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Memories of a "Military Brat" turned Turkiye Fan
Contributed By Peggy Buchanan
© 2004-2011 by Author
Some wonderful times - and a few firsts!
What a wonderful experience and opportunity it was to be a military brat in Turkey. I can remember getting off the plane after a flight that seemed to last forever. Being of Dutch decent, my brothers, sister and myself had snow white hair. There were heavily armed guards everywhere, and people all around us trying to pull at our hair! My first thought was "What has Dad gotten us into this time?" Then I got my first whiff of Turkish cuisine, and soon all my fears disappeared! After being on the never-ending flight, with Lord knows what they were trying to pass off as food, I was starved and the aromas of Turkey had me hooked on the first day!
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Castle by the Sea
Snakes Castle |
I remember all the wonderful trips to Castle By The Sea, and Castle In The Sea, Snake Castle, and all the other ruins. My parents were big explorers so I had the added benefit of growing up with great parents who took my siblings and myself everywhere. There was nothing we did not see of beautiful Turkey, and just about everywhere in Europe with those great Space-A flights! We took advantage of them whenever allowed!
I still feel the closeness we experienced with everyone else who lived at İnçirlik during that time. It was during the embargo, and of course, the never-ending war between the Turks and the Greeks. I remember green or blue headlights on all of the cars so they could not be spotted by jets flying overhead, and the film on the windows of the houses/trailers of base housing for the same reason. I guess I should be thankful that I was there as a young teen and I did not have a true appreciation for the danger we could have been in.
I remember experiencing my very first dance and my very first kiss with my very first real boyfriend! I also went to my first prom in Turkey. I still share that closeness with my fellow alumni, and even those who were not there at the same time. We share a connect to the place.
Twenty-six years later, I finally found my very first boyfriend from İnçirlik, with whom I shared my very first kiss, and my very first dance. We married in 2000 at one of our İnçirlik Alumni Reunions so that all of our friends from İnçirlik could be in attendance. We are still happily married!
Peggy
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