Second Night

Today was yet another wonderful day! We stayed in the house, and Fatma (who actually goes by Fatüş (fah-TUSH), the same way Margaret is usually Peggy) fed me a combination of dinner and breakfast, because I had woken so late. Breakfast here is typically salty cured and fresh olives, different salty white cheeses, bread, and fresh fruit. At about five, even though we live way up in an apartment, a man came to our door with a little rolling cart of special Ramazan bread, called pitte (PEE-day). It was still warm and was chewy and delicious. I asked my anne later, and she told me it only cost two Turkish lira, or a little more than a dollar. Regular bread, or ekmek (EHK-mek) is half that! We also had the usual çorba (CHOR-buh), or pre-dinner soup. It is served with bread, salt and pepper, and a very delicious, medium-spicy blend of different red pepper flakes. Also, there was patlıcan (pot-luh-JOHN), eggpant, with some sort of calf meat. There was also a really delicious sauteed green been dish, as well as small stuffed peppers, called dolma biber (DOL-mah BEE-bear, biber meaning pepper). We also had kaymak with honey again! I ate alone for most of the time, because the Imam had not yet announced that it was okay for those who are fasting to eat (there is a set time each day). I should point out that only about a third of the people I have encountered are fasting, mainly the older folks. I think this is similar to how not many people in the US fast for Lent anymore. My anne told me that sometimes her and my baba pray, but really, that is more a thing that her mother and her mother's mother did.

Everything here is either freshly made or grown or only shortly packaged. And it is all so delicious!

We watched Turkey beat Puerto Rico in basketball, and our neighbor, Gulia, came over to visit and watch with us. My anne showed me pictures of her younger and older sons' engagement and her older son's wedding, and I showed her all of the albums of pictures I took in Ohio, as well as the different photos of Madison that I have. They all think that my home is çok güzel (chalk GOO-zell, a very, very common phrase, meaning very beautiful, but used for food, people, places, everything).

My anne and baba remind me a lot of my grandpa Tom and grandma Bobbie, actually, and I think that they are about the same age. Such sweet people I know!

Oh, there is this one strange cultural thing here. When I first arrived yesterday, my anne was offering me her shoes. It was very weird. Today, Gulia and she tried to explain that walking around the house barefoot gives you a stomach ache! I tried telling them no, it was fine. I tried using Turkish to say no! we're in the house, not the street! They think I'm a pretty hilarious girl.

We had more tea and a nut mix that was really good. It had hazel nuts, sesame-and-sugar-coated peanuts, AMAZING pistachios, and almonds. I let them try the Boston Baked Beans I had brought, as well as the pineapple upside down cake mom made me for my going away dinner. They liked both, especially the cake. They also really like the zucchini bread mom made for me to take.

I must go to bed now, as it's already one thirty! My anne is waking me up at ten to go grocery shopping with her and her daughter-in-law, Ilke (EEL-keh).

Goodnight!

Nat