We're off to Istanbul, Turkey in a month. I am VERY excited about this trip, since I've never been there, and because I expect that it will be very different from -- and more exotic than -- most places I've visited in my life (including most parts of Eastern Europe). If any of you have traveled there, or have tips, insights, etc., we'd love to hear them. One objective of mine is to purchase a rug while we are there. Seems like something one should do, if possible. Like a child who is vying for a sizable and expensive gift, I have made a deal with Eli that this purchase will constitute my birthday AND Christmas gift (but for 2009 only!) So, if anyone has experience purchasing rugs in Turkey, what to look for, who to buy from, etc., we're all ears.
On the homefront, Virginia lost ANOTHER front tooth -- she's looking oh so fine these days. Just hope that she can keep the look until Halloween -- it would really help round out her witch costume! Speaking of Halloween, the kids' school will have a big Halloween festival on Friday the 30th, and then there will be trick-or-treating and a Halloween party on the 31st up in the area in Belgrade where most of the U.S. Embassy families live (called "Banovo Brdo," or "BB," for short). So, it sounds like we will not be missing out on traditional American-style Halloween festivities!
Finally, I wanted to share a bit about our time at the Serbia/France World Cup qualifying soccer match last night. Eli was given tickets by a Serbian colleague of his -- actually, someone high up in the police department here, so that made me feel better about going. Soccer matches here typically are something to be avoided. The Serbs, like so many Europeans, take their soccer VERY seriously, and things can get out of hand, particularly when the rival Belgrade teams (Partizan and Red Star) play each other. Things tend to be a bit calmer when either Serbian team is playing a foreign team, but still, soccer matches can be crazy, and given the intensity of this match, I had some reservations about going.
I did go, however, and am so glad that I did. In addition to being a great sporting event, it was an amazing cultural experience! If you've ever been to a European soccer match then you know how intense soccer fans can be. This was no exception (although France, unsurprisingly, was pitifully represented). Serbia and France tied 1-1, and I'm still not exactly sure what that means for either teams' efforts to qualify. The noise level in the stadium exceeded anything I've ever experienced at a sporting event. What I especially loved about the Serbian fans, though, was their rousing support of a player even when the player missed an attempted goal. Honestly, towards the beginning of the game, I thought that I was cheering for the wrong team, because the crowd would go wild when the team that I thought was Serbia missed a shot. Then, I realized that it was actually the Serbs giving the player an "attaboy!!" As an American sports fan, it sure was counter-intuitive to me to cheer for a FAILED attempt to score, but it certainly was nice to see that kind of support! (Eli eventually explained to me that because European soccer is such a low-scoring sport, the fans have decided that they have to find something other than actual goals to cheer for, but it was nice, nonetheless). All in all, the evening was great (except for the smoke and the traffic jam we encountered on the way home). Who knows, we may even venture out for a Partizan/Red Star game one of these days -- but which team to cheer for??
Hope all is well, and talk to you all soon.
Erin
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