So this morning after I got the kids to school I went back to bed for an hour or so (listened to a sermon on Song of Solomon...very interesting) then got up to take the ferry to Bebek! A offered to take me with her on their boat but I said I was meeting Laura on the ferry and I wanted the practice.
"Ahh, you're meeting Laura" (she still has a bad taste in her mouth)
So I asked her when I should leave to walk down to the ferry and she said, "I can just take you since I'm going to the port too" Well, my ferry left at 10:45 and it was 10:15 and she was still in her pjs..."We'll leave in ten minutes"
I waited anxiously downstairs and a thought crossed my mind when at 10:38 she yelled downstairs, "If it comes to, I can just take you on my boat if we don't make it"
Oh my gosh, she's going to make me miss it on purpose. But we pulled into the port at 10:42 and after wishing her a good day, I ran to the port, threw a five at the man, grabbed my change and ran through the gate. As I waited for the ferry to pulled up, I glanced over to the Arikolgu boat where A was standing, she waved. As it pulled up I went on the bottom level where Laura was waiting. It was so easy!
We chatted and then got off at Bebek and walked to Starbucks. She was meeting a Turkish teacher to see if it was plausible for her. And lo and behold, after we all chatted for about 45 minutes, the teacher agreed to let us split the cost and only charge by the hour! That means it would only be like...17.50 an hour which is only about $10.20! Practically nothing! Laura's going to get the recommended book and make a copy for me and it has lots of worksheets and homework for us to do during the week then we'll meet on Wednesdays at one at a cafe in MetroCity (shopping mall...there's tons here) and Laura's driver will take us there, back to her house when we're done at 2 and I'll walk back from Laura's to be here in time for E to get from basketball!!! The only potential problem is that A had me go to his basketball last week and I left here at 2:45...so I might need to do some fenagling (sp?)...but if I could work it out I'd be PUMPED.
Then we went on a walk along Bebek's water walkway...BEAUTIFUL. All the boats and fishmermen lining the Bosphorus...but it was FREEZING. And I got a blister that started bleeding so it was barely a notable exercise...but she said it was ok because it was just a practice...or as she calls it, "A Taster". Then we went to some shops, stopped in a cafe for drinks and a snack, caught the ferry back to her house, ate some pinapple, then her driver took me back. I played some piano and now I'm here. I'm soooo glad I made myself go out today...I need to do it more for my own sanity. I finally feel like I'm living. Everything is going to be ok.
We had an interesting conversation at the cafe. She was telling me about this nutso dream she had last night and I asked her if she believed dreams meant anything. Which led into her asking me if I believed in Jesus. "Of course"
"Do you believe he performed all of those miracles?"
"Yes I do"
"Do you believe that people can performed miracles?"
"I believe that God can perform miracles...and that he uses people to do miraculous things."
"What about the next Jesus?"
"I don't think there'll be a 'next' Jesus...as much as the original Jesus coming back."
"Hmm ok."
It's harder talking about Jesus here than it is at home. I don't know why but it is...God is really testing my faith and I am PUMPED. Not the faith I have when I'm surrounded by Christians but MY faith...MY relationship with my God...just Him and Me. I can tell this is going to be an interesting friendship...both me and Laura...and me and Jesus :)
"Ahh, you're meeting Laura" (she still has a bad taste in her mouth)
So I asked her when I should leave to walk down to the ferry and she said, "I can just take you since I'm going to the port too" Well, my ferry left at 10:45 and it was 10:15 and she was still in her pjs..."We'll leave in ten minutes"
I waited anxiously downstairs and a thought crossed my mind when at 10:38 she yelled downstairs, "If it comes to, I can just take you on my boat if we don't make it"
Oh my gosh, she's going to make me miss it on purpose. But we pulled into the port at 10:42 and after wishing her a good day, I ran to the port, threw a five at the man, grabbed my change and ran through the gate. As I waited for the ferry to pulled up, I glanced over to the Arikolgu boat where A was standing, she waved. As it pulled up I went on the bottom level where Laura was waiting. It was so easy!
We chatted and then got off at Bebek and walked to Starbucks. She was meeting a Turkish teacher to see if it was plausible for her. And lo and behold, after we all chatted for about 45 minutes, the teacher agreed to let us split the cost and only charge by the hour! That means it would only be like...17.50 an hour which is only about $10.20! Practically nothing! Laura's going to get the recommended book and make a copy for me and it has lots of worksheets and homework for us to do during the week then we'll meet on Wednesdays at one at a cafe in MetroCity (shopping mall...there's tons here) and Laura's driver will take us there, back to her house when we're done at 2 and I'll walk back from Laura's to be here in time for E to get from basketball!!! The only potential problem is that A had me go to his basketball last week and I left here at 2:45...so I might need to do some fenagling (sp?)...but if I could work it out I'd be PUMPED.
Then we went on a walk along Bebek's water walkway...BEAUTIFUL. All the boats and fishmermen lining the Bosphorus...but it was FREEZING. And I got a blister that started bleeding so it was barely a notable exercise...but she said it was ok because it was just a practice...or as she calls it, "A Taster". Then we went to some shops, stopped in a cafe for drinks and a snack, caught the ferry back to her house, ate some pinapple, then her driver took me back. I played some piano and now I'm here. I'm soooo glad I made myself go out today...I need to do it more for my own sanity. I finally feel like I'm living. Everything is going to be ok.
We had an interesting conversation at the cafe. She was telling me about this nutso dream she had last night and I asked her if she believed dreams meant anything. Which led into her asking me if I believed in Jesus. "Of course"
"Do you believe he performed all of those miracles?"
"Yes I do"
"Do you believe that people can performed miracles?"
"I believe that God can perform miracles...and that he uses people to do miraculous things."
"What about the next Jesus?"
"I don't think there'll be a 'next' Jesus...as much as the original Jesus coming back."
"Hmm ok."
It's harder talking about Jesus here than it is at home. I don't know why but it is...God is really testing my faith and I am PUMPED. Not the faith I have when I'm surrounded by Christians but MY faith...MY relationship with my God...just Him and Me. I can tell this is going to be an interesting friendship...both me and Laura...and me and Jesus :)
PS The picture is random...I just felt like adding some color :) It's Turkish coffee...look out for that stuff.
what an adventure
ReplyDeleteprayers go out to you
much love
how exciting that you are finally finding the balance between working and establishing friends and a social life.
ReplyDeletemaybe Laura is one of the reasons God put you there...what an opportunity to witness to someone who doesn't know Him!
You're doing awesome!!! Stay strong!
glad to hear you got to hang out with laura and possibly learn some turkish! sounds like fun!
ReplyDelete