second hand

In general, Turks don't buy second hand.  They find it gross or a sign of poverty - a bit insulting to their pride.

So garage sales, craig's list, and eBay are not a thing.

But, there is an expat community - a crowd of people that come and go from Ankara - mostly embassy and military people.  Their world is a sub-culture onto itself.  They know to plug into each other to get to the things the need and find the comforts they want.  There is an email list for expats and on it those coming and going are usually buying and selling home goods like it's a second business - not necessarily at garage sale prices.

The frenzy is intoxicating and a little sickening.  I see things for sale and get a bit excited (I need that) and feel that pressure that "I have to get that before it's gone."

My friends who've been living here since I was here are moving home.  They will ship a container of goods - but are trying to rids of lots of things as well.  They had a bunk bed - and without even looking at it - I assumed it was good, only a year old hardly used and bought if for $100.

I kind of regret it.

They also started filling my bags with junk, and I thought "Junk! yeah!"  (Since when do I say Yeah junk!?)  She gave us their liquor.  We hardly drink liquor.  She filled my bags.  (They were literally selling bags of junk - fill a bag for ten lire or something).  It was overwhelming to look at and now its overwhelmingly sitting in bags in my kitchen.

Jello, seasonal decorated dish towels, frosting, cake mix and tins, chocolate chips, ice pops, taco seasoning, flour (why? why?)

I gave her 50 more lire for it all - and left with that feeling of what just happened?  And the bunk bed is kind of ugly.

Seriously, I've got stop living like this is some sort of game show where you grab up the items as fast as you can in who-can-get-the-best-deal - because it feels like everyone just loses.