Not Baja, but Turkey - photos 2023 2/17 update

Here is Ismail and his wife at our local grocery store when we had them come to our house for a KOFTE (Turkish meatball) cooking class last month.







Here he is making testi kebab for us - a traditional Turkish dish - at a restaurant we often go to.

Here is an update:

Gave Ismail the cash to get to his village and back. He was so moved and is a nervous wreck. He lost his house that he bought 5 years ago, his 5 brothers lost their houses as well as his parents lost theirs. Because they live in a remote village, as of yesterday, they were sleeping under a plastic tarp, cold and no aid had arrived. Ismail will wait for a couple days to go - the gvt has asked folks not to drive there since the roads are bad and already have a lot of congestion.

Alanya sent 65 fully loaded trucks with donations in the first 3 days.

The expat community here is on board bigtime to help those there at the site and now we (the expat community) are focusing on the refugee famillies that are arriving here in Alanya where hotels are taking them in.

Our ladies expat group at a meeting last Wednesday, probably 10 different nations represented from Scottish to Swedish to American to British to Filipino to Chinese and others.






I had already dropped off my donations, on the way to this first mtg, this is what the rest of the group brought.





I have decided to concentrate now on the refugee families here in our neighborhood. Today I went to one of the hotels around the corner and asked what they needed most: food I was told. So, as Les had the car, I walked to a store and bought some basics which we carried over. Eggs, milk, oil, cheese. Later today, Les and I will go to the big supermarket for fruit and veggies.


Some shots of the morning:

Tallying up






The small grocery store owner's nephew helped me carry the bags to the hotel a block away from our apartment





The food on the hotel kitchen counter.








The hotel manager and the kid who helped me carry the bags to the hotel kitchen.




new best friend poem



and as we were leaving, the kitchen manager said the people by the pool were the families - 20 total and 14 are kids.








This is the only way I know to emotionally deal with this humanitarian disaster....thank you to all my friends who have sent cash - it does NOT take much to make a huge difference. I bought 60 eggs and 4 big oils and 4 boxes of tea and more for $919 turkish lira or about $50.

More food delivered today. Right now the local government is supplying clothes to the refugees, I am pretty sure they will start providing food money. Until then, locals and expats alike are rising to the occasion.


This is me in the kitchen.






The kitchen manager unloading the bags - I explained that I reuse the same bags, a little education about being ecological while practical.

how do i print screen



One of the little girls.

screen shot in windows



The family loved being photographed. I sure wish I spoke Turkish. I have restarted classes but the teacher wrote today that she had gone to her village to help and canceled our class.





My goal for tomorrow is to buy more food, but I asked if they wanted children's books (all schools all over Turkiye have closed for 2 weeks) and they do, so I will get some books at a wonderful educational bookstore I saw yesterday.

I think once I get to know them better, I will take them to the castle. It is in walking distance and pretty fascinating.

Worlds apart geographically, but in our hearts we are together.
Blanca u truly are amazing!
Small donation sent --- we know you will make it work for those in need.

With magic love from your Cabo amigos, and sister from another set of parents

edit for spelling LOL

[Edited on 2-15-2023 by CaboMagic]

and the expat community is still hard at work! Amazing donations being sent to Alanya hotels from the expats here in Alanya as well as many boxes being sent in from abroad. The hotel I have been helping now has doubled the number of refugees to over 40. The donations of clothing and shoes fill two rooms. Thank God for the outpouring of love. One gentleman who recently arrived did not find shoes his size, so I bought him some yesterday for US$20.






The food loot included POTATOES




facebook image upload





Les remembered the hotel cook had asked for CUCUMBERS









BELL PEPPERS







STRAWBERRIES









I always get a typical gozleme or huge Turkish style tortilla with cheese and spinach inside. Served hot on a freezing day! Cost $1.50 or 30 lira







There is always a hot Cay or tea server taking tea to the vendors.











Then, at the end of the morning, delivery to the hotel always brings smiles. The manager Izmet told me that they have doubled the number of refugees to 40 but now they were getting some donations of food, thank goodness. The hotel has tons of Sacndinavian guests during the summer and apparently they are sending cash and clothes. I saw a room packed to the hilt with clothes! So, I will continue being the egg delievery lady and gave the mgr my phone number to contact with any urgent need.










Because they had so many clothes donations in the storage area, I asked if they had anything extra and they gave me kids sweaters. I will look for a needy hotel to give them to.







This is a humbling experience. These refugees lost absolutely everything. I cannot even fathom their internal despair. Thanks all for your help in this most awful of earthquakes.

The hotel housing refugees had their the numbers jump from 20 to 45 people. That was when the general manager asked me to provide paper plates, cups and silverware....after thinking hard about it, I decided that one month (the refugees will be rehoused by then) of paper goods was not a good idea - I bought the real deal instead. I am thinking that it can either be given to the families as they leave or I can donate to Erbay, our friend who owns a restaurant and originally put me in touch with this hotel.


Choosing forks









spoons galore - both kid and adult sized



key checker






dishes cups and more











Delivery of dishes - the gentleman on the left is our friend who referred me to this small hotel needed help dealing with the refugees. Now, they have many donations of clothes, toys and food. My job as the the BRIDGE to this point is complete.














The next project will be providing suitcases to all the folks in all the hotels - where do they put the clothes they got given to them?


One family already asked for one and we will drop it off today.


The Turks have gone above and beyond to help their own. I can't even express how fantastic the expat community has been here. And you all too!

Quote: Originally posted by surfhat

Dk, perhaps even saintly, at least to us here on Nomad.