So much Turkish!

Wow, the last post was massive! That's what you get when you don't have time to edit. No more of that, I promise. :-P

I've been settling in a bit more now, so I'm going to try to focus each blog post on just one topic (usually). I would welcome any and all suggestions for things you've always wanted to know about Turkey. If I don't know the answer, I will find out, whether through interviews or books or newspapers.

Now all I can think about is Turkish -- yesterday we had our first full day of classes. Six hours. And afterwards, two hours of conversation with "peer helpers" -- three Turks who are learning English and wanted to practice with us. In one day, we covered what in middle school Spanish would amount to a month of vocabulary :):

--greetings (Turkish is full of various greetings, all with the proper response), the alphabet, days of the week, months, opposites, weather, colors, basic numbers. And then I come home to my host family and do it all over again -- we sit watching Turkish soap operas with dictionaries, trying to communicate. It is overwhelming, but I hope it means I will learn fast...

Two quick thoughts/anecdotes before I have to get back to class (we have a ten minute break):

1. When I was walking to class from the metro this morning, I saw a blind beggar in the overpass. Besides the usual hat with change, he had a scale next to him (you know, the kind that tells your weight.) We couldn't figure out why. Just a random thing? Does anyone have any idea?

2. A girl was studying English on the metro, right next to my classmate who was reviewing our Turkish vocabulary. But the girl had on earphones, so they did not talk. The subway always makes me think of missed connections...

Gotta go! I will post a few pictures tonight.