Turkey

I had a morning of professional development and car problems.  When I got out of a two-hour assembly, I had a voicemail waiting.  It was one of the coordinators from the NEH Summer Institute I had applied for.  Out of more than 200 applications, I had been chosen to be one of thirty teachers to spend three weeks exploring the Ottoman Empire in Turkey.

I am afraid that I jumped up and down and squeaked like a cartoon character at that point.

It still hasn't fully registered that it is real.  I have been pinning stuff about Turkey on a special board on Pinterest since I first became aware of this program.  While I was in Venice, Constantinople (now, of course, Istanbul) was everywhere because of the trade ties and seemingly-regular wars.  Now, I have the chance to see the other side of that total equation.  It is incredible.

In all my life, I have never imagined that I would be able to see Turkey.  I have to pay for my own plane ticket, but the NEH provides a stipend to pay for the other expenses in-country.  Even if I have to eat rice for three months, I will find a way to pay for that ticket.