*Note: The title is supposed to be a joke about the Olympics, NOT about my feelings toward any nation.*
Today was another tiresome day. It didn't help that last night I got Netflix to work--only after downloading a program that makes the website think my computer is in America (thanks Zane)--and stayed up way to late watching the BBC show Sherlock. To say it is addicting is an understatement. Anyway, in the morning Dr. Gul, Elfinesh and I scored the wheat from Elfinesh's experiment. This is the one I mentioned earlier that was growing in the growth room and that I had been watering periodically. Her results look promising! When I find out more I will let you all know what the next step is.
Around mid-morning Gul and I went out to a make-shift shelter made out of two-by-fours and cardboard behind one of the greenhouses. It was made to keep us in the shade as we scored the wheat. What is scoring wheat you ask? Well, in a nutshell Gul looks at the crown of the wheat--the part just above the roots--and can tell how severe the Fusarium Crown Rot infection is. Gul gives a number from one (healthy) to five (severely infected). A "one" plant would look like normal, healthy wheat. This "one" designation would tell the wheat breeder that this type of wheat is resistant to that particular strain of Fusarium. A "five" plant on the other hand, would have a honey brown to black root crown. This "five" rating would tell breeders that this type of wheat is susceptible to this strain of Fusarium. So, Gul looked at the wheat, said a number from one to five out loud and I recorded it on the data sheet. Ever now and then she would test me on what I thought the number should be. I got better as time when on. We scored a lot of wheat. I didn't count but it took from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an hour break for lunch (or simply rest for those fasting).
This past weekend I had my faith tested. When I first stared telling people about this amazing internship and opportunity they would always say something along the lines of, "Wow! So who is going with you?" or "How many Americans are going?" When I told them it would just be me, by myself, getting on a plane to Turkey and working at an institute I have never visited before nor met anyone from there, they would either stare in disbelief or make some comment about how I was brave, faithful or stupid. I had faith it would all work out, especially after talking to Lisa Fleming and the rest of the World Food Prize staff. I never really saw it as going alone to a country half way across the world. I always saw it as an amazing opportunity and had faith that it would all work out. So far I've been right! So, getting on the airplane and traveling was a piece of cake. The real test came on this past Saturday--the day I got my haircut. Omer, thank Allah for him, picked me up in the afternoon and took me to the city center. We walked a short while and eventually came to a small, and I do mean small, barber shop. After some warm welcomes between Omer and one of the stylists he conveyed to them my situation. Omer asked if I wanted an "American" style and I though "what would be the Turkish perception of an 'American' style?" So, I agreed and sat down in one of the three chairs (I told you it was small). Here is where the faith part comes in. I let a man who didn't speak the same language as me go at my hair with a razor and scissors with only the guidance of the words "American style." It all turned out very well. My hair looked great and Omer said I looked beautiful.
Afterwards we met up with Elfinesh and Cui (the Ph.D. student from China) at a cafe. Omer left because he is fasting so the three of us stayed and had tea. We remembered that a World Cup game was going to play soon so we found a place in town that was playing it. I had a nice cup of coffee the best waffles I've ever had. They were covered in a chocolate and raspberry sause with bananas, kiwis, whipped cream and ice cream. For about 10 minutes I didn't care about the game--it was simply me and my waffles.
Though these posts might make it seem like I am constantly gallivanting about the town and institute, I actually have a lot of down time. In order to past the time I have started reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyed by Agatha Christie. Not sure why I picked it, it just happened to come up on the Kindle page and I thought "why not?" Maybe it sensed that I was also watching Sherlock. I'll be sure to give my thoughts on it later.
That is it for now! I'm going to post some pictures soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment