Hello! Due to WordPress being blocked in Turkey, I’m switching my blog to blogger. My new website is http://laura-olson.blogspot.com Hope to hear from you all soon!

The two weeks leading up to Labor Day invite the Minnesota State Fair to Saint Paul. Today was my second day at the fair – the first with my parents and siblings and today with Joshua and Brenden, the boys with whom I work. After eating cheese curds, Sweet Martha’s cookies and a sno-cone on my first visit, I felt fine. However, after today, I’m definitely paying the price in indigestion for the pronto pup, buffalo fries, sno-cone, and oh so yummy frozen apple cider. Believe me when I say, it was worth it.

I posted some pictures from the fair. (I forgot my camera so I actually found these pictures online.) They highlight some of the more interesting aspects of the fair. While we were walking around today, I couldn’t help but wonder what some of my Turkish friends would think if they visited the fair. I would love to bring my sister-in-law or boyfriend to the fair, just to see their reaction. Işallah, one day that will happen! This is our Minnesota culture at its finest. I’m thinking they’d feel the same way as I felt my first time in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar – a feeling of awe and tradition. At least, I hope they would feel that way. I guess with the deep fried twinkies and ravioli-on-a-stick, I just can’t be too sure.

Its interesting…when I first arrived in Turkey two years ago, I don’t think I could have answered the question, “What are some special things about your American culture?” I guess the more I live in a different culture, the more differences I see, and the more I understand my own upbringing, cultures and traditions. What a great thing to understand that Turkey has a rich history of culture and tradition, and so do Americans! I know there are pros and cons to both Turkish and American cultures, but I’m thankful for both…especially the part with the Minnesota State Fair.

My time in Minnesota is becoming bittersweet as I’m preparing to go back to my Adana home. I’ve had a great time this summer, and I feel like I’ve taken advantage of all the opportunities I could to hang out with friends and family during this time. So why bittersweet? Let me share with you…

First of all, Candy, my sister-in-law, is almost eight months pregnant, and I won’t get to see my new niece until Christmas at the earliest. This will be the first baby in our family in twenty years and its really hard not to be around for such an event. Continuing a long-distance relationship until my boyfriend is able to find a job is another very hard thing about returning. Finally, going back to Turkey means yet another apartment hunt, opening electricity, phone, internet, buying furniture, moving….really really not fun stuff for me. I have less than a week before school starts to get all of that done, and if last year was any indication of how much time it takes to set up an apartment in Adana, its going to be a very frustrating first few weeks of school.

On the other hand, my other sister-in-law is having a baby in the spring and she is in Adana. Beside my brother, I’ll be the only person from our family there, so I get to hog the baby all I want! Getting a new apartment will be exciting after we’re all settled in. Its just the initial moving in that I hate. I actually love decorating and making a new apartment feel like home. Hopefully my roommates this year will join me in being excited about it. (Hint hint, Su.)

Finally, most of my friends will be back in Adana, I’ve got some really sweet new co-workers, and I’m returning to a job that I really enjoy. I think the good out-weighs the bad. I just need to make it past the first three weeks, and I’ll be fine. Maybe I should think about giving up worry for Ramazan.

My family has been planning a camping trip for awhile to beautiful Itasca State Park, famous for its location at the head of the Mississippi River. Two months ago, we tried to make reservations to camp at the park and it was completely full. We were told there are 30 first come-first serve campsites everyday and if we come early enough, we’d still be able to camp there. So, Friday morning at 4am, my mother set off to the park, arriving at 8:15, fifteen minutes after the office opened. Surprise! There were no campsites!!! We settled for second best, Lake Bemidji State Park.

We ended up having a wonderful weekend. My parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, and sister were all able to come and we had a great time. We were hiking, biking, chatting, eating, sitting around the campfire and enjoying our time together. Hopefully I’ll be able to post some pictures soon. The park was beautiful and actually pretty quiet. I wish we’d been able to see the Mississippi headwaters, but it ended up being a perfect weekend anyway, unexpected for second best.

This summer I’ve shared some of the books I’ve been reading and I’ve found one more that is definitely worth your time. If you are a lover of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings type stories, you will LOVE the His Dark Materials trilogy.

I am working for a family this summer who are avid readers and have collections of wonderful books. This was a series they recommended to me as a fan of Harry Potter. The series starts with Northern Lights (I think its called The Golden Compass on American bookshelves,) which is actually being made into a movie this Christmas. It would be worth your time to finish the series before the movie, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.

Its hard to describe the story without giving away the endings of the three books. I will just say, make it past the first 100 pages and I promise you will be hooked. Its a beautiful philosophical fantasy and I’m sure you’ll love it!

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to use some of my frequent flyer miles and visit friends in St. Louis. My friends Kim and Joey moved there two years ago after graduation. They are doing great, expecting a baby, and great hosts!

 I had never been to St. Louis and had no clue what it was like. I really wasn’t expecting a city with such distinct character. While we were driving, I noticed that EVERY house had brick somewhere. We drove for about five minutes (literally) before we saw a house without any sign of brick.  It was my first time seeing the arch and eating St. Louis style pizza (which I think is great, by the way.) 

Incredibly, we didn’t take any pictures the whole weekend, which is really unfortunate. I will share a picture of the newest addition to my mug collection. This is number 15 in the collection.

Sorry for my long absense! Its been a great, busy summer. I’ve been able to travel, see friends, spend time with my family, and relax! I realized today that I haven’t thought about my summer goals for awhile. Here’s an update on how i’m doing with my goals…

Learn Turkish – At least finish the “Teach Yourself Turkish” book that I have started oh so many times. I definitely can’t say that I’ve learned Turkish, but I am making my way though the study book. Hopefully I’ll be able to finish before the summer is over.

Read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Check

Understand my finances I think the question is, Will I ever understand my finances? But I do think I’m getting a better grasp on them than before.

Spend quality time with my family Check. We are even spending the weekend at Itasca State Park together, camping at the mouth of the mighty Mississippi.

Have a college and high school reunion I don’t know about reunions, but I have gotten to spend great times with my friends from high school and college. Highlights being tubing at Tom’s house, margarita night (ole!) and Kelz’s wedding.

Visit St. Louis, the north shore, Oquawka and Rochester I was actually just in St. Louis this weekend, Rochester two weeks ago, planning for Oquawka Labor Day weekend.

Pray for more patience hmmm…

Finish my journal Done.

Eat more meat I’m workin on it.

Spend only one week in culture shock, compared to the month last year Check.

Buy some Levis Haven’t gotten Levi’s yet, but I did buy some Converse!  

Spend as much time with friends as possible Done.  

Research about teaching English writing Unfortunately, I don’t know what I’m teaching next year! I’ll start researching when I find out that important information.  

Watch season 3 of Grey’s Anatomy Check. And I must say, Derek and Izzy are messed up! 

Write in my new blog Not doing so well with that one! I’ll try to get better.

Thanks for keeping me accountable with these goals, simply by reading this post. Believe me, it helps! Hopefully I’ll share some more about my summer with you in the next few days.  

Super Walmart. I’ve only been in there once since returning and I had to get out pretty quickly. I’m spending this summer with two young guys (11 and 13) who are a lot of fun. (I just hang out with them during the day, trying to keep them excited about not playing video games.  So far, so good.) Anyway, one afternoon we went to Super Walmart to get some ingredients for a chemistry set.  The store is HUGE! Everything is in the same store, from fresh produce to camping equipment. Everything is packaged, from plums to sliced carrots and celery (with dip, of course.) And there are thousands of people in the aisles, talking, asking questions, frustrated, yelling at children. Luckily, the boys were with me and I couldn’t freak out too much.

Before going to Turkey, I went to Walmart a lot. I never really thought of it as a weird place. I would get things for my house, get my eyes checked, buy groceries and clothes. How convenient! I guess that besides the screaming children, the thing that bothers me now is that it’s too convenient.

I’m thinking of a typical shopping list for a typical Super Walmart shopper.

• Dinner
• Pharmacy pick-up
• Socks
• Windshield wipers
• Football
• Bathing suit
• Fabric
• Movie

Normal right? And I’m thinking of what each of these would entail for me in Adana.

• Trip to grocery store
• Trip to eczane (pharmacy)
• Trip to Galleria bazaar (only open on Saturday)
• Trip to a car parts shop
• Trip to a nice sports shop
• Trip to find someplace where they sell swimming suits
• Trip to çarşı (crowded shopping area)
• Stop at a street vendor in between all the trips

I realize this is a bit far-fetched, but I can imagine a time when I have eight things on my Super Walmart shopping list that would take trips to eight different places in Turkey. Now the question in my mind is Which of these is better? Should I be so disgusted that Super Walmart is too convenient?

I’ve finally updated my flickr website with some pictures from my parents’ house. On Saturday, my family and I had a great time eating, hanging out, and playing games outside…lots and lots of games, thanks to Alex (volleyball, croquet, bocce ball AND badmitton.) This is one of the things I miss so much while in Turkey, spending time in our quiet neighborhood with my family. I hope you can see how much fun we are having. There are also some pictures that Levent posted from Cyprus. Enjoy! 

One thing that is very strange to me these days is American bread! It was definitely never weird to me before. In fact, I’ve never thought about it. Growing up, we would buy loaves of bread fairly often, and occasionally in the summer the bread would age, get mold of some kind, and be thrown away. Not weird, right?

In Turkey, we buy fresh bread everyday. This year, we had a nice little pastane (bakery) right next to our apartment building, with a sweet girl named Yıldız working there. We could get a great tasting loaf of bread for 30 kuruş (I guess, like 20 cents?) anytime of day or night. Plus, I would buy great poğaça (little pastries) for breakfast almost everyday. The only bad thing about buying such fresh breads is that they only last about a day. The second day that bread is in our house, it is already dry and hard. After less than a week, we find mold on the bread. Usually, though, this isn’t a problem, as we devour the bread so quickly.

 The question to me, then, becomes What is in American bread that makes it last at least two weeks, unrefrigerated? I bought a loaf of good, whole-grain bread when I got home, forgot about it in my cupboard, found it after a week, and now two weeks later, it’s not dry or hard. I finished it this morning for breakfast. Does anyone else find this odd?