La Lingua

My learning style is very visual. I must read and write in order to retain knowledge. Learning Spanish was easy because I could read it, memorize it. Now I am learning Turkish the complete opposite way. No reading and writing. Just from listening and repeating. My brain in craving a Turkish grammar notebook. I hold onto my dictionary as if it is the keys to my survival. In the beginning it was so, but not so much anymore.

Survival in turkey, for me, is learning how to communicate with others in spite of a language barrier. My housing, food, safety, job, is all taken care of. Since those things are taken care of for me, if I am able to communicate then I am happy and successful in my survival.

Fortunately I am really good at non-verbal communication. Which, let me say, after real experience, Being able to non-verbally communicate well is the best quality that I possess that has really helped me here.

Smiling, laughing, or making eye contact easily breaks the ice when no one knows what to say. It has relieved my fellow hostesses and eased the awkward silence many times. And you can’t fake it. It has to be real every time.

Even though I don’t understand all the chit chatter I feel completely at ease as if I do understand. And this easiness has increased day by day and it still increasing.


So I am trying to learn Turkish. Bit by bit it comes. Not knowing the language first hand sort of keeps me in a bubble. At first it was a big bubble, but each day it becomes a smaller bubble as I get to know people.

I wake up with my six roommates everyday, eat breakfast, go to school, sit with my fellow teachers, talk, teach, eat lunch, together, teach, go home, sit with my roommates, eat dinner, sit and talk and chai and repeat. All day, everyday, all week. So it is like I have been friends with them forever. I know their clothing style, talking style, what they teach, who their kids are, who is more mature, who is smarter, who is more emotional. All this and only 5 out of 30 people I come into contact with know English. It is like having an old grandmother who you don’t speak with because she doesn’t know your language but has lived in your house all your life. You are still know her really well.

But not being able to speak in detail with your friends around you begins to take its toll. It is only fun for so long, for most people. But maybe I am tougher than others or have adapted to this type of life. I find other ways to bond or other things be happy about. And it makes everything else okay.


Here, everyone dresses really modestly. Even without a headscarf. Nothing really flashy mostly basic, clean cut, classic modern type look. The plain look really makes it hard to make first impressions. Instead you are judged on your manners, your eating habits, your generosity, cleanliness, and interaction with others. Really makes you work on your inner core and spirit. These are the lessons I hope to keep close to me