update from Paul

I've been here 4 weeks now.  I really like my new job.  We are very busy - I'm working on a conventional oil play, conventional gas, helping out with tight gas potential, and looking over a shale opportunity in Bulgaria. There are only four reservoir engineers in Istanbul, so there is plenty to do. There's a good group of people here, so making friends is easy.  Some fellow Longhorns work here and we get together to watch college football.  We can watch a TV back in the states over the internet using a device called a Slingbox.

I've picked up a little Turkish already.  Can get around in a cab, count to 10, know some basic phrases, not too much though.  I have some books and Alyson is bringing over Rosetta Stone CD.  When I get some more spare time I'll try to learn some more.  I don't really need to know how to speak it - everyone in the office speaks English.  Most Turks with a college education speak English.  One reason, especially for petroleum or geology majors, is that all the books are in English so they must learn it. There are about 20 expats in Istanbul.

The first weekend I was here a group of people from the office rented a boat/yacht and spent all day on Saturday on the Bosporus.  We docked for a few minutes on the Asian side, so I got out and stood in Asia for the first time.  The water was a little cold, very near the end of the swimming season here.

I went to our field office near Tekirdag for a few days. While there I went to a meeting with TPAO, the Turkish petroleum state company.  They are our partner in some of our fields.  The field was fun to visit, but the meeting was all in Turkish, so that was pretty boring.

That Friday I left to take a trip to Bucharest with 4 other guys from the office.  It is only about a 1 hour flight away.  We had a lot of fun there. It is a place I would like to go back to again.

On Tuesday I went to Ankara, the capital of Turkey, for a day trip to meet with one of our partners for my oil field. I went up there with one of our geologists.  I didn't get to see much of the city while there.

This weekend I am in Sofia for work.  We met with our partners on the shale well we are drilling.  I went to our Sofia office on Friday and met with the people out there.  Saturday morning we drove out to the rig and also to another well that is nearby.  Today it is cold and snowing, so I'm just sitting inside waiting to go to the airport. I only packed a light jacket, so I don't feel like seeing the city. I will do that with Alyson some other time.

I moved into an apartment.  It has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and has a small office and storage room. It is about a 15-20 minute walk to the office.  It is furnished.  The guest bedroom has 2 twin beds. The view is awesome from the apartment.  There is a large window in the living room, about 15-20' long, with a great view of the Bosporus.  I know Alyson will love it when she comes.  There is a small garden and park nearby will be nice for Belle.

Paul