Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted! I’ve been keeping really busy with work lately. All of the students studying in England and such are home for spring break, so there is lots of test prep to be done.
Last weekend I took a long weekend with two girlfriends and went to Plovdiv, Bulgaria (again). We did pretty much all the same things as last time. We stocked up on stuff at the grocery store that you can’t get in Istanbul (Easter goodies, different cheeses, cheap oatmeal, good beer), roamed around the pleasantly empty streets (there are twice as many people in Istanbul as there are in the entire country of Bulgaria), visited the local monastery (very crowded with people lighting candles for Easter), and enjoyed just roaming the cobblestone streets and munching on Bulgarian food. It was cool to be there for Easter- church bells were ringing and hundreds of loaves of sweet bread hung out in the central areas, waiting to be given out courtesy of some political party. As the only place you could buy return train tickets was closed for a 5 day vacation, we were a bit worried about getting back. We ended up getting tickets on an overnight bus, though, which was really good considering what it was. Reclining seats, personal TV’s, a bathroom…pretty much just like a plane. We all returned sleepily but safely with shiny new stamps in our passports.
Other than that, not much new…we’re still trying to figure out what we’ll be doing next year (ugh), I’m taking my weekly Turkish lessons and inching along, and we’re getting wedding stuff slowly checked off the list. I recently found shoes for myself and the bridesmaid’s dresses, and we’ve been working on our vows! Fun.
The weather has just turned nice, and the city is an entirely new place. Tulips are popping up everywhere, there are boxes of kittens all over the place, and Ace and I actually have a desire to leave the apartment! We’re excited to go check out the palace that we still haven’t made it to this weekend. Erin also has friends visiting, so hopefully we’ll get to take over guide duties some and have excuses to get out and about our beautiful city.

Much love,
Kait