Hi All,
Crashed computer AGAIN and my final paper finished. Well, Izzy you get me to laugh out loud and thank you for that, and for the record, nope don't speak any turkish!
The trip was organised with the university and it was amazing. Istanbul is loud large and wonderous. The first evening I looked out my window which framed the most amazing view of The Blue Mosque..........the antiquity is breathtaking, the sounds, smell and the noise. They have traffic jams in Istanbul at one in the morning, now that is some sight for a country girls like me. I visited Rumi's tomb and it was a most special place. I saw the Koran writen on black paper with phospherous (sic) so that it could be read in the moonlight, beside it was a tiny version which had been written using an eye lash. The ceramics, mosaics........... I could just go on and on. We ate with a local family at each stop and the hospitality was overwhelming. Ah, the food, well I guess I put on about 7 pounds. People were so generous and interested in us. They stopped and spoke to us on the street wanting to know where we were from, why we were in Turkey etc. Everywhere we visited we were given gifts to remember our trip. We visited Abraham's birthplace which was crowed with people from so many traditions. It was like travelling back in time. We went to the Syrian border and the landscape was biblical, barren and so beautiful. It was exhausting and fun. The purpose of the trip was to engage in dialogue with people of different faiths and know how much we share. A trip of a lifetime.
Other than that, life is good. I had to drive this evening for a couple of hours and came upon a radio station which played 1950's music and sang my heart out. It felt great. I have handed in all of my papers and remember the pain of the first one. I am very happy with my grades and now have the summer to submit my final thesis. I have found that I am happy when I am engaging in activities that push my brain. I love being the learner and this colours all of my life. The sun shone today. I sat in the garden with my sister and we laughed. Her cat died, we buried it and remembered how important it is to live life to the full as time is passing so quickly.
I still have not managed to "skate" but am trying and enjoying it. As for my globe trotting, a friend is getting married in Thailand in the New Year, now how can I make some money to get out there...........any suggestions. I guess I am taking up as many opportunites as I can.
I miss not having a garden but bought some pots and have planted beans and sunflowers which are doing nicely. I feel good guys, just plain satisfied with life. As for dating, have thought about it but I guess the balance in my life is good right now and not interested in upsetting it. Something did dawn on me the other day and that was in the past I had looked to a relationship to fill the emptyness whereas now I am filling it myself with my study, friends and activities. I am not afraid. I am in awe at how much has changed in two years. Sometimes I think of XN and the anger rises again but its my anger and I need to work on that.
Will catch up on posts and contribute...........am too tired to edit this post so excuse typos and muddled thoughts
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axa
