Gün

My neighbors are finally making efforts to get to know each other and me. I am so happy!! Most of them have lived in this building for about 10 months. So, they've had time to settle themselves in, and now they are looking to make friends.

We have started a gün every other Monday. Ladies get together in the afternoons, rotating whose flat we meet at. Everyone brings 50 lira and gives it to the host. It is the way women here save up money. Since none of them work, they can skim a bit from the budget to pay into the kitty every other week. When it is their turn to host they get 550 lira! They either use that money to buy something big (appliance, mattress, etc.) or a piece of gold.

Also, it seems like a gün is your chance to show off your cooking. The women make so much food!!! So we just sit around talking, eating, and drinking tea for 3 hours! It is so fun. 12 women in one room! Whew!