Our First Year in Turkey
We just completed our first year in Turkey. It's been a wonderful, stressful, amazing year. We arrived here with four suitcases and no idea what was ahead. Wanna take a look back at this crazy year with me?
So, the Lira crashed on the DAY WE ARRIVED. We had two weeks to look for an apartment. We were almost homeless on our daughter's birthday! Paolo already started at work, so it was up to me to find a place to stay. The thing is, we were staying near the Golden Horn in Beyoglu, and the area we wanted to move in to was half an hour away by taxi.
Finding an Apartment
It wasn't easy. I was lugging a baby around uphill, downhill, everywhere. All our appointments had to be in the morning after breakfast and before lunch, so I don't disrupt her routine. It would frustrate me when I'd meet the realtor and he only lined up one viewing for me that day.
Time wasn't on my side, and I couldn't be schlepping my child about everyday for the next two weeks.I saw about seven apartments, and only liked one of them. Right when we were about to take it, the realtor said some teacher had just signed the rental contract. NOOOOOOOO!
The second one I liked was completely empty. The bayram holidays were coming up and appliance and furniture stores would be closed FOR TEN DAYS. I really wanted this apartment, but Paolo convinced me that we needed at least a SINK. We passed on it. Funnily enough, he went to viewings on his day off and found one just in time. He thought it was "our style" and we signed the papers.
So far, our apartment has hosted four visits from friends and family back home. We've spent Christmas and birthdays here, and thank God we've been granted an extended lease for another year.
Getting Residency Permits
It took us a while to get our residency permits, and if we're friends on Instagram you'll know I was a mess when both our daughter and I got ours and Paolo didn't get his. He had to leave the country to "reset" the entire process. This first year has really been a leap of faith.
When you enter Turkey, you're allowed to remain until the provisions of your visa runs out. Ours ran out after a month. My having a different last name than the rest of my family further complicated things. We've just been on the go for the past four years, and we never got around to changing my name. But anyway, I got my permit.
Paolo went to Georgia. Filipinos don't need a visa to go there and it's right next to Turkey. The plan was only to be there for a day. So much uncertainty in this one decision. What if they don't let him back in? What if they send him to the Philippines? I was anxious and praying and crying too. Our child even put her backpack on and wanted to go with him. It really broke me.
My friend Rama Samkari, came over with cupcakes for my daughter. She's this amazing Syrian artist and teacher who illustrates children's books. We met while applying for our permits. Paolo arrived Sunday morning, after being stuck in immigration for two hours. That week, he got his permit.
Leaving My Daughter at Preschool
This was torture. I seriously thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown on the school steps. You can read all about it here.
Working
I started working over the winter at the refugee center. It's fulfilling, and really, I'm just happy to be there.When we found out we were moving to Turkey, I started sending emails to some Christian churches in Istanbul, asking if they had programs for the refugees. Marilyn Milligan of Every Nation replied and connected me to the people I work with now.
Thanksgiving
I can't keep this joy to myself so let me share it with you.
Dear LORD,
Thank You for being with us in this journey.
Thank You for sending us here, where there is clean air.
For helping us find shelter.
For sustaining us with physical health everyday.
For comforting us when we feared because of uncertainty of the future.
Thank You for people whose hearts You've moved to bring us here.
Please bless them as they have blessed us.
We know that all this comes from You.
And we pray that Your blessings don't end with us.
That we pass on Your love and grace and encouragement to people around us. And let them know that it is You, not us, who does these great things.
We pray for Turkey, the country that You've sent us to. We pray for healing in the land. We pray for our own country, the Philippines. You know what we need, LORD. We pray for justice. We pray for leaders that have wisdom, who will put others' needs before their own. Heal our land, too. In Jesus' Name, amen.