Just to Break My Long Silence

Blogging is supposed to be a regular activity. 

However, in the past weeks, I have become inactive in the blogosphere. Whenever I plan to update my blog, I can’t think of a nice subject to write about. There were days that all I did was to think what to write. My options were to share something about my life in the foreign country, talk about the good people I meet everyday, my dreams that prompted me to fly here despite the objection of an important person, or just anything under the sun. But I always ended up being succumbed by writer’s block.

Two months in Bursa, what did I learn so far?

I am not a travel-goer. Although it isn’t my first time to travel abroad, it is my first time to travel alone. When I went to Japan last year, I was with almost 100 people. When I went to Malaysia for AYVP just this August, I was with Ate AJ whom I met at the airport. I was rather so afraid than excited. I have no research to back up my travel nor the words I need to survive in my first several days. “Gunaydin!” (Good morning) was the only word I know that time, no idea how to say Yes and No. My flight to Bangkok was delayed in more than an hour. While on board, I was imagining that I am stranded in Bangkok airport because I missed my flight to Istanbul. I was relieved when the pilot announced that Bangkok time is one hour late.

October 3, 2013 4:58AM- touchdown Istanbul. 1^st Problem: lost baggage. As shared by FB friend, from the airport I have to go to Otogar, the main bus station where I can take another bus to Bursa. 2^nd problem: English-speaking people here are a rare species. I walked around the big airport like a lost cat finding its way back home with no idea who to ask for directions. Alhamdulillah, a guy saw me wandering around and helped me ride the train.

The travel to Bursa was around 4 hours crossing the sea of Marmara. In the bus, few people helped me again. There was a woman who can speak English a little and she became the bridge with the guy who pledged to deliver me to my dormitory. The in-city public transport system of Bursa is advanced. People use cards to pay their fare. Obviously, I don’t have that card so the guy paid for me. Weee! Then I realized that good people are all around. When I reached the dormitory, they did not allow me to register unless I have a certificate of registration from the language center where I will take Turkish classes in the next 8 months.

Bursa greeted me at 13^oC, an extreme ice cold temperature at least for me who come from a tropical country.   

In a foreign country, finding friends to whom you should keep good relationship equates to survival. My roommate is a Libyan, 21, studying Civil Engineering now on its second year. He speaks Arabic and Turkish, so my English linguistic ability is of no help now. Though there is an obvious language barrier, he is a good guy and I can testify for that. In my days of desperation because I didn’t not receive my monthly allowance due to some lapses about my scholarship agreement, he was the person that helped me without any hesitation.

Then there came more friends and acquaintances thereafter from various countries like Pakistan, Mexico, India, China, Kazakhztan, Kosovo, Indonesia, Mongolia, Yemen, South Sudan, Egypt, Chad, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Arad, Georgia, Moldova, Ghana, Afghanistan, Algeria, Romania, Liberia, Egypt, Afghanistan, Palestine, and more. A melting pot indeed!

Long detours, I can’t wait what’s ahead for me here.