It is true that tea can be drunk on almost any occasion. The sound of stirring the tea had practically become the soundtrack to my trip I heard it so often. In fact, making the noise myself was truly gratifying as I felt assimilated into Turkish culture. It was a calming ritual finishing meals with several glasses of tea. Since while you are eating you are too concentrated on the delicious food for much talking, slowly sipping tea at the end of the meal allowed for conversation with your dinner company. As Katharine stated it is drank slowly due to being so hot, which is the exact descriptor I would use for the weather in Turkey throughout the month of July. I think one of the most powerful observations and statements she makes is:
"And hot as the cheerful enthusiasm the Turkish show for their music, their food, their cities, their sport's teams, and above all for their families. It is as hot as their joy of life lived in the moment."
Now that I have arrived back in the United States, I am already missing Turkish tea. Although the drink itself is wonderful, what I am actually missing is the people who I spent time enjoying it with. This past month has been better than what I could have imagined when beginning my application for the student exchange program. I most certainly learned a lot about pharmacy in Turkey from my internship at Hacettepe University Hospital, the interview with Kutay, and also the pharmacy students who adopted us and showed us around. I also gained an appreciation for what pharmacy is like in Poland, France, Portugal, and Albania. But more importantly I put aside my American way of thinking and delved into another culture. I have extended an open invitation to those I have met along the way to come and visit me in Lancaster and/or Pittsburgh at any time. To all of those wonderful people I would like to say teşekkür ederim.
Türkiye'de seviyorum.
(Additional pictures from throughout my days in Istanbul have been added to the Photo Gallery)