspire in me any desire to actually learn. In fact they actually drain away any motivation I manage to build for learning.

On top of that is the lack of opportunities for me to extend my stay. And time is fast disappearing. I find myself more and more thinking that this is not going to happen the way I thought or planned. I am inclined to start thinking about "what if things don't work?" There is still time of course, so anything could happen.

We'll see...

Start cleaning!

My back hurts. My head hurts. My finger are raw. I really feel for housewives and housekeepers/cleaning ladies. I started the first of my major cleaning projects.

The Kitchen!

(dun-dun-DUH!)

Skipping school for the day I spent my time scrubbing and cleaning and scrubbing and mopping and....well you get the picture. I had to use some industrial strength grease stripper around the stove. I think that's why I now have a headache. The stuff was pretty potent! Still, potent or not, it took a lot of effort to get the floor clean.

But it's all done now. A worthwhile days work. How long will it stay clean? Nobody knows...

Where did the time go?

January is gone already? Where did it go? Time is just passing too quickly!

Anyway, it's Friday and that means the weekend is about to start. I have a busy weekend ahead of me. We're having an all day movie marathon tomorrow! It'll be at the house of one of my classmates. Don't remember what the movies are going to be.

My flatmate has gone home....may have mentioned this sometime....so now I'm home alone. I'm taking the opportunity to perform a big cleanup. The place really needs it! When he comes back it will be to a totally transformed home. Hopefully he will approve...