Journey with Water: From Marmara Waves to Toronto Shores by Perihan Kucukosman

In the 1970s, during my childhood in Bursa, Turkey, I was surrounded by a tight-knit community of Bulgarian immigrants. It was marked by an extraordinary Sunday that began with my father’s wake-up call: “Get up; we are going to the sea.” An hour-long journey in the back of a pickup truck unfolded, leading me to the calm waves of the Sea of Marmara. Thus, a story commenced in my life, a narrative that sprouted from the innocent embrace of water.

Bursa became the backdrop of my upbringing, punctuated by ferry rides to Istanbul, where encounters with wild waves and the playful dolphins in serene waters left indelible memories. The dream of befriending those dolphins lingered in my mind, intertwined with cinematic Sundays and the enchantment of the water.

My affinity for water deepened during my vacation on the southern coast of England, where the ocean assumed a wholly distinct character. Returning to Istanbul, my life continued its aquatic exploration along the shores of the Marmara Sea for over two decades. Eventually, I found myself drawn to the Black Sea, my husband’s hometown and discovered a vibrant existence akin to that of the lively anchovy fish native to those waters.