My love of Turkey

Where it began

Turkey is where I grew up. This is strange because I am an american. My step father was a solider in the American army, and when he married my mom he got orders to Turkey. So my first expierence was when I was young I had just turned 5 years old, the year was 1966. We lived in Izmir and there was no American base. We lived right on the economy. We had an American school and a park as well as a movie theater and exchange to shop for goods. At 5 years old you go out on your balconey and see kids playing futbol you dont let something as silly as a language get in your way you go play. In no time at all you start learning the language and teaching your own using hand signals it all works as comunication. I stayed in Turkey for six years, and can truley say that it was the best place I could of grew up. I learned to apretiate new and wonderful cultures, customs, people, foods, and religeon. But most of all I had a love for the people and their contry. I made lifelong relationships, and my heart has forever claimed Turkey as my adopted Country.

In 1978 my father again got orders to return to Turkey, I was so excited. When I got there I was 16 but spoke like I was 1o or 12 year old. but with new Turkish friends Gokhan and Ozcan I once again started learning and soon was staying at some of the most beautiful beaches and resorts in the world, taking yacht trips to the islands, scuba diving, site seeing and my favorite passtime eating Turkish food. When I was a senior in high school I had many friends most of them Turkish. but one girl I loved so much was an american but her Dad was an officer in the military and mine was not. Protocal was I couldnt see her but we became very good friends mostly because she wasnt like the other americans who stuck together and didnt take the time to learn about where they were. I graduated Izmir American high school in 1980 the ceremony was held in the ampitheater at the city of Ephesus. I joined the navy and a year later came back for a visit. 

I missed my turkish friends and wished I didnt have to go. In 1998 I was in a bad marrige and all was gloom when out of nowhere I get a call for the girl that I had loved so much in Turkey her name was Lisa, and she had found me on classmates.com As big as the United States is we could of been days apart but as it was she lived 15 minutes up the road from me. She was having troubles with her marridge too and the two of us started where we had left off. We would chat online about Turkey and all our friends. We would open up yearbooks and remanisis about old times. But the on comonality was Turkey. Lisa and I devoriced are spouses and were married together and hopefully or as the Turks say god willing we will once again travel to Turkey on our 10th anniversarry next summer I hope to see you there. We will show our sons our adopted country and people. but most of all I will try to gain 12 kg in eating all the turkish food I can lol.

Leo S, darinka, CHiZZY, Donkeyoaty, maryistanbul and 2 others liked this essay

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