Thursday, June 4

Back to school today, though Aeden was exhausted after lunch and fell asleep almost before we could even walk out of the school.

Nancy watched the kids for the evening so Brian and I could head out to a concert at the US Ambassador's Residence. It was wonderful to be out again just the two of us and to get to see the residence before our time here is done (Brian had been before, but I had not). And we got to see Elizabeth again and some of the Fulbright staff, too, so that was neat.

Brian Horton Quartet is on a tour of the region and we were lucky enough to get to listen to them play for the evening on the back lawn of the ambassador's residence. Pretty weird scenario, with the stiffest crowd of jazz listeners I've been in. But there was a cool breeze (which Brian and I loved, but many of the Turkish people in the audience were wrapped in jackets and wraps), and it was very pleasant and relaxing.

After the concert there were refreshments inside the residence, so we looked around a little. The paintings and art are very "American", especially obvious to me after being here for so long...salmon, quilts, New England style pastures and hills...both fun and funny to see them here. But the house and grounds are beautiful and much more like what I was imagining when speaking of ambassadors and diplomats. The embassy itself was old and military feeling, but the residence was old and regal. I never thought of the foreign embassies as military installations in Washington DC. I'm sure there's more to the story and the picture of how things work than I'll ever be exposed to or understand.

I never know whether to use Turkish or English with the waitstaff in scenarios like this one. For instance, at the gate to the embassy grounds the guards don't speak much English at all (as we found out when going to the Easter Egg Hunt), but at the gate to the residence it was all English. But do I mutter a, "Tessekurler" for the cola I just ordered, or a, "Thank you"? For that matter, do I order a "cola" or a "coke"? At the Pirate's Beach Cove I made the bartender laugh when I ordered in Turkish...I have the best of intentions at least.