Being Myself
Global Friends
A few months ago I participated in a six-week workshop called SUM-it UP run by Global Niche. I’ve known Anastasia and Tara, founders of Global Niche, for many years. We have something in common as wives who followed Turkish men home. The course itself looked deceptively simple. Six weeks of working through visions and goals, … Continue reading
I’d like to thank…
I’ve been struggling a little lately with blogging. It’s into the New Year and yet there are no new posts, several reviews waiting to be written and an air of hesitation prevails. So it was a terrific boost when Sezin Koehler nominated me as a Very Inspiring Blogger. Sezin is a terrific wonderful amazing sister … Continue reading
Translating a Holiday
One of the things that regularly drives me distracted is the constant mixing up of Christmas and New Years in Turkey. I’ve even mentioned it before. But my perspective is changing, a little, with time. First there’s the fact that many of the traditions associated with Christmas actually came from other festivals. The date of … Continue reading
Grateful
“The ESSENCE of learning to be GRATEFUL is to learn to WANT what you HAVE.” Maureen Gaffney – Flourishing
Trust
I recently read Proust Was a Neuroscientistand I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author takes a look at various writers, thinkers, painters and gourmets and cleverly explains how they predicted things that neuroscience later proved to be true. For instance Auguste Escoffier cleverly forsaw the fifth taste, umami. He published a recipe book in 1903 that … Continue reading
Being Short-sighted
I need to start wearing glasses, metaphorical ones, I’m already wearing ones for distance. I can see the outline of my goal, the bright shiny vision of the future. I can see exactly what it will be like and how good it will make me feel. There is a soft-focus effect at play though, the … Continue reading
Don’t Panic!
Fittingly enough given it would have been Douglas Adam’s 60th birthday on the 11th of March these words have been running through my head repeatedly in the last few days. The government have decided to change the education system. This should be greeted with shouts of joy and delight as there are plenty of things … Continue reading
Homage to Hybridity
When I read the Week 9 post it immediately brought to mind my wonderful hybrid sisters. They deserve to be named: Anastasia Ashman, Tara Lutman Ağaçayak, Rose Deniz, Sezin Koehler, Judith van Praag, Elmira Bayrasli, Catherine Salter Bayar and Jocelyn Eikenburg. These are women consistently remind me that being myself is ok, in fact, that it … Continue reading
All the Fun of the Circus
While asking questions and trying to figure out my “thing” a trip to the circus illustrated a few points about it. The circus to a child is magical and wondrous but to an adult it’s often bittersweet. Our eyes are often on the action outside of the ring, while a child will focus only on … Continue reading
Testing, testing…
According to the Via Me online survey my strengths are love of learning, judgment, prudence, teamwork and fairness. The Strong Life Test for Women tells me my lead role is that of caretaker with an open heart, a chance of being consumed by others feelings and that I should be on or leading a team. … Continue reading
