I've been here a week and time has both expanded and collapsed. It feels as if I have passed through a magic door into a new life. My memories of Charleston seem curiously distant, as if they were boxed and tucked away in some remote corner of my mind. I am not sure if that is because life is so similar here or because of the differences. The buildings, roads, shopping malls and restaurants in Ankara look like those found in any modern US city. The television shows, news programs and commercials seem to be a mirror image of the same programs airing in the US. Yesterday I was shocked to see a sanitary napkins ad on TV, which was both explicit and sexual in its orientation; while a graphic display made it clear that this product would soak up an impropriety associated with their routine biology, several women in tight white jeans paraded proactively past a group of admiring men, flaunting their sculpted behinds with confidence! While locals bemoan the increasing influence of conservative Muslims on Turkish culture, it is hard to imagine that influence overriding what appears to an entrenched liberal media and market economy. We are fortunate to have a membership in a wonderful health club that offers everything from Zumba to spin classes to free weights and personal training. In addition, there are two indoor pools, two outdoor pools, tennis courts, raquet ball, volleyball, a Pilates studio, several restaurants, a beauty salon and an aesthetic center. The facility is well used and I have observed a higher proportion of middle-aged and elderly people engaged in these activities than is typically represented in clubs like this one found back in the states. One of my goals while here is to re-establish a health routine for myself, so I have been spending at least an hour or two at the club each day. I am already feeling stronger and more energized. A change in habit or routine allows one the unique opportunity to observe how behavior is shaped and influenced by environment. Since I have so few obligations here, I find it easy to maintain my health regimen. Of course I recognize and intellectually accept that "health is wealth" but when presented with a "to-do" list, I have so often put my own personal health needs at the bottom of that list. Exploring those inner conflicts, and trying to understand why I often work against myself is one of the benefits of changing places. No answers yet, but lots of questions percolating! The people here seem reserved, seldom making eye contact with each other in public, and of course, being even more distant with strangers. I am surprised at how few people speak English. The language is a challenge, especially since I often have trouble recalling English words I have used for a lifetime. The alphabet, pronunciation and grammar are all very different from English and the romance languages. There are very few written words that trigger recognition of meaning. The written language is intimidating with words that seem a foot long in length, but which are peppered with silent letters and slurred syllables that shorten them by half. It is interesting to watch your mind try to find patterns on which to build it network of communication. At first everything looks and sounds so foreign. Then you realize that the stop sign looks the same, so the word DUR can easily be substituted for the word STOP. And then you recognize a caution sign, an exit sign, and then an entrance sign. Soon you see these everywhere, and slowly those new words become recognizable. Similarly, the language sounded incomprehensible when I first arrived, but now conversations between Turkish speaking people are peppered with one or two recognizable words that I can distinguish. Hopefully, within an another week or so, I will be able to master a few basic phrases so I can better navigate here. Nonetheless, it is amazing what can be accomplished through sign language. Today, I took a taxi and guided my non-English speaking driver to our apartment with no problem. Each encounter like that produces a range of emotions...first, a sense of vulnerability and fear, then surrender, and finally a sense of accomplishment! Living as a foreigner heightens the senses and brings you back to the beginning as you work through the puzzle of taking care of your needs.