Ashley, You Got Some Splainin' to Doooo

So, I don't have to justify myself, but I feel like this is a nice closure post to the whole Turkey idea.

Now, some of you brought up the whole adjusting to a different culture thing. Yes, I agree this is a difficult process; however, it was a process I was willing to go through, especially because I love Turkish culture. (yes, I STILL do). Once I hit the 2 week mark, the pain of missing friends and family was stinging less...and I knew, logically, that in staying longer I would be just fine.

But there were TWO painfully clear reasons why I needed to go, and they led me to write the last post you read...my ultimate decision to return home. Those reasons were:

1. Political unrest in Turkey. I felt like I didn't even want to post about this while in Turkey, because as you could tell, the internet was being monitored/ blocked by the government. Freedom of speech laws are well protected in the U.S., and while Turkey embraces the idea of free speech, it is not as ardently protected as in America.

So, the government in Turkey...right...here's my rant: So everyone, and I mean every-single-person that I talked to in Turkey, were expressing great worry about their President and Prime Minister. The party that is in power currently is a very conservative party, meaning they have deep Islamic ties. It's alright to have religious beliefs, of course, but when religion and government start to mix, that is where the problems start.

This is the most pressing problem in Turkey: What was once a very progressive, democratic and modern political system (thanks to the Ataturk revolution) is in danger of sliding back into an archaic regime where many restrictions will be placed on its citizens bases on religion.

My cousin cited happenings in Eastern Turkey, where young people drinking alcohol and holding hands with lovers before marriage (both against Islamic practices) were being brought into the police station as a scare tactic to change their ways. While I was in the country some (peaceful) protests were starting to form, and I could feel the political uneasiness all around me. Not to mention Syria (which borders Turkey) breaking out into violent protests.

Turkey, as it stands presently, is stable and safe. I don't want to paint some inaccurate picture of guerilla warfare. ha. However, after visiting this country many times, this is the first time I've visited where the citizens look legitimately worried and upset about their leadership. And if the government starts to make changes that its citizens do not like, Turkey in all its fighting-spirit, will not take those changes quietly or passively.

(In case you are wondering, the current party came to power in Turkey by bribing poor regions of the country with money in exchange for votes).

Of course, my family warned me of the conditions in Turkey before I came, but I am admittedly stubborn and wanted to see for myself.

ALRIGHT, onto the next reason...

2. Location, location, location. İzmir was the best choice for me to reside in when choosing cities. It's the most liberal city in Turkey, open to foreigners, open to other religions and has good job prospects. However, as you know, I didn't like the city enough to live there. It didn't matter what I tried, or where I went...it was just...not my cup of tea. I can't live in a place that crowded! It's just not me (as I found out).

İstanbul was out of the question, as it's 4 times as crowded as İzmir. CRAZY. Antalya (on the south west side) is peaceful and more my style; however, the summer is deadly there. And I'm not exaggerating one bit. It gets to temperatures of 109 degrees WITH humidity. Everytime I visit in the summer I get physically ill. I won't be putting my body through 2 months of that. No.

The ONE place I loved was Çeşme (google it guys!). I would live there, no question. One big problem: Çeşme is one of the many summer holiday spots in Turkey. Meaning it's crowded in the summer, but the rest of the year, people (and therefore jobs) are scarce. Unless I wanted to work in the hotel industry (which I don't), there wasn't much being offered there.

I couldn't spend too much time scouring the rest of Turkey looking for the perfect place because, well, I'm not made of money.

These two main reasons led me to my ultimate decision, that it was right to leave. I wasn't completely at peace about this. I think I've expressed my great love for Turkey many times on this blog. Of course, a part of me wanted to stay, but I couldn't ignore the signs. I did not, I repeat, DID NOT think I would be returning so soon. I really, truly didn't. But what's the old adage? Life doesn't ask us what we want.

And I realized, I was viewing Turkey as a fantasy, ignoring the very real conditions that ended up slapping me in the face.

Going into this, I knew that it would be in God's hands, not in my own. Not my will, but His. This is a turn I didn't expect, but one that I am willing to accept. And it's no lie that it's nice to be back with the people that really love me. My family, my heart. And to be so honest, THAT is the most Turkish quality about me.

Hope this brought you guys a little more insight into my decision.

"And that my friends, it what they call closure." --FRIENDS

P.S. I will post pictures soon!! I have many pictures!