So this is basically how 2006 was for me: left DC where I had been living for 1.5 years (aaaaaaahhhh) and stayed in Queens/Manhattan/New Jersey for 6 weeks before flying to Istanbul and exploring Turkey by myself for 3 months…
That was the most amazing trip ever…I went there with a very rough knowledge of some Turkish, but spending time there (not to mention being able to pass off as a native)helped me learn the language quickly and the way the country was..it was SO fantastic!!!! I highly recommend travelling around Turkey, but it really does help knowing people there! I stayed in flats for a few weeks totally alone, while the person I knew was off vacationing somewhere else…in some of the most beautiful areas of Istanbul and throughout Turkey…I would so live in this country if I could…
Then I left and went to Paris and Amsterdam (very short day trips) and came back to the NY area where I stayed for 6 weeks again…then came out to San Diego, and now I’m considering a move back to NYC or DC or wherever…Cali is great but kind of hard to live comfortably here if you’re not independently wealthy it seems….or where I am, at least :D
And a huge plus is Mexico being closeby…I LOVE Ensenada, and Baja in general….and the people are so nice, the food so awesome…anyways….
It will teach you a lot about yourself and you will definitely benefit from the experience no doubt…just try to blend in as much as you can, and learn some words, and be smart….
