68 replies to this topic

[Debbie]

........Yes we shall go over after the kids go back to school....... I have been checking some flights out and the cheapest I found (can't remember airline, but that doesn't matter for me) was about £85 to £100 one way or course this was to travel around the 14th sept or after......... I'll keep looking but like I said won't be booking anything until everyone has signed on the dotted line.......

I can imagine your looking forward to getting back benh, it can be a very stressful/Depressing time I think when your so used to being active to suddenly not be able to get out and do anything......... My aunt had a hip replacement about 5yrs ago and about 2 months ago dislocated it, she was stuck in Hospital for a week then when she came home was told she obviously couldn't drive, she was totally reliant on everyone to run her about every where, she is someone that goes somewhere every day, she is a member of a walking group she swims 2-3 times a week, she goes to writing class and with all these classes and friend she has is always having trips and weekends away.......... in the space of those first couple of weeks she was so depressed she was talking about suicide for gods sake.... my mum was really worried...... I kept reassuring her as soon as she had her wheels again she would be ok........ and she is, she says life at the moment is wonderful...................

[benhalterci]

Yes, injuries are all the more stressful if you have been very active before. It'll be a long time till I can walk without a limp though and I'm not very happy about one of the toes that was opped.
As for staying here for 9 weeks, I have had a lot of writing to do. I had a project which I finished and am now sending off (before the postal strike) and also a weekly fitness column I write to keep me busy so I had plenty to do but it was all sitting down.
I was able to get a good night's sleep here and it is much cooler than TR so that enabled me to concentrate on my writing.
Re flights; I book a return flight and then if I need to change the return leg, pay the £50 penalty to do so. Those flights where you can change the return leg (for a penalty) are dearer than the ones where you can't change the date but I need it like that.
As things stand I have booked my flight to return here on December 20th but I don't know if I'll have to come back here before then. If I don't have a good reason to, then I won't.

[Yazz]

Yazz, yes you are right but I booked months ahead for my August flight and it didn't make any difference since that is the PEAK season.

True, they hold different peak seasons than ours...

[sofie]

I am currently living in Melbourne, but travel to Turkey every few years as i am Turkish in origin. Nearly everytime i come back from my vacation, i go through a phase of depression. Its so quite here in Melbourne! When its 9pm and you see someone walking down the street, its like 'what the hell is he doing out at this time!?'
There are downsides to Turkey too.. The traffic is maddd!! i literally got yelled at for stopping at the red lights and people were being rude and pussing in when i went to the local bank Never mind the shop owners at Kemeralti (Izmir) who just knew you were foreigners and wouldn't let you go until you purchased something double the price!
Oh well, i think it is a beautiful country to visit, but not to live in

Edited by sofie, 29 March 2010 - 08:41 AM.

[Debbie]

I felt quite nauseated reading over my old posts..... what we would do with hindsight eh

[sunny]

I bet most of us would have done things in our lives differently with the benefit of hindsight! How many times have we all said, ''If only...............''?

[cetin33]

Hi all,

As a Turkish person who lives in UK, i find funny to read your thoughts, I must say; i have been living in UK 8 years now and i am British Citizen too. You all look very happy there and get used to Turkis culture, i must say i am missing nice weather, fresh food, smell the see but i don't think i am missing the culture, we can be very friendly sometimes over friendly, your neigbours know what u had lunch or dinner they want to know everything about you, I hated when you go bank or take the bus people not waiting the quie. I hated people who dosen't wait when traffic lights is RED, I hated people don't care about rules. I hated when you go shopping someone always follows you and recomending things ( i used to say Do you think i am blinde or i have no brain to know what i shold buy for my self), I hated no price tags and when i asked they used to say we got two tarrifs one is for local and one for turist, thats made me mad...

I think it was easy for me to get use to live UK i thought if i have to stay here, i have to live like them. I think you would find that diffuculte to adapt Turkish Culture.

Well i hope you all enjoying beening in Turkey...

Edited by cetin33, 29 March 2010 - 02:43 PM.

[Abi]

Your post may me laugh Cetin, yes, it drives me mad when I go to the bank and what should take 5 minutes turns into half and hour because people keep asking the people sorting out my business questions, but even though I get a cup of coffee I'd rather be with dealt with quickly and not have the constant interuptions.

Turkish people do seem to need to know all your business, not sure why, one of the good things about not speaking a lot of Turkish is that people can't ask me anything and if they ask my husband to ask me he tells them it's considered very rude to ask personal questions if a person is British even if they are family, so that usually puts an end to the questions.

But all in all I have to say that I am happier living here than in the UK.

[LiLi]

I agree with all your observations. I've been affected by life in Turkey too. I've slowed down and become more laid back about details and disorganization. My mantra about living here is that if you want to be happy you have to be "patient, positive and flexible."

Also when I go back to the States I always want to say "Kolay gelsin" to all the folks who are doing a job. I'm sorry we don't have such nice expressions like that, or "Elinize saglik" for the person who's made a delicious meal.

[cetin33]

Hi Abi,

Well that is true pretending you can't speak Turkish but i can't do that even blinde person would know i am Turkish, it's funny in England i can easly tell person who is from turkey; specialy women :-) Dark skin and half bloond hair

I thing we are lucky contry to have people who is European, i think there is alot of thing changed and We learn alot from them. Last year i went to Turkey for 6 weeks and didn't want to see any of my family (i got over 130 first cousins lol and haven't meet some of them yet, sometimes a stranger send me invitetion on facebook and telling me he is my cousins :-) and i decided to stay in Kemer. The hotel was great, very nice staff (maybe not all)
and teribile BOSS, he used to seat front of the hotel door and stear people. He thought he is God in there, he sacked staff for stupid reasion even i saw he hit one of the staff and sacked him.

The restaurant manager he was an assh...l, one day a few young man came to open reastaurant without t-short and manager was shouting at them and told them to piss off and put something on, poor guys trying to understand why this man was angry Manager hold one of them arms and draged him out I went crazy again told his boos that is not right, he can't talk guest like that, boss told me that '' He knows the bussnies''.........

What i mean we have to really learn a lot, fist we have to learn how to talk and not get angry very quick, i am sorry alot of turkish stragel to survive and there is no social security, they have to get on with troubile..... Hopefull we will learn more from people who comes from better countrys. I am glad you are happy there, i gues life is very relaxed and thre isn't much to worry about

[sunny]

It's great to read your posts and to see it from your point of view.

A lot of bosses seem to treat their workers badly, maybe it gives them a sense of power.

[Elzibubs]

Hi all...I am not yet living in Turkey, but I plan too move there withing the year. It has been a tricky desicion for me but I now know that Turkey is where I want to be. I am always visiting my partner there and i now feel like I am apart of his family. I have my own friends there and a lot of my belongings are already there!...Whenever I leave I already feel like I am leaving my 'home'.
I now get so depressed working in England. I try to explain to my partner that I do not go out here, It is a continuous cycle of work, sleep, eat.
When I do return to Turkey he will laugh at me because it will take me at least 2 days for my mind to relax! I go to bed late and wake up early then can't sit still all day - it drives him mad!!!

Im already fairly Turkified. I have the floral trousers, drink coffee and tea with the ladies and I am in charge of the cleanign and cooking at out home...but I love it that way!! I am counting down the days until it is my permenant home!!!

[Abi]

Welcome to our forum Elzibuds, which part of Turkey are you hoping to live to live in?

[Elzibubs]

Thanks Abi!

Well partner lives in Dalyan, Muğla so that will be where I'm livig when I get out there! Can't wait...
Reading everybodies posts on here makes me want to get there even more!

[sunny]

Welcome to the forum Elzibubs. One of our members already lives in Dalyan so maybe you'll be able to meet up.

[Lucid]

hi welcome to the forum
feel free to PM me
im around your area and here FT.

[cayaholic]

What an interesting thread.

I have changed hugely since moving here, although I don't know how much I would have changed anyway, and how much of it is related to living in Turkey.

First of all, I barely drink now. Back in England, social life tends to revolve around going to the pub, sharing a bottle of wine, going on to a club. Maybe I would have grown out of that even without coming to Turkey. But it just doesn't appeal to me now. There are so many other things to do. I do occasionally have wine, but alcohol here is expensive, and in most bars, they only have beer, which I don't like. So most of the time, I don't drink, and it really doesn't bother me.

I got used to Turkish tea instead of English tea with milk.

I like to go out and walk in the evenings. I say no by jerking my head upwards.

My wardrobe has changed. I'm not keen on men staring at my chest, so I am more careful about what I reveal, although I certainly don't dress like a nun.

Oh there are so many more examples. I don't really buy chocolate bars anymore like I used to in England, as I don't really like the chocolate bars here much. I think nothing of going to the seaside and walking along eating sunflower seeds.

[Lucid]

First of all, I barely drink now. Back in England, social life tends to revolve around going to the pub, sharing a bottle of wine, going on to a club. Maybe I would have grown out of that even without coming to Turkey. But it just doesn't appeal to me now. There are so many other things to do. I do occasionally have wine, but alcohol here is expensive, and in most bars, they only have beer, which I don't like. So most of the time, I don't drink, and it really doesn't bother me.

ditto..much to my friends amazement

[sunny]

[[I think nothing of going to the seaside and walking along eating sunflower seeds.]]

They drive me mad, or rather people eating them within earshot do. Click , click , click! And the mess they make as most people seem to drop the shells everywhere!

You can get proper chocolate here Cayaholic. Try Milka.

Welcome to the forum bye the way.

[Lucid]

They drive me mad, or rather people eating them within earshot do. Click , click , click! And the mess they make as most people seem to drop the shells everywhere!

me too sunny
in fact hub has given up smoking and has taken to eating them each evening...makes a mess and makes a noise
but what can i say....healthier than smoking....