Just Click Your Heels Three Times

I may as well make this public, since it's about as certain as anything can be: I'll be back in Seattle next year. There were a number of factors that went into the decision, but the two biggest were family issues and a desire to make my life a little easier for a change. Someday, if you're really interested, you can buy me a drink & I'll detail the other considerations, but I'd rather not descend into negativity at this point.

So let's focus on the positive - I'm coming home! I don't have an exact date yet, but it'll be sometime between mid-July and mid-August. I plan to reclaim a teaching position at Green River Community College, and will be living in Auburn, which is close enough to spend time in Seattle but far enough away to have affordable rent - as well as being within walking distance of work.

The remainder of my time in Turkey is still somewhat uncertain, as I'll be done with my duties at the university by June 17, but my contract isn't up until July 12. My hope is to spend my last month based in Ankara, helping with a few teaching workshops and traveling around Turkey a bit. As far as I can tell, I have to leave Turkey by July 15 - that's the expiration date on my residence permit - so I'll probably make another visit to Poland, maybe wander around Europe, and be back in the US by August 12. And then I'll begin my west coast tour.

I do want to apologize to those of you who were thinking of visiting me in Turkey next year, but you can still make the trip - I just won't be here to greet you. There are a lot of reasons to spend a vacation in Turkey, but very few of them lie east of Ankara.

That's all the news I feel like sharing at this point. I'm simply trying to survive my last few weeks in Malatya, with the knowledge that the end is in sight. I hope your days are more enjoyable than mine, and I look forward to seeing you all fairly soon.