Hi everyone,
I cannot believe that I am writing year end letter again. 2013 is one of the fastest year with full of changes for us
.
I started the Year 2013 by myself since I had just started working full time and had no holiday. Berk and Emrah were in Istanbul. The project that I involved was a design review of a sport complex in China and I have to prepare all reports in Chinese. I really regret why I did not pay more attention and time to learn Chinese when I was in Shanghai but manage to continue by the help of Google and Microsoft translations :)Considering all communications start with" Dear Sibel" and continue in Chinese, I think I did pretty amazing job this year. It was a big experience to work in the office with other engineers, eat at "Kopitiam "(coffee shops) ; drink "Kopi" ( coffee with milk) and drive to city time to time for lunch with my expat and Turkish friends.
I learned so many different things such as a stadium must have how many gents and ladies toilet, how the garbage collection sould be in a big complex; which levels the lifts have to open, what kind of security points to be set in a sports complex, what kind of the energy saving lamps/ fans to be used etc. I had to improve my skills on how to keep the balance between long working hours and family life. I sacrificed my Zumba , aqua fit , long coffee mornings, fun with my friends and unfortunately gain some of my weight which I have lost first year in Singapore. Once again I realized that it is difficult to work outside of your home country , especially when your husband is traveling and you have to rely on the helpers for your child.
Berk had a great year with lots of playdates and sleepovers. He had lots of homework that he had to do by himself , most of the times! He learned to manage his time wisely and had chance to play I-pad and watch TV when I was not around after school. He could play 7 songs in guitar now and succeed to be chosen to play one song in lunch time concert at school. He played two times a week basketball. His basketball skills improved a lot during 2013 and his height as well. His cousin Beliz came in July for a visit and they had great time together visiting Universal Studio, Legoland, Adventure Cove , Zoo etc. Besides great moments , he had to face some sad moments like his two best friends, James and Asker, leaving Singapore in 2013. It is getting harder and harder for him .
Emrah was busy this year with his sustainable project " One Way" and launched it in all over the World. His efforts was awarded by ICIS as " Best Business Innovation 2013". His department in Clariant was sold to an American company and the name was changed to Archroma. This year he was more responsible for his health and had a personal trainer, especially for his back pain.
As a family, we visited Koh Samui, Bali, Hong Kong and Cambodia. Koh Samui was full of sun and sea. We rented a car and travelled whole Island. Bali was nice experience without sea except the Berk's food poisoning . Hong Kong was great as usual . Cambodia was excellent wit all these temples; sunset and sun rise in Angkor Wat. Cambodia was also our first tour after so many years which we had a organization with two other families ( friends )together . This year summer Bodrum vacation was also with our friends and families all together and we realized that we missed having holidays in groups.
THEREFORE, we decided to go back to Istanbul after 12 years expat life and 4 countries. Emrah's company excepted our wish and Emrah will start work in Istanbul in January 2014. Berk and I will join him in June after the school finishes and I resign from my work. So I guess next year will not be different than other years. Moving, settling down, adapting new places (12 years is long time!) but at least we know some friends and have families back home.
Merry Christmas and Happy NEW YEAR!
We hope you will have wonderful days in 2014 that you can write good things about it at the end of the year.
Cheers,
ESDERS
I cannot believe that I am writing year end letter again. 2013 is one of the fastest year with full of changes for us
.
I started the Year 2013 by myself since I had just started working full time and had no holiday. Berk and Emrah were in Istanbul. The project that I involved was a design review of a sport complex in China and I have to prepare all reports in Chinese. I really regret why I did not pay more attention and time to learn Chinese when I was in Shanghai but manage to continue by the help of Google and Microsoft translations :)Considering all communications start with" Dear Sibel" and continue in Chinese, I think I did pretty amazing job this year. It was a big experience to work in the office with other engineers, eat at "Kopitiam "(coffee shops) ; drink "Kopi" ( coffee with milk) and drive to city time to time for lunch with my expat and Turkish friends.
I learned so many different things such as a stadium must have how many gents and ladies toilet, how the garbage collection sould be in a big complex; which levels the lifts have to open, what kind of security points to be set in a sports complex, what kind of the energy saving lamps/ fans to be used etc. I had to improve my skills on how to keep the balance between long working hours and family life. I sacrificed my Zumba , aqua fit , long coffee mornings, fun with my friends and unfortunately gain some of my weight which I have lost first year in Singapore. Once again I realized that it is difficult to work outside of your home country , especially when your husband is traveling and you have to rely on the helpers for your child.
Berk had a great year with lots of playdates and sleepovers. He had lots of homework that he had to do by himself , most of the times! He learned to manage his time wisely and had chance to play I-pad and watch TV when I was not around after school. He could play 7 songs in guitar now and succeed to be chosen to play one song in lunch time concert at school. He played two times a week basketball. His basketball skills improved a lot during 2013 and his height as well. His cousin Beliz came in July for a visit and they had great time together visiting Universal Studio, Legoland, Adventure Cove , Zoo etc. Besides great moments , he had to face some sad moments like his two best friends, James and Asker, leaving Singapore in 2013. It is getting harder and harder for him .
Emrah was busy this year with his sustainable project " One Way" and launched it in all over the World. His efforts was awarded by ICIS as " Best Business Innovation 2013". His department in Clariant was sold to an American company and the name was changed to Archroma. This year he was more responsible for his health and had a personal trainer, especially for his back pain.
As a family, we visited Koh Samui, Bali, Hong Kong and Cambodia. Koh Samui was full of sun and sea. We rented a car and travelled whole Island. Bali was nice experience without sea except the Berk's food poisoning . Hong Kong was great as usual . Cambodia was excellent wit all these temples; sunset and sun rise in Angkor Wat. Cambodia was also our first tour after so many years which we had a organization with two other families ( friends )together . This year summer Bodrum vacation was also with our friends and families all together and we realized that we missed having holidays in groups.
THEREFORE, we decided to go back to Istanbul after 12 years expat life and 4 countries. Emrah's company excepted our wish and Emrah will start work in Istanbul in January 2014. Berk and I will join him in June after the school finishes and I resign from my work. So I guess next year will not be different than other years. Moving, settling down, adapting new places (12 years is long time!) but at least we know some friends and have families back home.
Merry Christmas and Happy NEW YEAR!
We hope you will have wonderful days in 2014 that you can write good things about it at the end of the year.
Cheers,
ESDERS
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