I MADE IT!

I arrived in Istanbul sometime between 11 and 11:30 am Turkish time (that's +7 to eastern time). The second flight also got delayed, for which reasons unknown because I feel asleep while waiting for people to finish boarding. I achieved all of my goals. Sadly, I didn't get pics while landing in Istanbul only New York (hey, that's still a pretty cool city if you ask me) nor were they very good photos. Bummer.

 Photo of Istanbul from walking around the shoreline. Note: ROWERS! :D

When I got to Istanbul, I met one of the internship coordinators right outside the baggage claim. We then drove to the dorms where I'll be staying for the next 3 months. The facilities are outtacontorl! nice. There's a fitness center, tv lounge, I have my own bathroom, and FREE laundry. The people here are extremely hospitable. They are more than willing to help with anything. After the tour was over I walked around Kadiköy, a district in Istanbul, with a friend. THERE'S SO MUCH TO LOOK AT. I'm fairly certain I left a drool trail down the streets because I couldn't shut my mouth. Shops galore - you could probably find anything there.

We did a bit of grocery shopping while we were out. And guess what? Peanut butter in Türkiye!!!! I also discovered that my idea of breakfast vs. a Turkish breakfast is wayyy different. I suggested fruit while my friend suggested a sandwich. Also, I am well on my way of trying new foods. I'm starting slowly - not too much at once. Today for lunch I had some kind of pita pizza (which was delicious!). I also tried ayran -  buttermilk. I'm trying to try all of the new foods, but if you know me you know that that's hard for me to do. I think once I rest up, I'll be able to try more. And I'll definitely be giving that ayran another shot.