Nice?

For those unfamiliar with the south of France, the title refers to the city Nice in southern France. When I first arrived here in Izmir a few days ago, I realized that the Turkish coastal town reminded me a lot of the city of Nice. Both have many restaurants, right next to the sea, similar styles of streets and alleys, and amazing weather. So far, my time in Izmir has been amazing. Once I had gotten over my jet-lag, I was able to explore the city with the other new teachers. We adventured to different restaurants and bars knowing the food would be delicious. Even though we tend to point to random items on the menu, not knowing what we are ordering, each one has been very tasty. While walking around the city shopping for food or simply eating at a restaurant, we have noticed how kind and helping the people of Izmir are. Everyone seems to lend a helping hand whenever they can, regardless of how well they speak English.

We also had our first day at school, where we had breakfast/lunch and started our orientation process. The school sits in a cozy campus that allows for plenty of outside activities and learning opportunities. I was able to go into the classroom that I will be teaching in. So far, there are only 7 desks in my classroom, tough right...? But with teaching 3 Economics and 2 Math classes, I am sure I will be plenty busy.

So for now, things are going at a bit of a slower pace with all of us getting back on the right sleeping schedule and resting after our long walks around the city. As soon as we venture out to the beaches and the various other attractions around Izmir, I will be sure to post plenty of pictures.