What the Heck?! Wednesdays: Dealing with Death

"What the Heck?! Wednesdays" focus on the heart-warming, ridiculous, and sometimes frustrating stories from our school days.  Teaching in Turkey is trying and difficult.  We come home exhausted,  and our days off are nothing short of precious. That being said, we love our students.  Most of the time. They are creative, silly, smart, obnoxious, loud, affectionate and adorable.  And they make for some delightful stories. Enjoy...  

I learned a long time ago that children deal with death differently than adults do.  While I may be crying over the loss of a cherished pet, my preschoolers want to check out the corpse and see if it smells.  When a catfish eats all of our baby frogs in one bite, and I prepare myself for mass hysteria, the child witnesses only ponder the catfish's enormous hunger, and if it might like some crackers. Perhaps for these young ones, death is simply a curious fact of life, not a heartbreaking loss.

Last week our coworker lost her grandfather. She rushed to Istanbul for the rest of the week to spend time mourning her family.  And we MISSED her!  I took this opportunity to teach some of the language we might use to express our condolences.  

We did some brainstorming in second grade, and the children were actually able to come up with all of this stuff themselves (with some minor editing on my part).  A lot of their ideas were phrases that they would use in Turkish, that they translated into English.  Using their minds.  (Man, they must have a great English teacher!) "We're waiting for you to come back," and "Come here please,"  are pretty direct translations.  

 

Can you feel the sweetness?

 

Pretty little butterfly...

And then there's this one...

Me:  Oh! Ali Kaya, very nice!  Who's this?  (yellow hair)

Ali Kaya: Miss Emel.

Me: And this?  Who is this? (hunchback charachter)

Ali Kaya:  Zombie Grandpa.

Me: (OMG don't laugh, don't laugh!)

 

I believe these are Grandpa's arms, digging their way out of the grave...

And this is Alien Grandpa.

 

Perhaps inappropriate, but also hilarious. 

Turkish Meal Mondays: Kısır

Turkish Meal Mondays are a glimpse into the food we enjoy here in Turkey, accompanied by a recipe.  Mondays are one of our favourite days, because they're Market Days. Ever since our first market day a year and a half ago we have only missed two, due to torrential down pour a few weeks ago.  Our trips to the market will continue to focus on selecting fresh and delish produce to use in our weekly Turkish recipes.  Get ready... This blog just became appealing to foodies. 


Kısır has been one of our favorite summer weather meals, here in Turkey. Our friend, Ilknür, introduced us to it, and makes the BEST version of it.  We love it so much that we served it at our wedding as a "Taste of Turkey."

It's a bulgur salad made with tomato and pepper pastes, green onions and parsley. Add a squirt of lemon juice, some mint, or some Nar Ekşili Sos (a pomegranate juice reduction that is used all over Turkey to add flavor and pep to everything from soup to meat marinades).

The recipe is quite easy, and would make another great introduction to Turkish foods.

Chop one bunch of green onions. 1 cup is enough but you can add more if you want.

Now take some fresh parsley, chop into pretty fine pieces, because no one likes a large piece of parsley ticlking their throat.

In a large bowl put 2 cups of fine grain bulgur. Pour boiling water over the top, (enough to cover) and let it sit until the water is absorbed. If the bulgur needs more water add more (no exact science in Turkish cooking). You can also place a lemon wedge in with the bulgur or a squirt of lemon will work nicely too.

Once your bulgur is ready you can add in the onions and parsley. Mix. 

Note:  If you're a bulgur expert you might have noticed that the bulgur pictured is actually coarse grain bulgur.  You got us.  We ran our of the fine grain, and didn't feel like going back to the store.  We figured course grain would be just as good.  We were wrong.  Oops.

Now add in some tomato and pepper paste (again I don't have exact measurements, start small then add to your liking). I do not add these in equal parts, too much pepper paste will make it oily. Mix it all up and add some salt and pepper to taste. 

To eat it we take fresh lettuce leaves, add some fresh mint leaves put a scoop of kısır on, wrap it up and enjoy. It is perfect for a warm afternoon.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups fine grain bulgur

1 bunch of green onions 

1/2 cup Chopped fresh Parsley, more to taste

lemon wedge or squirt of lemon juice

Tomato Paste about 1 cup maybe more maybe less

pepper paste about 1/2 cup, maybe more maybe less

Salt and pepper to taste

fresh mint

fresh lettuce

Directions:

Place bulgur in a large bowl. cover with boiling water and lemon juice. Let stand until bulgur is cooked through. Add onions, parsley, tomato paste, and pepper paste. Mix and let cool. Serve with lettuce and mint leaves. 

What the Heck?! Wednesdays: Bıçak=Knife

I'm attempting a second series to go along with Turkish Meal Mondays.  I'm considering calling it "What the Heck?! Wednesdays."  I know it's Thursday. Too bad.

"What the Heck?! Wednesdays" will focus on the heart-warming, rediculous, and sometimes frustrating stories from our school days.  Teaching in Turkey is trying and difficult.  We come home exhausted,  our days off are nothing short of precious. That being said, we love our students.  Most of the time. They are creative, silly, smart, obnoxious, loud, affectionate and adorable.  And they make for some delightful stories. Enjoy... 

Scene:  Breakfast time in the Cafeteria
Cast:  Miss Erin and 2a (2nd grade monkeys)
Stars of the show: Aylin, Muhamet Emir, and Pelin

While eating a breakfast of olives, cheese, bread, and chocolate spread, I noticed Aylin looking around her plate for something to spread her chocolate with.  She eyed me for a few seconds and then turned to Pelin and Muhamet Emir.

Aylin is very bright, and enthusiastic.  Sometimes she forgets the English words that she already knows, but she always wants to say it to me in English.  Muhamet Emir is SUPER good at English. He never forgets ANYTHING.  Even though I have two students in my class who speak English fluently, children often turn to Muhamet Emir to translate something from them.  Pelin is a goof-ball. She is crazy sociable, and crazy funny, and crazy everything.  So that's the combination of minds working on figuring out the word "knife."

Heads pressed together. Whispers were exchanged.  Nods of agreement... Aylin emerges... and confidently announces "Miss Erin, I haven't got any trousers!"

Cue Pelin and Muhamet Emir falling off their chairs in a fit of shrieking giggles. 

Aylin whipped her head around in suspicion, and realized too late that trousers was not the word she was looking for. 

I have to hand it to them.  They got her good.  

Turkish Meal Mondays: Havuç Mezes

In an effort to blog more, and record more of our day-to-day life here in Turkey, we're starting a new series: Turkish Meal Mondays!

Turkish Meal Mondays are a glimpse into the food we enjoy here in Turkey, accompanied by a recipe.  Mondays are one of our favourite days, because they're Market Days. Ever since our first market day a year and a half ago we have only missed two, due to torrential down pour a few weeks ago.  Our trips to the market will continue to focus on selecting fresh and delish produce to use in our weekly Turkish recipes.  Get ready... This blog just became appealing to foodies. 

 Today we're making Havuç Mezes or carrot appetizers. I'm not sure what this dish is actually called.  I've never seen it in a cook book, or even eaten it at a restaurant. Our neighbor Hacar taught me to make it last year, on a night when the women folk cooked for the men.  Cus that's what they do here.  I still haven't really picked up on that part of the culture. Too bad for Alan. But the recipe stuck, because it's YUMMY.

In Turkey, mezes are served in little bowls before dinner, and are usually served with bread to dip into them.  Like other mezes, you can eat this on bread, or with a fork.  Go wild.

Ingredients:
2 large carrots
A splash of olive oil
Salt and Pepper
2 cloves of garlic (more or less, depending on how much of a garlic freak you are, Dad.)
2 cups Yogurt (We use Turkish yoğurt, and it's the best.  Too bad for you.  You could use plain Greek yogurt.)
2 TBSP dried mint
2 TBSP sumac  NOT the poison kind.  In Turkey this is a deep purple spice with a little bit of a lemon flavor.

Directions: 

Grate the carrots with a cheese grater. Saute them in pan with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute on low for about 5 minutes, or until the carrots turn a beautiful glowing orange colour.  (Don't let them get mushy.)

Finely chop garlic.  If you're as cool as us, use your rolly-garlic-robot.  If you're less cool, use something else.

(Thank you Binesh and Annamarie for our FAVOURITE kitchen tool.

Mix garlic, yogurt, and 1 TBSP water. (If you're using American yogurt you probably don't need the water.)

Transfer carrots to plate using the "put the plate upside down on the pan, and then FLIP!" method. 

Please ignore the disgusting looking stains on the bottom of our pan.

 If it doesn't come out perfect, pretend it did, by quietly pressing the carrots into a lovely circle and wiping all trace orange smears from the plate. Your guests will never know. 

Spoon yogurt mixture onto the top. Go slowly so it pools evenly. 

Spoon mint flakes and sumac onto the top.  But do it like you're a fabulous artist.  Expect to impress. 

 

 Let us know if you make this, I can't wait to hear how it turns out.  Also, let us know if you want some sumac, but can't find any.  I'll send you some. Because I love you.

Afiyet Olsun! Or Bon Appetit!

Exploring Dim Cave- Finding my Childhood

 Today we headed into the mountains to check out Dim Cave.  Something about those crazy rock formations, hiding down there in a mysteriously lit cave, brought out child like wonder in me.

Alan: Can you imagine being the first person to discover this place?  What would you think?!?

Me: THE CAVE OF WONDERS! Raw! Cave of wonders!

 So maybe I actually turned back into a child while I was in there, because all of a sudden I was living in all of my favourite movies and games.  Every where I looked was another beloved character...

 

Gloppy, from Candyland.

 

Not the most coveted spot on the board, but easily the most delish.  Who doesn't love fudge-sicles? 

 

Most definitely NOT my favourite movie, but even I can see Jabba-the-hut here.

 

NEVER thought this guy would make the blog. 

I'm so much less embarrassed by this movie reference. Can you see him?  The cutest alien EVER?  He's the only reason I'd ever want to go to space.  I used to fantasize about braving the... wild black yonder?... to find this little guy, and bring him home.  

 

Too bad I'm such an incompetent Navigator. 

 

When I started to get hungry, all I could see was Christmas candy.

 

You know, the kind that is so lovely to look at, but whose taste is a mystery because it always sticks together like one giant tin-shaped candy. 

 

But mostly, at every turn I was just sure we were going to run into Chester Copperpot.

 Poor treasure hunter, caught in one of One-Eyed-Willie's traps. 

Or maybe an organ made out of bones...

And then we found this... and I knew...

"Chester Copperpot! Don't you guys see? Don't you realize? He was a pro. He never made it this far. Look how far we've come. We've got a chance."

I knew One-Eyed-Willie's treasures were within our reach.

But then Alan said it was time to go.  And I realized I was hungry. 

My treasure hunting days will have to wait...

As we emerged from the Cave-O-Wonders, I could feel my childhood slipping back into my past.  But I was relieved to know that it wasn't out of reach.  All I needed was a little magic to bring it back.

On our way home we passed by some real live children on the side of the road.  The were playing together in the grass, and when they heard our car coming they ran over to their flower stand, beckoning us over.  We stopped to buy some daisies they had picked in the field and squeal at their adorableness. 

When Alan asked how much, the older one held up one finger, recognizing us as tourists.  The little one shouted "Bir lira!"  Best lira I've spent in a long time. 

Children are great.

Spreading the Love...

February 14th is Sevgililer Günü (Lovers' Day) in Turkey. Hallmark's power over the world, and what we spend our money on should never be underestimated.

To celebrate, my students and I spent time, not money, reflecting on love. 

My friend Diana and I started an international video email program between our classes, so on Tuesday we sent her class a little video of things we love: family, chicken, Cartoon Network, you know... the important things in life.   Somehow they forgot to mention their love for their English teacher, which I think ranks fairly high.

Here's to all the people and things that you love. And to appreciating chicken.

Feeling the Love...

Yesterday, Alan got this Facebook message from one of our dear friends:

Can you see the google doodle for Valentine's Day? It could totally be associated with how you and Erin first got together, well except for that whole bowling thing, but you can totally extrapolate and it's the same thing! Happy heart day to you and Erin Moschetti too! :)

 So of course we both dutifully went to check out the doodle, which was absolutely darling. (If you haven't seen it yet you should.  Click here. Even the Washington Post loved it.)

 But to be honest, when I was finished watching it I couldn't help but wonder what it had to do with our story. So I challenged Alan to figure it out.  To which he responded "Am I the girl in this video?"  

Maybe.  Because it was I who pursued Alan.  And it was Alan who cluelessly rebuffed me again and again.  But even that... I pursued him flirtatiously.  Not so much with gifts.  

Maybe it has to do with the fact that they're little kids?  Cus we both work with children, and people always associate child like things with us?  Maybe it's my mad jump-roping prowess? Maybe she knows that we both adore Norah Jones, and that she does a cover of this song? Maybe cus I love paper airplanes and magic, and cus Alan would look awesome in a dinosaur sweatshirt?  She couldn't have been referring to my "Cold Cold Heart." Right?

What ever it is that reminded you of us, Sandra, we're missing it.  Do tell.

But then I started thinking about it differently. Maybe it's the sweet, genuine, and palpable love that the boy and girl feel.  Maybe we exude that?  I decided that regardless of the plot, a romance between two people that shines so brightly (or oozes so sappily) that friends and family are reminded of them while witnessing true love between strangers, is the kind of romance I would be proud to share with my husband. High-five, Alan.

 So thank you, Sandra.  Maybe I don't want to know what it was about that cute little doodle that reminded you of us.  I'm happy about it either way. 

Also, thank you Google, for including a variety of couples in your homage to love. Perfect.