In case some of you don't know exactly what I am doing, I'll explain.

Here's what I know:

a) I want to travel

b) I eventually want to work for myself

Now, I might go to law school, and I might go to business school; I don't know. But I do know that whichever thing I do, I'm taking time off. And I could take time off in Dallas, getting a job doing whatever OR I could take time off somewhere else doing whatever. I chose somewhere else.

I chose Turkey. I came here in 2008, after my freshman year at Princeton, and I had a WONDERFUL time. No, seriously, I was my at my best while I was here. I woke up early, made my bed, and ate healthily. I loved my time in Istanbul. And I wasn't half bad at Turkish.

I thought it might have been because Turkey was my first exposure to a new country, a new culture, but last summer I went to France and Italy and definitely did not have anywhere near the same experience. My senior year at Princeton, I studied Turkish. I had a great teacher, Erika Gilson, and wonderful classmates, and it was easier than French. 

It was like the world was telling me something. And without a plan post-graduation, living in Turkey and learning Turkish, which I consider an investment in my future international law career, sounded perfect. So I bought a ticket to Istanbul. It's a one-way ticket and my goal is to at least make it a year here. I need to find a job. I need to find an apartment. I need to learn Turkish. I'm not a part of any program; I'm on my own. I have the money in my bank account and all the common sense that the Lord has given me. But I also have a year. And who knows? I might just stay a little longer.