Yeni Hayat (New Life)

Perver Baran often remembers her hometown of Istanbul, Turkey; back where she could wander freely from town to town, watching the colorful eyes of street lamps sparkling and the neon street signs shouting while making small talk on a metro in the late hours of the night. She remembers the sound of children laughing in the park as the warm summer air melted worries and ice cream into the earth and people embraced the blanket of darkness that the night brought with it as the moon rocked back and forth in the sky. The cars always arguing for space on the road, and the busy hustle and bustle of people, crammed together like sardines and buzzing to each other like bees always brought a smile to her face. Although her city was flooded with people, it felt more like a garden; each person like a plant, down to earth and humble. Just like plants, the roots of each person intertwined together, making everyone feel like family and friends. Homesickness was an illness she had yet to experience, her friends and family just a short bus ride away, always ready to chat while sipping warm tea on an even warmer night. But after she came to the US, walking into cafes with friends and sitting and talking for hours suddenly became replaced with being ushered out of her seat for taking too long to eat. Her long walks in the park were replaced with an early retirement to her home as the lights in the city all close their eyes. Her daily short strolls were replaced with short excursions in her car, as she is dependent on this metal machine for survival in this land filled only with roads. Friendly strangers are now replaced with people full of icy stares and rude comments. Constantly called out for being different, she often struggles to feel connected, like she once did in her botanical city. Homesickness is now a common illness for her, only masked by a yearly visit and the electronic phone calls she makes. However, she feels no regrets and no remorse. She came here for the man she loved and embraced her new home and the many new experiences and people that it brought. Despite all the differences she has experienced, she has learned to love this country just as she loved her last.