A few days ago I returned to Istanbul, and after some rest and recuperation, I finally started working at my new job. During the time I was job hunting, my main goal was to choose the best and most stable option possible, while avoiding repetition of past misfortunes. Everything at the new company seems calm and stable, but past experiences prevent me from being overly happy. Also, my third trip to Iran and tracking my feelings upon returning to Istanbul made me realize that both I and my family have adjusted to my migration, there’s none of the previous longing or restlessness.

Moving to the new apartment has given me access to important parts of the city again, and my freedom for evening outings is much greater than in the previous apartment on the Asian side of Istanbul. I’m happy about this. Though the downside is the busyness of the area and the resulting noise, which can be overlooked.

My inner state can be summed up as fatigue, or at least the fading of initial excitement, and repeatedly asking myself: what on earth am I doing here?

One More Thing: The Persistence of Elections in Turkey

Elections in Turkey never seem to end. Instead, they carry over from month to month, and with each passing month, the number of loudspeakers increases, and their volume grows louder. My brain got fried from them, without exaggeration.