July 12, 2011

Hello all!
     One of the most beautiful and exciting activities in my life will forever remain swimming in the sea.
We have been having an exquisite time swimming at all different times of the day, during the week and during the weekend with a variety of crowds and activities to match each time. For instance, the weekdays bring in the touristic crowds and the beach DJs play familiar American music (especially that of Lady Gaga and other chart topping artists), and street vendors walk around frequently selling bread, muscles with rice and cay (tea). The weekends, however, bring in all the locals with their families and extended families. This crowd will bring grills and plan for an entire day at the beach complete with three cooked meals. The DJs play Turkish music, especially that of classical Turkish music. Street vendors are not frequently seen as the families cook their own food and even bring provisions to make their own cay.
     Another contrast between the touristic crowd and the local crowd is the amount of Radical Muslims that frequent the beach on the weekend. The Radical Muslims do swim in the sea and actually have special outfits, 
According to my host family, Muslims but not radicals, this is a ridiculous concept as the reason for covering is to avoid nudity and it is a sin for these Radical Muslims to see nudity of any kind.
     Being blond'ish, blue-eyed, and fair skinned has made me somewhat of a minority even during the tourism season. The only other people matching my description are the occasional Russian girls. Russian girls are associated in Turkey with prostitutes; however, as many of them practice those sorts of activities during the summer in places such as Antalya. I have never had the feeling of thousands of eyes on me that has made me feel like an outsider. Perhaps next time I come across foreigners in my own country, I will have a much better understanding of their situation. God has a wonderful way teaching lessons doesn't He? :)