My parents were born same city (Giresun) but they grew up in different villages. Also, they moved to Istanbul after their wedding. Their hometown is very far away from our home.
When I was young, travelling options were very limited to their villages. Firstly, we had to go by bus to Giresun and that would take us about 18 hours. Then we used to hire a truck or lorry to reach the village. So travel was very uncomfortable and dangerous, because of rough road and steep cliffs. We used to use a truck crane to travel. I think we were like refugees.
My Grandparent used to live in the highlands until end of the autumn. That means we had to walk or ride a horse to reach there by using historical pathway, and a historical bridge. The landscape was amazing and the forest was very beautiful. My Grandparent’ house was top of a hill among forests and partly moors.
I still remember some memories of them. In the first night, I was waiting in the bed before asleep. She talked to me and asked me: “Why aren’t you sleeping?” And I told her: “My mom told me: Don’t sleep without drinking milk!” And she gave me a glass of milk to drink with a big smile.
My grandfather was hard-worker and he always pushed their children to be clever and active. I never saw him doing nothing. He was born 1930 and he had 12 children! He used to have more than 100 sheep, approximately 50 lambs, more than 15 cows and bulls, horses, mules… He was very open-minded and creative person also hospitable. He had two houses in the highland and one of them was only for guest and visitors. He liked to repair his clothes. He has worked a tailor as in military service for two years. He had a sewing machine! Sometimes we used to make a little dam to swim and he destroyed it many times. I understood him many years later. He was trying to save as from flue and other diseases.
My grandmother was two years older than my grandfather. They got married when they were 15-16 years old. She always smiled and look after our parents. She was very kind and respectful. She was never rude to me. She always got up earlier before the sun to milk from cows. After breakfast, she used to heat milk to make cheese and butter. In the afternoon, sheep were returning from moors and we were used to milk together. It was real action to me because I was smaller than sheep. She, always loved children and gave them presents, chocolates, candies and big hugs. If she couldn’t find any sweet, she was giving a slice of bread with butter or cheese. Children were always happy with her. She was the mother of all the children in the highland.
My last meeting with my grandfather was 5 years ago. He had a heart attack. We went straightly hospital and he was in the intensive care room. Hospital didn’t allow us to join his room. I waved him in front of a door and he passed away a few days later. When he died, I was sitting with my grandmother. We couldn’t tell her anything but she felt sick. We called an ambulance and doctor but village road was rough and dangerous. We went straightly to the hospital in the morning but, she was paralyzed in front of us. Unfortunately, she passed 6 months later, too.