Today, first, I lost my wallet and then found it again. Then, I took the wrong dolmus (little buslike thingy) and ended up on the other side of the hill from my house at 10 pm. So there I was, wandering alone (and female) down dark streets in a (sort of Middle-Eastern) foreign country in a city that goes on as far as the eye can see, knowing that I'm probably, but not certainly, in the same neighborhood as my apartment complex, and that if I can just get to the other side of the hill, I might be able to find something that looked familiar. Then, I slip on a patch of ice, and my phone goes flying down the hill. I search around in the dark for my phone, find it, and then realize it's snowing. Today was not a good day to forget my scarf. I walk for about 10 more minutes and finally decide to admit defeat and call my host sister. She calls a taxi for me and the taxi takes me through the winding streets, about six blocks away to my house.

Grrr.

Favorite quotes so far:

Samantha: "I think Jewish women are way more attractive than Jewish men."
Me: "I utterly disagree with that statement."
Samantha: "I guess you're right. I guess they're about half and half."
John: "So they're statistically normal."

Diana (in Ulus): "Man, these back streets are really well lit."
Me: "Maybe that's because we're surrounded by lamp stores."
Diana: "Yeah... that would be logical."

Pretty much anything Claire says, including, but not limited to: (when trying to order dinner from a buffet and really really wanting the potatoes) "How do I.... um... how do I..... PATATES!"

Pretty much everything Cigdem says, especially: "Are you burning?" and "Craps!" Also, her impression of a vampire is priceless.

Erica: "The tiny Cigdem in my pocket is totally saying 'craps' right now."