I went to Turkey and all I got was this blog post – Saeed Mouzaffar

First off I need to say “Hi Mom, I’m still alive.” I was just told today you have been following these posts religiously so I finally gave in and decided to write my own blog post. As our last night in the hotel begins, I think I can look back and I’ve a fond recollection of my times here in Turkey. But, lets begin with what everyone wants to hear about, especially my mother, the food.

After a week, eating out in Turkey has gotten quite monotonous for most, but I have loved every minute of mealtime. From kebabs to hoards of eggs and tomatoes to baklava, I have been in food heaven for the past week. Even though the food isn’t the Syrian kind I’ve grown to know and love, it was similar enough to still fall in love with the food.

So much in Turkey reminds me of Syria (My father’s birthplace) it’s not even funny. The sights, tastes, and smells all make me feel so close to my ancestral home, yet so far. To think I have family literally only a few hundred miles away makes me feel extremely homesick to a city that I have not seen in almost 3 years. But still, there have been ways that I have gotten closer to my culture. For the first time, I went to a mosque and prayed for Friday prayer (which I know my father will appreciate). Also, I held my first slightly intelligible Arabic conversation with a very shady shoe dealer.

It’s hard to condense my entire experience into one short blog post but with new friendships, new experiences, new memories, and especially new souvenirs, I hope I can bring Turkey back to my life in America in a few short hours. Hopefully I can come back to this place in the future, not as a tourist, but as a friend. (I tried for too long to make that line less cliche, but it is truly impossible hah!)