In one of our more recent science lessons, my third grade class learned about the five senses--sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Actually, I haven't seen my little monsters for quite a while. Almost two weeks, in fact. No, I haven't been skipping school and ducking out of my teaching responsibilities. You see, I've been on spring break. Well, Spain's version of spring break. Being a Catholic country, Spain has made the week leading up to Easter, called Semana Santa (Holy Week), a national holiday. Schools go on break... and therefore, us teachers get a blessed reprieve!
I spent my Semana Santa holiday in Turkey. For those of you who don't know, my boyfriend, Justin, is living in Turkey this year, and he was the reason for my visit. I did actually skip school in order to arrive on Thursday, April 2 (but I did have to suffer through a night spent in the Madrid airport). Despite being a bit drowsy, I geared up for my visit to Turkey as I was warmly greeted at my gate by two much-loved and familiar faces, Dr. and Mrs. Domeck, who arrived minutes before I did and who also spent the week with their son in Turkey. In turn, we found Justin's gate and greeted him as he flew in from Izmir (the city where he lives). We spent three nights in Istanbul and stayed in Izmir for a week. My experience in Turkey was simply fantastic, and I had a vacation unlike any other. I could write dozens of pages on the things I did, saw, and learned while in Turkey; instead, I’ll spare you the extra novel and only highlight my experience through the five senses.
I spent my Semana Santa holiday in Turkey. For those of you who don't know, my boyfriend, Justin, is living in Turkey this year, and he was the reason for my visit. I did actually skip school in order to arrive on Thursday, April 2 (but I did have to suffer through a night spent in the Madrid airport). Despite being a bit drowsy, I geared up for my visit to Turkey as I was warmly greeted at my gate by two much-loved and familiar faces, Dr. and Mrs. Domeck, who arrived minutes before I did and who also spent the week with their son in Turkey. In turn, we found Justin's gate and greeted him as he flew in from Izmir (the city where he lives). We spent three nights in Istanbul and stayed in Izmir for a week. My experience in Turkey was simply fantastic, and I had a vacation unlike any other. I could write dozens of pages on the things I did, saw, and learned while in Turkey; instead, I’ll spare you the extra novel and only highlight my experience through the five senses.
Sight
Istanbul: Istanbul is one gigantic city. In fact, it's so large that it resides on not one, but two continents! The majority of the city (including the oldest part) is on the European continent, but the rest has spilled across the Bosphorus River and the Sea of Marmara to Asia. I can now say that I have split my day between two continents, and all it took was a couple of short ferry rides!
Measuring up to the prestige of the city, some of Istanbul's most famous sights are also quite large. The Blue Mosque, with its numerous minarets and high-reaching domes, catches the eye as it stands majestically in the heart of the old city. Likewise, its neighbor, the Aya Sofya, also makes an impressive sight.
Measuring up to the prestige of the city, some of Istanbul's most famous sights are also quite large. The Blue Mosque, with its numerous minarets and high-reaching domes, catches the eye as it stands majestically in the heart of the old city. Likewise, its neighbor, the Aya Sofya, also makes an impressive sight.
A tulip (the national flower of Turkey) statue with the Aya Sofya in the background
A look up in the Aya Sofya, a church constructed in the 300s by Emperor Justinian, which was later converted into a mosque and finally a museum.
Fortunately, the Domecks and I got to visit Istanbul's two most famous monuments just days before Obama made his presidential visit. We were part of the reconnaissance team, you know, helping out the CIA a bit before their teams got set up in town. I'm not 100% sure, but I would guess that Obama did not visit the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, because I can't see any way that his security team--no matter how technologically advanced and super-trained they are--could ever keep a close enough eye on Mr. President in that confusing and never-ending maze of shops. 
Above: The Domecks and I inside the Blue Mosque
Below: The Blue Mosque at night
Ephesus: While Justin worked on Monday, Dr. and Mrs. Domeck and I drove down to visit the most-well preserved and most complete example of what life was like on the Mediterranean/Aegean Sea. Just beyond the small town of Selçuk lie the ancient remains of what was once one of the most important cities in this part of the world.
Pergamum: On Justin's day off (Tuesday), 
the four of us drove north to the present-day city of Bergama in order to visit the ruined acropolis of Pergamum. On top of a lush mountain, scattered marble pillars and cut stone are almost all that remain of the ancient city, serving as rough outlines for what used to stand in their places. Yet, that didn't stop us from marveling at the architectural wonders that we could only vaguely imagine.
mountainsides in a twisted jumble of modern-day apartment buildings and store fronts. As an outsider, as an American, and as one who currently lives in Madrid, the sight of Izmir stands in sharp contrast with all of the places I have lived and visited. To me, it is a city that says "I want to be modern, but I can't quite get there...” At the same time, there is a vibrancy of life within this city, and the pulse beat changes as you move throughout the neighborhoods. In Bornova, Justin's neighborhood, college students and families mingle in the streets, and the sight of people walking the streets or sitting in outdoor cafes creates quite an enjoyable, relaxed atmosphere.Smell
In Turkey, the smells that meet your nose as you walk through the streets are sure to lead you on an aromatic adventure. The sickly sweet smell of the bakery shop or the fresh scents of wisteria vines make one draw in deep. Perhaps a few minutes later, an unpleasant attack from the nearest dumpster can leave your nose offended. However, good feelings are restored as you continue your walk down the street and take in the delicious smell of Turkish food, which leads me to the next sense...
The Spice Bazaar of Istanbul was not only a colorful sight, but it also tickled my nose and made me a bit hungry.
Taste
My taste buds were in Heaven! Turkish food is delicious, and I didn’t have a bad meal. Justin made sure that his parents and I got to try all of his favorite Turkish dishes. From the great meats with mouth-watering flavor and spice, to fresh and ripe salads of tomatoes, cucumbers & onions, to fresh baked and fluffy bread, to the copious amounts of Turkish tea (called çay), my epicurean experience was a welcomed and wonderful change from the typical Spanish diet (one that I've discovered to be quite bland, plain, and a little lacking, especially after visiting Turkey).
Above: The Domecks and I having Turkish coffee and çay tea in Kemeralti
Below: Although not the best example of Turkish delicacies, I was pretty excited to discover that I can leave my presence in Turkey in the form of Halley cookies (they mispelled it).
Hearing
Five times a day, the Muslim call to prayer goes out from every mosque in the country. Hearing Arabic chanting over loudspeakers on a daily basis serves as a frequent reminder that I was not in Kansas (or even Madrid) anymore.
Again, I enjoyed being surrounded by a new language. Turkish is really fun!! Justin taught me a few of the basics, such as useful phrases that come in handy when being badgered by vendors or waiters who try to convince you to come into their shop or restaurant. [By the way, Justin's Turkish is really good, and he started from scratch in September!] He also taught me a few phrases that express my gratitude to nice and wonderful people that we have met. I have quite a little list of Turkish vocab committed to memory… too bad it’s not going to get me anywhere in Spain!
Again, I enjoyed being surrounded by a new language. Turkish is really fun!! Justin taught me a few of the basics, such as useful phrases that come in handy when being badgered by vendors or waiters who try to convince you to come into their shop or restaurant. [By the way, Justin's Turkish is really good, and he started from scratch in September!] He also taught me a few phrases that express my gratitude to nice and wonderful people that we have met. I have quite a little list of Turkish vocab committed to memory… too bad it’s not going to get me anywhere in Spain!
Touch
While I suppose there were different textures and objects that were a change of touch, the biggest surprise was how much Turkey touched my heart. I have a myriad of memories of how my trip made such an impact on me, and I'll share just a couple of them with you.~Turkish hospitality~
The Domecks and I had the ultimate experience in Turkish hospitality, which all started with our very first night in Izmir. Justin left me and his parents at Otantik, the neighborhood family restaurant of his friend Ersin, while he attended a meeting on Sunday night. It was hilarious and heart-warming to see Ersin, his parents, and the cook all try to communicate with me and Justin's parents. Ersin actually called up a friend who knew a little English in order to be our translator. There was a lot of smiling, nodding, and hand gestures involved, and I was very thankful for the few Turkish words I knew. The three of us ate our first meal of pide (Turkish pizza of sorts) and drank our tea while Ersin figured out the details for how the Domecks could get to the house they rented for the week. Long story short: the landlord arrived with the key; six of us piled in Ersin's car to the nearby house; the Domecks got settled in the house after some rearranging of furniture; we all piled back into the car; and we all made it through the ordeal with an exuberant amount of kindness and appreciation.
The Domecks and I had the ultimate experience in Turkish hospitality, which all started with our very first night in Izmir. Justin left me and his parents at Otantik, the neighborhood family restaurant of his friend Ersin, while he attended a meeting on Sunday night. It was hilarious and heart-warming to see Ersin, his parents, and the cook all try to communicate with me and Justin's parents. Ersin actually called up a friend who knew a little English in order to be our translator. There was a lot of smiling, nodding, and hand gestures involved, and I was very thankful for the few Turkish words I knew. The three of us ate our first meal of pide (Turkish pizza of sorts) and drank our tea while Ersin figured out the details for how the Domecks could get to the house they rented for the week. Long story short: the landlord arrived with the key; six of us piled in Ersin's car to the nearby house; the Domecks got settled in the house after some rearranging of furniture; we all piled back into the car; and we all made it through the ordeal with an exuberant amount of kindness and appreciation.
Well, Ersin and his parents didn't stop there. They sent over their own bed sheets to make the Domeck's stay a little more comfortable. And since we walk by the restaurant a couple of times a day, we have always shouted out a "merhaba!" to one another.
Lastly, Ersin's parents were determined to have us all over at their house for çay, which we did last Saturday night. For about two hours, we sat in their bright blue living room-- drinking tea, eating cake made especially for us, making conversation through Justin's translating abilities, and even watching some home videos! They were all so generous and loving, and I was delighted to truly experience the beauty of the Turkish people on a very personal level.
Justin, Ersin, Ersin's Mom (I don't know how to say/spell her name), Mrs. & Dr. Domeck, Ersin's Dad (same story)
~American hospitality~
Upon my arrival in Izmir, I also was warmly welcomed by Justin's seven other teammates--Karisa, Alex, Natalie, Hillary, Brian, Brenton, and Austin. They graciously opened up their homes to me, and I felt so loved and encouraged by such a great group of young people. My heart has certainly been touched by their hospitality, their fun-loving attitude, and their desire to work actively as a part of God's Kingdom. 
~A Beautiful Mission~
Perhaps the coolest thing and the most original thing that set my Semana Santa apart from any other vacation is the fact that I was actively involved in celebrating just that... Holy Week. I was able to join the Izmir team in most of their Easter activities, and it was an incredible opportunity to be involved with one crazy outreach project. We handed out 300 lilies and daisies to university students, each one with a little note in Turkish about why we celebrate this week. We gave away lokma (a syrup-coated doughnut, which is a specialty of Izmir) at the corner of Kaçuk Park, a central hangout in Bornova. Finally, we made history on Maundy Thursday by hosting a public showing of The Passion, which was the culmination of all the promotional events that had been done earlier in the week.
Whenever someone dies in Izmir, it is tradition that the family rents a lokma stand and hand out the treats to anyone walking by for free. The Izmir team took this local idea of "death doughnuts" to a new level when we passed out lokma in honor of Jesus' death. We had a lot of fun!
Last, but certainly not least, my heart was also happy to be with Justin again! Maybe there should be a sixth sense… I’ll call it love.~Happy Easter~
John 3:16
