Istanbul. Take me back.

It's already been a week since I've been back from Turkey. Spring break is ending and today classes resume. I spent the last week with Matt when he came to visit me. Took him to all the places I've been in Rome and tried to summarize all the history lessons from Dr. Higgins. We walked an average of 6 miles each day -- except for when we walked about 10 miles on Tuesday while Matt was sick, consequentially ending up with him having a fever for all of Wednesday.... Well, I got to practice my Italian.

I was so proud of myself when I was able to say fluently, "Il mio fidanzato si sente male."

The pharmacist was not as proud of me.

Pharmacist: *unfazed* Okay.

Me: uhh.... . . . . . .. Lui ha la tosse.. . . e anche... la febbre...

Pharmacist: ItalianItalianItalianItalianItalian o alla casa?

Me: BUH.

Pharmacist: *sigh* ..... . . .. . *walks around and gets appropriate medicine*

Sorry for trying..?

Well, all was successful. Matt recovered within a day, and we both enjoyed the beautiful weather in the city for the rest of the week. We were able to join in the festivities of Carnevale's finale, including fireworks at Piazza del Popolo, and contributed to the sea of confetti in the streets. Music and laughter filled the air, little kids ran around in chicken costumes, older kids played soccer in Circo Massimo until the sun went down, and I remembered why I love this city so much.

---------------------------------------------------------

I've been distraught ever since I came back from Istanbul, though.

Everyone knows how much I love Rome. I've been fascinated with the city and its history ever since I got interested in mythology in grade school. Since before I ever thought of architecture as a major or career. I'm so glad to be able to live here for 4 months. I sometimes still can't believe it when I wake up hearing church bells and birds outside my window (I'll miss those bells when I leave).

But I was saddened when I set foot in Fiumicino Airport and got stuffed into a taxi.

I felt a little disenchanted by the Roman culture, and I have to say that I'm still feeling the effects. Talk about culture shock between two places you never belonged to to begin with.....

I liked having conversations with everyone in Istanbul. Maybe it was because they were all fluent in enough in English, if not completely fluent. It's the job of the vendors to catch your attention, draw you in, and then talk about everything else other than what you're searching for. By the time you figure out if you want something or not, you know more about the people and their culture.

I guess that's what I miss about Istanbul.

I miss the prayer calls and the pigeons and cats and geometrical designs in the mosques that we've been visiting.

I miss being able to see Asia from my hotel.

I miss the people.

Coming back to Rome and practicing my already-terrible-but-by-then-both-rusty-and-terrible Italian made me realize that I can't carry on somewhat-casual conversations with employees or vendors or hosts at restaurants. That, and nobody seems to care enough to try to talk to me. The street vendors here barely try to get my attention, and now I think of them as not doing their job well.

Thank goodness for Othello, the old man who lives in the building next door to me. He tries to talk to me. Apparently my Italian is getting better, but I hardly believe it. Maybe he's right.

Just give me a few more days. I never thought I'd come back with so much more knowledge than just that of the architecture.

At the same time, I hope I never get over it. Because just as I plan on returning to Rome again, I now intend to go back to Istanbul one day.

------------------------

Project 3 begins today. It's time to get back into the swing of things in terms of schoolwork. Here we go!