So, I did the thing. Just over a year ago I left Türkiye—beautiful, chaotic, full-of-life Türkiye—and came back to Sydney. Yep, packed my bags, waved goodbye to my gorgeous life there, and here I am. Why? Oh, you know, little things like the economy taking a nosedive and some personal stuff that needed sorting. Plus, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Spoiler alert: It was not.

You know when you think you’re coming home to this warm, cozy embrace? Like, “Ah, Sydney, my love, my childhood streets, my people.” Yeah, nah. Instead, I got slapped in the face with traffic, a 9-to-5 grind, and the soul-crushing realisation that I’ve turned into one of those people who misses Türkiye every time I see a sad little imitation of gözleme at a café. Life here is all about emails, deadlines, and trying to make ends meet. In Mersin, I fought over who could bring me more cay. Let me tell you, Sydney is no Mersin.

Sure, it’s been nice catching up with family and friends (you know, once I remembered how to make actual social plans). But deep down, I’m counting down the days until I’m back in Mersin next month for a well-earned break. That trip is the only thing keeping me going right now. I’ve even got a countdown app on my phone. 30 days, 4 hours, and 37 minutes. Not that I’m obsessed.

Oh, and let’s talk about my attempts to get traditionally published. I thought, “Hey, I’m funny, people seem to like my trashy novels. Surely people back in Oz would want to read that!” Well, apparently not. According to the experts, Australians aren’t keen on books about Türkiye. “Nah mate, give us something with a BBQ and a kangaroo,” I assume is what they meant. But I’m nothing if not stubborn, and… *drumroll please* I’ve just finished a Christmas novella, Mistletoe and Turkish Delight. Now on presale you order it now and have it in your Kindle on 26 October 2024. Get ready to catch up with Ginger and all her friends for a Christmas celebration in Istanbul (which a heavy dose of laughs, love and drama).

In other news, I’ve had a self-imposed social media ban for ages. Why? Because the world is a dumpster fire, and I didn’t want to add any more fuel to it. But recently, I’ve dipped my toes into TikTok because apparently, that’s what we’re doing now. Follow me, please—I promise I won’t bombard you with dance trends, but I might just do something ridiculous which is always fun.

So, that’s where I’m at. Counting down the days to my Mersin trip, dipping my toes in TikTok, and getting ready to share my novella with the world. See you on 26 October—and until then, enjoy your gözleme (the sad café version) and wish me luck as I navigate Sydney’s traffic.

Did you know that Janey in Mersin was named one of the Top 20 expat blogs in Türkiye by Feedspot? Ch-ch-check it out here!