I’d been coming to Kuşadası for years, I’d spent many happy times there and made some friends who would be dear to me for life but……I got itchy feet!
When I first came to live here in Turkey I had great plans – learning a new language, experiencing a new culture, learning all the new customs and traditions of the people. Somehow, however, I rapidly lapsed into full English breakfasts, coffee on the prom and chatting (in very good English!) to friends. Now, don’t knock it. My life was relaxed and happy but I was beginning to realise I wanted more. It was definitely Time for a Change!
I phoned a couple of acquaintances in Kırklareli Province (in the far North West of Turkey) and explained that I wanted a move. “No problems”, they said, “We’ll find you somewhere to live here” and so the decision was made. A close friend agreed to rent my apartment and in the blink of an eye, surrounded by boxes, a confused adopted street cat, and an aquarium full of fish, the moving day arrived.
Have you ever moved house in Turkey? It’s…….. an experience! All my worldly goods disappeared over the balcony and down a temporary travelator whilst the boss scratched his head and eyed the aquarium. “It will be ok if we can take the water out,” he said. Having explained that the fish really needed the water he finally agreed to 10% being left in so with jugs and containers we set to emptying the aquarium. It was then loaded on the travelator and my guppies became the first flying fish in Ladies Beach!
Off went the van with me home packed in it and I hurtled down to the Bus Station to get my coach to Istanbul followed by a connecting coach to Pinarhisar and the local dolmuş to Kaynarca village where, hopefully, I would meet my new home and the van. Good to their word my friends had found a bungalow with a small garden to rent. Situated right on the edge of the village, it overlooked fields and farmland….. it also overlooked a working kitchen, a working boiler and connected electricity, but, confident in my limited Turkish I booked into the hotel in town and gave myself a week to get everything sorted and move in.
The next day my mate came over and suggested I would need some help with the cleaning then disappeared down to the village only to re-appear half an hour later with one of the village ladies who set to with mop, bucket and broom while I went in to town to get the electric turned on. Dealing with officialdom can be trying at times but doing it in a language you don’t really understand adds exponentially to the problem! Eventually he confirmed I would have electric the next day and I set off back to my now spotless little house. The farmer who worked in the field next door turned up with 2 ice cold beers and suddenly all seemed well and my new life had started. Engin the farmer said to me that he could help with anything I needed and he ended up being a valued friend but I also realised that it wasn’t all plain sailing being the only yabanci in the village but that’s another story……
