Turkey: Day #2 – The Mediterranean

So today was a pretty uneventful day.  I spent most of it hanging around.  I had a very late breakfast after a good night’s sleep and then I went and had a nap.  After my extended nap I got up and tried to figure out how to open the door to my balcony.  It was quite hilarious because I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong and every time I turned the handle the door wouldn’t open.  At one point, the housekeeping lady came and I tried to ask her but she couldn’t speak English so I just sat there and waited awkwardly while she cleaned the room.  I wanted to go out on the balcony but I couldn’t get out!  It was funny but seriously awkward too.  Ha ha.  Anyway, eventually I figured out how to open the balcony door and sat out there for a few minutes before deciding it was time to go down to the Mediterranean.

I had been indoors most of the day and I knew that today would really be my only day to actively relax so I bathing-suited up and went down to the beach.  I sat on the beach for a few minutes then I made the decision that I was ready to jump into the Mediterranean.  It was about 24 degrees outside and roughly 17 degrees or something like that in the water, not depressingly cold but definitely not warm either.  I got my shirt off, was ready to jump in, with my camera of course when I realized, my memory card is back in the room.  So I had to trudge back up there grab it and come back to the beach.

Well, by that time I am like super determined to go into the sea.  So I literally got to the beach, took off my shirt, grabbed my camera and ran, like ran into the Mediterranean.  It was cold, but not too cold and really, if someone else had been there and gone with me, I would’ve stayed there longer.  But, there’s still a whole week left to go so I figured I’d get out and dry off and go back to my room.

While I was drying off I heard my name, go figure.  It seems like everywhere I go on this planet someone knows me (that’s kind of ironically hilarious).  So I spent some time hanging out with M & I whom you might know better as the parents of two olive-skinned friends of ours in Ottawa.  For their protection I am being a bit cryptic with their identities.  One of the things I am learning very quickly about our team abroad is that the level of danger they put themselves in means they can’t really talk a lot about it.  The tragic reality of the incredible work they are doing is that most of it we will never know until it’s well beyond the time for us to make an impact.  It’s why it’s so important for us to continue to support them as much as we can because that’s the best way we can have a lasting impact.

We spent a bit of time talking about that and then of course, M wandered off and I and I (that sounds funny) had a great conversation about what the future of student trips abroad might look like.  We talked a lot about moving away from organizing big trips where any student can go to focusing on smaller 3 or 4 member teams who go for a longer time and are able to have a lasting impact.  You might be surprised but babysitting for a month so that a couple can accomplish some much needed work will further it along way more than a week of student led daycamp mixed with sightseeing might.  It’s got me thinking a lot about how we might do it on our end.  Instead of sending large teams, what if we sent 2’s and 3’s a couple of times a year?  2 or 3 students with 1 leader who go over maybe for a few weeks in the summer, come back and then a few more go.  Instead of having a one time, low impact connection, we have a longer term ongoing impact, because these trips could happen all year long depending on availability.

The big trips then would be more focused on internal trips like heading to Toronto or Montreal or something.

Anyway, I and I had a great talk and then we both left.  I met up with all the other yp’s from our district and we had dinner together, which was awesome, I am eating things I can’t pronounce and I have learned that the Turks love to put cheese on everything, I approve, strongly.  The internet was out most of the day but we had our opening session tonight and the worship was awesome!!  The band was fantastic and it was nice to not have to do anything, to be able to just relax and enjoy the experience without worrying the details.  Once in a while, I actually enjoy that too!

So, after that we all went back to one of the guy’s rooms, had some good laughs and then we all headed to bed.  I of course, chose instead to watch 3 episodes of how I met your mother (can you find the barney reference above?) and then realized that the internet was back!  And I could write today’s update.  So, here it is in all it’s glory.  Sweet dreams!!

Swimming In The Mediterranean from theadvance on Vimeo.

One Response to “Turkey: Day #2 – The Mediterranean”

1. Meagan Doyle says:

   March 20, 2010 at 12:59 pm

   James, its great to hear you re-thinking what it might look like for students to be involved with international work. I have also been thinking lots around the role of short term trips, though my focus has been more on the place of skilled workers/medical professionals and how to best partner with the work of God in our global community. May God continue to lead you to challenge everything:)