Yabancı

Yabancı: the Turkish word for stranger, foreigner, or alien. Usually I'm the one being called "yabancı," but I'm giving a shout out to some "yabancı" myself today, though here I'm using the definition "stranger".

I want to throw out my thanks here: thank you, strangers, who speak to me out of curiosity. Thank you, lady sitting in the park with the sweet, little dog. Thank you, man in the bakery, for letting me taste the freshly baked cookies. Thank you, woman on the elliptical next to me at the gym, who kept me company as I ran. Thank you all for speaking to me, for letting me practice my Turkish, and even for complimenting me on it. Thank you for treating me as a stranger and not as an alien. Though these incidents may go in and out of your mind before you even get home, they stay with me - they help me, they boost my confidence, they remind me of the little kindnesses that can mean so much.

Just when I was getting a bit down on strangers, I have been reminded over the past few days that though I must be wary, I must also be open to the encounters I can have with people everyday in my community that can help me not only with my language skills or my cultural understanding but also with simply connecting with people. So here's a little reminder, wherever you are: unplug your earphones, don't walk too quickly, and do have a stop at the bakery if you're so inclined. You might be surprised at who you meet and how a little encounter can make your day.