Kirjahaku

On the brink of divorce, and with her fiftieth birthday just around the corner, Zoe's life is far from perfect. Out of the blue, she receives a card from an ex-lover from over twenty six years ago which completely turns her world upside down and has her questioning her life. She reminisces on how they first met in 1980 when she was backpacking through Greece and struggles with her decision to be reunited with him again in Turkey in 2007. Together they travel to Cappadocia for a six day sojourn and to see if there could possibly be any future in their relationship. 'In my heart of hearts I desperately wanted this. Murat made me feel alive and I knew that a few days together would be therapeutic and liberating. For years now there had been no intimacy in my marriage and the thought of being touched and loved by a man again sent shivers down my spine.'

In December of 2008, I made the life changing decision to leave Australia and move to Turkey to begin my new career as an English teacher. It didn't take long for me to develop a deep affection for my adopted country. In Turkey, my life was totally unpredictable and exciting. Everyday brought new experiences and challenges and I felt totally alive. Throughout the six and a half years that I lived there, I travelled extensively to every corner of this diverse country.Turkish Diaries is a collection of short stories from those six and a half years. They are all true stories and I think give an insight into Turkish life through the eyes of a foreigner. They illustrate the good, the bad and the ugly, the colour, the warmth of the locals and the unpredictability and randomness of everyday life.