Hello everyone!
Sorry for the very long absence. Final exams, make-up exams, and a 9-day beach vacation took up most of my time for the last few weeks. Getting away from Malatya was exactly what I needed after a couple weeks of empty classrooms, nervous students, and endless questions about exams.
One week from today, I will be back in the U.S., hopefully fast asleep at my parents' house with my cat. I will have one full day with my family, then I will head off to work at a summer camp until mid-August. Not much of a break, and not much time to really reflect on my time here in Turkey. So, I'll do it now in my last few days before leaving.
I came to Turkey with a sense of enchantment and childlike wonder. I knew almost nothing about Turkey before I came here save the main sites of Istanbul and the few "Turkish" dishes I had tried in the U.S. Before my arrival, I chatted excitedly with my fellow Fulbright cohort about the year to come. Some had been to Turkey before and were ecstatic to be returning. Others were like me and were quite clueless.
I had never been abroad for an extended period of time. I heard amazing stories from my friends and classmates who had studied abroad in university, and I was always so jealous of their experience. They came home as new, enlightened individuals with a sort of mysterious wisdom that they shared only with other long-term travelers.
Now that I'm coming to the end of my long period abroad, I'm beginning to wonder just how much of
their "life changing experience" was actually complete and utter bullshit.
Don't get me wrong, I've grown quite a bit over these last 9 months, but I don't think I'll leave here with overwhelming regret or sadness. Overall, Turkey has not been what people cracked it up to be. If it's not a tourist trap, it's a cookie cutter copy of the last place you visited. The locals I have befriended have largely saved my experience. If it wasn't for them, I'm not sure how this year would have panned out. I realize this is a bit vague, but there are many things I cannot talk about while still in the country. I'll share a little more when I'm back in the U.S.
So, what do you do when it seems like your time abroad has been, at best, a bit boring, or, at worst, a total disaster?
1. Facebook life vs. Real life.
Your friend from freshman year in university is spending her last year studying abroad in France. She posts photos of picturesque streets, boozy brunches, and weekend trips to the coast. WTF?! Is this chick even studying? Remember, what she didn't post was the pile of homework she put off to go on that beach trip, the wicked hangover she got from too many mimosas, and the guy who tried to snatch her wallet while she was snapping photos of the Eiffel Tower. Facebook ain't the real deal, y'all!
2. Every experience is valid.
You DON'T have to love your host country. You DON'T have to enjoy the culture. You DON'T have to have a profound moment of self discovery. Maybe the fact that you don't get along well with locals has helped you grow as a communicator. Maybe your less-than-stellar time abroad has taught you how to become more adaptable. We learn a little more every day. It doesn't always have to be obvious, and it doesn't always have to be positive.
3. Lessons learned.
Maybe you're like me and, upon arrival in your host country, you found some things that you can deal with and some that you can't. Take note! Remember these things for the next time you head out into the world. Can't deal with the climate in your host country? Try a different hemisphere. Is the culture not working for you? Head to a different continent next time. Did the food prove to be too much for you? Do more research for your next location. Everyone looks back and sees something they could have done better. Notice these things and apply them! Don't repeat your mistakes. Use them to make your next experience more enjoyable.
Have you ever had an overall disappointing experience abroad? Tell us about it!
Until next time,
Heather
xoxo
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