I had class today for the first time in quite a while, about two months in fact. Fortunately it wasn't too strenuous, the professors just went over the course objectives and expectations, the same as at Rhodes. Although I've never had a professor describe the topics for each week for a solid hour before, which was obviously great fun.
Since I don't have a whole lot to say about today, I thought I'd share some stories that really set Turkey apart from the States. People view children as more communal property here, and the kids seem equally comfortable having strangers pinch their cheeks. For example, when we went to get our residency permits yesterday there was a little boy who literally jumped into the lap of another exchange student, sat and hugged her and chattered away in Turkish. His mother looked on indulgently from a little ways away, and told him to wave good-bye to all of us when they were leaving.
The craziest thing I've seen yet, however, took place on the bus on Sunday. I was riding down to Sariyer by myself and an older woman sat next to me in the aisle seat. The bus started to get crowded, and soon there were no more available seats. About halfway to Sariyer, a woman got on holding her baby, and just plopped her in the lap of the woman next to me! I was shocked-- this woman just gave her baby to a stranger! Then I started to think about it; there was no where for the woman to take the baby, no room for her to drop it or anything, and the mother was standing as close to the pair as it is possible to stand. Still, though, can you imagine that happening on the subway in the States?
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