Asia...

So, if you didn't know Istanbul is a very, very large city split by the Bosphorous which divides the small European side of Turkey from the large Asian side (i.e. Anatolia). Anyways there are lots of ferries 24/7 between the two sides as well as multiple bridges. The ferries make it quite convenient to jump over to Asia for dinner some nights and sometimes you get really beautiful photos of the European side at sunset complete with the minarets of the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, etc.

camp milestones...

First session of camp ended on friday with a big eco-fair. It was fun to see all the kids performing and exhibiting everything they had been working on all session. But of course it was also sad to see all the kids leaving and not always getting a chance to say goodbye before their parents drag them off.

Also a bunch of counselors are leaving including my roomies Balto and Jersey, it's all very sad. I'm not very good at adjusting to new people.

Getting a whole new batch of kids tomorrow morning. Have to start all over again for the next three weeks. Should be interesting though, one of my new campers is the twin of one of my old campers, and that boy was super special...I'm extremely curious to meet the twin.

oh, and we had yet another boat trip friday night...craziness, off yah...

I need to sleep so I'm ready for the revelry...

life again...

wow, crazy to realize I'm going to be here for two more years. I'm not used to being somewhere for more than 6-9 months. I have a feeling though that Istanbul and I are going to have a great time...

yesterday I went with some friends to go see the first mosque designed by a woman. The mosque is located on the Asian side near the neighborhood of Uskedar and was extremely beautiful inside. Then in the evening a large group of us went up to the home of one of our Junior Counselors. Gorgeous house complete with a pool and backyard couches and the food was delicious and filling. All in all a pretty nice day. I haven't decided what I will do today except that I still need to see the new Harry Potter!!! But right now I should probably find myself some breakfast...

...

burc beach...where we took the kids last friday, on the black sea

Pictures finally...

this is kumpir...delicious baked potato with every filling you could possible imagine

view from the boat trip the first weekend

more to come...

amore...

I love the Bosphorous...


pictures coming soon.

Turkiye...

I'm here.

- first night when I arrived I was taken immediately to the bowling alley and saw all my old friends and counselors and met a bunch of new ones
-second day we went to the Istanbul Modern (art museum) to prepare for the fieldtrip for the kids and then had lunch at Tophane, an area next to the museum where you can chill out, smoke nargile, drink tea and eat kumpir(baked potatos with absolutely any sort of filling)!!! That night we went up to Golden Beach on the Bosphorous where we discussed future trips and then had a delicious dinner overlooking the water.
-Third day was a lot of preparation for camp activities and then in the evening had parent orientation. Luckily that ended early enough so we could head out to Arnavutkoy (the neighborhood at the bottom of the hill, outside of campus, next to the Bosphorous) and get a snack and relax and socialize with some old and new friends.
-Today is more hard work and more preparation for decorating our rooms and planning activities for the campers. Luckily we were allowed to sleep in a little bit for a break. And tonight after work is the Boat Trip, my favorite part! I'll try to take lots of pictures of the beautiful Bosphorous at sunset:)...

Art in East Hampton

Just came back from visiting the Pollock-Krasner house up the road from Main Street here in East Hampton. The house was a small farmhouse, originally with no plumbing, the studio was in an old barn, and their backyard looked out to the bay past a marsh. The area is absolutely beautiful and it makes you think that you could also be a prolific, genius painter as well if you were spending your days in such an idyllic landscape away from the crazy aspects of city life.

Maybe one day....it is something to aim for in life...

Christopher Hitchens on the Acropolis Museum: vanityfair.com

Christopher Hitchens on the Acropolis Museum: vanityfair.com

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