A Turkish Christmas Story
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on February 14, 2012 - 3:12 a.m.
This entry is a Christmas entry. I know it’s long overdue, but nevertheless, here it is. Christmas in a country other than your own is always going to be different, and for most exchange students, it’s the one of the hardest days of the year. It’s an even more challenging day to endure when the country you’re living in doesn’t celebrate Christmas. Despite the rest of Turkey’s lack of Christmas spirit, the exchange students in Izmir did their best to make the holidays away from home as merry as they could. So here is my Christmas in Turkey, in a way you would never expect.
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A Lesson in “W” and a Last Minute Concert
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on February 7, 2012 - 6:14 a.m.
Continuing on my mission to catch up my blog with my real life here in Turkey, this entry covers the first 2 and a half weeks in December. In that stretch of time, I gave young Turkish actors a lesson in their “w”s and “v”s, and Michelle and I decided to bring a little Holiday cheer to the halls of Çamlaralti Koleji.
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Kapadokya: The Most Wondrous Rocks You’ll Ever See
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on January 31, 2012 - 5:21 a.m.
As I said in my previous blog entry about Ankara, there was a second trip we exchange students were preparing ourselves for, and THIS trip was to be a completely different experience than the tall modern buildings and museums of the capital city. Join me in the weekend adventure that I can only describe as “Nature and History’s Most Miraculous Collaboration.”
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Happy New Year, Everyone!!
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on December 31, 2011 - 9:38 a.m.
Before I continue with my adventures, I'd like to take a moment to wish each and every one of you a safe and Happy New Year!! 2012, here we come!
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Little to No Sleep + An Exchange Student Wedding = Ankara Trip
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on December 30, 2011 - 7:27 a.m.
Continuing on my journey in Turkey, this entry will take you along on my weekend trip to Ankara, Turkey's capital city. And of course through several other experiences that could only have happened by me exchanging my life in the US for what I have before me! Take a look!
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Weeks 8 and 9: Belly Dancing Lessons, Bayram, and a Fancy Concert
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on December 13, 2011 - 1:17 p.m.
Since I’m trying to catch up with myself, and because weeks 8 and 9 go together because of a religious holiday that occurred within those two weeks, I decided to squish 2 weeks into one entry. I apologize in advance for my English as it is rapidly deteriorating. Anyways, there’s lots of crazy adventures in this one, and of course, pictures!! Take a gander!
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Week 7: A New Schedule, A Ceremony, and a Halloween Party
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on November 22, 2011 - 1:58 p.m.
Bumping the excitement up a notch from my last entry, which I’m aware wasn’t as dazzling as most of the others, my seventh week in Izmir was action packed. In school, Michelle and I got a revised schedule that put us into classes with younger kids a few times a week to escape the boredom of Physics and Geometry. Meanwhile, I helped organize a Halloween party for the exchange students, seeing as Turkey doesn’t celebrate it. You don’t wanna miss the pictures of me in my costume!! Read on!
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Week 6: Bacon, a Canadian, and an Earthquake
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on November 14, 2011 - 1:29 p.m.
Not a lot of overly exciting things happened this week, but I guess that’s a matter of perspective. For me, finding real pork products here was exciting. As was receiving the last of the Rotary exchange students, and our only Canadian student, and being able to show her the ropes of Turkish school.
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Week 5: A Concert, an Eye Exam, and a Piece of Turkish History
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on November 6, 2011 - 1:21 p.m.
This entry is going to be an exciting one, mostly because of the last portion of it. I spent the weekend in Ephesus, where I saw the Virgin Mother Mary’s final resting place, as well as 8,000-year old ruins of the ancient city. If that’s not enough to get you reading, I’m not sure what is!
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Week 4: A Ferry Ride, A Second Home, and A Fish Market
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on October 26, 2011 - 4:23 a.m.
I know it’s been a while since I’ve written, but things happen so fast here, it’s hard to keep up with myself! Week four was filled with more new, strange experiences, especially when my host mom took a short business trip and left me to live in her best friend. The stories never stop comin!
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Don't Worry!! I'm Fine, Everyone!
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on October 25, 2011 - 2:34 p.m.
This is just a quick post to let you all know that the earthquake on Saturday/Sunday did NOT affect me at all. The quake happened on the far eastern side ...
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Week Three: A Beach, A Fight, and a Whole Lotta Waffles
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on October 10, 2011 - 3:14 p.m.
As I trekked through the second half of my first month here in Izmir, several important things happened for the first time. I met the rest of the other exchange students in the city, I gained a wonderful opportunity at school, and several other fun things! Here we go again!
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Week Two: A Bazaar Experience & First Days of School
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on September 28, 2011 - 10:46 a.m.
This entry includes my first experience at a Turkish bazaar and my adventures during my first week of Turkish school. I knew I was obviously American, but c’mon now!! The things that happened to me were a bit on the extreme side! Read on for the full account of how obviously aware I have become of my nationality.
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Week One: Crazy Drivers to Sacred Spiders
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on September 18, 2011 - 5:58 a.m.
This is my first installment to the blog since I landed in Izmir on Friday, September 9th. A lot has happened in a week, so put your reading glasses on! I’ll bet you a big box of baklava that there’ll be something in here you never knew about Turkey before.
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As I Fly Across The Pond
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on September 12, 2011 - 2:24 a.m.
I write this entry while on the plane from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany. So far, the trip has been without complication and relatively smooth. I guess I just thought it ...
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Seems We Just Get Started, And Before Ya Know It...
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on September 3, 2011 - 5:35 p.m.
"Every goodbye makes the next hello closer." Let's keep that quote in mind as I rapidly approach the day I've been waiting for!! I FINALLY KNOW WHEN I'M LEAVING FOR TURKEY!!
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One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on August 8, 2011 - 10:13 p.m.
The title of this blog entry is a quote by Henry Miller, and I think it encompasses much of what a Rotary exchange student discovers from spending a year in a different country. I keep this in mind as I prepare for yet another year of seeing things in a different way.
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Who's Up for Round 2!?
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on July 6, 2011 - 11:32 a.m.
Hello everyone and welcome back to My Life: Exchanged; a blog all about my crazy adventures as a Rotary Exchange Student!! I'm taking you all on yet another crazy adventure, but this time we're going halfway around the world... literally!! Come check it out!
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The US in Brazil, How Much of Us is There?
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on August 3, 2010 - 11:05 p.m.
In this blog, I discussed what kinds of American things can be found in Brazil, as well as a little bit about the true meaning of "the land of opportunity."
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A Foreigner In My Own Country
Posted by HALEY DROZDOWICZ on July 18, 2010 - 12:52 a.m.
Well everyone, after 10 amazing months living in Southern Brazil as a Rotary exchange student, I have finally returned to the USA. But it's not all fun and games, there's a lot more to it then unpacking the suitcase and greeting my friends. Hope you enjoy my last entry!!
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