-Where were you born?

South Africa, but I grew up in New Zealand.

-In which country and city are you living now?

Istanbul, Turkey.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I am living with friends.

-How long have you been living in Turkey?

1.5 years.

-What is your age?

25. 

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Turkey?

I was travelling through Turkey and stopped in Istanbul. I fell for the city instantly and decided to stay. 

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Residence permits are relatively easy to get, just expensive and a bit of bureaucracy to deal with.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No.

-How do you make your living in Turkey? Do you have any type of income generated?

I am working as a writer and editor for online Istanbul travel guide, http://www.myistanbulinfo.com, though before that I was teaching English and doing some freelance work editing. It is relatively easy to find a job here if you are a native English speaker; there are plenty of jobs going all the time; English language schools are always posting job offers on websites like Craigs List. 

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

I speak conversational Turkish... I have no problem getting by in everyday situations, though it is more difficult to have an intellectual conversation! Although most Turks speak English, I think it is important to learn some Turkish out of respect for the local culture. It also helps you understand Turkish culture better. 

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

Of course! But overall I am very happy in Istanbul. There is plenty to do in this mega-city; I love to take time to explore places I haven't been, or to revisit some of the most spectacular historical sites. Trying all the delicious Turkish food (especially the street food) is a major part of life in Istanbul- it's just too good! Istanbul is also a major cultural hub, with concerts, art galleries, museums and other artistic endeavours constantly on the go. 

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Not for now.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I am renting a room in a shared house. Rooms in my area, which is popular with both locals and expats, range from about 200 Euro - 400 Euro/month including bills. A 2 bedroom apartment averages about 500 Euro/month in my area.

-What is the cost of living in Turkey?

Higher than I anticipated. It really depends on where you live, and what you eat. It is possible to live cheaply here, but it takes a bit of research. 

-What do you think about the locals?

Turks are, on the whole, amazing people; very friendly and hospitable, especially towards foreigners. They will often go out of their way for you. 

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Turkey?

Positives: The food, people, landscape, way of life. 

Negatives: It can be chaotic and hectic at times, especially in Istanbul. The crazy drivers and uneven pavements also get to me! 

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Turkey?

Make the effort to really get to know the backstreets and little visited areas of Turkey; you'll find some true hidden gems.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Turkey?

I am the editor of online Istanbul guide, http://www.myistanbulinfo.com, which is a fantastic source of information designed for expats, travellers and locals in Istanbul. 

Craig's List (http://istanbul.tr.craigslist.com.tr) is also a popular site for finding accommodation, jobs and for trading.  

-Where were you born?

Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK

-In which country and city are you living now?

Fethiye, Turkey

-Are you living alone or with your family?

With my Turkish husband and 2 children

-How long have you been living in Turkey?

Nearly 3 years

-What is your age?

35

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Turkey?

We were married for 12 years and lived in Brighton, Australia and London, but after our daughter was born we decided we could give her a better childhood and have a better quality of life here.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

I am currently applying for citizenship but like all bureaucracy here it seems to take forever and the rules keep changing depending on the day and who you ask!

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

My husband and kids get insurance with his job, but as I am not a Turkish citizen I do not. When I had my second baby we paid privately which was expensive. Private insurance is also expensive.

-How do you make your living in Turkey? Do you have any type of income generated?

I am a registered nurse in the UK and hope to use my skills here at some point but at the moment my children are only 3 and 15 months so I care for them full time.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

I speak enough of the language to get by and to make conversation with the locals. I think it is really important to make an effort to speak the language both out of respect for the country you live in and also it makes life so much easier and allows you to integrate with the local community. Many Turkish people in this area speak some English due to the large number of ex pats and tourists in summer, but we live in a village in a very Turkish area and none of our neighbours speak English. There are a lot of expats who have been here for years and don't speak a word of Turkish but I think they miss out on a lot. Turkish people really appreciate it if you try and learn at least a bit. This part of Turkey is fairly liberal and used to westerners but of course there are still cultural differences and it is important to be aware of them and respect them.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Of course I miss my family but it is easy to keep in touch especially with the internet and I try and go back to the UK once a year and they come here at least once a year. I miss silly things about the UK like choice of food and shopping. To be honest however hard it has been to settle here I have never wanted to go back to the UK.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I hope to stay here and eventually return to work. It always takes time to settle into a new country and build a life there but I can't imagine uprooting again and moving anywhere else.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We bought our house early this year after renting for 2 years. It is a large 3 bedroom 2 bathroom detached villa with a 3rd floor attic that we willl eventually convert into a 4th bedroom. The garden is huge and we have lots of fruit trees ( lemon, fig, banana, plum, mandarin, olive, grapes) and free range chickens for eggs. It cost us 53000gbp which is incredibly cheap compared to the UK. Property prices are still cheap compared to the rest of Europe and you can rent a really nice apartment here from around 400 turkish lira per month (about 160 gbp).

-What is the cost of living in Turkey?

It varies, certain things are expensive like meat is more expensive than the UK and petrol is about the same. Imports tend to be expensive as are toiletries so I always stock up when I go home. Fresh fruit and vegetables are cheaper, labour is cheaper and hairdressers and beauty salons are much cheaper and really good. Overall it is more expensive to live here than I thought it would be. Wages are much lower and a lot of people struggle to make ends meet. Work is also often seasonal so winters are really hard. Things we consider normal are luxuries here and you get used to being less materialistic, but that is not such a bad thing!

-What do you think about the locals? 

The locals are generally very friendly, welcoming and hospitable. They are used to foreigners here more so than other parts of Turkey. I would say the major differences are they are much more inclined to interfere than in the UK and will quite happily tell you what to do or what you are doing wrong (in theır opinion!). They can also be quite pushy and think they are always right. Sometimes you have to be quite firm and stand your ground. The educational level is quite low here and you have to remember that many are not well travelled, well read or well educated. The small town mentality was difficult for me at first but you get used to it. They also believe in some really bizzare superstitions and old wives' tales! My friends and I have had many a laugh at some of the things we have been told!!

On a more serious note foreign women here are often easy prey for young Turkish men looking for a visa to the UK and/or financial gain. Some Turkish men view western women as rich, stupid and of easy virtue (although looking at the way many of them behave on holiday here who can blame them?). Most people however are genuinely warm and welcoming of foreigners and if you make an effort with them will make double the effort back.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Turkey?

Positive: beautiful weather -- long hot summers and short mild winters

gorgeous scenery, beaches, mountains, stunning sunsets

way of life much healthier, healthy diet, outside lifestyle

low crime rate. great place to bring up kids

much more family oriented

Negative: Bureaucracy is painfully slow and badly organised

Some things are still quite backward and have a long way to catch up with the rest of Europe

Health and safety doesn't exist

Traffic

General lack of common sense. Things seem to be made as complicated as possible on purpose and even the simplest task becomes a big event!!

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Turkey?

Keep an open mind, make an effort to learn the language and customs, make friends with both Turkish and other expats. (You will need like minded people you can speak to in your own language.) Be patient, try not to get stressed as it won't change anything, have a good sense of humour!!

-Where were you born?

Chelmsford, Essex, England

-In which country and city are you living now?

Turkey, Side, near Antalya

-Are you living alone or with your family?

Alone

-How long have you been living in Turkey?

3 years

-What is your age?

58

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Turkey?

Spent months in the UK looking for somewhere for early retirement. Looked at all the usual places such as Spain, France, Cyprus, etc., and in the end it came down to 3 important factors. Firstly property prices, secondly weather and thirdly proximity of airport with regular flights back to the UK should I need to get there in an emergency. Side has 300 days of sunshine a year, the airport is only a 45 minute drive away and property prices are still one of the cheapest in and around Europe. I saw it as an ideal investment opportunity especially when Turkey becomes a member of the EU as property prices will inevitably soar.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Of course if you are making regular trips back to your mother country you can just use the visa which is payable at the point of entry every 3 months. However if not then residents visas are very easy to obtain and are available for one, two, three or five years. If you intend having a landline telephone or want to buy a car then you must have a resident's visa first.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

Private medical insurance is readily available through several companies but it doesn't come cheap!

-How do you make your living in Turkey? Do you have any type of income generated?

Retired, so live off company pension, which is easy to do as cost of living is so low.

-Do you speak Turkish and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

Yes, it's important to learn the local language which after 3 years I am still struggling with. As Side is a holiday resort then most of the local people speak either English or German and whilst it is important to respect local customs these are very few and far between until you venture out into the villages.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Yes, of course I miss my son and daughter who live in the UK but they visit 2 or 3 times a year and we have regular telephone contact. Do I miss the UK? No, not at all and have only been back once in 3 years and on that visit it only confirmed why I wanted to leave in the first place. Quality of life is so much better here without the rat race and all the materialistic things that people in the UK seem so intent on.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

My main goal at the moment is to see much more of Turkey and just enjoy my early retirement.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I have bought a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom duplex property on a small development of only 6 homes (the other 5 being just holiday homes) with a communal garden and swimming pool within a 20 minute walk to the beaches and the Old Town. Restaurants and shops are within a 5 minute walk so the location is ideal. I paid £79,000 for this property 3 years ago so expect to pay about £90,000 for a comparable property now but it is a luxury property and included air conditioning throughout and all white goods including dishwasher in the kitchen. A 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment in this area would now cost from £50,000 upwards with a pool and expect to pay between £30 -40 per month for maintenance.

-What is the cost of living in Turkey?

I usually tell people that a couple can live comfortably on about £800 per month including all bills.

-What do you think about the Turk? 

The locals are superb and always ready to help and be prepared to spend many hours chatting over a cup of tea. In 3 years I have never heard anyone complain about foreigners living here and they really do welcome you with open arms. They are also very keen to learn English.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Turkey?

Positive aspects include quality of life, relaxed atmosphere, excellent weather, no air pollution, excellent transport links to other cities within Turkey and of course Antlaya International airport from where you can easily fly to any other destination. Cost of living and very friendly locals are another plus.

Negative aspects - this is a difficult one as I cannot really think of any. Small things really like shopping - whilst you can get most things here it takes a lot longer to find them than it would at home and sometimes involves a lot of travelling around to find exactly what you are looking for. (not a problem in the larger cities). One other thing that takes some getting used to because the people are so laid back is punctuality! Do not be suprised to find a tradesman turning up 6 hours later than the appointment time. Patience is the key!!

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Turkey?

1. Learn the language

2. Do not compare everything with how it is back home.

3. Keep an open mind

4. Research carefully before importing belongings from home into Turkey as the facts given on some websites are in fact not correct as regards what they will tax you on. It appears to depend on the day!

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Turkey?

www.mymerhaba.com

www.expatsofturkey.com

-Where were you born?

I was born in Melbourne, Australia.

-In which country and city are you living now?

I now live in the sprawling metropolis that is Istanbul.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my amazing husband and my little 6-month-old son, both of whom light up my life!

-How long have you been living in Turkey?

For 4 months this time (I have previously lived here for five months when I first met my husband).

-What is your age?

Just turned 28.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Turkey?

My husband is from Istanbul and all of his family live here. After living in Australia for 7 years, we decided that it was time to spend some time with his family and see how we liked living in Istanbul.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?

Let’s just say it was an experience! Not too hard, but a lot of waiting and going back and forth.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No, it was provided with my husband’s job.

-How do you make your living in Turkey? Do you have any type of income generated?

My husband is working while I look after our baby boy. He found the job once we arrived here. Man, it was a slow process! From the first interview to actually starting took about 5 weeks (and that was fast tracked as they needed someone as soon as possible!). There seemed to be lots of corporate jobs available that were advertised in English, but for most you need to know some Turkish as well. Popular jobs for expats here are English teaching and nannying. It definitely helps if you know someone here, so don’t be afraid to network! There are also a number of web sites with job listings – you could try yenibiris.com and kariyer.net.

-Do you speak Turkish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

My Turkish is at an intermediate level. While it’s not essential to know Turkish here, it makes life so much easier and enjoyable.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Yes! I miss my family and friends and their company and support. I also miss how easy it is to do things in Australia compared to here. Organising things such as connecting the internet seem to be much more complicated and involve a lot of messing around. I find I rely on my husband a lot with these sorts of things.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Just going with the flow at the moment, although I would love to start a small business once my son grows up a little.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We are renting an apartment at the moment, which I love. It is fairly old, but has gorgeous views of the Bosphorus and is in a friendly, tree-filled neighbourhood that is very close to the main business district but has a small village feel. The prices can vary immensely in Istanbul. Where we are living the prices range from a couple of hundred thousand YTL for a two-bedroom apartment to the tens of millions for a waterfront 'yali'.

-What is the cost of living in Turkey?

I would say that generally living in Istanbul costs more than you think! It really depends on the lifestyle you want. You can live cheaply, buying your food from the local ‘Pazar’ (weekly market) and living in the outer suburbs. But if you want to live in the more popular suburbs, where there is much more going on and you want to get out and do lots of things, drive a car, or go to places that are a little swish or ‘western’ then it can get ridiculously expensive (think 8YTL for a coffee).

-What do you think about the Turks?

In my experience the locals are very friendly, welcoming and helpful. They enjoy a good chat and you can meet many interesting people this way. The locals are one of the reasons I love Turkey (plus it helped that I married one!)

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Turkey?

Istanbul is full of contrasts. Parts of Istanbul are just seas of ugly concrete apartment buildings and dusty streets with few trees. The traffic is also terrible and ‘yabanci’ (foreigner) prices can be annoying (quite a few people ask crazy prices for things once they realize you are a foreigner). But then you see the beauty of Istanbul and experience the generosity of the locals and all is forgiven! I am still amazed every time I cross the Bosphorus bridge between the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. The water glistens, huge ships sail by and beautiful mosques and palaces line the shores. Istanbul can be a very exciting place to be!

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Turkey?

Dust off your negotiation skills and stock up on patience! Be open to people – they often don’t want anything more from you than a good chat!

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Turkey?

You can check out our experiences as we make a life in Istanbul and see lots of photographs of this beautiful and continually amazing city at www.apinkcanarysnest.blogspot.com

-Where were you born?
The Netherlands

-In which country and city are you living now?
Turkey, province MUGLA, region BODRUM, city BITEZ

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I now share a company house with a Russian colleague

-How long have you been living in Turkey?
I’ve been living in Turkey, in the region Bodrum for 6 months now.

-What is your age?
37 years

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Turkey?
In May 2006 I fell in love with the country, in June 2006 I fell in love with a man, in September 2006 the idea of living here began to grow and in December 2006 (the sixth time I was in Turkey that year) I knew I was coming to live here permanently.

To be quite honest with you, living in another country, warmer than Holland, was already on my mind at the age of 15. I did my study in tourism because that gave the most opportunities to live and work abroad, but I never left. Within my relationship with my ex-boyfriend, during 14 years, we looked at possibilities to move to Spain. I wanted it so much, but he was too scared to make the actual move.

The relationship ended 3 months after I came here, but I decided to stay for a while.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
I live here on a tourist visa. I have to renew that visa every 3 months. I use a daytrip to Kos for that matter, like everybody else who lives here does.

As soon as the company I work for is financially healthy we will reapply for a working permission and a residence.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
Whenever I need medical support, I have to pay in cash. My boss will support me on this matter, because he feels himself responsible. If something really serious should happen I have to go back to Holland.

-How do you make your living in Turkey? Do you have any type of income generated?
I already looked for a job here when I was still in Holland, but I could not find any. However, I came here on a Tuesday and I was working on the following Friday. I just asked people on the street and they always knew somebody or some place. I speak English, Dutch and German, so I was very wanted.

I did not like that job, so I looked on the internet for real estate agents. Called up. Had a little meeting and I had the job.

-Do you speak Turkish and do you think it's important to speak the local language? 
In Turkey it is not necessary to speak the language if you can speak English. But my personal opinion is different. The locals love it when you try to speak Turkish and they are willing to help you even more. I think when you are coming to a country to live and work you should adjust to that country. Speaking the language is the first you should do.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Sometimes I miss my family and friends, especially during the time my boyfriend and I broke up. I decided to stay in this country for a while. I am really not sure for what period. Time will tell, but in those days I missed my own people…somebody who understands you without telling it all.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
I will stay in Turkey for this winter. What I am going to do after that period, I really don’t know yet. I will not return to Holland, but maybe I will go to Greece or Spain or even South America.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
When I came to Turkey my boyfriend and I rented a house. As soon as we broke up my boss offered for me to live in a company house, because renting a house here is very expensive. For example: I have a base salary of 1000 YTL a month (and that is quite good for this region, most people who work in tourism have 500 or 600 YTL per month).

The house we rented was a 3-bedroom house and it cost 600 YTL, with furniture, without electricity, gas or water. One-bedroom apartments in Bodrum start from 500 YTL.

The peninsula is very expensive. When you would rent for example in Izmir, Ankara or Istanbul you can get an apartment from 250 YTL.

-What is the cost of living in Turkey?
The cost of living on the Peninsula is very high. Coffee in a restaurant is approx 6 YTL (3.75 euro). The groceries are approx 25% cheaper than in Holland, but some things are very expensive: meat, fish, etc.

-What do you think about the Turks?
They see foreign women as very stupid species. We think too much with our heart. In this region there are very many Kurdish boys/men working. They are after the foreign woman for the security of their future, financial-wise.

Also the foreign women have a mouth that is too big for this country. The men are the boss.

Human rights are not well known. Promises are made, but never kept. Jealousy, curiosity, gossip and dishonesty are normal here. They laugh in the face but stab a knife in your back.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Turkey?
See all the comments I made already.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Turkey?
In general I would like to advise everybody who is planning to live in a different country or area in their own country to read a lot about that region. For example books about history, news items (from today but also from the past). Try to talk with as much people as you can that come originally from that country about living and the differences between your countries.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Turkey?
www.allaboutturkey.com (all kinds of information about tourism, culture, etc.)

www.mylifeinturkey.web-log.nl (my own log in Dutch about ME living in Turkey)

-Where were you born?
Ohio, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?
İ am living on the Asian side of Turkey, in Bandirma.

-Are you living alone or with your family?
İ live with my boyfriend.

-How long have you been living in Turkey?
İ came first in Feb 2007, stayed 3 months and came back a month ago in Sept.

-What is your age?
33

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Turkey?
İ haven't made up my mind to live here year around. For now İ will stay until visa is up and just keep coming back.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Each time İ come İ just get a tourist visa for a 3-month period and it's very easy: just pay 20 bucks at the airport.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
İ don't have insurance.

-How do you make your living in Turkey? Do you have any type of income generated?
İ do not work. İ have money saved from the sale of my house in the US. İf İ decide to stay here İ would like to teach Pilates.

-Do you speak Turkish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
İt is very important to learn the language especially if you live in a smaller city as İ do. My boyfriend is a Turk and teaches me the basics but İ would like to find a real teacher so İ can learn faster.

The only things as far as customs that İ can think of are always take your shoes off before you enter a home. İf someone offers you food at least try it. Also in the US sometimes when we're at a table and we want another to not say something or we want their attention we nudge them under the table with our foot. Never ever do that here; it is considered disrespectful.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
İ miss my family and being able to easily communicate. İ love walking by the sea and one thing İ think that is great here is that the parks have exercise equipment. Also the thermal spas are awesome.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
İf İ decide to stay and can find a market for Pilates in Bandirma İ might open a studio.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Boyfriend owns the building we live in. İ believe the tenants pay somewhere around 300 a month. Our apartment has 2 living areas; one is formal. A library, 1 bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and a balcony. We have friends who have a 2-bedroom place with a huge living room, kitchen, bathroom, and balcony overlooking the sea and they pay 250 a month.

-What is the cost of living in Turkey?
Considering İ lived in Philadelphia for the past 12 years it is very cheap to live here. Though most of the people İ have met only get paid monthly and not more than 400 a month.

-What do you think about the Turks?
Most are very friendly and helpful. İ get stared at whenever İ go walking but again İ am in a very small city. Also there are a couple of women who work at the grocer's who will not speak to me or even look at me that İ try to avoid. When İ first came here we visited friends for dinner and the daughter said İ hate Americans but İ like her. İ get a warmer response from those in İstanbul though İ have found when the Turkish find out İ am native American they are a whole lot friendlier.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Turkey?
Positive: it is absolutely beautiful here and there is always something to do.

Negative is İ dont speak Turkish very well yet.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Turkey?
Learn Turkish quickly!

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Turkey?

-