An Ode to Humanity

It's been a week since we left Fayetteville. I thought if I don't write today, I will never start this blog. It's almost 11 pm here in Izmir, and tomorrow morning I need to be at work at 8 am for the start of school ceremony. Private schools in Turkey start a week before state schools do, so Eldo and I have had almost no time to get mentally ready for this. We will see what tomorrow brings. I will be teaching 27 hours a week to 5, 6 and 7th graders of three different levels. In total, I have 9 different levels all with their own different curricula and books! A lot of the stuff I learned about my new employment is absurd. But this interesting matter I will discuss later. Now is all about our trip.

I knew it would be hard to leave good old Fay, and indeed, the city clang to us with all its might. We spent half the day on Sunday trying to fly to Chicago. First they couldn't check all our luggage all the way to Izmir (which would have meant that I would have to leave the secure zone in Munich (without having a Schengen visa), go get my luggage and recheck it till Izmir. I almost went mad. When finally the luggage matter got resolved and we  went through security with all the kids, strollers, and an abundance of carry-ons, and having said tearful good-buys to friends at the airport, Chicago stopped accepting due to inclement weather! So, we had to go back home with fresh tickets for Monday!!!! By the time we finally left the next day, all of us, the departing and the remaining, were eager for us to finally leave!

If you've never traveled alone with two kids and tons of luggage on a intercontinental voyage, don't even dare! If you have, you will certainly feel compassion. It may be that I felt so miserable being a single mom all through the journey that I imagined inquisitive looks in the eyes of all the travelers and airport personnel around me. Truth be told, I didn't see another woman travelling alone with kids. There were lots of families with moms, dads, and bunches of kids, moms accompanied by other adults and bunches of kids, and it felt very lonely being alone. The kids were brave and stoically overcame all the difficulties of the trip. They slept, played, laughed, threw up, crawled through dirty passages in airports, occasionally kicked the seats of passengers in front of us, and talked to strangers. And it is to those strangers that I am dedicating the first entry in my blog!

First, it was a kind U of A student travelling for his study abroad year in Moscow who first noticed that I had too much on my hands. He kindly carried half of my carry on luggage to another part of the O'Hare. Incidentally, he was also flying with Lufthansa. Here, I was both grateful and a little ashamed. Why I was grateful is clear, but the feeling of shame may need clarification. Our parents teach us to always be attentive at airports and never trust anyone. This young kind youth was carrying my bags, and all I did was watch him with a keen eye to see if perhaps he was going to take something out of or put something in one of my bags. He even offered to watch our bags for us while the kids and I went to eat, but, naturally, I said 'no'. I think I offended him a little bit, so I am ashamed of myself for not trusting him enough. On the other hand, I know I was right since in the world of today even a kind Samaritan is received with suspicion.

Next came a stout gentlemen who helped us eat. Imagine having a stroller with Kerim, Eldo carrying his backpack and roller, me carrying Kerim's bag, my own roller, computer bag and bag, two kid's meals, a hamburger, and three drinks in a cup holder. Now count the number of hands! :) The guy helping us looked very puzzled at the abundance of stuff in front of him, and kindly offered to carry something. We ended up devouring our burgers on the floor across from McDonalds for lack of other options! McDonald's at O'Hare doesn't have any seating.

Then, a middle aged German lady approached me suddenly while the kids and I were waiting for our Munich flight. She asked if I would mind letting her assist me with the children while boarding the plane and during flight. How very nice of her. She spoke with a slight German accent, and perhaps was a grandma back home. Unfortunately, she was going to Frankfurt!

Then, I left Eldo to watch our luggage to take Kerim to the bathroom for emergency. I couldn't have gathered all luggage and kids together to get there in time.  A kind American grandma assured that she would keep an eye on my boy! I know I was careless leaving an eight-year-old to watch luggage by himself in a crowded waiting area, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I am so grateful and slightly surprised that all three of us, plus the multifarious luggage, got to Turkey safely!

Last but not least, there was an American traveling to Izmir in Munich. He also requested the privilege of carrying our carry-ons. All in all, a mom and two kids can relocate to another country on their own provided that they meet some very kind and helpful Samaritans along the route.  There is hope to humanity after all! :)

p.s. An idle customs officer in Izmir, having watched me come and go through the doors carrying each of my bags one by one, finally condescended to ask me what could one woman have in so many bags ( a ridiculous questions, isn't it?) and upon being satisfied that there were three passengers all together and not just one with six bags, he apologized. It never occurred to him, though, to offer help!