# Reasons to live (or not to live) in Turkey



## istcan

To Live :
Youthful energy is everywhere
Dynamic country, things get done here
People are eager to learn and improve themselves
You can find many people who care about you genuinely
Extremely strong family bonds
Very strong friendship bonds
Living in Turkey is an art, not a science. You will be happy if you know what to do as well as what not to do
People are hardworking
People are helpful
People are -extremely- helpful is you are sincere and respectful
System rewards hard work, reasonable taxes, flexable labor law etc
Little or none inheritence tax
Wonderful weather
Wonderful geography
Four seasons 
Easy access to over 50 countries by a 5 hour flight
Live Asia as well as Europe. This is euroasia.
Istanbul offers good shopping, many restaurants and 24x7 nightlife
Istanbul offers enormous cultural events, 
Istanbul is cosmopolitan
Private health care is better than in most developed countries
Private schools are better than in most developed countries
Turkish private sector is highly efficient and competitive
Rule of law plus WTO, NATO, G20, OECD memberships
Istanbul has little street crime, be smart and you should be safe
Southern Turkey is gorgeous
Turkish food is wonderful
Turkish society is outward looking, you will easily be accepted as a member/citizen
Citizenship is possible if you live more than five years
Bosphorus is gorgeous
The cost of living is quite reasonable
Turkey will be much stronger, economically developed 30 years later
Turks like to have fun
Turkey is intensely colorful (not boring at all)
Turkey is culturally non-homogenous (can be VERY interesting)
Paradise for archeology and history lovers
Turkish can be learned in one full year, if serious effort is put in 

Not to Live :
Islamification
Ruling party killed free press and freedom of political expression
Traffic can be dangerous, defensive driving is a must
Traffic jams can be overwhelming in big cities
People go nuts in traffic, they get rude and sometimes hostile
No sufficient green spaces and parks in cities
Cities are not properly planned and look like piles of concrete
Living in Turkey is an art, not a science. You will be unhappy if you do not know what to avoid.
Public health care is worse than all developed countries
Public education is worse than all developed countries
Not much professionalism on street level
The legal system works a bit slow
There is risk of ethnic terrorism
There is a certain lack of aesthetics in some aspects of life
Turkey will be more authoritarian 30 years later
Expect to wake up during the early morning prayer (especially if close to mosque)
Lots of stray dogs and cats everywhere
Conservative men of Turkey can not take women as their equal
In winter almost everywhere is muddy, no chance to walk with nice clothes
Lots and lots of construction everywhere, especially in Istanbul
Government (local and national) is corrupted
Turkey is intensely colorful (it has not so nice colors as well)
Turkey is culturally non-homogenous (can be tiring to deal with others)
Auto and fuel taxes are extremely high
Many people smoke (indoors smoking is forbidden)
Turkish people eat wrong (too much bread and sugary foods) and exercise little

note : written with honest and good will : no propaganda or smearing.


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## chamomile

As a Turkish I have been thinking about exactly the same points to decide to go back or not after finishing my PhD, and it is a hard decision :S


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## istcan

chamomile said:


> As a Turkish I have been thinking about exactly the same points to decide to go back or not after finishing my PhD, and it is a hard decision :S


Yes, hard to decide. Turkey is getting more Islamic by the day as the secular system is being dismantled. On the other hand conservative people are getting more open minded. Add in the ethnic tensions and maybe you can try to figure things out with your degree.

I do hope that the sudden revival of the US oil industry (shale extraction) will change their foreign policy and Middle East will lose its importance. That should change many things for positive.


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## t&a

Actually Turkey is a wonderful place to live and i can advice everybody to live in Turkey. 

Everything is very cheap and standarts are going up day by day.

we are going to live in Turkey with my partner as soon as we got married in the uk.


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## efzun

the first message is rıght about turkey .


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## confused2012

I would agree with every point made for and against

But on a 'personal' level...speaking as an EU citizen living in Turkey in hindsight I am sorry I never created my reasons 'not to live' list... oh so blinded by love! hehehe


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## hercules143

According to me,Turkey is essentially an Islamic country, Islam plays an important role in the lives of women.
A package called "Democratization of the family" is a new law preposition awaiting parliamentary discussion and enactment and it will include changes in the position of women, some of which are as follows:

* The cancellation of former obligatory permission from their husbands for women to work.
* Equality in the case of adultery.
* In the case of divorce, equality in the sharing of belongings which were acquired after marriage.
That's why i want to live in Turkey.


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## efzun

hercules143 said:


> According to me,Turkey is essentially an Islamic country, Islam plays an important role in the lives of women.
> A package called "Democratization of the family" is a new law preposition awaiting parliamentary discussion and enactment and it will include changes in the position of women, some of which are as follows:
> 
> * The cancellation of former obligatory permission from their husbands for women to work.
> * Equality in the case of adultery.
> * In the case of divorce, equality in the sharing of belongings which were acquired after marriage.
> That's why i want to live in Turkey.


yes turkey ıs an ıslamıc country but as you saıd ıt doesnt so much ımpact on peoples life. you are wrong . ı thınk you have never been to turkey before . turkey ıs a more modern country than the other ıslamıc countrıes and alot of people are actıve ın work


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## Ozsubasi

Any list such as this is subjective. The people I know who are (like me) happy to be living in Turkey accept it as it is, and for us the positives far outweigh the negatives. Those I know who are not happy are always wanting things to be done the way they were "back home".


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## Schweizer

Traffic:
Driving on the high way in a taxi in Istanbul. 4 lanes each side. All of a sudden, traffic is comig towards us on our 4 lanes. For repair work they need to close one side, so they shiftet traffic to the other side, with no warning on our side from upcoming traffic...
Anywhere else this would be mass killing. In Turkey it seems you expect the unexpected


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## Ozsubasi

Schweizer said:


> Traffic:
> Driving on the high way in a taxi in Istanbul. 4 lanes each side. All of a sudden, traffic is comig towards us on our 4 lanes. For repair work they need to close one side, so they shiftet traffic to the other side, with no warning on our side from upcoming traffic...
> Anywhere else this would be mass killing. In Turkey it seems you expect the unexpected


That happens here as well But also the rubbish bins get emptied several times a day, the shops are open when you need them to be, and things are not hampered by over zealous health and safety regulations.
To me it is like a throwback to an earlier time when things were simpler and that is what I love about it. Sometimes it is so bad it is good


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## Schweizer

Ozsubasi said:


> To me it is like a throwback to an earlier time when things were simpler and that is what I love about it. Sometimes it is so bad it is good


Well, the first time I have been in Turkey, was back 1992 by boat, then when each boat arrival was something special and not a menace.

Back then, I had to write an written expose why we wanna visit Turkey, turning out in a two hours "battle" in a bar with loads of "Chay", the whole (male) village at present to help us to describe to military commander why we want to enter Turkey.

After visiting the doctor to confirm our health, our confirmation that we did not dispose any death body at sea, that we are free of the plague, cholera or any other diseases, that we have no rats on board (but we got one then in Canakkale) we where clear to land.

I think we where the first Western Sailingboat in the south of Marama Sea. When we drop anchor at a village, the village eldest where already gathered ashore, welcoming us in front of the whole town. We often where invited for a dinner to tell our whereabouts and headings. I know now, how Columbus must have felt, back then...

I never ever being more welcomed anywhere in the world then as in Turkey :clap2:

Or, looking for a rubber seal for my engine in Izmir. First shop did not have the right size. He ask me to sit down and drink chay, then he pulled the ear of his sun, gave him my sample and told him to run around in town to find for me (!) this O-ring. Meanwhile we just sit there and got one chay by the next served. What a tread!!

The only snake in this paradise was the fact, that we could only stay for two month in a row and always had to leave the country for at least one day.


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## Ozsubasi

I could recount many stories of the friendliness that has been shown to us here, the small kindnesses that are becoming unknown in the busy developed world. I wrote of one in my blog.
We are the foreigners here, and although of course there are some who look to exploit that, the majority of both Turkish and Kurdish people we have come to know will fall over themselves to try to help. Show them respect, learn a few words and you will become as family.
The story above of the O-ring is a good example, and I have experienced many variations of it. If you embrace these people you will get back far more than you give out.
Sharing and helping is part of the culture, so that if e.g. you are offered food or drink then please accept it because it is given openly and they can be upset if you refuse.
When we first came here and I started to work in this office, I would have at breakfast at home with my wife. It is routine here that an employer will provide food during the day, but I didn't know that. After a few days of politely declining to share breakfast with everyone else, I was quietly taken to one side and it was explained to me that the boss was hurt that I did not want the food he provided. 
Thereafter I sat down with everyone else, and eating is very much a shared experience.
Newspaper on the table (very practical) and then communal bowls and plates of whatever is available. No individual plates, just dig in and eat together. Everyone is equal at meal times, though you can expect to be treated like an honored guest and if you are rather shy (as I was) it will not last long because you will be drawn in and made to feel welcome.


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## Bounty Hunter

I think living in Turkey is what you make of it, not what you expect it to be. The first time I visited Turkey I thought it was a strange place with a hint of throw back involved. I enjoyed the good conversation and even started to learn it on my own. I bought a Tarkan CD (even though I did not know the language) and played it whioe driving around because it reminded me of being back in Turkey. I have since moved there 2002 and met my Turksih wife who I adore without question. We lived in Adana for 2 1/2 years and then moved to Izmir and spent another 2 1/2 years. I own land in Adana and Mersin and when I am done with this job, that is where my empire will be built. I totally understand a handshake deal over chay and often wonder "what would happen to the world if we all went back to those days?"

I understand about the traffic but learned how to drive in France and spent some years in Taiwan so my driving skills (offensive and defensive) are absolutly without reproach.


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## Ozsubasi

Bounty Hunter said:


> I think living in Turkey is what you make of it, not what you expect it to be.


I agree with this statement and with the rest of your post in general. However, one problem is that while deals are made and honored between Turkish people on a handshake, that is not always the case when one of the parties is not Turkish.
The system relies on a network of family and friends which ensures that non-compliance will upset others. But if you are not part of that network then there is no recourse.
Having been here for a few years we have many Turkish connections and that has built up by demonstrating our willingness to be part of the way of life. What I am suggesting is that to be accepted and to have help offered when you need it means that first you have to earn respect by making an effort to fit in. 
Accept things as they are, accept that Turkey is moving forward but that it has its own identity and its own agenda, and you will enjoy life here and find that help is available and given freely when you may need it most.


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## penandpaper

i am thinking of moving to turkey maybe in the next 2 years. i am from Philippines and does not know where to start.


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## Ozsubasi

penandpaper said:


> i am thinking of moving to turkey maybe in the next 2 years. i am from Philippines and does not know where to start.


Laws change and if you are not thinking about doing it for two years, I would recommend that you wait until nearer the time and see what the situation is then.
Having said that, this thread is about reasons to live in Turkey rather than how you would go about it, which I think (please correct me if I am wrong) you are asking about.


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