So yesterday...what was yesterday? It's hard to remember for some reason. I'm apparently not over jet lag which I think is ridiculous...Dad said for every hour difference it takes a day to adjust...which means SEVEN days and I don't remember having that much trouble last time. I have a cold apparently...and maybe a fever because I keep sweating then getting cold. Or maybe I'm just complaining...either way. I didn't sleep and was pretty awake when Df came to my room at 8 and told me to wake up. We started our day with Turkish futbol (as always)...E is obsessed with it and is really very good for his age. I helped Df with her homework...which is quite a challenge. The questions she has on her homework don't make sense when she tries to phrase them to me in English and then when I figure it out and try to explain it to her, she doesn't understand and gets frustrated. I don't blame her. That's basically how I feel all the time. Then we got ready for brunch at 11:30. We (me and the kids) rode with Korcut since we all wouldn't fit in one car. It was a long drive and I had to fight to stay awake. Everything is such a long drive...Istanbul is HUGE. I had to ask A if I needed to change, (I was wearing jeans) and she said, "Well, we're going to a club" (like their equivalent to our country club...kind of) "so you should wear..." "No jeans?" I asked. She just kind of looked at me. Then I explained to her that I would have to depend on her to be honest with me about whether or not I needed to change for things because otherwise I would look inappropriate for the occasion and that would be important because I NEVER know where we're going and I've NEVER been there before. "Ohhh, that is true." I don't understand who she doesn't understand this. I am not their first au pair and I highly doubt any of the other ones were wealthy and used to this kind of life. Anyway, we went to the club and Korcut was kind enough to show me around the buffet and explain to me what things were. Unfortunately, I only ate what he showed me (which was meats) and didn't go to the other table with the cold food was (fish eggs, hummus, sliced salmon, etc) and I was supposed to eat that first. Then I just sat there while everyone else was eating since I was already done. It was again, a little awkward. I guess I should be used to awkward by now but sadly...I am not. There was a clown there making baloon things for the kids...E got a sword and wanted me to get one too so we could sword fight, so Df and I went and did just that. Then there was another little girl there with her father who approached me, a Turkish man that spoke perfect English, thank goodness, and began chatting with me while the kids played. It became strange though when he said he and his wife would like to invite Df and E to his daughter's birthday party. I told him he'd have to talk to their mother about that. "Then who are you? Their sister" "Au pair." "Ahhh" I feel like he already knew that. Then he started asking me a lot of detailed questions about after slipping in that he and his wife would be looking for a nanny soon when Lara (his daughter, she was 2) got older and would I be interested. I said no but he kept talking and then went to get his wife to come talk to the kids and I didn't like it. I told Df I'd be right back and not to leave E then went back inside to tell A. "There's a man and his wife wanting to invite the kids to their daughter's birthday and he's talking to me a lot about my job and I don't know if that's normal here but it isn't in the States so I think you should talk to him." "No, that is not normal, come." So we went and she spoke to them in Turkish while I played with the kids and then they left. She said, "People are so rude. They wanted you and they don't care. I would NEVER do that. If I was interested, I would ask my friend...not you. But these people, they don't care about other people. They only care about themselves." Then she looked at me and said, "You did well." My first compliment. Groundbreaking! Granted, the rest of the time at the club was a little challenging, Erme grabbed a toy from another boy. When the boy started crying he gave it back then ran around yelling. I asked him to come but he wouldn't listen. He never listens. So I took his arm and he FREAKED out. Screaming and squirming and yelling "NO! What are you doing?!" I kept trying to explain to him that he needed to calm down, he wasn't in trouble, I just wanted to talk to him and he shoved me in the face with both of his hands. I let him go and he ran off. I know I need to talk to A about that but I was so angry, I was near tears, and I need to be able to talk to her about it without being emotional. I don't want her to get the impression I think her kids are bad...which would happen at this point so I'm going to wait and feel it out. A told me when I came back that she would show me the dessert so while we did that I asked her about her work and we talked about that for a while which was nice. I felt really good about it until we headed upstairs to watch futbol and I glanced in a mirror and what did I see but a HUGE, BLACK thing in between my front teeth! How embarrassing! And how long had it been there! FOR SURE the whole time I was talking to that Turkish man and A. Later, when we were leaving, "A! Why didn't you tell me I had something in my teeth!" "Ah yes, I was not sure...and I did not want to make you feel uncomfortable." "No no...those are things you should always tell me!" She laughed..."Yes, me too." Bond. That was a little bit of bonding right there. We headed home and I felt so yucky. We visited in the downstairs living room for a bit and Korcut showed me a coffeetable book about Adana. "This is my city". He minds me so much of my Granddad, it takes everything in me not to squeeze him! A heard my nose sniffing and asked me about it...she found me some Emergen-C, some kind of throat thing, and a pill to take three times a day. "Take it now" she said. Though I appreciated it, I didn't get the feeling she was overly concerned with my help as much as concerned I'd be out of commission for a couple of days. She herself wasn't feeling so hot as she and D were out late last night and she definitely was feeling it today...for several reason if you know what I mean. I told her she needed to rehydrate but Turkish people just don't seem to drink water! I don't see how they don't fall over from dehyrdration! I can't remember what we did then except that while people were around the kids I thought it'd be ok to sneak off to my room...where I just layed at my bed and stared at the ceiling. I think I fell asleep then snuck out and was very confused. It's in moments like that I don't know what to do with myself. I don't want to interfere with family time, I don't want to look reclusive...I need to figure out the balance. We had breakfast at seven (A did not join us) and Eren explained some food to me. It was pretty good...I had some some kind of meat wrapped in seaweed with sour creme and it wasn't bad. A came down later and ate a potato and then we went over the kid's schedule for the week which was very helpful. She wrote it down for me so I can look over it which I appreciated. She said she'd take me upstairs and show me what I needed to know about their clothes and what not so I was glad for that. We went downstairs to get the kids from the theater where they were playing Playstation and we talked some more on the couch. I asked her about using my hairdryer and straightner (the transformer doesn't fit in their outlet) and she said we'd figure it out. She also told me she'd show me how to use the laundry which I'm excited about. "What about an iron?" "No, that you can't use" We laughed...again, bonding haha. Then we went upstairs to put the kids to bed and she went over some things with me...I just don't know how to jump in because it's Sheeren, Valentina, and sometimes her and none of them are speaking to me so I don't know what to do. And this time, when A was showing me E's school clothes, she saw that Sheeren had put some of his nice pants with his school pants and yelled at her about it. I mean, I couldn't understand what she was saying but you don't have to speak Turkish to know what it means when someone is shaking clothes in a woman's face while she's saying "Yevet, toma" (Yes, okay) over and over again and looking down at her feet. I hate it. So we put them to bed and I immediately retreated to my closet where I got to talk to Mom and Dad some which was nice. I went down to the kitchen a couple hours later to fix my Emergen-C and I saw Sheeren crying at the table. It breaks my heart. I couldn't say anything so I rubbed her back as I passed her by and she looked at me to smile a thank you but she had the saddest eyes. It is official, I do hate this lifestyle. If money gives people the right to treat other people this way, I don't ever want any of it. Whenever I touched her she just cried harder (which is what I would do so I understand) so I left and tried to go to bed. Aside from being sad for her, I'm now a little fearful there will come a time I will be at the receiving end of that kind of behavior... Anyway, this morning I was hoping to go back to bed after the kids went to school as I feel pretty sick but E stayed home becausehe has a cold. So now I've spent the day with him, going with him and A to the doctor. Today was my first day in the boat...it is nice, obviously. The Porshe picked us up at the other end...And correction: There are FOUR stories to this house, not three. Then A left us, E and I came home, ate lunch, I gave him some medicine, and now I'm blogging while he watches futbol. At least it's been a relatively easy day since he doesn't have much energy. Df will be home in a couple of hours and we'll see how it all goes. I think I'm going to try to talk to A tonight about E. He doesn't translate what people are saying when I ask him, even if they are talking to me...and if I ask him not to do something, he deliberately does it. Today I told him he would need to start listening to me or I'd have to talk to him mom and he shouldn't want to get in trouble because then he won't be able to do anything fun. He simply said, "No, I can still do whatever I want." and I will have none of that. So I think I'll ask A the best way to handle that. Although, as I'm writing this he asks, "Why are you writing like that Clake Lin?" "Like what?" "Those words like that" "English?" "Yes" "Because I only speak English!" "But my mommy and daddy speak in Turkish." "Yes, but I don't speak Turkish. Did you not know that, goofball?" "No, goofball." I wonder if he's lying...or really just thought I was THAT much of a mute idiot? I guess we'll see. Well, I expect comments from you people :) If I'm going to stay up late into the night to keep you posted, I expect some feedback. It's only fair :-P All my love.