If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a dozen times. Life in Turkey is a roller coaster of events, emotions, and experiences. In February, I’d decided to trade in this roller coaster of dance and life highs and lows for training and travel in the US. I bought my ticket, planning to fly in the third week of April.
It was shortly after this decision that I was contacted to participate in a belly dance competition/reality television show in Cairo, Egypt, called Al Raqessa. As my involvement in the show was slated to finish toward the end of March, resulting in a happy detour in my varied and unpredictable life, it would not conflict with my plans of departure from Turkey in April.
However, a week before my scheduled trip to Egypt came a phone call from a captain I’d worked with a few times. I was wanted to perform on a Bosphorus boat tour. . . nightly. . . for a year. Although I was on my way to Cairo for a couple weeks, then to the US for an extended period, I agreed to do it, knowing that Burası Türkiye–This is Turkey–and things could change at any moment. I explained to them that I’d be away filming a television show for 10-20 days, found them a suitable replacement, and performed several times during the week leading up to my departure. I was pleased with the venue, and I enjoyed performing there, so much in fact, that I began to reconsider leaving Turkey. Perhaps I’d stay until the end of the year, then find someone to take my place . . . Perhaps I’d stay until next spring. Perhaps. . . I felt quite content, appreciated, and well-compensated performing on the yacht, and when I left for Cairo, I was told to hurry back.
My time in Cairo was amazing and bizarre, frustrating and exciting. It deserves a blog entry of its own. I laughed, I cried, I learned, I may have thrown a temper tantrum. . . I met wonderful new friends and was reunited with old ones. I learned that all Egyptian food tastes better with tahini. I was in Cairo for 18 days.
Obligatory jumping in the desert in front of a pyramid photo
I returned to Istanbul and immediately resumed performing on the yacht. Soon after, there was a misunderstanding with one of the less likeable members of the management team. I still don’t understand exactly what transpired . . . They were dissatisfied with one of my subs? I was gone closer to 20 days than 10? It’s still unclear, but what I know for sure is that I will not be working with them now or ever again.
So, luckily, I hadn’t yet altered my flight arrangements from Turkey. I’m taking this as a sign from the Universe to continue the path I was on before Cairo–a combination of training–Rocket yoga, belly dance master classes, aerial dance lessons, aerial yoga teacher training, performing, FAMILY and FRIENDS, and of course a bit of exploring within the US. Purple mountain majesties and all that.
