Jan 10th 2007, Wednesday: 128 days to go...

(16:51) Today we got our paychecks. I didn’t know we were paid for this service. Since we’re considered as privates we got around 9 dollars (13 YTL) for the first month. Also, tomorrow we’ll probably have our draws.

Another highlight of today is, a high-rank commander called superior-liutenant (I don’t know if this rank exists in other countries) came to me and asked if I am the aikido guy. I said yes and he said he wants me to train him. So if I stay here, I hope I’ll be his trainer so maybe things won’t be that boring. But still, I wanna get outta here to a distant, much calmer place.

Jan 9th 2007, Tuesday: 128 days after midnight...

(22:20) I feel a lot better now. I managed to eat. At night I watched the match of Galatasaray with my friends. I’m hoping I’ll draw a place away from here and everything will be better.

Commanders are getting stricter and more offensive as the recruit training comes to an end, but that doesn’t discourage me at all. We still keep laughing & smiling and joking, even while we’re getting punished. Because whatever they do, they can’t do one thing, they can’t slow or turn back time. They only got 2 days left, after that they’re no longer commanders. That’s why nothing can keep us down anymore…