Sitting in a McDonalds. I would thoroughly enjoy sitting in a Starbucks, but alas, there is not one nearby to sit in and do homework. So? My indulgence is a McFlurry and a small french fries. I am plugging away doing homework, but really the most interesting thing to me is watching the relationships come through. This McDonalds looks a little different than what McDonalds in the US to me.
People are coming in small numbers—there is an intimacy, not a rush. People are eating slowly, and are dressed nicely. Teenagers are on dates—the girls are wearing “I’m not trying reallly hard to impress you but notice I am beautiful” clothing, and the guys are carrying the trays while dressed in a casual way. Parents bring their children, but only one or two.
This isn’t a quick place to come for dinner because we ran out of time and its really cheap, but rather a place to enjoy one anothers’ company. A slow pace.
As I was getting ready to leave? These two teenagers clearly making out with one another repel away from one another like an explosion as I come around the corner and settle into attempted normal looking positions. They were clearly uncomfortable about being “caught” and I was surprised too! Especially because of the minimal public displays of affection I see among Turkish couples.
We all felt a little awkward… (at least I think we did– I know that I did for sure!). Both the young girl and myself had to use the bathroom, which was a tiny bathroom. So I scoot by the boyfriend waiting in the hallway, and tried moving around the girlfriend in the bathroom all with my big backpack on… hahaha. I smiled at her. Praying she felt God’s love for her.
I’m thinking about globalization today and how interconnected we all are… just a click on a web page or a simple text message away right? A new technological proximity that allows us to be connected with the whole world.