Thoughts and Expectations for Turkey

It’s Tuesday night and it still hasn’t hit me, I can’t believe that I’ll be boarding a plane on my way to New York and then finally to Istanbul in just 36 hours. I don’t know how to feel right now. I’ve waited a very long time to take this trip and I’ve been looking forward to it for so long and now that it’s finally here I feel so unprepared. I haven’t even begun the excruciating process of packing my suitcase; I don’t even want to imagine what things I’ll inevitably forget. Yet, apart from the worry and the anxiety I’m ready for something new. All through college I’ve heard people tell stories about their amazing study abroad trips to different and wonderful places, I’m so excited that I’ll get to be one of those people and I can’t help but be a little mad at myself for not pursing an opportunity like this before. I’ve spent a lot of time considering how this trip is going to turn out. I’ve never been so far away from the places that I call home, and although I didn’t think that would ever bother me I’m starting to get nervous. The nervous that I’m feeling isn’t a bad one though, it’s an excitement for all the things that I’ll get to see and all the things I’ll get to experience.

I have to admit that I do have high expectations for this trip, but from what people are telling me my expectations will definitely be met and most likely exceeded. I want to see a place that is so different from what I’m used to, and I know that Turkey will be that way. I want to observe the interactions the Turkish people have with each other and I want to be apart of that. I’m trilled that I’m going to a city that is unbelievably rich in culture and history; I’m so excited to walk the streets and see all the buildings. The thing that I’m most looking forward to, I must admit, is the food! From what I’ve read and from what we have discussed in class and during orientation, the food is to die for. Right now my mind is going a mile a minute, there are so many things that I’m ready to see, and so much stuff I’m ready to do. I just don’t know how I’ll be able to hold still for 10.5 hours on the plane to the city.