Just follow

One of these things that seem to me like a story you might invent to promote the value of hospitality...but it happened to me!

One of the days in Istanbul. I decided to take the ferry to the asian side of the city (where despite the thoughts of most of the people about the asian side as oriental and fascinating different, richer people have settled and posh normal „european“ shops dominate while you can find the bazars on the „european“ side ;-). I wandered around in the heat, looked here and there and foud myself again near a mosque. As nobody was around, I decided to enter. Despite a little girl and her father, the mosque was empty. I sat down to admire the mesmerizing paintings and soon found the little girl next to me, taking a glimps on my loosely wrapped around scarf.


I didn't have to wait long until a small hand grapped mine and pulled me towards the stairs towards the Imam's place. The father pretended not to see us and went out of the mosque. We climbed the stairs, took a look from up there and hurried back as it is forbidden to enter this place.

Out of the church, the father explained me in broken english that the girl would love to take pictures with me and take me home. I thought, why not? It can't be wrong to go with them for a tea...


Tea...pah! I had mistaken my german thoughts with the hospitality of a turkish family!

They cooked me three different dishes, went to the market for fresh water melon, made turkish coffee, tea, played music for me and took me to the roof to give me the best view in town. The girl made presents (hairclips with the blue turkish eye to prevent me from the evil, headscarfs,sweets...) and they insistet on taking me back to the ferry and to pay for my ticket, because I resisted as they invited me to stay for the night at their place.

„How can I ever pay them back?“ I thought. But maybe it isn't about paying anyone back. Maybe it is about changing my attitude. About inviting a stranger to your home. To share whatever you have although you might just be able to communicate with him in twenty words and a lot of hand- and sign-language. And to sometimes go with the flow of an unexpected beautiful moment that might reveal that there are a lot of good souls out there.