Hello again!
This week started out with a trip to Sandıklı to visit my family for bayram. Ramazan ended last Sunday, and after Ramazan, came a three day bayram (festival). During bayram, it is customary to visit family members, so I went with my family to Sandıklı, which is where my anneanne (Semra's mother) lives. Özge, her brother Ege, and her parents, my teyze (aunt) and my amca (uncle) were also there. My teyze and amca live in Mersin, which is in the south of Turkey, near the Mediterranean Sea, but Özge and Ege live in Ankara because they are studying there.

Anneanne has 6 siblings, 5 of whom are still living, and 4 of them live in Sandıklı (the other sibling lives in Antalya). So, my bayram was split between staying at anneanne's house and having family members visit us, and going to her sisters' houses and visiting family members there. I think that I met at least 30 new cousins in the course of 3 days. It was a little overwhelming, but also a lot of fun.
During bayram, it is customary for the younger people to kiss the hands of their elders and then their elders give them presents. Money is the usual gift but clothing can also be given. I participated in the custom of kissing the elders' hands but I wasn't expecting to receive any gifts. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I received money from my teyze and a really nice sweater from Semra.

Another tradition for bayram is to eat lots of candy and sweets. We ate baklava, chocolate, and a really delicious pumpkin desert, as well as cookies, a cake, and brownies that Semra and my teyze baked.

Happy Friday everyone and have a good weekend!