I didn’t realize how much I had bonded with our little neighborhood here in Cianghir until I was walking around running errands yesterday and it hit me that it was the last time that I would be doing so. All of a sudden the shops looked cuter, the colors seemed brighter and the permanent pedestrian traffic jam on Istiklal even seemed quaint.

I walked into the local corner store last night and a man who works there actually greeted me with handshake. We have seen each other almost every single day for the last month either when I come into the store or when I am just walking by on my way home. I have no idea what his name is and neither of us speak the other’s language. But he is always friendly and tries to be helpful when I am looking for things.

This was the first time that he has shaken my hand, which is a customary form of courtesy here in Turkey. I have finally broken through a cultural barrier, a tiny step toward cultural acceptance and understanding. I was excited for a second and then really sad when I realized that I am leaving today and will never see this man again. I have these visions of the seasons changing and him looking out the window hopefully, waiting for me to return and ask where the eggs are, but I never do.

I am glad that I am leaving Istanbul on a high note. The weather is beautiful, the outdoor cafes are packed and the tourists are flooding in. There are a few things that I wasn’t able to see while I was here like the Topkapi Palace and Chora Church. But it’s also nice to have a reason to come back. Istanbul is definitely a city that I want to come back to.

It was an intense game that included gathering clues from different areas and also different people who we had to find. We broke up into three teams and ran around the city doing silly things like trying on Turkcell hats and Fenerbache clothing.

While putting this video together I had a lot of technical difficulties (iMovie hates me). I am looking forward to making more little videos and hopefully they will turn out a little better.