A Weekend in Cologne

A few weeks ago, I packed my backpack and jumped on a plane to Cologne, Germany, to visit a few of my friends who have recently moved there.

This was my first trip to Germany, and it was so much fun! Here are a few of my favorite things that we did over the 4-day weekend. Each item is linked to the website for that activity/place.

Have you been to Cologne? Did you also enjoy these things, or did you try other activities/museums? Comment below and let me know :)

#1 - Free Walking Tour in Cologne

Instead of just wandering around on our own in the city, my friends and I joined a "Can You Handle It?" free walking tour, which took us on a 2 hour walk around Cologne. This was one of our best decisions! Our guide showed up exactly on time and led our group on a beautiful walk past churches, Roman ruins, World War II memorials, the famous cathedral, breweries, and more. On free walking tours, you are asked to give a tip to your guide (around $5/5 euro equivalent per person is a good minimum to tip). It was definitely worth it!

One of my favorite parts: Our guide showed us an old building which was covered in statues and engravings of important men. Evidently, the guy heading up the construction wasn't very nice to the workers. They got back at him in an eternal way; if you look above the statue of him, standing nice and pompous, you will see a man pulling down his pants and mooning the viewer. Lesson: Be nice to people immortalizing you in sculpture.  

#2 - The Chocolate Museum

A chocolate model of the cathedral

As I researched what to do in Cologne, the Chocolate Museum popped up and I was so excited! I love chocolate, and I also love learning how things are made and how they work (the scientist in me was overjoyed). This museum, situated right on the Rhine river, is ultra-interactive and walks you through the whole process of chocolate-making, from how the beans are harvested to a mini-factory that was making chocolate bars as we watched. I learned a lot about the ethical issues surrounding chocolate and how different companies are working to create free-trade chocolate. I got to see a large dug-out boat that was used for transporting cacao beans from the small farmers to the processors, as well as watch a video of natives creating one of these boats. We all stopped in our tracks as we watched chocolate being stirred in a machine in the factory - it was so mesmerizing! This museum is the perfect mix of history and science. We even got to taste some chocolate while we were there, and the attached chocolate store has a huge variety to choose from for taking home and enjoying (or eating out on the deck while watching the river boats slip by, as I did). My tastebuds will always remember this trip!

#3 - Observation Deck

One evening, just as the sun was about to start setting, we got in line to go up to the Observation Deck across the river from the Cathedral. For only 2.50 euro (because we talked to the people in line behind us and formed a group *wink wink* for the discount), we went up an elevator about 28 stories and came out on a huge deck. My favorite pictures from my trip to Cologne came from this view! We were laughing our heads off as we crammed in against the glass and took selfie upon selfie with the Cathedral in the background. As the sun set, it was a glorious view.

#4 - Die Wohngemeinschaft Hostel

This was my first time staying in a hostel, and it was one of the best experiences ever! I stayed in the "ballet" room, a 6 girl dorm room, complete with a full-wall mirror, ballet barre, pointe shoes, and light pink walls and curtains. My roommates were amazing, and we were fast friends by the end of the trip. We loved having breakfast together in the hostel living room (the hostel offers a 5 euro breakfast buffet), and we hung out in that same living room until the wee hours of the morning one night, swapping tales of travel and adventure over free coffee/tea that is available 24/7. What an amazing place! None of us wanted to leave - this hostel is almost better than "home away from home."

#5 - Melaten-Friedhof Cemetery

Cemeteries are fascinating places, giving you a glimpse into history. This cemetery was gorgeous, with monuments and wooded walks that reminded me of a certain scene in The Phantom of the Opera. We spent at least an hour walking down countless paths, peering at tombstones and reading about the families that have lived in Cologne over the years. This is right by the park (#6) as well as just a short walk from the hostel (#4).

#6 - Aachener Weiher Park

I love being outside, and I literally walked up to a tree and hugged it in this park because I was so happy! The park is huge, stretching over 3 different blocks, and includes a large pond with ducks, hills and wooded paths, workout equipment as well as balancing exercises (one of which I fell off of and have lovely bruises as a souvenir lol), and lots of trees and flowers. Many people were running, and I wished that I had packed my running clothes on this trip. If you are staying in the hostel, this is so close that you could fit in morning jogs very easily. Would be a lovely place for picnics as well.

#7 - Habibi Cafe

Habibi means something like "sweetie" in Arabic. My friends treated me my first night in Cologne to this wonderful Middle Eastern restaurant. The falafels were amazing and I loved sipping on the free ginger tea! It was completely packed with both Germans and foreigners, which is a very good sign that its a tasty place. This restaurant doesn't just have great food - it also has a great atmosphere. The walls and ceiling are covered in fun, colorful pictures, and laughter fills the air constantly.

#8 - Museum Ludwig

I am an absolutely huge fan of Surrealism - ever since my Art Appreciation teacher taught us about Dali, I have been fascinated with looking at his and Joan Miro's pictures and really seeing the depth and meaning to these works of art. While in Cologne, I looked up museums and saw that the Museum Ludwig was close to the center of things and housed a wide range of modern art. I loved walking through its galleries, looking at Picassos, a huge Dali (pictured above), and a gorgeous Jackson Pollock that made my heart sing. This museum also has a beautiful gallery from which you can do some fun people-watching.


Over the course of 4 days, I was able to spend quality time with my friends while really enjoying this German city. These places and activities really made my trip quite an adventure. So if you make it to Cologne, these 8 things are musts for having a wonderful time. Know of any more? Comment below!

Visiting the South of France ~ The Things We Did Best

This past week I made my first ever trip to France along with the company of several great friends. We enjoyed escaping the chilly winter, and France gladly welcomed us with sunny skies, warm beaches, and lots of adventure. 

Here are a few of the best decisions that we made during this trip. 

#1 - Visiting the Cours Saleya every day. The Cours Saleya is a beautiful outdoor flower and food market that is located just a few steps from the Promenade de Anglais. It not only houses many gorgeous fruit and vegetable vendors, but also many stands of pastries, olives, cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, and socca (a local specialty that is made from chickpeas). Each day we picked up a different assortment of food for our lunches: a baguette, goat cheese, dried dates, oranges, sun-dried tomatoes, savory pastries or a few portions of socca. We would bag these away until lunch-time, when we would stop and have a feast wherever we were. On different days, these lunch-spots included the beach, the view outside of Monaco's Cathedral, and inside the Nomade statue in Antibes. 

The view early-morning from our apartment window. The air was so fresh, I would just stick my head out the window and breathe and breathe and breathe!

#2 - Renting an Airbnb apartment in Old Town. With 4 people in our travel group, we decided to look at Airbnb options instead of staying in a hostel, and the price per person ended up being cheaper than the cheapest hostel (a whopping $13.41/person per night, and that includes our late check-in fee!). Our apartment was amazing. We had a view of the sea from our window; we were steps away from the Cours Saleya, the Place Massena, Jean Medecin (where there are lots of shops and restaurants), the Opera House, and the Palais de Justice; we had comfortable sleeping space for 4 people; we had a coffee pot and a fully-working kitchen; and so much more. We were even able to invite 4 other friends over for dinner and cooked our entire meal in our little studio kitchen!  Having such a comfortable and central apartment for this stay really enhanced our experience on this trip. If you want to book an Airbnb apartment on your next adventure, click here for $20 travel credit. 

#3 - Taking the bus to visit Monaco. We paid 3 euro each round-trip to take the 100 bus to Monaco, which was a beautiful, scenic 30 minute ride from the Nice port. We hiked up to the palace right in time for the changing of the guards at 11:55am (our timing was perfect). Then we walked all around the gorgeous view, paid homage to Grace Kelly at her grave in the Cathedral, hiked all over the hilly neighborhoods, and finished our afternoon at the Monaco Starbucks (talk about classy). I <3 micro-countries!

#4 - Spending lots of time on the beach. I literally wanted to bottle the air in Nice and take it with me. It was so salty and clear and refreshing! Before taking our flight back, we spent several hours on the beach with our bags, just reading books and napping in the sunshine. I got a good start on my book of choice: Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery. This time was absolutely refreshing.

#5 - Eating all the pastries in France. On our first morning, we discovered a patisserie/boulangerie across the street from our apartment, and the treat of those who woke up first was going across to this bakery and picking out a few different things for our breakfast. Every day was different (although brioche au chocolat made it on our daily menu from day one). We loved the quiche, the brioche, croissants, beignets, and more things that I can't even pronounce. Each pastry would get cut into 4 parts, and we would get a lovely plate with bites of many different things, from savory to sweet. What a treat!

The South of France was even more than I could have ever imagined. Magical, warm, fairy-tale-ish. It was a wonderful place to be in winter, when the crowds were thinner and the weather delightful. One of my favorite trips so far! Even more perfect - the friends I got to spend it with. So many beautiful and colorful memories. 

Expert Tips for Study Abroad & Exchange Students

Studying in Istanbul, Turkey last fall changed my life in more ways than one. In the next few weeks many students (and maybe even you) are heading off on international adventures, whether to do study abroad, exchange programs, or working abroad. Here are some expert tips from students who have gone before and conquered the road less traveled. They fought through visa applications, bought plane tickets, moved into cities where they may not have known the language, and took every day as a challenge and an adventure to soak in a culture other than their own. Their advice is great for knowing how to get the most out of this crazy and amazing experience.

Aileen -  Chicago, Illinois -> Istanbul, Turkey for an exchange semester
Expert Advice: Make a purposeful effort to ignore your inhibitions in communicating with other people, whether with other locals or your study abroad mates. Aileen says - "I think it is really about mindset and opening yourself up to opportunity through communication."

Case in point: Aileen shared a story with me about travelling to another city in Turkey with several exchange students that she had met at her Turkish university. They wanted to rent bicycles, so they all walked into a homey-looking bike rental shop and found the shop owners sharing in Turkish breakfast (which is a very important meal in Turkey). She noticed that they were eating menemen (a delicious dish made of eggs, butter, and cheese), which was one of her favorite dishes. She used that as a conversation-starter and started talking with them about how amazing Turkish breakfast is. As soon as she remarked on their menemen, they immediately asked her to try some of theirs (the foundation of great Turkish hospitality is based on sharing what you have with others). This is where her advice kicks in. She says - "I ignored my very American mindset of rejecting the offer out of courtesy and I instead tried their food, and of course it was incredible. It was a very surprisingly intimate thing to eat a stranger's food, but I did not let that stop me and I'm glad I didn't!"

Karen - Atlanta, Georgia -> Madrid, Spain for a Study Abroad Summer
Expert Advice:
#1 - Guard your belongings, and travel with as few things as possible. Keep valuables (money, phone, passport) out of sight, as some places you may travel may have pickpockets.
#2 - Learn about cultural differences before you go and be open to experiencing them. She notes, "Many people try to live as Americans abroad, but if you embrace the culture you learn a lot more."

Emily - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -> Berlin, Germany for Summer Language Study
Expert Advice:
#1 - Don't underestimate what you will learn from other expats. Emily had roommates from Finland and Russia, and also made friends with a girl from Macedonia during her stay in Berlin. She enjoyed learning bits of their languages and learning about their cultures as well.
#2 - Keep looking for chances to interact with locals, especially if you are there for language immersion.

Brian - Atlanta, Georgia -> France with the European Council program, Valdosta State University
Expert Advice: Keep an open mind. Brian found that it was important to "Just try to explore what is around you and don't be so quick to judge if something seems strange." Those are the experiences that make study abroad adventures so unique.

Maeve - Atlanta, Georgia -> France with Georgia Tech Lorraine program
Expert Advice: Try to become fully invested in where you are living. Maeve noticed that "Too often, I've seen students flock to places like Pizza Hut because it reminds them of home when they could be exploring new, exciting places." She also found that getting lost in new cities is the best way to explore.

My advice? Get to know local students at your university and in your community. Yes, it is really hard sometimes because of the language barrier, but it is totally worth it. I made several great friends in my classes in Istanbul, and their friendships mean the world to me. They helped me when I needed advice and guidance, they shared meals (and lots of tea and coffee) with me, they helped me learn new Turkish words and phrases, and they have become life-long friends. 

Special thanks to all my friends who contributed their expert advice!

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A Time for Everything

Last week I was at a memorial service for a dear friend. Her brother-in-law read from the book of Ecclesiastes. It's one of my favorite books of the Bible, although before this time I would have had a hard time explaining to you why. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the sun: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,..., a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,..." (Ecclesiastes 3). As I was reading my study Bible this morning about the book of Ecclesiastes, it noted that this book of the Bible reads like a personal journal. And I realized that this may be why I like it so much. It reflects what I feel in my own life. I go through times where I can see God's plan so clearly. Other times, the daily tasks seem monotonous, and I'm left asking God what the point of all this is. Is life meaningless?  My study Bible puts it so well:

"According to the Teacher [author of the book of Ecclesiastes], life doesn't make sense outside of God; it will, in fact, never fully make sense to us because we are not God. But God has also "set eternity in the human heart" (Ecc 3:11). We feel longings for something more; pleasures that will last forever, love that won't sour, fulfillment in our work."

When I think about how I would be surviving this part of my life if I didn't have God, the picture of a drowned rat comes to mind. I don't think I'd make it, at least with any ounce of sanity left. I've lost many close friends and family over the last few months. Saying it has been hard is an extreme understatement. How do you do normal life again when this world is missing vital parts of it? This is where I find comfort in these verses. Life isn't always going to make sense. It will never fully make sense. But I know the Truth that runs this world, and as long as I keep HIM as my focus, it will all be okay. Although happiness can be hard to grasp, joy is plentiful through Christ. I know that HE died for me and felt more pain than I can ever imagine. And I know that HE overcame death because HE is more powerful than death. And I know that HIS kingdom is where I long to be. That is what gives life sense. It's all about HIM, and for HIS glory. 

If you've been wondering about life, get a Bible and sit down to read it. I've heard John is the best place to start, but anywhere will do. Just read it. I pray God shows you the Truth through it and that the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart. If you want to talk about it, let me know. If you would like to comment below with questions that you have had, or things that you have found in the Bible that you would like to share, please do. Everyone wonders about life, its meaning, why we are here. It is your job to make sure that you search for the truth. Your life depends on it.

~ Goals for Summer 2014 in Savannah ~

1.  Meet people. Make life-long friends.
2. Go swim at Tybee Island.
3. Run a 5K Race with the Savannah locals.

4. Eat a meal with friends at the Pirate's House Restaurant.

5. Find a church home in Savannah.

LateChurch on Abercorn Street, Downtown Savannah. Awesome place to worship and study God's Word!

6. Find the perfect coffee spot.

Foxy Loxy on Bull Street

7. Start an herb garden in my window.
8. Visit the Andrew Lowe home.
9. Finish a Turkish language course.
10. Eat a praline on River Street.
11. Make something crafty.
12. Listen to live music.

Tommy Strong Benefit Concert at Forsyth Park

13. Cook a yummy meal.

Time-Traveling!

So, this past Saturday, I time-traveled. I lived 7pm-2am on a plane, going over Scotland, Greenland, Iceland. I watched Austenland (very funny movie, FYI) and Iron Man 3, napped a bit, and ate lunch and dinner...and then I landed in Toronto, Canada, and it was 7pm all over again. And I got to live my evening all over again, this time by running through the Toronto airport, flying over the US in a 48-seat Air Canada plane, a shaky landing to bring me back into my home city, and then...an empty international baggage claim. Empty in that my family wasn't there. And for this, I blame a well-meaning but completely out-of-her-mind customer service lady at Air Canada. You see, I didn't have a working cell phone with me because I had been using a Turkish cell phone during the past 4 months. And so my parents called Air Canada to make sure that I had made it onto my connecting flight, since I had an extremely quick turn-around of 50 minutes and US Customs in Toronto to get through. Well, thank God, I did make it to my flight, was the 2nd person to board that tiny plane in fact. But the Air Canada customer service lady evidently doesn't know how amazing God is in working things out. So she told my parents that there was absolutely no way that I was on my flight home, and that at that moment she was booking me a flight to Atlanta for the following morning. So my parents, disappointed and sad, decided to go to sleep and go to the airport in the morning when I should arrive after my long journey. And they were just falling asleep when I called, having borrowed a phone for a few moments, and told them the news that, yes, I was at International Baggage Claim in Atlanta, waiting for them. So that's how my homecoming was. I mean, no one was hurt, everything turned out all right in the end, and I'm all fine and dandy. But I do hope that Air Canada lady gets her act together so no one else has the same unfortunate experience :)

Even with that rough start, it's been a great few days back in the States. I could make a whole long list of things that I miss in Turkey, but that would be pointless because when you live a full, well-traveled life, wherever you are there will be places and people you miss. But here are the things I am thankful for today, right now, where I am:

1) My family. They truly are amazing. I am so blessed. I got hiccups within the first 24 hours of being home because my sister is one of the only people that can make me laugh that hard. I have enjoyed talking about everything with mom, and having daddy&daughter time during my morning commute to the bus with my dad. Yes, I am blessed.

2) My Atlanta friends. I had an incredible welcome back to campus on Monday, including lunch with all my Tech chemistry buddies just like old times. They watched my back as I was pretty drowsy and sometimes scatter-brained in the afternoon (jet-lag is...interesting) and made my adjustment straight into 3 chemistry courses a fun experience. All the welcome-home texts and hugs have really made it great to be back.

I almost can't even write about Turkey right now. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around my life, how it was for the past 4 months, and how it changes (and can't change) as I settle into life in the States again. If you ask me how it was, I will probably say "Amazing." Because I have given up on trying to explain something that is inexpressible in words. But if you get the chance to sit down and chat with me (and I have a double teapot and Turkish çay at home, so I am looking forward to sharing convo over tea time with many of you soon), then I can try to share with you the aspects of the past 4 months that have made it a life-affirming experience that has helped me get a glimpse into what my path through life will look like and what God has in store for me.

Also, you all know that one of my favorite modes of communication is a good, old postcard :) So, send me your address! Would love to continue to keep in touch across the oceans (or just across town) in this way. Everyone loves getting some joy in their mailbox.

Until next time,
Your Faithful Nomad

Yeni Yillar Kutlu Olsun!

The past two weeks have been a blur of celebrations, exams, lots of hot cocoa, and cozy time with friends. 

A few nights before Christmas, some of my best exchange/Erasmus girls came over for a Christmas party. We all brought small presents and stuffed stockings (aka colorful knee-high socks) for each other so that we could open them on Christmas. It was so much fun :) From playing games to chatting over pumpkin soup, I had a wonderful time getting to know them better and sharing in the Christmas spirit together. Love you all!

Our Christmas tree! Needless to say, it lasted only a few hours :)

This was my stocking. It was so much fun to open on Christmas morning!

Christmas morning I met with some friends and exchanged gifts over a breakfast of çikolata borek and çay. From an English-Turkish dictionary (from which I am trying to learn at least one word a day), to a special-delivery box full of thoughtful gifts from my best friend, to the presents that my family had packed in my luggage back in September, and so many other precious gifts from friends, the love and thoughtfulness that overflowed from these special people in my life simply took my breath away. Thank you all for sharing your lives, love, and friendship with me!

The precious gift my sister gave me - "When I count my blessings, I count you twice." <3

The weekend after Christmas, I ran away from Istanbul for a few days...to Uludag! It's a huge mountain in the city of Bursa that houses several ski resorts. We got to hang out with other expats at an amazing hotel and ski down some crazy-challenging, but ultimately even more rewarding, slopes. I seriously think this winter, I have seen more snow than I have ever seen before in my life - Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Uludag! I think this southern girl is actually starting to like it.

All suited-up and ready to go!

Arama Sonuçları

1. 
   

   Hoşgeldin, 2014! May you be full of joy, generosity, and love!

By the way, can't wait to see these beautiful faces in 11 more days! Wow, time flies, right?

Turkey Day in Turkey & the Start of Christmas

This past week I celebrated Thanksgiving with so many great friends that we had not one, but two Thanksgiving celebrations!

First Thanksgiving Celebration...and yes, that 7-Layer Salad in the top left corner has BACON ON IT!

We had turkey, which actually isn't a very common food in Turkey believe it or not, and all the other Thanksgiving favorites (and yes, I must mention again, there was bacon...my first pork in 3 months!).

We have a lot we are thankful for...

These include, but are not limited to: Turkey in Turkey, "everyone I met here, especially HIM",  music, family and friends, wassel (long story), celebrations, 7 Wonders (I think in reference to the board game..), BACON, a warm home, pumpkin, and "not falling far from the tree"(the little red leaf at the bottom left of the page).

After our meal, we did something that I haven't done on Thanksgiving before; we sang worship songs together. Our hostesses accompanied on piano and guitar, and we belted out our praises to God. It was such an amazing time, I really can't even put into words how it felt. But one thing is for sure: God has really shown me over the past few months that HE is always right by my side. I sang that night in utter awe, thankfulness, and amazement as I thought about how great HE is.

Two days later, on Saturday, we had an even larger celebration with tons of our Turkish friends as well, and it was so much fun to see them eat traditional Thanksgiving food for the first time. And, as you can imagine, "You are eating your/my country" was spoken many times that day. We also played Nertz (which I know thanks to my housemates from my summer in Washington DC), and watched "The Ultimate Gift", a really heart-felt movie that went perfect with Thanksgiving. And, to end the night, we had a bath-tub party to wash all the dishes (this only happened because the sink clogged...it was totally hygienic, I promise...we even sang The Happy Working Song while we worked, which made it so much fun!). 

If you are a reader in the USA, you are probably starting to get into the Christmas mood, and I am too. I've been playing some of my favorite Christmas songs, like "Snow Globe" and "Christmas this Year."  But, this year is really different for me because I am in a country where the majority of people do not recognize Jesus Christ as the Savior. A few Christmas trees can be spotted at the malls, and icicle lights are hanging around some larger restaurants, but these (and Santa too) have all been integrated into New Year's celebrations and festivities. Unless you are at one of the few churches in Istanbul, you won't be seeing any Nativity scenes. No crosses. No reminders of what this holiday is really all about. In one aspect, this has made it even more important to me to focus on the reason for Christmas instead of all about gift-giving and stuff that is focused in on the States. On the other hand, it has shown me what life without Christmas looks like. It seems like such a joke in the USA, you know, "the Grinch stole Christmas," and all of that, but we don't often think about the fact that many countries around the world don't have the hope that is so visible throughout the States at Christmas time. For a lot of people, like many here, there is no Christmas because there is no reason to celebrate. This hurts my heart, as Christmas celebrates the day that has forever changed my life. It's not about "keeping the Christmas spirit alive", like so many movies such as Elf seem to think is important; it is all about telling people of the hope in Jesus that makes every day worth living.

On that note, please go check out www.mygfa.org/faithfulnomad/ to see my thoughts on another country that also needs our help throughout the year - India. 

Thanks for reading, and until next time, "Gorusuruz!" (talk to you later). 

It's a Good Morning!

The Bible

Psalm 139:3
"YOU see me when I travel and when I rest at home. YOU know everything I do."

Psalm 139: 9-10
"If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there YOUR hand will guide me, and YOUR strength will support me."

GOD is faithful. It is such a comfort and encouragement to read verses like these while I am far from home. I don't just know that HE is near me from reading the Bible, though. Through taking care of me, providing for me, blessing me with an abundance of friends and people who love me here, HE continually shows me day by day that HE is right by my side every step of the way. GOD is awesome, guys! I hope these verses are an encouragement to you too. No matter where you are or what you are going through, GOD is right there by your side. Here's another one:

Lamentations 3:23
"Great is HIS faithfulness; HIS mercies begin afresh every morning."

Now, the fact that this verse comes up in a book of the Bible called Lamentations is amazing to me. The whole book of Lamentations is about the Israelites lamenting that they are being punished, and yet a whole section of chapter 3 is all about how they know that GOD is still faithful too them. GOD's promises never fail, and we know that HE is faithful to us too, in every situation whether joyful or grief-filled. I love that part of the verse where it says that HIS mercies are new each morning. Isn't that great to know that when you wake up in the morning, HE is right there to get you started on a fresh new day? In the Bible study I am doing from Beth Moore, she made a point a few weeks ago that stuck with me: The Israelites were given manna (bread from heaven) each morning, but they had to go out and gather it right away or it would disappear when the sun rose. In this same way, we are given mercy from GOD each morning, but we must go out and gather it up. We must take hold of the mercy HE gives us instead of trying to make it on our own. I have to remind myself this, and I even wrote in my Bible next to Lamentations 3:23: I must gather what GOD provides; it is partially my responsibility. Don't lay in self-pity! Gather HIS mercy!

If you are waking up right now to start your new day, this is for you! GOD bless your new, mercy-filled day :)

A Race Between 2 Continents

Today I did something so cool that I never even thought of putting it on my bucket list! Pelin and I woke up at 6:15am today in Asia (the Asian side of Istanbul that is). We hopped on a bus, then a dolmuş (in which I spent the first bit kneeling in the floor because it was so packed) and finally made it to the starting line of the 10k race in the Istanbul Marathon. This is no ordinary race; it is the only race in the world that crosses between 2 continents! What an experience! We started in Asia, ran across the Bosphorus Bridge (this is the only chance people have of crossing the bridge by foot for the entire year) and ran to Europe. So glad I was able to have this great, unique experience with such a great friend. I actually felt like a real Istanbullu today as I heard my name called out many times as I ran alongside the friends I have made over the past few months. It is really awesome to be able to spend enough time in a city that you start feeling like you belong. People are always asking me if I love Istanbul. I do really like the city, but what makes me love Istanbul is the people that I have met and built friendships with here. I am so thankful that God has led me to meet so many great people! Here are a few pics from the race. More on Instagram - @faithful_nomad    :)

Getting ready to cross the bridge!

İ am not sure which İ appreciated getting more, the banana or the medal...I mean, bananas are just so good!

We did it! Mission accomplished!

Comment below if you have suggestions for what races I should sign up for in the States come spring! Am looking forward to prioritizing running from now on and getting in on this fun racing action more often. 2014 goals will include setting some PRs :)

Turkish Breakfast, Hamamonu, and more... Ankara Part Three!

Ok, here's the last installment from my first trip to Ankara, the capital of Turkey. My Sunday started off at around 11am with the best breakfast ever...

A complete Turkish breakfast. Gozleme, french fries, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, fried eggs, bread, çay...the list goes on and on. I could get used to this. Just so you know, though, this was a special brunch-like spread at a really nice restaurant...Turkish people don't eat breakfast like this every day. They usually have a few of these things, not all of them. We decided to go all the way :)

Me enjoying this delicious meal outside under the trees on a crisp Sunday morning.

And my bestie!

We went to old-town Ankara, called Hamanonu. There was the most cute bazaar where all the ladies had hand-made a ton of jewelry. This lady was a real seller...we both got a bracelet from her, and she made us make a wish and then she put the bracelet on us. She was so sweet :)

Pelin and me at the bazaar.

The buildings and roads in this area are just gorgeous.

Nobody was at home... :)

Going to definitely make some of these for my room when I get home. They were so beautiful. And you know how much I love color!

After Hamamonu, we went to the mall and found an H&M (I know it sounds touristy, but it is really nice to go to a store where you know what you will find). Got dinner at the mall and headed back to Pelin's place. Not pictured is our awesome game of Okey that we played that night - you play with tiles just like Rummicub but it is a little different and the strategy is fun. I didn't win a game against the experts, but I will conquer next time. Stayed that night and then headed back to Istanbul early Monday morning. Really enjoyed Ankara and visiting Pelin's family! Can't wait to go back :)

Stay tuned...last night we went on Day 1 of Joost's "Istanbul Eats" food adventure and I will be blogging it up in the next few days. In the meantime, you should definitely see if there are any Turkish restaurants or cafes in your area (they are sometimes camouflaged as 'Mediterranean' places). Make sure you try kebap, durum, çorba (soup), mezzes (appetizers), and kofte! Comment and let me know what you think :)

Exploring, Shopping, and More Partying! Ankara Part Two

Party crashing wasn't the only thing I did in Ankara this past weekend. Pelin, my bff, and her brother were amazing tour guides! Here's what we did (because I know you like pictures)...

This is the mausoleum above where Ataturk is buried. Ataturk was the founder of the Turkish Republic.

The guards at the mausoleum. They have these cool boxes they can stand in if the weather gets bad! I don't think I could stand still for that long...

Me, Pelin, and Polat inside the mausoleum. We also went through the museum on Ataturk and the War of Independence, but we couldn't take any pictures in there.

Such a beautiful place! This is the walkway up to the mausoleum. (By the way, who likes my awesome Istanbul shirt from Mavi? Repping my lovely city!)

Watching the changing of the guard. Pretty cool!

More watching of the guard. 

Enjoying çay and famous Ankara simit in Kizilay during our first mad shopping trip of the weekend :)

Pelin and I at a really cool bar with live music...everyone was singing along with the Turkish songs and the atmosphere was amazing!

We are waiting patiently for our mezzes to arrive...

Live classical Turkish music at the restaurant...we pretty much just walked around and went wherever we heard some good sounds :) Worked for us!

Tamam (Turkish for "ok"), so that concludes my Saturday in Ankara. Sunday was another adventure too, so part 3 of Ankara will be coming soon!

Party Crashers! Ankara Part 1

This weekend I took a break from Europe and decided to head over to Asia...the Asian side of Turkey, that is. My best friend is from Ankara, and she was heading home for the weekend so I rode a bus (all by myself!) to Ankara to meet her. It was so great to finally meet her family and get to see where she lives. I also officially added a 'first' to my list of Turkey adventures...crashing a party!

It's a running joke now that my friends use me, the American, to do cool things. It usually goes like this (or so they've told me...my Turkish is still pretty poor)..."Hi, our friend here is American and she is really interested in Turkish culture. Could we have a look around?" Of course, with the way Turkish hospitality is, everyone always says yes. And that is how you crash an engagement party, folks!

Here's the photo evidence...

The girl in green is the future bride. She was totally nice about us crashing her party.

It was totally fun and amazing, and I couldn't have thought of a crazier adventure in my wildest dreams. There is much more that we did during our weekend in Ankara, but I will save some for later. Someone tell me I'm not the only person to crash a party, right?! Comment below :)