time with the kids

Fridays are my lightest day - and once a month, I made the habit to order Chinese food.  We sit and eat sushi and noodles and chat.  I covered a class, had a meeting, then went for a walk.  Another thing I'm trying to do - to take back some time for myself - go for a walk on the school grounds once a day, 30 minutes.  As my friends, and co-walker today said: time is the greatest athlete.

That was a generous way of putting it - I'm more afraid that time is my master.  Time with kids.  Time to do work.  Time to sleep.  Time to devote to projects small and time to devote each day to those long term goals.  Time to think - to get these priorities straight.

I came home and brought all three kids downstairs.  We brought Tuana's roller horse downstairs and Tomris's bike.  Teoman rode the bike and Tomris had a backpack loaded with toys.  They both had it in their mind to explore the community.  And Tuana was making sure to keep up - whether it be by crawling, calling, or demanding to be carried and pointing to her sibling's trail.

I hope I always make time for this.

festival of the arts

When I was in fifth grade I started playing the violin.  I supposed I learned it pretty fast because I had a strong piano background.  In Junior High, we toured as an Orchestra to several places, as we did in high school as well.  Even a European tour was considered - but not enough people wanted to put the money up for something of that size.

Our orchestra was good.  Our director always told us so in a way that felt very falsely modest.  My cousin, who played the viola, and I, always scoffed a bit.  We didn't believe him, nor did we buy the show he put on as humble director.  We liked him all right, and we loved playing - but he was so adamant that we were the best in the nation and he was just a measly little director that it was hard to believe him.  I mean, his duality of bragging and humility kind of discounted his words.

But over the years, being in other schools and even hearing high school orchestra's abroad.  I'm pretty sure we among the top in the nation, and maybe even in contention with the world youth stage.  We had violinists that went on to be concert masters at Juliard, we had the best bassoonist, oboist, harpist,  trombonist and tumpetist in the state.  We had an awesome cello section, great bass players, a super multi-talented percussionist, a french horn section.  We played many well known pieces - no adaptions, because we had the talent and the instruments.

That was no what I heard tonight.  There was one terrible snare drummer who couldn't keep time.  Six trumpet players hunched over their instruments.  Five flute players.  Three clarinets - and they were out of tune somehow.  Oh, and a cello next to the trombones.

It. was. awful.

And they were in high school.

pre-school registration

It occurred to me this week that it must be around registration time for school.  I asked Teoman's teachers and they said,

"Oh yea, we're past that deadline."

WHATT?!?

I was pretty sure that the "deadline" was flexible for employees - but I couldn't help wonder why no one breathed a word about it earlier.  What did I miss?

I contacted the registration office and filled in some basic info.  It wasn't a problem - and she was added to the list, along with our names, jobs, phone numbers, ID numbers, etc.  I received an email that afternoon that there was a MANDATORY school tour at 5:30pm.  I read the email at 5:45pm.   

AGHH!  

The email was pretty clear that there was so skipping of this tour and anyone who wanted their child to attend our school, had to attend this tour and learn the school's vision.  

The private school is funny that way - putting many demands and expectation on parents -parents who are probably used to putting demands and expectations on others.  They are quite unbending in their words - but I was told the next day it was no problem, my name was on the list.  

And so, the process has begun for child #2 to enter the private education system.  It feels pretty exciting.

revealing conversations with the kids

Me: Teoman, your classmates invited you to the party, not Tuana and Tomris.
Teoman: But I want them to see too.
Me: But they can't stay - they aren't a part of the class.
Teoman: But maybe you could talk to them. You're really good at talking.

Teoman: What's the noise?
Me: It's a bus driving around doing commercials for people to listen to.  The people will vote on something - and this bus is telling everybody what they should vote for.
Teoman: What's a commercial?

Tomris: Ouch!  Who put this here!  I stepped on it and hurt my foot.
Teoman: I did.  Sorry Tomris.
Tomris: It's okay, I can just walk on one foot.

Tomris: I'm going to hit you and kick you.
Me: Tomris, go to your room and count to ten.
Tomris: I can't!  I don't know how.
Teoman: I'll help you.  1, 2, 3...
Tomris: Okay, I'm going and I'll count.  ONE!  (he he he he) TWO, THREE (he he he), FOUR, FIVE, SIX (he, heh heh), SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN, ELEVEN, FOURTEEN, SIXTEEN, THIRTY!

nearing walking

Tuana will learn to walk soon.  She seems to be over whatever was bothering her last week - and back to her smiley self.  She's started more and more to stand up then let go to do "no hands".  She gives a big grin - please with her self and showing all four teeth accompanied by a pudgy hand clap.

renovated play areas

It was a beautiful weekend weather-wise.  While my colleagues sat in a professional development seminar.  I spent it with my kids at parks.  I enjoy school, I don't mind seminars - but its hard to get on board with the value of these at this time in my life.  

I just don't care about it right now, and I'm not sure if I could get myself to care about it again.  

We walked down our main boulevard to the renovated Starbucks that replace comfy stained arm chairs with cheap plastic chairs and sleeker countertops.  There is a hidden park just behind the building - tucked in-between three apartment buildings, a shanty, and some airconditioners.  A park that was old and run down, but has been entirely renewed.  Three self-contained park sections, all fenced in and colorful.  

The park was empty on a Saturday afternoon - which is really unheard of in Ankara.  A larger park is just three blocks away - and it surely was packed today, no room for parking.  It had larger spaces, picnic tables and a walking track.  It's also harder to keep track of the kids there.

So this one was just right for us.

new things

Saturdays are our days.  We knew it would be a nice day and planned on going outside.  But we took the morning leisurely.  Tolga made pancakes.  The kids played, fought, cried, played.  Tuana these days won't let me go, and on Saturdays,  I don't mind so much.  I think she isn't feeling well, or she's learned how to use us.  I'm not sure which one.  I'm worried that she's still ill - she spit up twice today, a little throw up - so I'm guessing she's still fighting bugs.

We went to Incek to find a place to sit and drink tea, eat and let the kids play.  There are places like these around.  Tables set around a playground inside a restaurants garden.  Perfect for families like us.  Except Tuana still isn't walking.  Tottering more and more on her legs, but most crawling and she found the stairs.  Once she found those, it wasn't as relaxing.

There was a regular swing, one with no back.  I don't see those often around here and I tried to teach Tomris how to swing her legs out and in with each swing.  Yesterday I had to teach Teoman how to drink out of a water fountain - because he saw his first one - or first time it was relevant.

He tasted the water and said,
"Mmmm.  Sweet!"

Back at our building, we took out the bike and skates we had packed - and since there had been no place for them to ride there, we went to the park next to our house.  Tomris was trying Teoman's skates, and Teoman was trying Tomris's bike.  The ground was too rough to skate - but made it easy for Tomris to walk so that she thought she was skating.

Tomris's bike we learned the training wheels came off incredible easily - so we took them off and he was eager to try.  He had no balance - but he seemed pretty determined - so he may just learn this summer how to ride.

I still remember the day I learned to ride.  We actually had a babysitter - which is also surprising to remember, because I don't think we had one much.  Aaron and I were six years old.  We both tried and failed, probably a few times.  And I remember Aaron doing it first, then I did it directly after him.

red-nose day

Thursday afternoons is the "activity period" for the students.  My old school had it as well, so it's probably a requirement from the education ministry.  For two periods, eighty minutes, students attend an activity of their choosing for the semester/year.  The activity is hosted by a teacher and could be anything from drama to sewing to baking to soccer to board games.

The Red-nose club was affiliated to an organization in London that raises money for the poor on a specified day through activities and comedy shows.  The comedian were invited to our school this evening (I didn't go), and our day was scheduled with some fun activities.

First it was crazy dress day.  And I played.
I wore one soccer shoe and one rain boot.  I wore knee high red-striped socks over cream colored tights. I wore black shorts over the tights and a purple plaid long-sleeve shirt.  I wore two silver costume wrist guards that block bullets.  I wore two funky necklaces, my hair in pigtails and a wide-brimmed hat.

There was a crazy dress contest and I was a judge.  A quiz show where I was a participant.  And a money-jar contest - which I was also a participant.

The quiz show I was against my colleagues.  I thought I would lose (can I still blame baby brain) - but my colleague with the PhD took one for the team.  She chose all the obviously wrong answers and the prize for being the loser was a bucket of water over the head.  The prize for the jar with the most money in the jar was a pie in the face - which also happened to be the same colleague.

It was a lot of fun

the little bakers

Today was Teoman's day.  The whole week is his - but today was the day I was to visit his class and do a small activity with the students.  I had made the plan with the teachers weeks before - and just as the kids and kids' parents before me - it was my turn to come in and do something for Teoman.

Teoman wanted to make cookies.  That's what he told me when I asked what we should do.  And play a game he added.  Tolga had hoped he could avoid going to the field because he didn't want to miss this either - but he was away, and it couldn't be helped.

I saw the school's webpage with picture of other parents' activities and I felt a bit of pressure.  Presents, cut out violins, planting tulips, oil and water experiments.  Game on!

I thought of lots of ideas what to do - I mean, it's hard to reign it back - and in the end, I created quite the "situation" as Tolga would call it.

We made chocolate chip cookies two nights before for the teachers and ourselves, and chocolate-chip cookies minus the chocolate chips for the students (allergies).  While the students were at garden time I was setting everything up.  The kids came in while I trying to hook up the projector (phase 1 of the situation).  They came up to me real close and examined my face - they all knew why I was there, that I was Teoman's mom - and they had to get a closer look.  I knelt down and talked to a few.  Asking their names.

Phase 1 was calling Tolga in the field.  That's how Tolga figured he could still be a part of it - but he worried they wouldn't have reception - and they didn't.  Our call didn't connect, we criss-crossed dialed in our impatience, it was poor connection and choppy sound when we did.  The kids didn't seem to follow any of it.  When I told them it was Teoman's Baba on the mountain -the all waved at the video of themselves saying, "That's the mountain?  That's Teoman's Baba?"  Tolga said hello and have fun - in general - in the end  - and we all said bye and moved to phase 2.

I had bowls on a small table of three different sizes, filled with flour, white sugar and brown.  I showed the kids the items, had a few come up and feel the flower and taste the sugar.  We repeated the words and colors and I showed them the eggs and sent them to their tables.  Teoman was by my side, telling me what he'd do next.  He handed out the 8 mixing bowls, and 8 cups and I assigned a "mixer" and someone for "ingredients".  The one with the cup would come up and fill his or her cup with flour.  Then half of the cup with sugar, then a quarter of the cup with brown sugar.  Then I gave the classroom teachers teaspoons and one jar of salt, another a jar of baking soda, and me the jar of vanilla.  We went around the room scooping a spoon into the cups and telling them to mix mix mix.  Lastly I poured a half cup of oil into each, and they were supposed to attempt to break their own eggs by tap tap tapping - but I think the teacher took over at this point.

In fact - I kind of lost track of what was happening - I'm sure kids came up multiple times for ingredients - or missed one - or ate or spilled it.  They are preschoolers.

They were a bit shocked that they were being allowed to mix with their hands - but soon all were getting messy.  Teoman had decided to do his own, and informed me his was too sticky and needed more flour.

Then I went around showing each how to roll a ball.  I didn't stop and teach it - I just went table to table.  Telling them to roll roll roll.  One showed me how hers kept crumbling, so I showed her a big chunk of dough was easier.  I had brought two baking sheets and the kids were rolling all sorts of sizes of balls and putting them on the baking sheet.  I had wet cloths at each table for them to wipe their hands and in the end both baking sheets were full.  One looked cute, the other looked gross.

I had all the kids sit down while I put the cookies in the oven.  The oven was iffy - and while I wanted to show them their product on the sheet - I figured it was 50/50 whether the cookies would turn out (not to mention the germs) - so the plan was for this dough to go straight to the garbage.

I came back only seconds later.
"The cookies are ready!"  I pulled out little baggies I had prepared with two cookies each and a ribbon.  "This is the cookies you made!  Great job!   Don't the cookies look great!"

They were a bit surprised but one boy named Emre looked at me suspiciously and said, "That was two fast!"
Teoman added, "I know your joking."
The other kids didn't pick up on it.

The teacher took a photo and it was over.  I didn't look at the time - but I had at some point and we had kept it right around 30 minutes - I think I was most impressed with that part - I can never get the timing right in my own classroom.

I was never a patriot

Since marrying Tolga it forever changed my view on so many things.  

You don't know what you don't know.

We didn't know who hard it would be to get a green card.

We didn't know about the discrimination he'd receive as a non-citizen. 

We didn't know the green card was only temporary.

We didn't know we'd leave in less than two years. 

We didn't know that even though we left, even though the card expired, even though Tolga was not a citizen nor allowed to be a resident.  

For tax purposes . . . they will never. let. you. go.

So we continued being required to file for him.  And then, this past year - because Tolga's green card was long expired (5 years!) and his visa was expiring - we had to reapply for a visa.  Upon receiving the application we were informed he had to officially abandon the green card by filling out document 384028b.  We did, and upon handing it to the official - she asked, "Why would you abandon your green card."

Um.  Do we have a choice?  We surely didn't want to - but we had plane tickets to the states and no valid entry ticket - don't you make the rules?  Didn't you just tell us we had to abandon it?  

And for my favorite time of year - it's become a tax issue as well.  Now that the paperwork is official (to which our tax person asked as well, "Why would you abandon your green card?" - Um, am I missing something here?  Did we have a choice somewhere along the way that I didn't know about?) our tax situation is in a transition phase where we may file as dual-status resident, but after we expatriate.  Expatriation, from my quick and stimulating perusal of government documents, is a way for the government to get money from the rich who don't want to be citizens or tax residents any longer (they are probably expatriating for the sole purpose of not paying taxes any longer too).

But we are not rich.  We struggled in a country for 18 months that gave us no support, lots of rules, and limited residency that expired and was not allowed to renew.  We threw our hat in the ring hoping to make a life in America.  And I'm feeling more and more like we have our money to smugglers who forced on an overcrowded boat that is doomed to sink us all.

I'm praying we don't become prey to this system.

trying to keep work a low priority

Tuana was up at 3:30 this morning with a fever again.  Not to high, almost 101 degrees, but I had already decided to leave work early to take her to the doctor.  My wristwatch was pinging with messages from school - as it always does - and I glanced to see I was assigned as a substitute for the end of the day.

My colleague was sick.  Her husband would take the class, but their son was sick.
My other colleague has a doctor's report for 10 days, so she's legally not supposed to be here.  The Americans that are always complaining about Turks not working hard had a ticket to walk up the hill to their dorms everyday - they both could teach and go home.

So I got stuck with a 9 and 10 coverage.  An end of the day that left me with teaching 9 out of 10 periods in the day.

And my plan was to take my baby to the doctor.  I'm not this person - but this year has been a massive struggle to keep my family life separate from my work.

And I'm not very good at it so far, but the urgency of my family needs over my work keeps me fighting.  But I still hope to reach that zen point where I can be awesome and help everyone and still give a firm no rather than a hysterical one.

Which is what I did (the hysterical panic response that is ...) and found replacements for my 9/10 substitutions and made it to the doctor.

Tuana is feverish, tired, mostly happy, and just fighting a bug I guess.

person of the week

I'm not really sure what it all entails - but the long awaited day - Teoman's personality week - has come.  It's his week as he informed me.  I told him to gather his favorite toys which have been superheroes and transformers - but today was the paw patrol plane, a hammer, and a screwdriver.  He also wanted to bring his sword and shield but couldn't find it so couldn't be bothered.  We brought his favorite book - which currently was a space book, and last minute I realized I should put some photos - and I hadn't printed photos in over a year.
Mental note.
Teoman these days has a smile that has grown with his humor.  His whole face smiles, just like his  Baba's.  He is ready to laugh at a joke and he's quite animate in his games.  He plays well with Tomris 75% of the time.  And he is very dear with his youngest sister.  He looks at her lovingly, and giggles at the things she does.  He prefers her to wake him up - even if it means she's pulling his hair - and he loves that he can make her laugh.

The other day we were baking something and Teoman was standing on the chair and asking me something at the same time.  In the middle of his sentence he glanced at Tomris and snickered, "Heh, she forgot I took her chair."
Tomris was getting up - and I started laughing so Teoman laughed more.  "What happened?" I said.
"I asked Tomris if I could use her chair, and she forgot and tried to sit down where it was."

Tonight - he had been pretty wild too - then he asked me to pray for him before he slept that he'd have good dreams.  I started to pray - and Tuana sat up in my arms and started jabbering.  Teoman and I both started laughing and he said,
"She's praying too."

My dear little persons of my heart.

sunday's endless tasks

Tolga is going to the field tomorrow - so we had lots of errands to run.  We stopped at the bazaar where I got a mop bucket, phone cover, bowls for Teoman's project, rolling pin, makeup, and dried fruit.  We went to the mall and Tolga got a hair cut while I got hazelnut coffee grounds, my glasses fixed, and grocery store items.  We did great in our timing but it was pretty exhausting - and we ended eating in the food court.  The kids went on my rides and they were pretty excited with the outing - as we had put them on some rides in the mall and ended with french fries.

my not so peaceful haircut

It has been  a few months since my last hair cut, at least.  Around November I guess.  It's never urgent for me to get a haircut, but I didn't want a big chunk of time in order truly relax - and we played it by ear as to whether I'd get my haircut done today.

Tuana was running a low fever and had been up in the night, but once I got her to sleep I figured she'd sleep well.  I went to the hair dresser ... with Tomris.

My normally blissful experience wasn't so blissful.  Tomris was good, and cute, and it was fun to spend the time together.  But she climbed on me, and off me, and on me again.  She kicked her legs, my chair and me when she was on me.  She hardly spoke - which was unusual, and kicked a balloon around.  The hair dressers sat her down and curled her hair.  They were the ones that cut it last time, but I didn't want it cut again ... and now with the curls and the short hair she looked like a grown woman.

weekend nights have a different meaning

My friend dropped off her daughter at our house before I got there.  Teoman's best friend was coming over to play and he was so excited.  I was happy for Tomris too - who got to have Mina all to herself for a little bit.  However, when I got there they were both mad at each other for various reasons.  Probably because one couldn't control the other.

They all played wildly and happily until Tolga came home and Mina's mom picked her up.  Our kids were exhausted and ready to sleep after dinner - which meant Tolga and I could watch a movie, have a glass of wine, chat...

Or just fall asleep too.

girls night

My colleague has been pushing us to out to dinner for a while.  I didn't want to because of the kids - but she learned my schedule and arranged the night around whether Tolga was a home or away.  My colleague is 57, single, and a great listener and observer.  She invests herself and time into each person and conversation.  She organized the evening and we all met at a restaurant - myself, my colleague, the counselor, the Turkish teacher and the Gym teacher.  The three Turks my friend was taking as a thank you for helping her cat.  I was the tag-a-long with Tuana.

Tuana talked to the cab driver in baby talk the whole way there.  I ate a steak, but Tuana started fussing when it was served.  She was tired, and she got mad when I tried to sit or put her down, but by the end she was clapping at conversations.

It felt good to hangout with the girls.  I could get use to this!

team

Our English team so odd.  In our meetings I can see the minds of my colleagues wander in conversation.  I can see the discord.  The dynamics are so odd, and off.  We met after school today to resort our students' reading groups.  They have been led to believe that they are leveled and will all level-up like a video game eventually within the year.

I've worked with many low readers, and its not that easy to level up - but we've inadvertently created this system that seems to reward and punish.

And my students still can't draw logical conclusions.

further education

I have the chance to go to university here.  I'm not thinking about it now - but if I were to do I would probably study ESL - look for ways to bridge the gap in my teaching to my experiences now in a foreign country.

I could also do a Ph.D.

When I was in high school and came across my first text of literary critics - I decided there I would get my Ph.D. so I could refute ridiculous conclusions about texts made by scholars, and write some new ones of my own.

In college, I had a few experiences that have made me realize a Ph.D. study is not what I want.  They weren't negative experiences - they were just I opening - like the choice became very clear to me that I could choose to invest in academics or people - and I chose people.  Not that I couldn't in academics, but the level and the circles were different, and I realized while I like the challenge, the prestige, and the studies - its not where I wanted to invest my time.

At the very least - I knew that I needed a subject that I was passionate about first, one that I was willing to sacrifice my time for and devote my time and thoughts too.

If I ever do a type of PhD study, I think I have the path.  It would be on culture.  Influences of culture.  The idea of multiculturalism and how it doesn't work.  The effects of integrating cultures and studies of how to do it better.  How to pull the best out of each with out suffocating.  How to not divide based on language and word choice, how to affirm the strengths of each.

Surely - any study I do must result in efforts towards positive change.  

international couples

At my school there are many foreigners.  Some from America, a handful from Africa, several from Canada, another group of Brits.

And amongst these traveling teachers are traveling couples and families.  Older retired couples.   Young just starting out.  Young families, mature families.

It's the couples I find the sweetest.  The ones where both are teachers.  They got in this boat together and decided to start teaching around the world.  And for some reason - its the few couples in their late 40s early 50s that I find the most endearing.  Walking from their dorms, hand and hand, to work.

A true team.

back in ankara

As we pulled into our community last night police had begun to set up across the street in front of the Dutch Embassy.  Tolga checked the news and found that today the Turkish ministers were prevented from entering Holland to hold a rally in support of a referendum coming up April 16th.  The vote is in regards to a bill that will essentially give the Turkish president all the power...a situation that I am not allowed to comment on...

Anyhow, the blocking of the rally in Holland began protesting that turned into riots in response.  The Holland embassy is caddy-corner from our apartment complex and they were expecting protests here as well.

It was like the state was being set.

Police came.  Water canons came.  Bus loads of riot police.  Fences.  Then they waited.

And the people came.  As if on cue.  The cars began parking on the boulevard, people pouring out with Turkish flags waving.  Music.  News vans.  Spotlights.  A political van advertising to "vote Yes" for the referendum.

Through the night - maybe only 300-400 people gathered.  The US embassy always warns against these protests - to avoid them because they can be targets or turn violent.  But I saw a woman with elementary age kids.  And it was 1am.

I don't know what time the crowd dispersed - but Tolga woke up later and they were still going strong.

Today the police have organized themselves better and set up a perimeter.  Waiting for the evening news I guess.

on the road

It is about 700 kilometers to Kusadasi from Ankara - It's almost the exact same distance of our drive from Minnesota to Kansas City - when we used to make those trips.  The difference is the time because of the Great American freeways.  I suppose if we didn't stop so much it would take us between 7-8 hours.  But with the kids, and two that keep getting car sick - it usually takes about 11 hours.

We didn't leave so early.  We had breakfast, Tolga took care of some last minute things for his parents, and this kids got some last minute playing in with their Babanne while Tuana go a few more stair climbs in.

We drove towards Kusadasi center by the sea.  Looked at some houses and imagined how life would be different living in each neighborhood in spite of the same city.  We drove along the coast so we could see the islands and the castles - sites we've passed many times the kids are still at an age where each year it's new all over again to them.

The port had a huge cruise ship docked.  Cruise ships hadn't been coming through for some time because of the conflict this past year - so it seemed a good sign to see one again.  The port shops had been torn down - I suppose to be renovated in hopes of better days for the country.

We made it to Ankara at 10pm.
Throw up totals:
Tuana = four
Tomris = four.

I looking forward to when the road trip is relaxing.

moisture

It was a another rainy day.  Tolga spent it emptying out Gokhan's room, a tiny room packed with a lot of stuff.  Most of the stuff Tolga brought straight to the balcony to throw it all away.  We are having someone come in a build some custom cabinets to maximize the space - and we are trying to do a design that is somewhat open so that it doesn't trap moisture and breed mold and mildew.

The problem is - we don't know very much about any of this stuff.  In the carpenters seem not to know either.

Gokhan's room was an awfully painted bright yellow.  Poorly painted with the old color seeping through, and yellow splatters on the trim and floor.  We tried to scraped the yellow paint off and putty the walls but as we painted, the moisture would get under the older paint and make it bubble up.  The end result was a bumpy and poorly painted wall once again.

We had to leave it in that condition with a hope that we can come back and fix it another day.

The kids were going stir crazy so I took them for a walk outside.  There was a slight sprinkle of rain, but as we walked, the rain seemed to stop all together and the kids were happy to be outside exploring.  They were most impressed with the huge puddles.

Tomris said, "I don't want to go back to the house.  I'm going to miss these houses."
After passing an open sewer and listening to my explanation of a were and what its doing - Teoman said, "I have a lot to say about this."

race car

Hakan came over yesterday and spent the night.  He has "moved to Germany" but is currently living at the hotel and preparing for the new season where he runs the water sports aspect of the hotel.  His wife German-Turkish wife and their two boys are in Germany now, receiving good social services from the government until they can fully resettle there.  They sold, gave away, or store all of their things.  They must have outfitted a small country with their kids' toys.  Hakan brought some things to the summer home - we currently have a windsurf sitting on our third floor balcony.  And he intended on shipping some things too - Batuhan's bed being one of them - until he realized how expensive it would be to ship a bed.  The reason he was going to ship the bed was because it was a very expensive and pretty sweet bed.  It's frame is racing car - outfitted with light up wheels and headlights and an "alarm" that beeps on, gives an engine starting sound, and a take off sound.  The rooms are too small for such a contraption - and I wanted bunk beds - but Hakan and Tolga convinced me to se it up for now in the small bedroom.

Teoman and Tomris have been playing on it ALL day.  Playing run-over Babanne.  Picking each other up.  Going to do some work.  Going on trips.  It has kept them occupied for hours already - it will be pretty great when the actually start sleeping in it too.

rainy project day

It rained hard all day today.  We knew it would - and spent the day lazily cleaning out a room to paint.  Even though the kids can't go outside, Kusadasi is different for them and they can find enough things to entertain themselves.

Tolga and I always have a list of projects we want to do.   Our summer home is a duplex - three floors with a small living room kitchen and bathroom on the ground floor, three bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor, and our room and bathroom on the third floor.  Our third floor was a project a couple of years ago - we raised the roof, closed off the room, put in an air conditioner - and now we sleep there with the kids on a mini-pull out sofa on the floor.  (It was two cribs in the years before).  The terrace iron fence was a project from two years ago.  Tolga bought some metal paint to re-cover the iron around the terrace - but had only managed to do the front gate before the rains.  We haven't been so ambitious in our projects lately because our kids take most of our attention, but today we were able to clean out one of the small rooms to paint it.  It was in desperate need of painting - and we did three walls tan, and one wall a deep midnight blue - with almost a hint of green.

The humidity in the summer home is problem - and it always makes me think of those who had homes the Jersey Shore - and what they did with it.  The paint is always flaking or turning to dust from moisture seeping through the walls - so I we bleached the walls and bought paint that will hopefully prevent mold or mildew from returning.

We threw out the bed.  It was a bed with storage inside - a nifty solution to low storage space in homes - put a trap for moisture and hard to keep clean.  We did a terrible patch-up putty job, slapped on paint - and I kept remembering the days we were painting together at my parents apartments, and before then, in my New York place.  I'm not very good at it - but it's fun to do it together.

at the beach

It's supposed to be rainy the rest of the week so we had to go to the beach today.  Tomris has been talking about swimming since we got here.  The temperature was almost warm enough to brave  it at 70 degrees, but it was cloudy and windy today.  I told her I was not swimming - and she told me that was fine, she would swim by herself.  Tomris stripped down to her suit and giggled as she put her feet in the water - but she had my fingers in a tight excited grip.  And that is as far as she went.

Tuana was happy sitting in the sand and crawling around in it.  She would pick up garbage and show it to me.  I'm sure she ate some sand too.  And mostly, she kept herself very busy.

I brought down their kites too.  We bought them last year, and haven't had a good day yet - but today was perfect.  Empty beach and windy.  We got Tomris's kite right up in the air - a traditional diamond kite with a long tail.  Tomris giggled and held the handle, letting it out farther and farther.  Later I realized she was probably inadvertently letting the string go because the wind was pulling so much.  After about 5 minutes of perfect flying, the wind snatched it away from her hands.  The handle bounced along to fast for me to catch, tangling in the nearby telephone wires and continuing to fly in the wind - teasing us all.  Tomris cried and cried.  I held her, and kissed her, and told her its too bad, but there was nothing to be done about that kite until the wind died down - and even then, I wasn't very hopeful.  But, an hour later, the wind did die.  The kite withered to the ground in the community a few blocks in, and Tolga climbed up and got it - collecting as much of the string as he could before cutting it.

Teoman's kite was was a trick kite.  I got it on sale - and I thought - how tricky could it be?  It had two handles made for guiding the tricks, but what it really did was made it impossible to handle.  I had Teoman hold the end up about 15-20 feet away from me.  It immediately caught the wind but never raised more then 20 feet in the air before taking a speedy nose dive into the sand.  I tried it a few more times before Tolga headed over to lend a hand.  At this point - I had the kite in the air again and it dove.  I pulled one handle and it circled madly again and again - spiraling but not crashing nor going higher.  I had no control and it took a diver towards Teoman.  I told Teoman to run and he did.  Tolga was laughing, and so was I because the kite didn't crash but flew it's tight pinwheel circles.  Tolga tried to catch it but had to duck because the spin was picking up speed.  It came around and the kite string caught on his tooth and pulled his head up.  We were both falling over with laughter, but not for long because the kite went after him.  Tolga hit the sand shielding himself before I could finally crash it's nose down to stick in the sand.
So much for a trick kite.

a place to run around

I can't say a got much of anything done today, but I don't mind so much.  It's nice to play with Tuana peek-a-boo on the bed, and play frisbee and "pinch-pinch"  - a game that involves a lot of screaming and stampeding around.

Tuana is endless wanting to climb the stairs - its a new thing here.  She can manage, but I have to hover behind her for the obvious precaution, and also because the stairwell is marble, so a slip or even gentle bump is dangerous.  Even with me right there and about to pick her up, I still managed to miss her and she did bump her new front tooth on the stair well and a blood blister immediately developed at the base of her tooth.
Well, here comes braces now that I've messed up the pathways of her baby teeth.

The days are up to 70 degree Fahrenheit - but rain will come soon.  We didn't make it to the beach today - but we'll have to tomorrow because Tomris is set on wearing her swimsuit and going swimming.

the Kusadasi project

We always have work to do at the Kusadasi house.  Tolga and I don't mind - we actually like taking on a project but it is also hard to do with the kids.  They want to play all the time.

So Hakan and Tolga went to the store, and I took the kids down to the beach.  It's too cool to swim, but the temperature was up to 70 and it's Sunday - so the beach had many people milling about.

Tomris immediately took off her socks and shoes to wade in the water.  she plans on swimming this week.  It wasn't long before the bottoms or her rolled up pants were wet, then her bottom from squatting down - and in the ned, she was up to her waist - giggling at the fridge water.

on the road

We have spring break.  I haven't had spring break since coming to Turkey - and just like I haven't had a Christmas break since coming here - the international school year is set up separate from the ministry of Education and we have such things as Christmas Break and Spring Break once again.  It's odd, considering that 90% of school population is Turkish, and that most of the country follows the ministry breaks during February.  But it also creates breaks for us where it doesn't involve the entire country on the road, and vacation spots not quite as full.

We intended on leaving at 3am, and left our community by 5:30am.  Hakan had arrived the night before and so we were traveling together for about 30 minutes - then Hakan called us and said that driving that "slow" made me sleepy and he was going to drive fast ahead of us and take a nap somewhere.

We stopped in Afyon, about 3 hours later and had breakfast at McDonald's - we always stop here because it has an indoor play area for the kids to run around and get some pent-up car energy out.  We continued on, stopping one more place for tea  and the day had warmed up enough for us to sit outside and for the kids to play outside.  By the time we got to Kusidasi - the temperature was up to 18 degrees - perfect spring weather.  It was between 4-and 5pm and well set to work cleaning the three months of dust that had collected, shaking out covers and curtains, washing shelves and making up the rooms.

It's always a big job - but with all of us working and juggling the kids - we managed and had our first dinner - however indoors - because the night time had cooled quiet a bit again.

when only one out of five does...

Our fifth grade exam was yesterday - this is our fourth big one this year - in line with Turkish ministry of education requirements.  

At my previous school - the exam schedule was set up at the beginning of the year.

Here it's set a week in advance.

At my previous school - the exams were multiple choice, fill-in-the-bland, short answer, and writing.

Here - multiple choice is not allowed - and most is grade by a rubric rather than right or wrong.  

At my previous school - the exams were relatively easy.  Most kids score well.  The teachers taught to the skill specifically because the mark on the exam was all the students, parents, etc. cared about.

Here - we focus on the learner.  We are giving exams on the reader - we are focusing on transferrable skills (like determining Importance) and testing them.  And as I said before most of mine did terribly.  

Mistake 1) I drilled vocabulary, not realizing they couldn't transfer the skill of knowing a synonym of a word - to plugging that word into a fill-in-the-blank sentence.

Mistake 2 - I didn't drill them enough with independent practice.  We couldn't keep up in the reading, and I should have just set it aside so that we could work on the exam skills - my students had a hard time determining what was important in each chapter and asking questions in each - and forget context clues.  

Mistake 3 - one person has been in charge of making the exams and we've had little input.  

Mistake 4 - All our students are expecting to "move up" their reading level with each quiz.

This one person is our group leader.  There are five of us - and our reading groups are divided by their reading levels - so that we have homogenous reading groups.  Our group leader sold this idea by promising parents that it was our job to raise their reading levels.  I didn't think about it at the time - but I've worked with low level readers.  It doesn't happen overnight.  It doesn't happen in one year.   

We've got he kids in 5 levels, and I'm with the 4th level (2nd to bottom).  I'm used to low level readers, and I prefer it.  Our group leader has the group smack in the middle, one above me.  After this exam- all of her students scored high.  In fact, 8 of the 10 top places were her students.  I think our team looked at each other sort of baffled.  Our G.L has been the G.L since the beginning.

And so has this huge disconnect.

exams for my low readers

We gave an exam today.  There are about 100 students in grade 5, and for reading they are divided homogeneously - and my group is number 4 out of 5 (five being the lowest readers).  I have mostly boys this time around, and a good relationship with them.  We have fun and have this sort of faith in each other.  I had really thought they'd do well in the exam today but they didn't.

Partly because we've built this false expectation that reading levels can change in a year.  Partly because the department head changed a page without consulting, and partly because I just have low readers.  Period.  They had memorized the vocabulary synonyms but couldn't put it in a fill-in-the-blank type of sentence.  They still couldn't figure out context clues, determine what was important, or draw a conclusion based on a fact.  I always feel like I have failed my students because it was my job to get them ready.  I must take some of the responsibility on myself - and I do.

In the meantime, I'll share three funny responses:

When asking "deeper level" questions about the text on talking geese, migrating, and two best friend geese - my student said.
Why does the weather get colder?
The existentialist.
Another asked:
"If they eagle caught Lucy and ate her, what would happen to the "V"?
And my favorite conintuation of the story:

The geese flew faster and faster, but the young one couldn't keep up and he bumped into the goose behind him.  That goose bumped into the ones next to it.  Soon all the geese bumped and bumped into each other.  They were all injured and had to land and his mother came over to him and said, "What were you thinking!?"

Teoman's day

It started this morning.  Teoman was up early because today was the day we scheduled to play with Mina.  He woke up before I had to wake him and he hugged me.  
At school, we saw Teoman's teacher waiting for the bus to take her up the hill.
"Can we pick up Miss Nesibe?"
I paused the car in the two lane campus housing road, and offered her a ride.  Nesibe hopped in the passenger side and Teoman ceased to speak.   That's his thing.  He doesn't talk at all when people talk to him.
After school, for the first time ever, he ran with me to our car.  It's usually me dragging him.

In spite of his excitement, Teoman still fell asleep on the way home.  We stopped at Mina's house and picker her up - bringing her to our house.  I took all the kids out to the park next our house.  Our nanny went with me, and went home from there.  I did hesitate at thought of bringing three children home, a stroller and a baby ... even with the park adjacent to our apartment buildings ... the sidewalk is lining a busy street, and one I'd rather not walk even ten steps.  But we did, half a block with "one hand on the stroller.