alışverış yaptım

Translation: I went shopping.

The Turkish shopping experience has taken me quite some time to get adjusted to, but today, I spread my wings (and opened my wallet), and shopped til I dropped!!!

Jenn and I came home today to find our roommates either absent or studying-- so what is a girl to do but shop? My roomie, Eşra, told me about a shopping area that I hadn't been to yet-- one that she thought might be better for a girl of my "size" (I'll explain that later). So, Jenn and I went to check it out.

After congratulating ourselves for making it their safely-- which means that we didn't get runover (have I mentioned that STOP signs are optional here?)-- we walked into a cute little store, where we happened to be the only patrons. Well, one thing I have learned in my time here is that you must get used to the Shopping Stalkers-- I think they are called sales clerks, but my name fits them better. These Shopping Stalkers are there to help you-- which means that they stand within 2 feet of you wherever you go. They don't disturb you, per se, so much as stand by your side-- just in case you suddenly need help. This freaks me out.

I'm used to pulling my own clothes off the rack-- but they do it for you. I'm used to digging to the bottom of a pile of jeans for the right size-- they do this for you. I'm used to chasing down a sales clerk to open a dressing room, to ask a question, to remind them of my existence-- but here, they do it for you. This is very contrary to my way of shopping, to my way of living. Help? Are you kidding me? But today, I gave in, and accepted the assistance. Grrr.

The other new thing for both me and Jenn was that there is not personal space-- which we knew from walking around town-- but this takes interesting forms while shopping. You can be looking at a shirt here on a rack, and the lady next to you and grab it to look at as well. This is totally acceptable. It is also acceptable to push someone out of the way to finish looking at a rack-- something I think would solicit a slap in the States.

Jenn and I dug through piles and stack and bins and tables of clothing at one store-- everything was 50% off-- can you blame us? I think it took us half an hour to get to the cash register, but we both decided it was entirely worth it :)

Okay, now for the "my size" story...
I can home from a shopping outing, and my roomie asked me why I didn't buy anything. I replied that nothing fit me right, to which she began to snicker. She said, "You're too big for Turkish clothes. You won't fit." I was a little shocked, but I went with it and laughed. THEN-- I went to Mavi for a pair of jeans and found out that I wear the LARGEST SIZE THEY MAKE!!! How's that for a self-image boost?! So anyways, after all that, we're back in my room last night and they are telling me how my other roommate lost 24 kilos last year and wants me to know that she feels diet and exercise should be very important to me. They both thought I should contact the doctor that helped the one to lose so much weight! Geez. Well, I found plenty of lovely clothing items that fit me today, so HA!