3 replies to this topic

[sunny]

A SEASIDE VIEW - DİDİM
Saturday, March 29, 2008


Foreign branch takes root

An often quoted line is “From small acorns, can great oaks grow.” While most resorts slumber in their winter retreats, Didim has generally kept busy thanks to its active foreign legion looking for greater cooperation with the indigenous community


http://www.turkishda...?enewsid=100324

[lozengelegend]

Unfortunately, Didim's foreign residents haven't felt that their efforts have been reciprocated. This week we lost the "Mahalle Reps", a group of volunteers representing locally-based expats and helping them with issues, very much like a consulate or a Turkish Kaymakam. This group were invited to form early last year by Didim's mayor, Mumin Kamaci, but disbanded this week through sheer exasperation! And what a shame - a group of motivated and dedicated people giving up because of the lack of support from and traction with the very local authorities who invited them to set up in the first place.

http://www.turkishda...?enewsid=109604

I understand that Didim's British population is more than that of Bodrum, which has an Honorary Consul that offers basic services like Passport renewal. Unfortunately not enough of Didim's British residents have declared to the Consul that they are actually here so the official numbers show otherwise - which means we will have to continue to trek to Bodrum or Izmir to carry out our official business.

[Ken]

A lot like my business experiences here, again and again. At first it's all smiles, handshakes, and pats on the back. Then I do my part of our agreement, and the other person doesn't do theirs. Lots of talk, but no action.

[lozengelegend]

It's a shame - but I've found that the philosophy here is often "think of today, not of tomorrow". So investment in something that doesn't immediately bring a tangible result tends to fall by the wayside. Hence the pension adverts running at the moment with the middle-aged men in superhero lycra suits cleaning windows or selling doner kebabs - in our youth we did heroics, not pensions, and now we regret it!