Lost in Translation

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Jane Gundogan

Thanks to Cukurbagli’s http://cukurbagli.wordpress.com/ comment below it turns out that I still cannot speak Türkçe properly! Finger’s crossed I chose the right translation.

This Meme could not be further from the current predicament that I find myself in. It is impossible to keep calm and learn Türkçe (no that is not a typo, it is the correct translation for Turkish). Learning Türkçe is a time-consuming pain in my arse. I am useless not just with Türkçe but with languages in general. I can, of course, swear in many languages (I think swearing is the first thing you learn when you arrive in a country) but conversational Türkçe is proving more laborious than my pea sized brain can handle. The Turk (in this case my husband) has suggested that I take a language course at Mersin University but this will not start for a couple of months so in the meantime I muddle through as best as I can.

It is easy for me to be confused learning this language. From going to the market to a conversation over the fence I get embarrassed quite regularly with my phonetic blunders. Funnily enough I do know a lot of singular words and learning the words is quite easy once you have learnt the alphabet. I find the issue is stringing the words into a sentence. Why? I think the correct term would be word order. So rather than saying “where is the cat?” It is would be, “cat where?” or in Turkish “kedi nerede”. See my confusion. It is a little like talking with Yoda –

“Powerful you have become, the dark side I sense in you.”

Daughter has, of course, been going to school so is picking up conversational Türkçe quite easily. She also has a teacher that comes to our house each evening and spends time with her to help her transition with the language and to assist with her homework. I am impressed with Daughter’s speed at picking up the language (and a little envious) but even she finds learning Türkçe exhausting.

I laugh now at my heady statement made before I left Avustralya (sorry did you mean Australia?). Far too often and to far too many people I stated that I could get by without any Türkçe. It would not be necessary for me to learn the language. Since arriving in Mersin it has become quite clear just how foolhardy I was. There are days when I find myself deflated from the simple task of paying the water bill at the Posta (Post Office) but the gratification I feel when I see the recognition on the face of the shopkeeper or my neighbour smile when I ask how they are in their native language . . . well let me just say that it is a high five, fist pumping “boo ya!” moment for Jane!

A morning routine

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Jane Gundogan

Breakfast is apparently the most important meal of the day. I used to skip breakfast a LOT when I lived in Sydney. Or it was a healthy breakfast of coke and cigarettes – yes really! Then I found out I was Type 2 Diabetic and I pulled my head in and actually learnt about eating healthy. I still have a lot to learn but a good breakfast and my early morning jog to the deniz is a good start.

Now living in the Village breakfast is the first of many delicious (and healthy) meals I eat every day. I love that everything is organic. I love that the bread is delicious and costs the equivalent of AUD$0.25 for a loaf. The eggs are huge and when cracked the yolk is so yellow, scrambling them is a sin! Cucumber, tomatoes,olives and my mother in law’s cheese (https://janeyinmersin.com/2013/10/) all washed down with a glass of cay to complete our Turkish banquet. Yesterday we made borek (lightly fried pastry with cheese) and if we make it to the market we also buy Turkish sausage (although I recently read an article in a Turkish newspaper where someone suggested that the sausage could possibly be made from horse meat. Eeek!).

Daughter and her cousins have already left for school by 7am so generally it is just us girls (and now, of course, The Turk) sitting in the sunshine enjoying this delicious banquet. Actually now that The Turk has arrived we also must have corba (soup) for breakfast. He loves his Spicy Red Lentil Soup (which I made last night) and he believes that a good breakfast is not complete without corba on the table. The Turk also suggested this morning that I learn to make Tripe Soup but THAT is never going to happen!

Now if only I could find some bacon . . .

Land Down Under

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Jane Gundogan

We all know the song and we sing it loudly when in a pub whether in Oz or anywhere else in the world. If it comes on, you sing it loudly. To an Aussie it is an anthem, to some more than Advance Australia Fair has ever been. Back in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics I had a conversation with a bunch of tourists who were telling me how they were sick and tired of hearing Advance Australia Fair (jealously maybe). I suggested Khe Sahn (thank you Don Walker and Cold Chisel) but they really couldn’t understand what Barney was saying let along what they unceremoniously called “caterwauling” by the lead singer! Bastards! During this conversation it turns out that everybody knows “Land Down Under” so it was agreed that evening at the pub that when an Aussie wins (which we did over and over again) then we would sing Land Down Under for the rest of the night! I lost my voice!

For those of you who suddenly feel the need to sing I present –

Anyway coming from Australia I am now living in Karaduvar which is NOT the Land Down Under, it is the Land Of Confusion. This morning my frustration with the language, with the everyday difficulties and with the sheer stupid is doing my head in!

The Turk has been here a week now, just one week. Certainly not long enough to have made himself comfortable in his new home however within days (nay I mean hours) of arriving he has decided that our balcony is not large enough and he promptly instructed builders to start work to increase its size. Oh and he also wants the garage changed. Fuck!

This morning I find myself making a butt load of cay (as part of your job as the property owner is to supply copious amounts of tea and water and anything else that the builder may desire (including extension cords and in this case a drill!). I am listening to The Turk shout instructions to anyone who will listen and watch him feel very important. I look out the window at the electrical wires that are mere metres from my outstretched arm. With the balcony being widened I have suggested that these should be moved but have been told to “not touch them”. Huh?

I cannot listen anymore. I cannot question why they are using a jackhammer on my walkway nor why I keep losing electricity every 10 minutes (which is making this blog page interminably longer than necessary to complete). I find it is better not to ask these questions. I flip open my ipad and search through for a particular play list. “Australia tunes” – there it is! Glancing down at the list I find what I am looking for, hit play and wait for the chorus so I can sing at the top of my lungs:

“Do you come from a land down under?

Where women glow and men plunder?

Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?

You better run, you better take cover!

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/daily-prompt-confusion/

Juicy

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Jane Gundogan

A friend on mine is a great artist and prior to leaving Australia I purchased one of her paintings to hang in my new home here in Mersin. Her painting is called “Juicy” and I do not think she will mind that I re-post it for my blog today. You might want to check out her amazing work –

http://www.celartworks.com/

Last weekend was the Mersin Narenciye Festivali (Citrus Festival) in Mersin. It seems that Mersin and its surrounding area is well known for its oranges, lemons, grapefruit, apples and any other type of fruit that you can think of. This is a very popular weekend here in Mersin and what a great way to promote both industry and tourism to the city and yes this really is a festival not some dodgy political meeting like the one I was dragged to a couple of weeks back.

The seafront was full of orange and yellow stalls, flags and balloons. There were exhibitions, fruit for the tasting, wares to purchase, music to dance to and even a parade. This Festival had it all including a warm autumn day. I saw on the internet that it is pouring rain in Sydney yet here we are in November enjoying gorgeous weather. Nice one.

The Turk has promised me that it will get cold and that I will be whinging “like a bitch” (his words) but right now I will enjoy myself while I can.