Sunsets on the Seashore

Dear readers,

I am happy to announce to you--especially those of you who I wasn't able to reach today by phone--that I've made it safely to Yalova!  I'm settling in well.  There's so much to say that I know I can't do it justice.

To simplify things, a list:
1. My colleagues seem great.  Soner (my boss) and 4 other English professors at Yalova picked us up from the bus stop--waiting for us there, they carried our tons of luggage around for us.  We went to our guest house--lovely.  To the right is a shot of the

living room that now belongs to Clayton.  My room with Margot is like this one--with modern furnishings, very clean, nice TV, kitchenette. Great. (Like all our stuff??)



2. Yalova is beautiful.  We are right on the sea; from our guesthouse, it probably only takes 10 minutes to walk to the water's edge.  The air is warm, clean, the skies have been blue.  After we dumped our stuff at the guesthouse, Soner and the boys took us out for kofte at 'Alaturk' a resturant that sells some of the best kofte this side of the Marmara...by the KILO. We bought only two kilo, but ate every last bite. :-) After cay (tea--"Chai"), we caught this beautiful sunset over the hills cushioning Yalova to the sea from our little terrace.

3. Yalova University is a real and seemingly great university! Margot, Clayton and I went to work bright and early at 10 this morning.  We got to meet more colleagues and attend a workshop on new curriculum.  Everyone seems really, really nice.  Umit and his wife Tuba (!!!) seem to have especially taken us under their wings.  After our workshop, Tuba took us three Americans out to lunch and after that Umit took us to the police office to register ourselves and then all over Yalova to find an
                                                                                apartment.  He did so much translation, bargaining and general figuring for us.  He was so helpful that we might have found a place to live. (Knock on wood!)  I don't want to jinx anything, but this is the lovely seaside pedestrian street off of which is our current frontrunner. Note the cafes and large trees--also see adorable Turkish babies and tons of people.  Yalova is a busy but relaxed community.  I can see myself being very happy here!

Below: The beautiful canal that runs perpendicular to the sea and my seaside street. Yes, there are gondolas and yes, there are several amusement parks and a ATV race track here.  Is this paradise?
         
Since I've obviously deviated back to talking about how beautiful Yalova is, did I mention that from our shore we can see Istanbul??  Well, it's true and especially beautiful at night.  Both last night and tonight, the three of us were blown away by how lovely the lights were from our side. (See bottom picture.)

4. I'm glad to be here and excited for my next steps!  Now that I've made it to Yalova, actually starting my "job"is just around the corner.  I have a few more things to get settled, e.g. my cell phone, an apartment, learning the names of my colleagues, etc., but it really won't be long (inshallah) before I've got those all sorted out.  This is both really exciting and a bit of a wake-up call.  I'm really looking forward to getting my class schedule and starting to teach--and I hope that everything I've learned in the last years and few weeks will help prepare me.
In Turkey, instead of just knocking your knuckles on wood, you yank on your ear maybe three times and then knock on a table.  I'm doing it now. :-)

Until I know anything more, I've got stuff to do and sunsets to enjoy.

Much love and warm hugs from Yalova,
-Annika

Cay shop on the sea where C, M and I went for our after-dinner drinks tonight.