Each month Rosy Glow shares her news, personal thoughts and intimate letters on her (not so) new life living in Northern Cyprus.

Dear Sis,
As another year in North Cyprus fast come to a close, I look back on our life here as we have been here three years at the end of November and I can hardly believe it. Where has the time gone?

We have seen three summers, three winters, and as our fourth winter fast approaches, we look back on our life here.
We have seen friends and family visit, some more than once. We have taken on our two dogs and they are as much a part of the family now as any of our two-legged members. They continue to thrive and bring us pleasure in their uncomplicated love towards us.

We continue to get frustrated with a government that has no concept of governance and make up rules usually to try and off-set an ailing economy but everything is just a “patch-up” job and nothing is long-term and no-one seems capable of looking at the big picture in order to put sensible procedures in place. They seem obsessed with a quick return on everything.

We are still enamoured with the Turkish Cypriot people who are unstintingly generous. The weather is conducive to a better outside living life-style and on the whole, we are living the dream but a blot on our landscape is lack of our deeds and in hind-sight we agree it might have been better to rent rather than buy.
But enough of the philosophical sister act, what else has been happening?

North Cyprus BIG news is that we now have a branch of the Royal British Legion which is fantastic news. It was inaugurated on 1 October and has been two years in the planning, permission finally being given by the North Cyprus ministries and HQ RBL in London. We now have our own standard which will be on parade at this year’s Remembrance Sunday parade on November 13. It is a definite “coup” and those involved in bringing the RBL to North Cyprus are to be commended. There are two branches in the South already.

Last week I went to the Tango to Buddha Alagadi off-road raceand it was so much fun. Thirty-two vehicles competed over a 750metre course and more than 400 spectators turned up and had a great day. Can’t wait for next year’s race…. do you think I could participate?
I have also taken part in a 3-day first-aid course run by the Civil Emergency Service Volunteer force. About 20 of us participated and it was great fun and much easier to understand than other first aid courses I have done in the past.

Right dear sister, I promise to write more regularly but always remember, when cannibals eat a missionary, they get a taste for religion.
Your itinerant sister

Rosy xx