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Yes - living in Turkey has greatly altered how I live!!! I don't smile or laugh very often as there aren't many opportunities in which to donso. My son has been cornered by 40 odd classmates who ripped off his pants and tried to cut his p***s to make him muslim. The past 5 days all I hear is yalla bismilah allah u akbar by hundreds of men camped at the cami across from my house. And yes one of them spit on my and called my a w***e c**t as I made my way to the dolmus to go to work- ahhhh yes I am definitely learning about a new culture here in Istanbul!!

What the??! Which part of Istanbul are you living in? It's awful! That's NOT the Istanbul that I know!

I'm a kind of person that really cherish relationship than any other things. But for the past 4 years that have been living in Turkey, I have realised that turkish people are not to be relied on. They use you when they need you and dump you when you are no more relevant to them. They are so emotional! I came from a country that cherish moral ethics as part of the culture but here in Turkey, reverse is the case.

I am really trying to adapt but I think they're far behind.

The life I imagine ianot the1 I am living here, I was hoping to find a job and do something with my  life but everyone cant give me a job because am black, yes turkey is nice and yes its beautiful but iiisssh the people are as bad as hell, they can pretend just to use you and I dont have friends because I cant tolerate rubbish.

my husband is turkish and we have a son .. as cute and lovely as he is  everybody thinks he is a toy.hugging and kissing him.am like ok if you do this and you are ok with it imagine me a BLACK woman kissing you child. Turkish people are more Racist and full of Judgement. Esp the old ones isshhhhh.

* The doner is gud tho.

I am so sorry to hear  that the thing is if your not turkish your not good enough.  I see on the street how turkish girls wear.. and no 1 says nothing if any one who isnt turkish wears same .. your a whore cmon seriously this country is just full of BS

Yes musmusmus

Most are so rascist- my son is a cinamon boy and has had the most awful things said to him- he has been called a slave, s**t, dirty and many other sentiments. Of course I meet wonderful people but Istanbul is huge so statistically speaking there should be some good people amongst the 25000000 - this is just basic math

I wish that the majority of turkish people had a basic education- what the hell do they do in school all day- why are they so selfish and introverted and full of jealousy and hatred? I have lived in many countries and therr is some strange phenomenon here.

peace to all my fellow yabancis

HI DEAR
since i live in Istanbul i had been  in very good relation with all people in -اİstanbul büyük ve güzel bir şehir-
when i see the implacable people  act a bombardment  and archery in this   nice city   i want to cry because this city is cloudy and  nice andit belongs to all people in the world its my and your Istanbul with warm and nice girls and boy and all people s like each other you can see in his faces after a hard work in metro -subway-  in the evening  and when they see his brother that bleeding by brutal and barbaric  acting in ATATURK  airport -HAVALIMAN- and in the Taxim square when the coup army shoot him tearful faces     
we want to tell to terrorist:
GO BACK TO YOUR RUINED HOME ITS MY BEAUTIFUL CITY
ITS MY BEN GUZEL BIR SEHIR ISTANBUL


güle güle

Guys,

Just to remind everyone, this thread is about Culture and Customs and how they affect your life.

I do understand people can go through unpleasant experiences, but try to keep the thread focused on the change and adaptability of your life style while avoiding the obvious exaggerations.

Enjoy
Z

What is culture- is it not an ever changing expression of human behaviours and understandings to our living experience, demarked by individual and collective experiences- therefore my posts express the cultural phenomena by which I currently experience Iignorgtanbul (from trying to get on a metrobus at zincirli between 5pm-8pm when all sense of manors are abandoned - this is culture- to being spit on and called a yabanci w***e whilst i try to get on a dolmus in buyukcekmce- also culture

or shall we limit discussions of culture to food and books (both highly edited)

If we edit our foreigners' experiences of istanbul culture I believe we are complicit in creating a false understanding

Clearly there are aspects to Istanbul that keep me here but there are multiple and intersecting cultural challenges that are not merely difficult to swallow- they are disgusting, loathesome and abohhernt to how I envision the world- how best to adapt to ignorant and rascist culture???

Rightly said, we can't shy away from the truth. I have been to other countries and know what culture is all about. It's difficult to express or talk about culture that disrespect other race or nationalties, Or culture that is mixed with unpractise-claimed-religion. I am only interested in the weather and historical places of this land. About the culture......Olmaz!

Hello everyone,

@ Sheelz, sorry to hear about your bad experience ( which may also be the case of many others). It is indeed sad you came across some ill-intentioned people, however, they should not be taken as example to depict a whole culture. We need to avoid any kind of generalisation as while there are some people who fit this idea, it doesn't mean all of them do.

Maybe on a more informative note could you please share your good experience on the following questions :

Priscilla wrote:

Have you embraced local customs since you've lived in Turkey? If so, which one(s)?

Did local customs change the way you see things, appreciate life or organize your daily routines? As far as the language is concerned, did you learn new expressions or words and do you use them?

What do you like most about the lifestyle in your host country? Are there any local specificities you are still struggling with?

It will be very much appreciated,
Bhavna

Once I moved my neighbour came 4 times a day giving me food which Idont understand living bread on my door. She asked me if in africa we have enough food and electricity and if I knew how to use a phone and that I should rmember to open my windows everyday.

I was speechles and angry of course am black I am not poor, the first  impression when I walk across agroup of women who have nothing to do is  oooh bak bak bak yabanci.and it doesnt stop.i wish I would say good stuff but the bad is over weighing them. But my husband is a great turkish man so  LIFE GOES ON.

Hi... Going here at turkey is a fate in god... because i really dont know what will happen to me.. i came here in turkey last may 10, 2015.. to work as a caregiver of a baby... my mind is blank when i came here because all is first for me... first to met my employer... its too difficult i dont know how they are different in manners.... very sensitive  very observant and meticulous... in 3 months i just eat egg because my tongue taste is adjusting... from 62 kgs. To 53 kgs.. the weather .. the culture all are different... but now...i love the foods...its too delicious.. and my favorite is manti and yogurt...the people are nice...and family oriented... just always put god in your heart and you can do everything...

Hi, Good morning

I am from Egypt and I have been all over the world on business or Touristic basis.

Actually I had a long experience with Turkey as a Tourist around five times before all was beautiful.

BUT I realized that coming to work in Turkey is totally different. Dealing with your boss is not easy. You start to do one compromise after the other.

Turkey have nice places to go out, Very clean streets and good transportation channel.

Still there are disadvantages and advantages as in any place in the world.

Perhaps learn basic turkish and try to talk to them.

Turks love when we try hard to speak their language.

I got used to be called yabanci.

I give sweets to elderly turks and they love it.

Kindness begets kindness

Definately it depends on which municipility youre living in.

Awesome thats great to hear.Hope you'll find a good husband here too:)

Turkey is an amazing place to live in.

I think you are generalising about the turks been not reliable people.

I think in fact everyone in the world though, it depends on your upbringing and your environment and friends you keep in touch with.

Live by the motto, expect nothing, appreciate everything and your life will be full of bliss.

Stay Happy.

Thats is sad to hear, which part of turkey are you living in?

Ruhaya, I love your positive attitude! keep it up girl!