Singapore / 2007My room is connected to one of the many, many courtyards at Unilodge. For most of last winter, it was a quiet courtyard. This semester, however, is a different story. Apart from the new and bigger intake at the beginning of the year for all Australian universities, the courtyard is also the only smoking area in this 'no smoking, no alcohol zone' building. So, yes, people have been socializing in the courtyard, which is nice because it's not too quiet around here.
The courtyard is also where I got to know my neighbors - Ahmet and Osman.
(The other neighbor busies herself with her bf, instead of socializing with fellow 1st Floor neighbors).
"Is there a place called Izmir in Turkey?" was my question that propelled Ahmet (who believes his English is bad and will not speak in English in front of his Turkish friends) to get his laptop from his room and show us (Heikal and I) photos of Turkey. Despite some language barriers, Ahmet managed to describe a bit of Turkish food, places of interest, geography and history. He did a good job and he was terribly proud to show us Turkey. Each photo made him smile and sigh because Turkey, particularly Istanbul - where he's from - is really beautiful. Ahmet's feeling homesick too. I saw a photo of his nephews and nieces on his desktop. I can hear them playing Turkish music next door. "I just come here to learn English then I will go back to Turkey," Ahmet admitted last night.
Then I said, "Ahmet, there's Tarkan right?" Hamid looks at me, in disbelief, and shows me his collection of Tarkan's albums. Extensive. Superbly extensive that it's not even funny! Ahmet played some of Tarkan's songs while we talked the night away.
ps. Happy 12th Birthday, Rach Quek!
Listening to: -
The courtyard is also where I got to know my neighbors - Ahmet and Osman.
(The other neighbor busies herself with her bf, instead of socializing with fellow 1st Floor neighbors).
"Is there a place called Izmir in Turkey?" was my question that propelled Ahmet (who believes his English is bad and will not speak in English in front of his Turkish friends) to get his laptop from his room and show us (Heikal and I) photos of Turkey. Despite some language barriers, Ahmet managed to describe a bit of Turkish food, places of interest, geography and history. He did a good job and he was terribly proud to show us Turkey. Each photo made him smile and sigh because Turkey, particularly Istanbul - where he's from - is really beautiful. Ahmet's feeling homesick too. I saw a photo of his nephews and nieces on his desktop. I can hear them playing Turkish music next door. "I just come here to learn English then I will go back to Turkey," Ahmet admitted last night.
Then I said, "Ahmet, there's Tarkan right?" Hamid looks at me, in disbelief, and shows me his collection of Tarkan's albums. Extensive. Superbly extensive that it's not even funny! Ahmet played some of Tarkan's songs while we talked the night away.
ps. Happy 12th Birthday, Rach Quek!
Listening to: -
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1 comment:
There is a nice, almost journalistic tone to your writing, b :) It feels like a piece from a magazine, aah!
xoxoxo
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