Inspiration

Sometimes, when I’m on a boat on the Bosphorus, I want to litterally scream. Scream because of the happiness working in this city and in this country gives me. A few days ago, I felt it again. I came back from an interview with Cetin Altan and Solmaz Kamuran, married and both writers. The interview was about publishing in Turkey, and how (un)free writers and publishers are in Turkey. Altan’s writing carreer is long: 60 years already. He is 80 years old now, but is everything but finished with writing. Besides books, he published essay’s and is still regularly writing columns for Milliyet newspaper. His wife Solmaz Kamuran writes novels and is a translater.
They had so many interesting things to tell, and they were so kind. I spent four hours on their sofa, heard their vision on writing, on publishing and on nowadays Turkish society. It was educational, interesting, the atmosphere was so relaxed and friendly, but above all, the interview was so inspiring. What a job I have, I thought. It gives me the opportunity to talk to people like this and ask them everything that comes to my mind.

Afterwards, I was walking back to the ferry, feeling light and happy and with a big smile on my face. On the water between Kabatas and Üsküdar, the big Bosphorus Bridge in front of me, it suddenly came to me, this urge to let my happiness out with a loud scream.
This time, I held it back. But i can make no guarantees for the next time I feel like this.