Ten trends showing the closing of my Istanbul chapter:
I’m posting old photos from earlier adventures.
I’m not renewing my cellphone plan.
I’m out of money.
I’m counting down the days (19)
I’m working on ‘final projects’ for classes.
I’m enrolling in classes for Fall 2012 in California.
I’m looking forward to checking out of the Superdorm.
I’m content with what I’ve done/seen in Turkey.
I’m returning borrowed books (except Brenna’s).
I’m not sure if I’ll see people again before I go.
Coming up next: Daegu, South Korea.
Last night’s party at Sortie was probably the fanciest party I’ve ever been to. I don’t regret going if only for the fact that I get to say that I went there, to say that I stood by the railing overlooking the Bosphorus at night, to say that I danced with some friends for a couple hours and avoided buying a fifteen-lira Efes, to say that I was privy to some gossip and some surprises, to say that I walked back to campus with a barefoot Brenna at two in the morning with a waffle pit-stop and some nice reminiscing. It was a good party to serve as my clubbing swan song. A partially-outdoor club with wide-open space that filled quickly with familiar faces and Turkish strangers, with cool lighting and your standard pop-rap soundtrack. It was free entry for students (a special event), but otherwise you imagine the clientele arriving in porches, dressed to the nines.
I spend the next day eating spoonfuls of Nutella and being, for a lack of a less deprecating term, lazy as fuck. No motivation to work on final projects. Barely the urge to leave my dorm. This is one way to avoid spending money.
I think this weekend, when I’m not working on projects, I’ll go on some walks. I’ll take my camera and I’ll go get lost, just like old times. Maybe I’ll find that canal that I found in February. Maybe I’ll take a solo trip through Sultanahmet. Maybe head up the Bosphorus to Sariyer. I don’t know. I’m in that weird between-world mindset where I want to take advantage of the time that I simultaneously want to fly by.
The bottom line truth is that I’m happy. If I had to leave Turkey tomorrow, I’d be more than pleased with what happened here. If I do absolutely nothing for the next 19 days, then that’s okay. I’m honestly done. I’m satisfied. I’m ready for what’s next.
Maybe this sounds a little hypocritical. I’m sure not long ago I mentioned something about “making the most” of the time I had left. That’s the thing, though… Money limitations aside, I can’t think of any ways to make this experience better. It’s been amazing. It’s been pretty much perfect. It’s been four months of awesome. So I don’t think I’d turn down an invitation to play tavla with friends or grab dinner or get drinks for an evening at the Overlook, but these 19 days will be icing on the cake, regardless.
And it was a great cake.
