"The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one's appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship." --Amelia Earhart

The end is near. Tomorrow I am leaving Istanbul and heading back to Harleysville, Pennsylvania. I am ready. It has been one heck of a trip, but I am ready and excited for home, my bed, my family and friends. I am ready to not move for a long time.

On Saturday we flew from Amman, Jordan to our final stop of the journey, Istanbul, Turkey, the only city that is situated on two continents (the Bosphorus Strait divides Istanbul, with Europe on the west side and Asia on the east). We were met at the airport by Emily, Steph's friend who is currently living in Istanbul, and who we stayed with during our time in Turkey. She took us back to her comfortable apartment which she shares with two other American girls. What a treat -- to be led by someone who knows exactly where they are going!

Staying at Emily's apartment has been a nice transition before coming home. She has tons of movies and seasons of Friends and The Office on DVD. Steph and I took full advantage of this and spent a lot of time in Istanbul lounging and watching movies while using the internet, as being on the go for 3.5 months has worn us both out. It was quite luxurious.

On Sunday we went with Emily to her church, then met some of her friends for lunch at a restaurant where we sat on pillows on the floor situated around tables and ate delicious food. Afterwards we saw the famous Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia church.

On Monday Steph and I lounged around till 1:00 and then went to the Grand Bazaar with Emily and her friend Simon. The Grand Bazaar is a HUGE shopping area where each shop owner called out to us as we passed and said things like "how may I help you spend your money?" and "wait, you forgot something...my heart!"

Tuesday we lounged around again all day, then went to a great sushi restaurant with Emily for dinner, and then Steph and I went to a football (soccer) game! I had been wanting to go to a game on this entire trip and wasn't sure if it would happen. Thankfully it did, and it was a riot. I had a blast. The fans were so into the game, singing and chanting and standing the entire time. There were tons of police and security guards with riot gear handy in case things got out of control. The stadium was set up differently than the stadiums at home, which we didn't realize at first -- we stood in line for a while to get into the stadium, went through a metal detector and were frisked, then looked for our section which we couldn't find. Apparently you can't just enter the stadium at a random entrance and then find your section because each section is blocked off. So we had to completely exit and walk around the entire stadium, dodging and weaving oncoming fans the whole way. I am assuming the sections are blocked off for security purposes in case a riot breaks out. No alcohol is served inside the stadium, either. At least 95% of the fans at the game were male, so not only did we stick out because we were foreigners, but because we were some of the only girls there. The game was great, though the home team unfortunately lost.

Turkish men can spot a foreigner a mile away. And they stare. Apparently it's not impolite to stare. So I just stare back. And the old women cluck their tongues when they aren't happy about something. I got clucked at when we were standing in a jammed-packed bus (insert flashbacks of Kenya here). The bus lurched to a stop and I must have leaned too hard on the woman next to me. Boy, did she cluck at me. Oops.

Yesterday Steph and I went to a Turkish Bath. A lot of local Turks frequent one of the Baths once a week, which is the only time they will bathe all week. We were told it was something you have to do when visiting Turkey...so Steph and I decided to see what this Bath thing was all about. Now, this was an experience. I am assuming you are sitting down while reading this, but if you aren't, you might want to....

We entered the bath, paid our money, and were directed to a small changing area where we stripped down. We wrapped ourselves in a sheet and put on the provided water sandals. We then wandered on into a large round room with a very high ceiling. In the center of the room was a huge, round slab of marble, on which about ten women were lounging. Some of the women were still wrapped in their sheets, some had their underwear or bathing suits on, and some were completely naked. Emily told us to do like the Turks, so Steph and I spread our sheets on the marble and lied down, butt naked. We relaxed on the warm marble and soon began sweating in the steamy room. After about 20 minutes or so, one of the women working there tapped me, letting me know that I was ready to be bathed. This is where it gets interesting. She told me to lie on my back on my sheet. She threw a bucket of water on me and then used an abrasive towel and started scrubbing away on me. Then, I almost got the giggles. I seriously almost lost it. I had to try so hard to compose myself, but all I kept thinking was, "man, if only my family and friends could see me now..." Then she slapped me, letting me know that it was time to turn over. Thankfully Emily had warned me of this because had she not, I probably would have grabbed my sheet and been outta there, thinking this wasn't the kind of bathhouse that I thought it was. So I turned over and she scrubbed my backside. She slapped my butt and I turned over again. She threw more water on me and then used a washcloth and lots of suds and washed me. She then led me over to a fountain and I sat in front of her as she washed my hair. After about 15 minutes of being washed by a total stranger in a bathing suit, I was squeaky clean and fully exfoliated.

Afterwards, Steph and I headed back to Emily's. We took the ferry to cross the Bosphorus Strait to get to the Asian side. After we crossed, the workers tied up the boat and the mass exotus began -- to get on and off the ferry is a mad rush and you feel you could be trampled at any moment. People had just started walking across the plank when we heard a lot of yelling. I looked out the windows and saw the workers quickly trying to undo the ropes to free the boat from being docked. Once undone, the boat backed away and men on the dock threw a ladder down into the water. Someone had fell into the water!! After a few minutes the old man was safe on the dock, completely drenched but otherwise looking unharmed. I videotaped the whole thing and I'm pretty sure I captured some of the "cluck, clucks" of the women standing next to me as they watched the scene before us. They couldn't cluck enough. Or maybe they were clucking at me for documenting the event on my camera...

Today is Thanksgiving. Emily and her roommates are cooking a dinner for about 11 people are coming over tonight. Turkey in Turkey!

I will be up at 5:00 AM tomorrow morning to catch a bus to the airport. I have a 12-hour flight from Istanbul to Chicago, then a flight to Philly where I should be arriving at 7:15 PM Friday night.

The journey has come to an end. Or as someone told me last week, "back to reality." Though I believe this trip couldn't have been more of a reality... A reality seeing how too many people struggle every day to survive. A reality how one country can have such a profound effect on the entire world, economically and socially, making for a constant topic of debate. A reality that religion can fuel constant warfare in an area the size of New Jersey but is also the home to some of the kindest people in the world. The reality that experiences are better when they are shared with someone else. And the reality that there are more good, kind people in this world than you might think.

I thank you for following me in my journey, for your prayers and emails. I will see you soon.

With love,
Kristin