We have reached the midway point. I can honestly say I understand the majority of what my instructors say in Turkish now (not the case two weeks ago.) I've taken the first of two exams, and I'm feeling more comfortable negotiating everyday conversations all the time.
Sometimes I wonder about the utility of some of the language I've acquired... Just like my three-year-old niece, Maya, the other day, I learned all the noises different animals make in Turkish. I find it interesting that different languages can have onomatopoeia that's so radically different. Honestly, I enjoyed making the noises that a kitty makes and a horse, etc.. I guess learning a language inevitably makes you seem silly since you can only communicate at the level of a two or three year old for weeks. :)
In that same class last week, we took a trip around the garden where I learned the names of plants and flowers I have neglected to learn in English. A horticulturalist I am not. Today we sang a nationalist song of which none of us know the translation, but we still sing quite fervently two or three times a week. The language gap is sort of hilarious, but our other instructor is amazing, so I feel like I am really lucky to get a taste of random Turkish alongside heavry grammar instruction (my favorite.)
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One of my best friends lives with his gf in Helsinki and they get into fights over the noise a dog makes. He, a Canadian insists that it's bow-wow, but his Finnish girlfriend says it's "how-how." In Russian dogs say "Gaf-Gaf" and puppies say, "Greef-Greef." I agree, it is pretty crazy stuff. Glad your Turkish is coming along well.
You'll have to fill Maya in on the Turkish alternatives to her favorite animal noises. We do have one book that offers 12 different versions of dog sounds... well, I think it's 11 dog sounds and 1 meow, actually.
I miss you!
I forgot to mention that in Turkey, dogs "havla" as in hav, hav, hav, hav, hav....
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