Just trying to make conversation
Emma warned me that the people are very interested in foreigners.
After work I decided to try and talk to the giggly girl in pink at the pastry shop. The girl instantly recognized me and we started talking. I told her I'm a teacher and I have since decided that I won't tell anyone else ever again. She asked if I would teach her English, and I tried to explain that I'm under contract and need to talk to my boss about working outside the school. Then she told me she didn't really want to pay me. This was a bit of surprise, and I wasn't sure exactly how to react without offending. I mean, would she be offended if I just came right out and said no? I wasn't sure, so I told her to come back home with me in a year. After a bit of joking around, I picked a yummy thing to eat and sat down.
Mmmm, creamy, sugary goodness. I love Turkish pastries.
When I was done, we talked a bit more. At one point she leaned in real close and snatched the single long hair out of the mole above my lip. Perhaps some of you remember it? Well, it's no longer there. I gave out a rather loud yelp and the whole staff burst into laughter while the customers were looking a bit confused. At that point I wanted to leave, but she and another worker insisted that I sit down. Ten minutes later, I walked out of there, but not before they both gave me their email addresses and phone numbers.
The whole experience was a bit overwhelming for me. She spoke Turkish really fast, a lot of words I couldn't understand. I didn't want to agree to something that was not true, so much of the conversation was spent trying to look up words in the dictionary. Even then, I don't know words for things like if, should, or before, so expressing myself in the way I wanted to was limited.
Fortunately, one of the other teachers at school, Bashak, has agreed to give me Turkish lessons. Emma tells me that Başak even corrects Turkish speakers on their Turkish!
In other news, I start teaching tomorrow evening, a level 1 course. Saturday I will start a level 3 course. I'm not too nervous yet, but I sure will be right before class. It'll be fun, though.
After work I decided to try and talk to the giggly girl in pink at the pastry shop. The girl instantly recognized me and we started talking. I told her I'm a teacher and I have since decided that I won't tell anyone else ever again. She asked if I would teach her English, and I tried to explain that I'm under contract and need to talk to my boss about working outside the school. Then she told me she didn't really want to pay me. This was a bit of surprise, and I wasn't sure exactly how to react without offending. I mean, would she be offended if I just came right out and said no? I wasn't sure, so I told her to come back home with me in a year. After a bit of joking around, I picked a yummy thing to eat and sat down.
Mmmm, creamy, sugary goodness. I love Turkish pastries.
When I was done, we talked a bit more. At one point she leaned in real close and snatched the single long hair out of the mole above my lip. Perhaps some of you remember it? Well, it's no longer there. I gave out a rather loud yelp and the whole staff burst into laughter while the customers were looking a bit confused. At that point I wanted to leave, but she and another worker insisted that I sit down. Ten minutes later, I walked out of there, but not before they both gave me their email addresses and phone numbers.
The whole experience was a bit overwhelming for me. She spoke Turkish really fast, a lot of words I couldn't understand. I didn't want to agree to something that was not true, so much of the conversation was spent trying to look up words in the dictionary. Even then, I don't know words for things like if, should, or before, so expressing myself in the way I wanted to was limited.
Fortunately, one of the other teachers at school, Bashak, has agreed to give me Turkish lessons. Emma tells me that Başak even corrects Turkish speakers on their Turkish!
In other news, I start teaching tomorrow evening, a level 1 course. Saturday I will start a level 3 course. I'm not too nervous yet, but I sure will be right before class. It'll be fun, though.
posted by nicole @ 8:20 AM
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