Valencia diaries IV – First impressions

Valencia is a floral city and it seems to be the nature is winning the war against concrete in this city. Flowers bloom, plants and trees that are scattered everywhere brings pleasant aromas as well as the needed shade in a burning city. Massive, ancient trees stand like city guards, waving away the heat.

The people are true mediterraneans; they are extra friendly and will do everything they can to help a confused tourist although the language barrier is a serious issue. But when hearts are synced, communication finds its way; smiling is universal.

Food is pretty cheap in the city compared to other European cities. For 2 or 3 Euros you can have a sandwich and good coffee almost anywhere. 2 melons cost 1 euro for God’s sake.

And of course gastronomy. Everything is delicious in the city of great paella. My advice is that eat nothing but lettuce for a week prior to coming here or else you’ll be a few pounds heavier when you get back.

Valencia diaries III –

I have never been a true football fan but I’ve always admired stylish edifices no matter what purpose they serve as they give a city, a lively spirit like the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, home of Valencia FC. Enough of football talk.

My day started in flaming Ankara, continued on planes and airports and finally ended in breezy Valencia. Although the city, lies in the south by the seaside, it didn’t feel disturbingly hot thanks to the trees sheltering the streets from the blazing sun. Ok, now I feel this is becoming rather like small talk. First talking about football and now the weather!

So, let me skip to the interesting bits. What’s the city and it’s people like?

The airport is no bigger than a sizely village square with only a couple of parked planes, which is actually fine because I hate wasting time getting out of the airport. However, the problem is that nobody at the airport seemed to speak English. Not the passport police, not the customs officer who wanted me to explain a bag of medication in my luggage ( like flu medication and vitamin pills…and many more that I had packed as I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to find medication in case I got sick ) or the friendly taxi driver who took me to the city centre. It wasn’t much different in the city either. Only a handful of people spoke English. However, all the people I encountered were friendly and eager to help. It motivated me to learn some basic Spanish. Tomorrow, I’ll try that.

Valencia diaries II – The Scorch Trials…

Scorched-Earth — “The Scorch Trials” – What James actually meant was my world!

I still have 4 more days to physically start my adventure in Valencia, but I am constantly reminded how the weather is going to be there. For the past week, Ankara has been trying to match Valencia in terms of heat. And today, for the first time, my hometown has surpassed my destination in terms of humidity. Valencia is a coastal city…Ankara is landlocked with a couple of crappy, tiny, nearly dried-out lakes. How is it possible that Ankara is more humid? It’s pretty clear that I am being tested…I hate being tested…

My dislike for extreme heat dates back to my infancy when I used to stare at the contents of the open fridge with only my underwear on. As I had never been a person of lightning decisions, I became immune to extreme cold but vulnerable to mild heat right on the spot. I managed to survive until now…

So, in the light (or heat) of my newest discovery, my preparation process for my Valencia trip took a huge detour. Here are the changes:

I am no longer going to pack any clothes!
I’ll be looking for shades, where the sun isn’t felt much in the city instead of chic cafes.
I’ll be writing about my experiences late at night as intense heat cripples my creativity as you can see.

One last thing:

I’d be grateful if anyone who knows the city suggests how to overcome the issue of heat in Valencia. I’m wide open to suggestions!

Valencia Diaries I – Born a nomad…

20141022_173053 — “This is not Valencia….literally”

It might seem odd to start a travel journal back in your hometown, but doesn’t the actual journey start in your mind before you physically move your body to the destination? The excitement you feel, the preparation/planning process, the extensive reading about the secrets of the city and dreaming – that’s when the real journey begins…

In 8 days, I will be travelling to the land of paella and oranges – Valencia, Spain with a colleague to do an intensive CELTA course for a month. Going there a week prior to the course will allow me to discover the city and learn to live like a local – the best part. I’ll post my experience and findings here but before that….let me tell you something.

I’m a nomad… I’ve always been one. My mother used to tell me stories about me, in my infancy, about the times I hadn’t existed (While I was still in her belly). She used to say that I had kicked a lot as if I had been trying to move, change my place in the tiny belly-pod. Travelling; the desire to change places was in my blood. And once again, my blood began to boil…can’t wait!

A conscise guide to (not) trying to fit in…to everything!

Being-Different-Difference-520

Trying to fit into…

last year’s jeans you loved wearing when you didn’t have to tuck in your excess belly fat in, without having to secure it with a sturdy belt…
a page-turner adventure novel as one of the main characters, the one you can most relate to…
the smallest suitcase body-wise, either as a child or a magician’s apprentice…
a packed elevator just to go one floor up…
a selfie shot of more than enough people without a selfie stick…
a group of people whom we call friends just to be accepted…

…has been quite a task in different forms throughout our whole lives.

I’m not quite sure whether it is the in the human nature or it is just something that has been taught to us since our infancy as we can find the notion even in children’s stories like “The Ugly Duckling” and “Cindrella”

20160106-6-1ybvhly GRANDPIED

Humans are indeed social animals and can’t go on alone for long without depending on someone. We may need emotional, financial or romantic support along the way but what’s the catch with this “trying to fit in” to a society to be accepted?

The truth is; we are all lonely in an over-crowded world where we are constantly trying to be liked by others whom we see close enough like friends and family. Appreciation is what we seek, but the price we pay is high…and certainly not worth it.

“To be liked or not to be – that is the most important thing…”

We change our appearence, behavior and actions, ceasing to be the real “us”. We become carbon copies of each other, who are actually not enjoying even a minute of joint activity. I’m certainly not talking about being a night out with friends upon random decisions, but planned meet-ups like barbecues, picnics, sightseeing tours or after graduation meet-ups – the cases when you’re not asked but rather ordered like “Jack is bringing the wine, so the dessert is on you!” Noone asks you or anyone to join. Noone is the leader, the planner. You’re all in it as if bound by an ancient, annual curse getting ready for a meaningless ritual! (Perhaps the popularity of liquor in big events is because it dulls your brain and shoots your tolerance levels up). Anyway, if you can’t take part in such events, you’re dead to your friends and will feel left out for the rest of your life (even if you want to feel that way)

I’m lucky to have found a way to exclude myself from such events in my early teenages. The magic word is “maybe”. It’s not a “yes” so you promise nothing, it’s not a “no” because if you say “no” you’ll have to give a reason and there will be constant insisting/nagging. After not showing up to a couple of pre-organised events with a “maybe”, your friends will know the new definition of the word and somehow won’t bother you as long as you use the word to reject participation in such events.

But…why the need? Seriously?

We are not seperate pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle… We are all individual, complete puzzles…

dare-to-be-different-pictures

Unconditional love and other types of madness

Love between people is always full of expectations and rarely involves both parties. We tend to change the people we think we are in love with to our own liking but why do we love someone that needs to be changed. Are we constantly looking for a nonexistent perfection? What are we expecting? Why are we so selfish? Do we deserve love or to be loved? Why can’t we love unconditionally? Like….our pets, stray dogs or animals in general, giving us unconditional love; love in its purest form stripped of expectations…

Having a solid long-term memory: A blessing or a curse?

memory1

It’s weird (and not in a good way) to be able to remember your 3rd birthday celebrations when you are a few months short of celebrating your 40th. And when it’s just not the special days of your infancy that you remember, it feels like a curse. Falling face down from the feeding chair, screaming upon seeing a common house fly from up close for the first time or remembering every gibberish word of the neighbor complimenting how smart I was. I’m the only one in the family who remembers all these junk memories and that makes me…feel lonely. I do feel a little lucky, though. I don’t remember anything prior to my third year in this life and I don’t remember what I had for lunch on a specific date either. Errr…at least not every day of my past life. (The sloppy Joe I had for lunch on 22 September 1991 was exceptional! It deserves a mention :))

Growing up with this blurse (blessing-curse) was pretty difficult, too. Especially, my love life was ruined; remembering every single fight as well as the good stuff while my significant other(s) were able to remember the not so good parts. I never missed an anniversary though, so that was a huge plus. Not being able to forget how I felt after a good night or a good fight, while my partner(s) having fading away feelings was the downside.

Anyway, the best part of this whole memory mojo, was that I became a writer; using a lifetime of memories and retelling them in my stories. Perhaps now, others won’t forget or easily remember what they had forgotten…

P.S: The song that goes with this entry is somehow “Sweet Child of mine” by GNR.

Getting the ultimate taste in literary works!

We all love reading…. At least the ones who have found their way to this humble blog, do! As avid readers; we have read plain text and (like this first paragraph) let our imaginations run wild to visualize what the author had been trying to convey. That was when writing was a true art, which depended heavily on the author’s magic of using the right words in the right sequence. The key to some popular writers’ success was also due to their inclusion of the five senses into their writing; sight, smell, sound, touch and taste in comparison to using a two dimensional method of describing only sight. Look at the crappily written sample statements below and decide which one you favor:

John opened the microwave door and took out the overcooked pizza. (Sight only)
John opened the microwave door upon hearing the feeble bing, and a gush of hot air greeted his face. The burnt smell of the dark wheel inside made him regret setting the timer to 30 minutes instead of just 10. (Sight, sound and smell included – We also sense that it’s either John’s first time with the microwave or that he’s an idiot).

Anyway, with the emergence of graphic novels, writers had less worries about descriptions and plots became more engaging. Using pictures made the reader’s job easier.

sbam-mister-no-2

The image above (from the fumetti “Mister No” by Bonelli Comics) clearly outlines how the character feels although there is no text involved.

Now, you see what a mere image does to the story. Imagine adding all the senses to it. How would your reading experience be? Perhaps, books can have a list of items and maybe a soundtrack CD for readers to gather up before starting reading. Let’s say; whenever a character in the book bites into a decaying apple, the reader does, too. Feeling the rotten taste and the horrid feel it leaves in the mouth and fully experiencing the character’s feelings! That would be priceless.

No?

Before I finish, try rereading this post as described below:

I would recommend….

Listening to the song “Not to touch the Earth” by the Doors.
Making your environment really hot by either over-wearing thick clothes or turning up the heat on the AC.
You may also want to pour yourself an icy drink.
Then, wipe the accumulated sweat off your forehead with a smelly handkerchief

….while you’re reading this post. The points above summarize how I felt while I was writing this piece. Come on! I’m inviting you to invade my mind!

Barış Cansevgisi

Author

Month: June 2016