Last Week

I have been very negligent about updating this blog. Or maybe the correct word is lazy.

Last week, we had midterm exams in my department. The good thing (actually, a depressing part of the academic culture) is none of my students showed up for classes, so I got to sleep in on Tuesday and Friday. The bad thing is I spent most of the week grading hundreds of exams. Some were pretty. Most were not.

I'm starting to feel a bit anxious about my future. Turkish time is different from American time, and I am not good about being patient. I asked about the status of my contract. It's coming, they assured me. It will definitely be here within two months. Two months! I've also been contemplating starting a PhD program since I am stuck in Erzurum for a few more years. I called the admissions department last week, and they told me to get back to them in August. August! I can't wait months and months to have my future settled.

Fortunately, E is much more patient than I am. I tell him almost everyday that if I don't have a contract soon, we're moving to America. He just nods his head and says ok, but I think he's becoming more accustomed to the idea.

It has been raining like crazy in Erzurum, and I am still waiting for the blossoms to bloom on the trees. The rain and lack of spring must have made me extra lazy because we ended up going out three nights last week. As is our tradition, we went for dinner and a movie on Saturday. This time we saw An Education. It was okay, but E was very bored since there was no blood, violence, or death.

He also insisted on showing me a film about Mary last week. It was fascinating for me to watch the Islamic version of Mary's life and the birth of Jesus. Basically, Mary was a special, chosen woman. She was taken to study at the temple as a child, the first woman to do so. She had a special gift for healing, and people came from everywhere to be healed. An angel told her she would give birth to a special messenger. One day, she went to the dessert, gave birth to Jesus, and returned to the city. People were scandalized until the newborn Jesus spoke declaring Mary's innocence and his presence as a prophet. It was all very interesting. But E was terribly disappointed when I told him I still thought the Christian version of Mary's life was better.