Hello, it’s me again, Käthe. It’s really warm right now. I’m from Germany, and yesterday mom messaged me asking about the current temperature here, as it’s around 32ºC in Germany at the moment and everyone is feeling drained. Right now, I’m just grateful it’s not 40ºC or hotter; I think I would be really wiped out then. I have to say, the last month was quite packed with travels. But let’s start chronologically.
Let’s begin with May:
May wasn’t a spectacular month, or at least I can’t recall any spectacular events right now. I think such times are important during a voluntary service. By that, I mean when I think back to May now, I mainly think of my daily life. A life that has settled in, been disrupted, in a city where I now get by without Google Maps and Translate. It is somewhat nice to notice how after nine months in a once unfamiliar country, I feel at home. Although sometimes I feel like I will only realize this true familiarity later, when I am back in Berlin and I will be coming to Izmir for vacation. Just to clarify, my language skills are very basic, but I manage everyday conversations.
May was sometimes very tough for me. May in Berlin is really great! To begin with, there is May 1st with demonstrations and then the Carnival of Cultures as social events. Besides, summer slowly starts in May; it is the first time going to the lake after the endlessly long winter, and then, there are the long nights when it is still light out. But this isn’t a homesick blog; it is about my time here. Nevertheless, I think it is important to include this process of missing because it shaped my life during those times.
And here, summer felt like it started with a bang; I can’t remember exactly when it wasn’t 30ºC or warmer anymore. I went swimming in the sea! Sometimes it feels like an endless vacation because the Mediterranean is right outside the door.
June. Almost over already. Then it’s just two more months, which is a bit crazy, how quickly time has passed. How much we have seen and how much I still want to see. I had visitors and traveled. We went to Kuşadasi, near Bodrum, and to Ölüdeniz, in a very classic manner. It was so, so beautiful!!! The water and the beaches were incredible.
Right after that, I traveled with two other volunteers on the Doğa Expresi to Kars. In total, we were on the train for 40 hours, from Izmir to Ankara, and then to Kars. The journey was really worth it.
From Kars, we went further to Trabzon, Sinop, and finally Safranbolu. For me, it was the farthest east I have ever been. I could look over the river into Armenia and had my lunch. Somehow, it was really absurd. And later in Trabzon and along the Black Sea, some regions reminded me so much of Germany, it was really striking. The dark forests, mountains, and rivers in between look so much like southern Germany. But I especially loved the nature around Safranbolu; we found a beautiful valley with a small river and picnic spots.
I hope you all are also having a wonderful start to the summer!