Turkey did not disappoint! As I was preparing for my trip, I was told not to have high expectations for the area around Adana. However, I found the area to exceed my expectations. I saw very modern cars, roadways were good, and the highrise apartments looked very modern. We did see poorer areas that reminded me of my mission trips to Mexico. The people were SO friendly and seemed to go out of their way to be welcoming.
The base also exceeded my expectations. It is exactly like a small American town. Ryan and Sarah feel very safe. I loved the cul-de-sac street where they live, and the many parks that are within a minute's walk of them. We stayed in the base hotel, which was wonderful and very comfortable. W even had 2 sleepovers there with us! We had a great time shopping and I will be bringing home lots of souvenirs. Tomorrow, we end our adventure in Adana and continue on to other parts of Turkey. We look forward to seeing the family again around Thanksgiving!
From Karen:
I don't know exactly what I expected Turkey to be, but what I found was a study of contrasts. A very modern mall with an ice skating rink in the center, across the street from Kurdish slums. Modern American cars share the highway with cows, sheep, and horse drawn carts.
The American base is much nicer than I expected, with nice neighborhoods and well kept yards. The children have many play areas and many friends to play with. What I found really impressive, was the comradery amongst the spouses and the family's, and I think that's what Sarah and Ryan will miss. The thing that I am so jealous about is the roses! They have beautiful foliage with absolutely no signs of rust, mildew, or black spot! I can hardly believe how beautiful they are.
I will be going home with wonderful memories of this trip, and I want to give my thanks to Ryan and Sarah for being such wonderful hosts. Especially Sarah who went out of her comfort zone to show us around the Adana area, the alley, and put up with all of our shopping. I am going home with a lot more than what I came with, even a Turkish carpet. For Ryan who drove us to Tarsus, a place he had never ventured before.
I thank God for our time with Ryan, Sarah, and W, and am looking forward to our next adventure to Istanbul and Ephesus.
......after reading this, Amy says "ditto, ditto, ditto!"
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