Home Coming and State Fair?

During the events in this post I couldn't help but think about how funny it sounded to be at a "home coming" and to have "state fair" food...   Gulsen invited me to the Bogazici University Home Coming, where she graduated college. Of course I went.  I couldn't resist attending a Turkish home coming.  I wanted to experience it. What I experienced was yet another lively atmosphere and another group of wonderful people.

(I do want to mention the time it took me to travel from Cekmekoy to Bogazici University.  Normally a destionation this far away wold have taken more than two hours, but I managed to arrive in only 1.75 hours.  I was very pleased with myself.)

Anyways, walking down the beautiful, scenic, university road into campus I could hear music becoming louder and louder. Rounded the last corner of that road Gulsen and I were enlightened with a courtyard of graduates dancing, eating, socializing and enjoying themselves.  Kiosks and booths were set up with free foods, items, and information.  Gulsen led me around the courtyard, while I took it all in.  We ventured around untill we stubled upon the free Turkish coffee and tea lounge, set up in a smaller grassy knoll area where, Gulsen had mentioned, was in an area university couples snuck off to, sitting on  a bench to overlook the Bosphorous - similar to that iconic American hill top parking spot.  While Gulsen and I sat and drank coffee, a handful of her friends from the university joined us in conversation.  We sat on cousions in the grass underneath a conopy of trees. Though her friends could speak English to an extent, I found myself seperated, in contempt, just soaking up the atmosphere and surroundings.  Multiple times througout the night this happend and an aquatance would ask if I were board or doing alright, my response could never really satify their curiosity. I really did enjoy my time, talking or not.

View from the campus road

Main Courtyard

  

 Enjoying Company over Turkish Coffee

 

At another time I stumbled upon a food stand I could not pass up.  I stood in line thinking, "this is the closest thing I will have the the Great Minnesota Get Together".  Here is my picture to help you along to understand my feelings:

Yes, food on a stick!!! Corn Dog

 Twin Cities Love

Miss you, MN.