Introduction

Whenever I have left home for extended periods of time, I have kept journals to keep track of my activities, to pass the time, and also to reflect and better remember the present. I did this several times in Syria, and even during Hajj. However, I rarely go back and review these documents. I am not sure if it is because my papers are terribly disorganized and I simply can't find them, or I just remember my past as well as I care to. Perhaps I will turn to them in my old age.

If the latter reason is the more relevant one that prevents me from reviewing my writing, keeping a blog won't help me much. If the former reason is the underlying factor, than having an easily remembered blog should help matters. In either case, online format will certainly be more accessible for other potential readers - my friends and family.

Speaking of the "memorableness" of this blog, the address is easy enough - SNS is me, and Istanbul is what this blog is focused on. As for the title, it is a little vague. IST is the airport code for Istanbul; airport codes are typically what we use at my company to identify places. EXP is a bit less clear. It could stand for expat, or expatriate, which is kind of what I am right now (though I am still being paid back home in the US). It could stand for the international work experience I sought by coming to Istanbul. More likely, it could stand for the experiences I have while living temporarily in Istanbul, as the purpose of this blog is to record those experiences and reflect on them.