This morning I took my notebook out for a date at the park. We had a delightful time. I ran a pen dry. While taking notes on what I’ve seen this week, I suddenly started writing a passage in Turkish. Sometimes it’s easier to write about your feelings when the results will be necessarily banal. My grasp of Turkish adjectives is still slim. This week I worked on nice goal words: “generous,” “witty,” and “brave.”
Nonetheless, when I check out the Turkish passage now, I look forward to two different moments ahead. 1.) The day I can read it and smile at my grammatical errors. 2.) The day I won’t be able to read it, but will remember that once I did what everyone claims they want to do–I tore off after a big adventure.
The Turkish language will most likely disappear from my part-of-the-brain-made-for-languages-but-already-sadly-full-of-80s-pop-songs. Yet, I hope I will recall feeling very blessed and grateful.
Today, I offer a story from an earlier trip (a curly-sue kleptomaniac that could have been a young me if she were American and law-abiding). Also, a welcome and thank you to my new readers. I’m working on two experiments for Wednesday and Friday, and I hope you’ll check them out as well.
http://thenicethingaboutstrangers.com/2011/11/09/unsuspecting/
I like the idea of your blog. Having spent two years traveling most of the United States I can say that some of my most awesome, terrifying and gorgeous moments have been found from and with strangers. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I greatly appreciate it.
Keep on writing!
-SB
http://senatorbrett.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/totd-what-i-wish-i-meant/
Thanks for coming by, SB. I grew weary of all the warnings for travelers and decided to give the cynics another reason to grumble. The “random acts of kindness” becomes less cliche and more necessary as one roams. Hope to see you again soon!
You shall… and likewise.
Darling, I love the complexity of your two moments ahead. Either and both are proud insights to look forward to!
Darling: you’re a darling. The first recalls my even minor triumphs in German and the second prepares me for this whole thing to go down in flames! Hehe. Ready for anything!
I loved reading through your Turkish experiences! They brought back lovely memories of my month spent in Istanbul when I was in my early twenties. Many cups of tea and too many gin and tonics there, but an unforgettable and magical time of my life spent with the kindest of strangers. Ah, now I’m writing about frugality! How things change!
How lovely! I also had tons of tea in Istanbul, but that kept me frugal nonetheless! Thanks for stopping by the blog.
Frugality sort of implies a kindness with strangers, right? Well, I feel they go hand in hand anyway.
I admire, and am a little jealous of, your learning Turkish. I’ve been here only once, and that was many, many years ago but now more than ever I long to return. Wonderful country saturated with history and fantastic people too. I like your list of “goal-adjectives” also: “generous,” “witty,” and “brave.” – excellent choices,
and I’d hazard, applicable in many ways to your own lovely blog. Thanks very much for your visits to mine, they are appreciated. warm regards from Dublin- A.