The little black vertical line on my screen has been flashing for the past half an hour, no exaggeration and that’s all because I’ve had no idea of what to write. It’s Tuesday night right now and I’m going back and forth through topics. It seems like I’m on a merry-go-round, except this one doesn’t have anything quite merry about it. Every week I sit in front of my laptop, sometimes open a new note on my phone and begin typing away. There are times when my typing becomes so natural that even I’m surprised and other times when I just sit and stare into space or twiddle my thumbs till something comes. This week, I’m having a twiddle my thumbs week, it’s hard to grasp the best parts of a topic and put it into words sometimes. I think I’ve got it and I’m wondering whether or not you’ll be just as shocked or overwhelmed even at what I’m about to tell you.
Last Friday was the last Friday of October and the 31st, in other words it was Halloween. Being in North Cyprus and knowing that for the last couple of years it’s been celebrated, I knew this year it would be too. What I wasn’t prepared for were the various celebration parties and events taking place that night. I’m living in Lefkoşa (Nicosia) at the moment, which is the capital city of the island, it’s like a very small version of central London. Friday night, I got home at around six in the evening, changed, put on some make-up and walked five minutes down the road to the busiest street of shops, restaurants, bars and so on to have a bite to eat. By the time I sat somewhere and had my dinner at the pace I’m used to, it was gone 9.pm.
Walking further down, I knew a Halloween celebration was taking place but what I didn’t know just how big it would be. Looking at the bars and restaurants around me, it was hard to miss the drapes of black material, cobwebs, the fresh pumpkins which had been carved with such effort and most of all the people dressed up in Halloween costumes. I attempted to stop in front of a pub/bar called “Cadi’nın Evi” meaning witches house, at least a hundred people were crowded outside. People were dancing, drinking and even their face-painting was of high standards. Honestly, I couldn’t believe how all out everyone had gone in celebrating Halloween, more than we would back in London.
Everyone seemed more than happy to be taking part in the fun of it, what got me though was why two days before on the holiday of Turkey becoming a Republic wasn’t celebrated in the same way? Why as a public holiday with almost every business being closed did no one dress up? Why were there not flags of Turkey and North Cyprus hanging up in every restaurant and bar that made so much effort in celebrating Halloween? Why wasn’t half the road closed for traditional food stalls or dancing like it was last Friday night for Halloween? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that Halloween shouldn’t be celebrated in North Cyprus or that they’re wrong for celebrating. What I am saying though, is if you can go out of your way to make so much effort for a international holiday then why can’t you do the same if not more for your own? Think about it…
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On a lighter note, it will be my nephew’s 11th birthday on the day this is published. Tezay, I want to wish you a very happy birthday my handsome prince. You are a very special and precious little boy; I cannot believe how much you have grown and wish you are blessed with good health, success, fun and love always. Teyze loves you to the moon and back and more always and forever.
