UPDATE

Long time no...write?

Sorry it's been soooooooooo long since I've posted anything. I have been doing the following:

-working
-sleeping
-working
-working
-working
-visiting friends
-working
-learning to cook baklava (YAY!)
and...
-working!

So, I hope everyone (if there's anyone left!) can understand, commiserate, and anticipate further posts!

I have been working constantly AND being able to visit with Mustafa! It's wonderful!

I am really happy that he is here. I've been learning a lot about Turks - out of their homeland, it's a little easier to see the contrasts with my own ideas - and about being in a relationship. uggg...relationships are hard! But, totally worth it! :)

For anyone interested, I have NOT been back to Turkey since I returned in January. I am hoping to go back soon, but that's a rather vague time frame. Right now, Mustafa and I are trying to get on track with our lives. It's not very easy. No one seems to be hiring and I'm not sure if that's because of an actual economic "crisis" or because of the fear of one. I'd like to find a wonderful job that makes me happy involving ANY of the following fields:
-international relations (on a personal level - not necessarily political)
-international aid
-intranational aid
-social service
-community service/organization
-non profit
All of which, of course, don't find funding easy in situations and times like these. But, I hope and apply for positions and keep going where I am now because anything is better than nothing.

And, as I said, I've learned to cook baklava. I tried a few other dishes, but so far this has received the best response from Mustafa and some other Turks. I made some sutlac (like sweet rice pudding) earlier this summer but it didn't go over too well - not enough sugar. ;(

So, for now, I hope everyone can accept that as enough news.
I will try to keep posting more regularly - about Mustafa and Turks and "Turkishness" and all the trials and tribulations of cultural clashing.

Hope all is well!