What do you like about Turkey? Do you like Turkey?
This is the type of question you can anticipate and one of particular interest to Turkish people. I often have the impression that they are genuinely interested in your answer and are not just asking out of politeness. I usually say, “"Türkiye çok güzel" (Turkey is very beautiful), or something like that and I really mean it.
People who think that Turkey only consists of beaches, head coverings and semi-desert are displaying their ignorance of the country. I am not going to tell you about the exceptionally beautiful natural landscape and cultural treasures - although there are more than you might imagine! – but I will explain the many other reasons I love Turkey.
There are many aspects of Turkish life, which are unknown or rare in Austria. I do not only mean the numerous small corner shops, the many forgotten professions, lanes teeming with craftsmen, and vibrant weekly markets.
I am also thinking of the warmth (not temperature) of hospitality and the time which people have for one another.
If you come from an egocentric and individualistic society in central Europe as I do, a lot of things in Turkey will seem almost unreal.
What we Westerners find difficult – arranging a time for a group activity, for example – is easy in Turkey. Doing something with a group of people is far more straightforward there and can be arranged without too much fuss. Turkish people enjoy one another’s company and take pleasure in small things. Spending time with friends is a priority.
Turkish children playing with a simple “toy” in a back street seem to have more fun than our kids who can go to the most high-tech adventure playgrounds.
Do you need to look in on an acquaintance? In Turkey there is no need to make a prior arrangement. And it’s no problem if you bring a friend along. They will be made just as welcome as you are! If you consider time and attention to be among the greatest gifts people can give one another, you will be richly rewarded in Turkey!
In rural Anatolia, especially, people are refreshingly down to earth, modest and not conceited. Even though Turkish people do pursue money and possessions, as we do, and you hear the word “para” (money) quite frequently, to me people seem less driven by materialism. And there are many other things, which impress me.
Parents and older people are respected and honoured. The elderly and the handicapped are not so marginalized in society and are more integrated in normal life than they are in Austria.
You might claim that the impressive way families and extended families hold together, and several generations live and work together, is necessitated by economic factors, or other reasons. This may well be true.
However, it also shows that our prosperity (or unbridled capitalism) does not mean that everything is better; and it can actually be destructive.
Do you look forward to getting mail? To be honest I don’t because 98% is not personal mail with news from friends (maybe I spend too little time developing friendships!), but junk mail telling me about the products, which will make my life complete, if only I had them.
How different it is when the postman does his rounds in Ortahisar. Just imagine, there are no advertising flyers and the postman only delivers personal mail!
How often to you do you meet a friend or acquaintance in the street, who not only takes the trouble to stop and chat, but also invites you for a cup of tea? Not very often, I expect.
Even if we did have the inclination, we probably would not have the time. There are many more things which I admire about Turkey. Naturally enough, there are some things I do not like. I’ll say more about those later on.
This is the type of question you can anticipate and one of particular interest to Turkish people. I often have the impression that they are genuinely interested in your answer and are not just asking out of politeness. I usually say, “"Türkiye çok güzel" (Turkey is very beautiful), or something like that and I really mean it.
People who think that Turkey only consists of beaches, head coverings and semi-desert are displaying their ignorance of the country. I am not going to tell you about the exceptionally beautiful natural landscape and cultural treasures - although there are more than you might imagine! – but I will explain the many other reasons I love Turkey.
There are many aspects of Turkish life, which are unknown or rare in Austria. I do not only mean the numerous small corner shops, the many forgotten professions, lanes teeming with craftsmen, and vibrant weekly markets.
I am also thinking of the warmth (not temperature) of hospitality and the time which people have for one another.
If you come from an egocentric and individualistic society in central Europe as I do, a lot of things in Turkey will seem almost unreal.
What we Westerners find difficult – arranging a time for a group activity, for example – is easy in Turkey. Doing something with a group of people is far more straightforward there and can be arranged without too much fuss. Turkish people enjoy one another’s company and take pleasure in small things. Spending time with friends is a priority.
Turkish children playing with a simple “toy” in a back street seem to have more fun than our kids who can go to the most high-tech adventure playgrounds.
Do you need to look in on an acquaintance? In Turkey there is no need to make a prior arrangement. And it’s no problem if you bring a friend along. They will be made just as welcome as you are! If you consider time and attention to be among the greatest gifts people can give one another, you will be richly rewarded in Turkey!
In rural Anatolia, especially, people are refreshingly down to earth, modest and not conceited. Even though Turkish people do pursue money and possessions, as we do, and you hear the word “para” (money) quite frequently, to me people seem less driven by materialism. And there are many other things, which impress me.
Parents and older people are respected and honoured. The elderly and the handicapped are not so marginalized in society and are more integrated in normal life than they are in Austria.
You might claim that the impressive way families and extended families hold together, and several generations live and work together, is necessitated by economic factors, or other reasons. This may well be true.
However, it also shows that our prosperity (or unbridled capitalism) does not mean that everything is better; and it can actually be destructive.
Do you look forward to getting mail? To be honest I don’t because 98% is not personal mail with news from friends (maybe I spend too little time developing friendships!), but junk mail telling me about the products, which will make my life complete, if only I had them.
How different it is when the postman does his rounds in Ortahisar. Just imagine, there are no advertising flyers and the postman only delivers personal mail!
How often to you do you meet a friend or acquaintance in the street, who not only takes the trouble to stop and chat, but also invites you for a cup of tea? Not very often, I expect.
Even if we did have the inclination, we probably would not have the time. There are many more things which I admire about Turkey. Naturally enough, there are some things I do not like. I’ll say more about those later on.
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