It's all gone down the toilet...

Work progresses considerably slower than what I'm used to.  While it is progressing, there is plenty of time to share family pictures with each other and with our new Firat friends.  Everyone has a such interesting cultural stories to share.  The connection that a team of 14 people can build in the matter of 5 days together is quite amazing.  While I've known them via phone for 2 months prior to leaving, the in person relationship and communication has grown immensely in such a short period of time.  This environment creates comfort in asking cultural questions that one may not generally get to ask in the day to day business relationships.  Not only are we learning about the culture of Turkey, we are also learning the culture of all the other CSC members.  Look at the beauty within the following pictures from a traditional arranged marriage in India (Pallavi) and the traditional 100 day photographs of a child from China (Charlie's son).  Pallavi and Charlie are my team mates working on the textile project.

Being the person that I am, I tend to solve a problem when I see one.  Being a problem solver in Turkey adds an additional problem.  :)  To whom shall I report that there has been water dripping from the ceiling at Firat in the woman's bathroom for the last two days?  To whom do I report that there is no toilet paper in the woman's bathroom on both the 2nd and 3rd floor?  Day 3 problem solving when the 2nd floor bathroom ran out of toilet paper was to start using the 3rd floor bathroom.  Day 5 problem of 3rd floor bathroom running out of toilet paper sent me rechecking the 2nd floor and searching for a 4th floor bathroom with no success.  THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE PROBLEM! 

There are few women working in Firat but daily I see a middle aged woman cleaning various locations in the buildings along with a young woman who is circling the offices serving tea.  Mind you I didn't report the 2nd floor bathroom out of toilet paper because I assumed the lady cleaning them would recognize and replace it.  Today, I declared all the readily available paper had been flushed down the toilet and I needed to go!  :)  On a mission to solve the problem, I find the "cleaning lady" and declare with hand gestures pointing to the bathroom and say PAPER, slowly.  She looks at me puzzled and starts rattling a sentence that I didn't have a prayer in understanding.  Both done speaking, we look at each other...I smiling, she then starts to laugh and gives me a kind pat on the back.  She then speaks more, I speak GONE, she speaks more and gestures while leading to the bathroom.  Yes, I "think" she understood my slowly spoken words!?  As she confidently reaches the bathroom stall she is completely astounded that there was none there and you could clearly see that she now knew exactly what I was talking about!  Simplicity has some complexities!  :)

I made a connection with her today...all centered around a roll of toilet paper!  All of the Turkish people we have met have been incredibly genuine, I am ever greatful that despite my short comings in trying to survive in their country, they are accepting of me and go to great lengths to ensure my comfort...how could I ever have feared this unknown!?