First Few Days in Ankara

I'm not sure what I want to do with this blog, so that's one reason why I had not started it yet.  I've decided then that I only want to write about interesting things that happen to me, or that I observe, hopefully daily. 

My first day in Ankara I arrived at the airport just fine (although an hour late), but getting off the plane there were a ton of people waiting for us.  Apparently the Turkish basketball team was on our flight and they had just lost to the US the night before in some championship.  Everyone cheered for them as we got off the plane and throughout the airport.  They all had their cell phones out and were taking pictures with the guys.  The team was nicely dressed in matching suits with baby blue ties and were, yes, all very tall.

The next day I again witnessed Turks' excitement over their sports teams.  A few of us were at a teahouse having tea and hookah.  Soon the place began to fill up and cars outside were loudly honking their horns.  We eventually figured out that a Turkish soccer team was playing against Spain in some tournament, but it was a big deal because it was not one of the three major Turkish soccer teams. The entire night cars were honking their horns and everyone was screaming in the streets.  I even saw a car completely draped in a Turkish flag.  I don't  even know the results of the game.

At our orientation today, we had an amazing presentation given by a prominent Turkish professor about "Turkish Art Through the Ages."  It was such an entertaining and fun lecture- a powerpoint told like a story.  He basically gave us a brief history of Turkey with accompanying photos and even Turkish poetry. It was simply beautiful- theatrical and fun.  I'm sure I'll never be that type of professor, but it was amazing to see.