LIFE AND LOVES

People travel for all sorts of reason and a lot travel for love.  Someone said that men come for love but women stay for it.  It could be true.  Another foreign man has given in to his Turkish love.  I don't know why this way round it should be so shocking since so many foreign women give up great jobs, lives, family to be with some Turkish man who works in a coffee shop or carpet shop and doesn't have any real chances of a future.  The most recent acquisition to Istanbul is an American who does know what he's letting himself in for having lived for many years in Cairo but it's a little scary and daunting having to find work and a etch out a life for himself here.  Years ago, not many men left their worlds for their woman.  I recently met a Dutch man who told me he had lived in Cihangir 25 years ago and had to contend himself with the company of his wife's friend's Turkish boyfriends.  He said it would have been OK if there hadn't be so many dramas and if he had understood more than a sprinkling of the language.  He said he longed for someone of his culture, someone who could understand him and not keep misunderstanding his friendliness to his wife's girlfriends.  Today, Cihangir is a different world, indeed Turkey is.  This Dutchman would be more comfortable now and in the evenings would find a great many foreign friends, male and female, single and attached out in the bars around the place.

I heard of a Happy Marriage.  Yes I know this is already totally newsworthy.  The GM of a 5 star hotel 16 years ago hit on his boss while a trainee and told her to 'give up everything and come away with me.  One day I'll be GM and your love can help me achieve this.'  The lady, so in love, took a leap of faith and now they are exactly where he said they would be and more importantly still only have eyes for each other.  Sigh!

I overheard a lady the other night say 'I'm trying every drink to get me drunk tonight.'  Sadly that isn't so much a drink on the rocks but a  marriage.  They've been a happy couple for a long time but like so many unions, naturally one grows apart.  I hope the couple in question understand that their marriage has been successful because they have been great friends and great partners but it might be better to go their own ways so they can remain great friends and who knows, in the future one can always find each other interesting in ways again.

Did anyone think the latest on/off American/Turk combo was going to last?  Right now it's off again but no one is expecting that to be the last of it.  Do you think it's the age difference that is making this relationship so difficult?  How about family pressure?  Maybe financial differences?  Hell, no it's just called incompatibility.  They bring out the worst in each other.  Both fighting for supremacy.  Both great people without each other but lost and aimless with.  The Girl was seen on Friday night swinging her legs at Khavedan chatting to three male friends.  The Man in the story was seen entering 21 with two girls in tow (very obviously brought in for jealousy stirring).  The Girl of the story was last seen in exactly the same place with the same bunch of friends and the Man in the Story was sitting near by watching her alone.