Leaving her home in Holland for warmer climates led this Dutch expat, who calls herself The Rose, to Bitez, Turkey. She tells us how she came to move to Turkey, the steps she took to get a job, her likes and dislikes about living in Turkey. Her advice to would-be expats? Learn the language and do your research. It's what she did.	The Rose

-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)