British expat Terry thought of moving to Turkey because it had what she wanted and needed to enjoy her early retirement. It's a decision she has not regretted. Here, she tells us what life is like for her as a foreigner in an area called Side, gives some tips on the cost of living and housing, and shares advice for those planning to live in Turkey.	Terry White

-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!

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

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!

www.mymerhaba.com

www.expatsofturkey.com

www.motifhomes.com: the only English / Turkish owned, licensed, independent estate agent in the Side / Belek area with the DAS Quality management certificate of approval.