Goodbye Head Lice

This update will be quick, and not so beautifully written - but I feel it is important to write this evening because - it is my last evening in Turkey!

Tomorrow evening I will fly to India.  Can I just say wow.  WOW.

Life has been crazy.  Over the last two weeks I traveled to 5 different European countries and saw some beautiful things while processing a lot of what has been happening.  I even had a 10 hour train ride, and you think that would be a good chunk of time to become bored - but I had so much on my mind that it wasn't even enough time and by the end of the trip I hoped I had more time to be still.

I am waking up super early to pack.  I am not excited to pack, never have been.  It is not a skill I have.

I think it is noteworthy to say that I had head lice over the past few days.  That is right, little bugs crawling in my hair and eggs ALL over. It was not the best thing to happen on this trip.  Let me tell you though, God cares about me and another friend, because we were not alone, we both had the little critters in our hair and as we were quarantined - we spent days together.  With murderous agility, we went through one another's hair to kill all the eggs!  Hours, I have spent well over 15 hours going through hair over the past few days.  In fact that is nearly all we have done, as we have enjoyed our last days together, we have formed a licting bond. (get it? like "lasting" bond - but I made a pun).  That's right, got my master degree now, see what I can do with language now!?

It is quite hilarious when you think about it.  We have had "phases" of ridding the eggs - one of which was covering our hair completely in olive oil and leaving it in for the night while sleeping with "shower caps" (which we couldn't find and were actually food coverings) and tshirts wrapped over our hair.  My blanket that night was a towel so that we didn't infect anything.  Comments were thrown around like, "Wow Alison, your roots look just like an egg, did you know that!"   I have four white hairs, and when you think about it - it's quite amazing that God knows the number of hairs on our head because THERE ARE A LOT.

Today we did my last check late at night, and am happy to report, no eggs were found.  Which is great considering the fact that today we visited the family I most likely got them from to say goodbye and to my absolute horror, the kids placed a hat on my head within 5 minutes of sitting down.  All I could do was make a silly face, smile, and discreetly take it off my head.  What are the odds?  We have learned though, that sometimes, it is more important to love then to care about silly things like bugs in your hair.  I am so glad we visited them, it was a special time.   I will post photos and video later if possible.  For now, I must go to sleep.  Much to be done in a short time.

Happy to report that discernment is happening, my heart is happy, and my trust is growing as I spend more time learning about the ways that God works in the world.  I can feel this heart being molded, and sometimes it hurts, but most times its good.

Have a wonderful week - do not take healthy for granted either!! Forgot to mention that I spent a day very sick in Greece too, it was not fun.  I am still taking antibiotics over 10 days later to rid the illness.  Start taking my malaria pills tomorrow!!  So...yes - if you are reading this, and feel good - for me, and the others who are reading this and don't feel so swell - please, do something active for us.  :)

Also - if you are thinking that this update is a good justification for your avoidance of travels or takings some risks in life - I disagree with you - and can tell you firsthand that it is worth it.  The joy outweighs the pain by a long shot.  Perspective.

Miss the fam!

Alison

The nomadic week

I've been living like a nomad with my one backpack for the past week.  Last friday, the people I was staying with got sick with a highly contagious bacteria that has continued to spread to different people we know.  I've stayed in three different places and have two outfits, one blue shirt and one black shirt.  It's been quite the week.

Not because of that though - it's been quite the week because I have met many new families with children from Syria.  I have seen little bright and shining faces running around and have heard various stories of what it means to seek a better future.

I also spent three days of this week in a kitchen where I continued the basic cutting skills that I was taught in Bolivia - cooking in other cultures seems to be a theme that I do enjoy.  We cooked for over 200 one day!  That's a record for me.  I hope to cook in India too.

We are currently in finals week (MY LAST ONE), so this post will be less words and more photos.  I am including photos from a trip that we took to Cappadocia, an ancient city, a few weeks ago and then just random everyday life here.  Including some photos from the bazaar which is currently happening below me.

Lord willing, on Monday I will travel to Greece to learn more about work with refugees there and then will continue on to Germany and Switzerland to visit friends and family!  It will be a short stay in each place, but I am so grateful.  Turns out that flights from Turkey are extremely cheap, and my measly savings can afford these joy filled gifts.  I don't think I realized how significant it was that I could share a room with Claudia and Sharon during my last few months in California because those savings can now be used to visit friends and family!

Crossing the bosphorus at night is gorgeous

this morning when I stepped outside, the bazaar was happening

crossing the bosphorus 

Cappadocia - see the holes?  Those are entrances to where people lived in the BC times!!!!

A castle 

These are churches - people are lined up to enter in.  Inside are beautiful murals, we weren't allowed to take photos.  Persecuted Christians sought hiding in this area during the Roman Empire

There were indications of the Christians that used to live here with crosses

This was a door, the caves had trap doors that could close off in case of intruders

We were inside a HUGE cave that could host 5,000 people.  Crazy tunnels underground

Inside one of the rock houses (above ground one)

Over the land - Claudia pose attempt - it will get better, wait till India! ;)

Inside the cave - we went so deep by ourselves and shut off the light to sit in pitch dark

Syrian Refugee Children

On the ferry :)

My first Persian meal with friends from Iran - so delicious and like nothing I have tried before

Visiting the town where some refugee friends live

coming into Istanbul at night - the little lights are the ships in the water.  Ships in the night!  Got so excited.

Tourist part of town

English time

Another area that friends live in

I have slowly gotten to know the kids from this family as their mother gives me arabic lessons 

Roaming the streets and looking for a cake - I really enjoyed spending time with these kids 

Walking in the street, woman like to walk with their arms intertwined and I love it.  I need to get braver at taking photos - so many interesting things to see.