Twerking Hard or Hardly Twerking

People here in Turkey didn't seem to find that saying as funny as I do. It loses it's appeal when you have to explain it and then eventually just say "it's an American thing," as they shrug and pretend to understand. 

I wasn't going to post today because my work for the past couple days hasn't been interesting--just labor intensive. However, I am going to use my energy to talk about some observations and non-work stuff. It won't be in any order, mainly just things as they pop into my head so bear with me. 

1. When I use the computer at night, I have to go to the building that has most of the offices and many of the labs here at the institute. I share an office room with Elfinesh and any other CIMMYT students/trainees they have. Currently it is just myself and Elfinesh. Anyway, when I post at night I get pretty scared because the lights in the hallway are all motion sensor but you have to be right underneath them for them to turn on. And, when they do they are very weak and only stay on for a couple seconds--not enough time to make it to the next one. Also, the many labs have equipment that cycles on and off so you hear many strange noises. So, the lights and the sounds all culminate into the set of a bad 1970s horror film that takes place in an insane asylum. 

2. The Ph.D. student from China, I don't know how to spell his name yet, speaks in this broken English that Elfinesh, Amer and Gul don't quite understand. I have to translate China-English to Turkish/Arabic/Ethiopian-English. I'm pretty good at it if I do say so myself. *Brushes off shoulder*

3. Tonight I celebrated iftar, the breaking of the Ramadan fast for the day, with Amer, Gul, Elfinesh, Omer, the Ph.D. student from China and Sevil. I had lamb ribs, çorba (soup), lots of water and some bread. The food was especially Turkish. Çay and Turkish coffee followed--hint that is why I'm posting at 12 a.m. local time. 

4. I'm not sure if I've posted this one before, but even if I have it is worth a repost. There is a drink here in Turkey that people love called ayran. It is...wait for it...a type of Greek yogurt mixed with water and...wait for it...salt. It was handed to me under the pseudonym of milk--it is far from milk. The first time I tasted it, I thought the milk had spoiled--God was it sour and bitter at the same time. As the people around me drank an entire liter, I sat there thinking "how am I going to get through these next eight ounces?!" Elfinesh doesn't believe me when I say I hate it. She thinks that if I just keep drinking it and don't think of it as milk then I'll learn to love it. Personally, it taste like dairy that came from a diseased cow and that has been sitting in the hot sun for 72 hours. 

5. I love that they play American music here. I was walking in town and I heard Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke within five shops. It is a little reminder of home. 

Alright, that is enough for tonight. I can feel the Turkish coffee wearing off. Happy Independence day from Turkey!