Monday, June 13, 2011

Datca (Dat-cha)



view from Utku's parent's house



view from Utku's parent's house



Buying fresh bread, we also bought fresh fish, the bazaar's sell fresh produce, and many people have small garden's as well. The food is fresh fresh fresh!! They are doing it right here in Turkey in terms of their diet's. You hardly see fat people around!!



at the beach



beach... boats from Marmaris anchored out in the water



Utku swimming with Atlas



This is where we hung out



You see the little huts to the far right... that is where we were going... you get food and drink service while you chill at the beach!!



Ruins on the side of the road on our way to the beach



a boat being taken somewhere



downtown Datca (Dat-cha)

We are at Utku's parent's house in Datca. Datca is just as fabulous as the other places I have been, Turkey does not disappoint! The water is perfect and the scenery is equally perfect! Utku's parents don't speak English at all, so communicating is a problem. They are very sweet and have been great hosts despite our lack of verbal communication. It has been mostly hand and face gestures. If I added in a few grunts, we would be back to the cave man days.

I will say that loneliness has set in a bit because of the lack of verbal communication. It is very interesting because it is a rare space that I find myself in... loneliness. I think this will subside when I start the painting process, but it comes in waves. It is a space of great humility, and I think it is a great life lesson. I am the outsider wherever I go and the constant fly on the wall. I just think about the many Mexican / other minority groups in the US trying to survive without knowing the language. You are like an island floating in space. This is why immigrant groups clump together in cities... it is the only way to have some normalcy / a safe space. The difference is that Turks have been really patient and nice about me not speaking their language. I have been shown lots of patience. I don't think Americans have this kind of patience.

Anyways... an interesting space to say the least. More to come on this topic I am sure.

2 comments:

Stacey said...

Yes-- this is an experience that I'm sure will be infused in your work. As social beings we do crave intercommunication. It's an interesting process having to forego language and solely rely on gestures...

Jesse Schendel said...

Great narration of the feelings you have. Be open to the language and come back with sentenses to share.