Friday, May 19, 2006

A picture I didn't take

Today is a holiday in Turkey - Ataturk's birthday, which is known as national youth and sport day. The kids have the day off school. I was looking over the edge of our rooftop terrace this morning watching our 8-year-old downstairs neighbour Mustafa playing football with his friends (they're pretty good) in front of our building when I saw another kid coming down the street. He was about the same age, but he was pushing a huge bin on wheels half-full of recyclable stuff he'd picked out of the garbage bins along the street. As he stopped outside our building and sorted through our waste the kids went on playing. And I wished I had my camera, and then was glad I didn't.

This is still a country of contrasts. Our neighbours aren't rich, but they can send their kids to school and give them time to play with their friends. Not all kids are that lucky.

No comments: