Tuesday 7/27

I have over 2 weeks now but I feel it slipping away. For some reason today I have an urgent sense to appreciate every moment I am here.

Yesterday at the pharmacy was a typical day. We had an older couple come in speaking English. They wait for medicine we have to order. I find out they come from Greece but have been in Queens, New York most of their life. Retired now, they just returned from China and are heading to Greece, then home. The guy can speak casually and effortlessly about world finance. I hope I am like that someday. He goes on to tell me all the economic problems facing Greece.

I find one thing I am very good at is what I would call smoothing translations.

For the English-speaking patients, Erdem's English is quite good but often I will reword what he says and they will light up as if now it all makes sense.