Rules and elections

Ok...I haven't written in a while. I have been a bit busy and then I wanted to rest and do nothing. Now, I'm back!
Ten days with a large group of Turkish people, drained my strength. This is the second unsatisfying experience with Turkish people. I have almost given up on them. I think from now on I will avoid making projects with them. It's too complicated, even if they are not bad people. I think they are not used to come in contact to other nationalities, they are not flexible and adaptable to other ways of living At thesis group I noticed the same problem with women in leadership positions seen before. I understand that this is their way of life, but I think they should come in contact more with other types of community and try to accept that people are different and they can't apply the same standards. Ok, this was all theoretical. I'll give an example. Talking, I found out that the majority of the women in East Turkey don't work and stay at home as housewives. I really see the advantages of this way of life, especially when children are concerned. The mother is always there and can help them in many respects. But, this way of life influences the community's conceptions. You can't see woman's role as much as in the west, and this really undermines woman's position in society.
I didn't like when I saw Turkish men refusing to cook. I asked them to do this as to allow the women time to do some shopping. I was surprised when a younger man, well travelled and accustomed with the western world, was very annoyed by the proposition. He stated very categorically that he knows how to cook but he won't do it. His face and his suddenly turned back were mean to end any discussion on the matter. Unfortunately for hi, I am as stubborn as an ass, so I put him in the situation to do it without a chance. Of course this didn't stop the phone calls asking about different items around the kitchen.
 I didn't like the slammed doors and the contemptuous passing-by when thee got mad. That led me to believe that they can easily brush away the thin layer of tolerance towards women, if they feel their authority violated.
 I didn't like the way they, this time Turkish women, were pulling down my T-shirt when they felt it is too short. I didn't like that they sent my students to change their outfits, when they considered they were too short or low-cut. Do not imagine that anyone was indecent, everybody was very much aware that they gave certain rules. It was just that the skirts were shorter than they admitted or the dresses were raising a bit during dancing. Usually I try to accept and understand other societies, but I have to admit I was very much annoyed by the fact that we were imposed some foreign rules in our own country. I tried to respect them and their religion, and not give room for unpleasant feelings but at a certain moment it became too much. It's very stressful when you don't know which is the frame of their rules, always stepping on eggshells as not to offend somehow. We asked them repeated times to communicate, to tell us us what they want and don't want. In spite of nodding, we were left in the dark all the time which led to reproaches and nerves from their part. It's difficult when you can't communicate with some people with whom you spend a lot of time, because I've been with them almost constantly.
I was paying attention when I was told, after seeing a teenage couple kissing  on a park bench, that in their area they are not allowed at least to hold hands. I kept myself from familiar gestures when I saw the didn't like that I put my hand around one of my students.I took note of the insistence on the fact that you are not allowed to wear shorts or short skirts there. I accepted to let the men walk in front on the street and take charge then there is a need of action. I got used to the fact that they do not pay Dutch when going out. And I will act according to all their rules - when I will go there. I like finding out about other people and their customs. It's like an interesting game to play by their rules, when you are there, in their country. I will take care I and my group will behave by their rules in their country. But here was our country and I didn't see them make the same effort to adapt to our way of life. Not to say they insisted to much to make us subject to their rules. I felt very much offended when after days of playing along and trying to accommodate them in every way possible, I felt they started behaving like dictators. I am sorry to say that I felt the need to kick back. I didn't do it clearly, by talking about my dissatisfaction, but I let something to show through a certain behavioural abruptness and cold looks.
It never happened to me to stop offering everything to guests of mine. I always offer myself and my time and I want people to feel great here, my country is like my home and I want them to know its beauty. But this time, for the first time, I felt that I shouldn't have offered that much and I was glad when they left.
Obviously, I have a lot of dissatisfaction concerning Turkish people. And this is only a trace of the feelings of revolt from a few days ago when they left.
What else happened...elections campaign. I don't know what happened, I didn't have time to take the pulse of my community, but I see that a new citizen's feeling woke up in Romanians and they've gone in great number to vote. This is after many years in which the majority of the population was indifferent to elections, being really pessimistic of the outcome, with the exception of an orange outburst a few years ago when a wish of change was felt throughout Europe. This time it's obviously different. People have gone to vote saying that they are doing their citizen duty. I didn't see the same despair to go to vote to make a change and voting for a certain political party/ person seen as a Messiah. This time it seems people have voted with the idea that this is their right and they want to take it. I saw a lot of elderly people, and maybe not enough young ones but the ones I saw I think they were there because it is a trend to go to vote. It was funny to see news about many brides and grooms going to vote in their wedding day. This is really a premiere. As I've told before, Romanians have continuously repudiated voting, so this is new. For now, I am not convinced this is not more than a trend, like a fashion trend or a summer hit we fall in love in a minute. I will be convinced that Romanians have become impregnated with democratic, citizen spirit only after I will see the same thing at the next elections, four years from now.