I started out living with the zati family for 1 month they were awsome people they were very rich and had a soccer court next to them. For a couple days i lived in there winter house then i went to the summer house that they owned in Çeþme (the ç makes the ch-sound. þ makes the sh-sound) it was so much fun they had a beach next to them so me and there son (Deniz) went swimming every day. By the way the mother was nursel zati the father enver zati. While i lived with them i also met many of there relatives (i cant remember there names but they were cool people). I did so much stuff over at the zatis and there was a kid i could play socer with. While i was there i also met Murat Balci.s son Hostmon hes a cool kid as well he is Deniz.s best friend. ,
The Zatis had to go to istanbul for a few days so i stayed with another family i don.t know who they were there sons name was barak and this was probably the best part of the exchange so far. They let me and Barek do whatever we wanted since they were always out of the house and oh man was that awsome. Their were so many kids to hang out with and we did all sorts of stuff we bbqed we went cliff diving i tought them how to play poker (no money involved) and we also did something i call ghetto water skiing. Its when you hang on the back of a rope which is ties to the boat and you hang on as long as possible it WAS SOOOO AWSOME.

Afterward i went back to the Zaties and did some socer as well as go-kart racing but hey i wasn.t all smooth sailing yes me and the zaties quarrled sometimes (well actually it was only the host mom) but everytime i did something bad i always convinced them it was a cutural misunderstanding. For example i would tell them that it was a gester of respect to put your feet on the couch and not wear a shirt in America and that i didnt understand what i did. Well anyway i stayed with the zaties for one month after a month i fugured out they werent host parents and that they were doing a favor for the korcuts.

So in a couple of days i went to the korcuts they are the people im staying with now. Their daugter went to America and i stayed in Turkey so that was cool. When i went to the korcuts at first i was bored out of my mind since there two retired people living in a reirment neigborhood. But when i came back to izmir it was all good they let me do what i want and right now i hang out with the kinds at my school. Right now also the Korkuts are going through an emotional time seeing that the host mom broke her leg and may not be able to walk again. I often help out the korcuts seeing that they need it we do have quarrels sometimes but i often go easy on them since there not in the best situation right now.

Today i went to school for the first time i can.t belive im saying this but in this country i actually like school. The kids ARE AWSOME the system is awsome since i get out at 1:00 everything is cool about it. Not many of the people there speak english very well (not even the english teacher) but hey that just makes my learning turish job easier. So far everything is great and yes bob white was right i do love this country. And no i havent done anyhing illegal no i havent violated any of the rules yes i have been very good and another thing im not sure if i will be able to come back home. You see i like this country so much i made it my new home.

Nah im messng with you but still after the exchange i will go back just to warn you and no im not homesick in any way...in fact no offense but the only thing that makes me sick is the thought of going home. But hey a year is a long time anyway ill write to you next month hopefully with some pictures.

You will hear from me soon enough
 

Aaron