Massage Massage?

One of my favorite people here is our trainer, Rasim. He gave me a massage the first day I arrived so he got a gold star for that and has continued to simultaneously take care of me and keep me endlessly amused. The massages are full body of course, sports bra off, spandex pulled down and up as far as they go, and Rasim with baby oil really punishing those glutes, ass jiggling and muscles relaxing. He uses about five different creams: hot cream, cold cream, icy hot cream, anti inflammation cream, and about three others that are in Turkish. The other day in the hotel I had a full body with only underwear on, the three single hotel mattresses piled on top of one another served as our massage table, a white sheet covered up the essential areas. He really does get up close and personal. My English speaking teammates and I always finish a massage with “Well, Rasim and I are now officially married in some cultures.” “Just got molested by Rasim and liked it.” “Pretty sure I just got goosed in that massage.” “I am now carrying Rasim’s baby.” The last one I left the room, thinking “I didn’t know my underwear stretched in that many directions.” He’s about two inches away from making it a very VERY special massage and with that baby oil things can easily slip. And he always comes back to the glute area, finished with the calves? Better loosen up that butt. Stretching out the quads?... don’t neglect the glutes, Finishing up…. Better grand finale in the ass area. But I can’t complain, I do carry a lot of stress there:)

Today he gave me a facial with baby oil, not my most favorite thing but I do like a good face rub, the rubbing of the inside of my nose I could do without though. What is it with me and inappropriate massages overseas?. And why don’t I care? The thing is, Rasim is the sweetest man and although he crosses some lines, he is all business and truly wants our bodies to feel better after practice. He actually has us schedule massages with him in the hotel. Heck he even tried to give my brother a massage after he flew to Turkey. He just wants to help everyone. He is SO sweet. When I was sick he just kept trying to force feed me vitamins, bring me tea and kept asking "massage massage?" That man will rub my feet on the bus and massage my neck without me even asking. He will have me lay down on the back seats of the bus, our driver swirving in and out of traffic, and Rasim trying to keep his balance while giving me a full body massage on the way home. LOVE him. Plus he speaks like twenty words in English but always teaches me and my American teammate words on the way home. He smiles and says a word in English such as ‘good or bad’ then says it in Turkish. Or he’ll point to something, “Sea” in Turkish “Deniz”. Or my favorite is when he acts things out. Sometimes it is simple things like eating or drinking but absolutely hilarious when he acts things out like “relax”. Half the time I have no idea what he is trying to tell me but his face is so animated I don’t even care. Oh my he keeps me amused.

It can be difficult to have a trainer that doesn’t speak English though. I mean between the two of us we can communicate things like ‘little, big, good, bad, hot, cold’. It just doesn’t narrow it down when you are trying to explain what hurts and where. But hey its an adventure. But….. for all I love about Rasim, his B.O. I just can’t take. Its nauseating. If he lifts his arm and you are within 15 feet, you are screwed.