Valentines Day: Western Culture comes to Turkey Part 2

Click on "older post" at the bottom of the page for part one.

So, how did these middle aged Turks first Valentines Day experience go?

Yunus' wife called us while we ate our Valentines Day dinner to say thanks for the cd of love songs. She was sooooo happy. Apparently Yunus followed through with buying and cooking some fish. He and his son made salad, set the table, and even lit candles while his wife relaxed. I think this may have been the first time (aside from when she's been ill) that Yunus has made dinner for his wife. I wish you could have seen Yunus' eyes sparkle as he explained to us step by step how he made dinner and how much his wife enjoyed it.

Neriman has two teenaged daughters. On Valentines Day, one of them came over to my house to walk home with her mom. She was bursting with excitement and couldn't keep her secret in. Every day Neriman gives her daughters a little bit of money to buy a snack or drink with. Apparently they've secretly been saving that up and decided to put it together to buy their mom the ring she's been wanting as a Valentines Day present. I wish you could have seen the glowing smile on my friends face when her daughter told her the news. Doesn't that kind of sweetness just make you want to cry? Because it makes me want to cry, and if it makes me want to cry I can't imagine the pride and happiness Neriman must feel.

It was fun to watch Neriman, Yunus, and their families experience Valentines Day for the first time. And as much as I want to be sad and mad about Western culture invading Turkey, right now I don't really feel that way. I guess I'm just a sucker for a good love story. I think I'll go watch a chick flick now. . . I just can't get enough this love and happiness stuff.