Part II

Like my new format? I do. The picture at the top is the view from the fourth floor. I'd like to get a better one where you can't see the light in the glass but it will do for now.

Today was not so bad...interesting really.
Got up, Df requested waffles which is always fun because if I get the timing right when I go down to the kitchen, Vala makes me one too! So I hit that up...had an apple...etc.

Tidied Df's desk with her, as were my orders the night before. Df kept handing me trash and saying, "will you throw this away" even though the trashcan was right beside her. I wanted to take the trash and wack her in the face with it. Instead, I just moved the trashcan out to right by her leg, "Here, feel free to do it yourself."
Toss.
"There, well done. See how easy that was?"
Then we read a book (again, orders), then I left her to do her lazy TV thing and E and I went out again for futbol. It's pretty much a daily thing, he's obsessed...and quite good...and I like going outside so it's all good. We came in and got them ready for their play dates. A said the shirt he was wearing was too nice (the day before she had told me to start using different shirts because he has a lot and shouldn't be wearing the same thing over and over again)
"Okay...why don't you choose one for him."
After that ordeal, as we were leaving she says, "The nanny doesn't speak English and there's some Russian woman...but E can translate for you." Great. She called me after we got there to get a survey of the scene. I could tell she was aprehensive because he'd never been to this house before and she had followed the statement of "No one there speaks English" with "It makes me wonder what kind of house it is." which I think is interesting. I told her everything was fine, and it was. The house was very nice, the women were very nice, the parents were gone, the kids played well together, etc.

Actually, I'm really glad I went because boy did they feed me well! I could tell you everything I had but it wouldn't mean anything to you. I will say, there was borak which I was really excited about because we had it when we came to visit and I haven't seen it since (I don't think it's fancy enough to be served here) It's like a quesadilla type bread with cooked cheese inside. And I got a yummy lemon drink and a pumpkin dessert and a piece of chocolate! (Not all at the same time of course) I even sampled some Turkish coffee...by accident. She offerend me tea of coffee and I clearly said tea but I think E translated something wrong because out came a tiny thing of the darkest coffee I've ever seen and the strongest I've ever tasted. I don't even like coffee! I only made it through half before I said I was full.

The women were so kind to me. The nanny is the one who kept giving me all the food and the cook, who is also the grandmother checked in on me often. I think she could tell I didn't really know what to do because every time the boys would leave the room I would follow them. She finally told me (or so I guessed) that I could just stay where I was since their uncle was up there with them. The funny part was, she clearly intended to stay with me. She pulled a chair into the room and everything. She kept speaking to me in Turkish and I kept telling her I didn't understand. Then she kept talking in Russian which was obviously not an improvement. I mean, this woman didn't speak ONE word of English and it was clear I didn't know a thing she was saying so we'd end up just sitting in total silence for minutes at a time... yet it wasn't awkard. I was just blown away by how much she just didn't want me to be alone.

As we were leaving, which was quite the ordeal, E was not pleased...he stepped on my hand! I was tying his shoe and he said, "Now, I'm going to step on your hand."
"No, you know that would hurt" and proceeded to do it anyway. Then run out the door with no jacket or anything on. I ran inside to get mine but got all flustered because I had to take my shoes off first and put on slippers.

Sidenote: When I was instructed to take off my shoes I got really self-consious because I didn't have on any socks and that isn't normal here...especially in other people's house. So they gave me a pair of slippers...I can't wait to post a picture of them. It was the funniest thing.

So I'm throwing on my coat and then as I'm pulling it on, I feel the grandmother behind me, gently pulling my hair out of my jacket and patting my head lightly. I thanked her very much and smiled and she smiled back. Then at the car I thanked the nanny and she shook my hand and kissed my cheeks. I just don't understand why the people who can't speak a word to me, go out of their way to make me feel cared for, while the people who could do it so easily, don't care to at all. I get in the car just in time to hear Yilmaz say, "No E, Caitlin is not bad, Caitlin is good."
Great.
"E, I don't decide when you leave or come home. I just take you there. You're mad at the wrong person, bud."
He just kicked the back of my seat.
So we both fell asleep on the hour ride home and he was put to bed for a bit when we got there. On the way home I had a call from A, "You called?" she asked.
"Yes, E wouldn't leave and he said to call you."
"Why didn't you let him stay?"
"Because Yilmaz said we leave at four than when he got there he said 20 after, or so it was translated to me from E...we didn't actually leave til 4:30"
"If I haven't told you a specific time, he can stay longer, the driver will wait in the car. So he's upset he couldn't stay."
"Well, that's good to know...now."
Then I was instructed to lay out clothes for her to go through tomorrow morning to make sure it's ok for them to pack. Also, to tell Sirin and Vala to get out all the ski clothes and put them out for her to look through. I did that with Df while E slept, woke E up (an unpleasant experience), then Df called down for me about the ski clothes...however they never came. So she called again. "Sirin said that A had said to do it tomorrow so I told her she had just called you and said to do it tonight and she said that since A didn' tell her she wasn't doing it."
Great. I wasn't wasting time with this one...I'd take the hit if it didn't get done so I called A and told her what Df had said, "That's weird. Can you please give Sirin the phone." So a couple minutes later Cavit brought up all these bags of things I've never seen before. There's are A' and D's things! I need E' and Df's! So Cavit told Df and I to go upstairs with him where we were led to their things. On the way out, Cavit tried to mess with Df (playfully, obviously) but she was just not having it, she had a TV show to get back to. When she left the room, I folded some clothes and mocked her to myself. I heard Cavit laughing and looked up embarassed. He just said, "Df is a little A isn't she?"
"Yes! You are so right!" We hauled everything downstairs.
Then D came home. "I have something for you"
"What's that?"
And he handed me a hairdryer! Yaaaay! It's for us and the kids to use...now I don't have to feel guilty about using A's! "Thank you so much!"
"Yes, I got it on break from work."
Later, he told me all the things he'd had to leave during the day to do and it made me think of my dad...and miss him.
We ate dinner, they went down to watch the futbol came and I ironed some clothes and layed out my own things...which was silly and I have sleep in my bed...the only furniture I have to put anything on...so I'll have to redo it all tomorrow anyway.

I'm panicking that I put the ski clothes in the wrong place and when I heard D calling me earlier from the TV room I came out nervously, however he just said, "If you see Df sucking her thumb again, tell me. That is not ok."
"Will do."
"Really, tell me."
"I will."
Thank you! Someone else thinks that's ridiculous!

So it's been an easy night. I got them in bed but they were rowdy and asked for a funny story. I thought that was a lot of pressure and was nervouse. I told them about the time we snuck up to the fourth floor of Ponce and ran away from a voice, thinking we were caught, when it was just a walkie talkie. They liked it a lot and begged for another one. I told them only one a night and now I have to think of something else funny. I got nothin'.

So I've caught up on emails, blogs, and now I'm kind of dreading walking outside my room to get ready for bed because I'll have to say hello to A who might tell me I did something wrong with the packing which will make me dread going over it with her tomorrow which will ruin my fairly nice day :( Oh well...can't sleep without brushing the teeth! ("Teeth" in Turkish, sounds like "dish" in English, in case you were wondering)

Oh, I forgot something! So dinner on Eren's last night was horrendously awkward. I had been hiding out in my room all night because there was ten family members in total and I just felt out of place. I was videochatting with Dad and Susan and was never called to dinner. All the sudden I heard quiet and knew they must be at the dinner table. I shot out of my room but it was too late, D was halfway up the stairs looking for me and A was asking, "where have you been?" from the table...with a smile, but I don't know how sincere it was.
"I was just trying to give you guys some family time." Said with big smile in hopes of seeming thoughtful and not irresponsible.
I sat down at the table next to a woman I had never seen before, I looked at her and smiled and asked how she was but she literally just looked back at me and didn't say a word.
The whole meal, I could see her looking me up and down out of the corner of my eye so I finally just looked at her and smiled.
"How old are you?" I thought she couldn't speak English!
"I'm twenty."
"Seventeen?"
"Twenty" I said, louder.
"You don't look like this."
"I don't look twenty?"
"You look very little."
"Thank you?"
She turned back around. Anyway...

They all went back to talking and Eren, across from me says, "You need to learn Turkish really soon, huh?"
"Really? Thank you Eren, that is unbelievably helpful."
"Have you figured out the bus system yet?"
"You mean since we talked about it yesterday? No."
Thank God Korkut was there...he was the only not calling me Cathleen and asking me how I liked the food...it was good. They all told Sirin so which is a big deal.

Anyway, it's almost midnight...I really need to stop this. But just know, we leave Friday for Austria so I don't know when I'll update next...keep your pants on :)

PS We're flying into Germany and going biking and seeing the Sound of Music museum! THEN driving to Austria in a minivan...should be fun?

Here's a picture of my newly decorated wall! Sorry it's so bad...I had to use my webcam.

The only thing you can really make out is Chase's handprint...but know I am surrounded by photos of friends and family :) Feel free to send some more :)

And ACTUAL Post Script: I just went into the TV room to say goodnight to A and she was out like a light infront of Gopssip Girl. So I went upstairs to get ready for bed, and D was in the same condition infront of the late show. I wondered, for whatever reason, if they ever fall asleep watching tv together.

I tried to be quiet in the bathroom so as not to wake up but when I walked out he was sitting up and very cheerily said, "Hello!" as if it was not ok to aknowledge he was sleeping. How odd. I told him goodnight and here I am. I have one last thing to share then I'm really going to sleep!

So the other day...I was putting A's hair dryer away and I poked my head into their closet because I have never seen how far it goes back (it's bigger than my room at home) and do you know what I found! Another FULL bathroom in the back of their closet! How crazy is that?!