Serdar Acar

I am 51 years old. I was born and raised in Türkiye and moved to the United States when I was 25. I have now lived in the U.S. longer than I lived in Türkiye. I am married with two children. I am the oldest of seven brothers.

Diary

Reading & Writing

During my middle and high school years, I lived at a boarding school with no TV, computers, phones, or video games. I spent most of my time reading and finished hundreds of books. Reading shaped my imagination and helped me understand the world better.

I started writing at age 14 for my boarding school newspaper. I wrote about social and environmental issues, justice, equality, and religion. During those years, I dreamed of traveling the world and writing an adventure book like Evliya Çelebi’s Seyahatname. In college, my writing became more personal and imaginative. I wrote short stories and poems, but most of them were lost over time.

After moving to the U.S., I stopped reading and writing in Turkish so I could focus on learning English. I began reading English books and slowly started writing in English, which was challenging at first. Now, after more than two decades, I feel comfortable reading and writing in English. However, I sometimes find it easier to express myself using both languages at the same time. Recently, I started video blogging (vlogging) just for myself—nothing serious, simply recording daily activities.

Family Life

I have been married to my Irish-born wife for more than 20 years. We have two children. One is in college, and the other is still young. Since getting married, we have lived in Manhattan, then Florida, then Manhattan again, and for the past several years we have been living in the Bronx. Life is easier in the Bronx.

Despite our different cultures, religions, and backgrounds, my wife and I have a strong relationship. We also work together. We enjoy good food, small gatherings, and traveling together. At the same time, we respect each other’s need for personal space and occasionally travel separately while continuing to support one another and our children.

Work

I have been working at Dinolingo, a language-learning company, for more than 15 years, and I enjoy my work a little more each year.

Cancer

In late 2018, doctors discovered a large tumor in my stomach by chance. I underwent major surgery in 2019. Three years later, in 2022, another tumor appeared, and I had a second, smaller surgery. Since then, more than 30 additional tumors have developed in my mesentery. I have a very rare cancer called low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS). Doctors estimate that only 20–50 people worldwide may have this type of cancer affecting the abdomen. Read more.

Enjoying Life After Cancer

I do not know how much time I have left—maybe months, maybe years. I hope to live a healthy life and see my children grow up. I do not feel angry or afraid because of cancer. I believe everything happens for a reason.

I enjoy life deeply and believe that every day is a gift. A typical weekday for me includes a morning walk, a few hours of work, more walking, and spending time with my family. On many weekends, we leave the city as a family to enjoy nature or visit relatives and friends. We also try to travel abroad every summer. I have visited many countries and hope to see many more.

I enjoy cooking, watching sports and movies, and drinking hot coffee—and sometimes tea. I like photography and video recording, and I enjoy going to the spa. I enjoy listening to people with interesting life stories and meeting new people. While it becomes harder to make new friends as we get older, I still enjoy connecting with others. I also appreciate therapy—where someone is paid to listen to my nonsense 🙂

Living with cancer has definitely changed how I see life. I try to appreciate each day and not get upset over small things. I care less about what others think. I pray sometimes and reflect more on life after death. I see life as a game where we collect points before moving on.

My Goals

I focus only on short-term goals. These include continuing to work in a low-stress environment, spending time with family and friends, writing short stories, walking daily, singing more, organizing old photos and videos, helping people, animals, and the environment, and traveling whenever I can.

Traveling

I have traveled to many countries, numerous U.S. states, and dozens of cities across Türkiye. Every time I visit a new place, I feel like a beginner again. I get to learn new things, meet different people, and see the world from a new perspective. It reminds me how much there is still to discover. Travel makes me excited about life. It keeps me curious, open-minded, and always learning. I hope to keep traveling, exploring, and discovering new places for the rest of my life.

Countries I Have Been (39)

USA, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Mexico, Canada
Türkiye, Italy, -Vatican, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Ukraine
Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Poland
Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, England, Northern Ireland
Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway
Morocco, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, India, Nepal, Bahrain, Philippines

States I Have Been (20)

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Arizona, Massachusetts, Florida, Nevada, California, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Oregon.

Footprints

Ages 0-17: Gazcilar, Setbasi, Kemercesme. Gazcilar, Kasapoglu, Zafer, Kaplikaya
Ages 17-20 Kadirga, Kumkapi, Tarabya,
Ages 20-22 Kaplikaya, Gazcilar
Ages 22-25 Tarabya. Davutpasa, Mecidiyekoy,
Ages 25 – 34 Rochester, Batavia, H, Bklyn, Manhattan
Ages 34 – 41 M. Palm, J. Bay, P. Royal, Bram, T. Way
Ages 41 – ~ BPC, Pawling, Bronx

Articles

Life is a game, have fun

My intermittent fasting,

Our coop buying process, Sep 22, 2022

My Soft Tissue Sarcoma Tumor – LGFMS, September 19, 2022

Our Scandinavian trip, July 24 2022

My childhood

Tea Leaves – Film Script, 2004

Future Forecast

I am, we

Watching our lives

Gold Key Service Review (2016)