
© aNadventures
- You don’t stumble over the cats and dogs around you anymore.
- You drink at least one çay and / or Turkish coffee per day.
- You spend a lot of time “sitting” and talking.
- You are not afraid of crossing the street anymore.
- You know your way around the local pazars.
- Everyone is your abi (older brother), abla (older sister) or kardeş (younger sibling).
- You automatically ask for indirim (discount) when shopping.
- There is at least one plate belonging to your neighbours in your cupboard.
- There is ayran running through your veins.
- The Turkish toilet is referred to as the “normal toilet” in your surroundings.
- You crave çiğ köfte, mantı, and simit on a regular basis.
- You start looking like a simit.
- You are used to being offered a wet lime scented towel after any meal outside.
- You know what bureaucracy is.
- You won’t dare entering a house with your shoes on.
- You take off your street clothes and put on your cozy home outfit as soon as you are inside.
- You know about hospitality and helping each other out.
- You know that clicking one’s tongue and raising one’s eyebrows at the same time means “No”.
- The answer to all of your problems is yoğurt.
- You see a nazar boncuğu in front of every house.
- You don’t wonder about finding potatoes, rice, pasta, börek and bread (a pure combination of carbohydrates) on your plate anymore.
- You know that in Turkish pasta is cake and makarna is pasta.
- You have gotten used to the daily calls for prayer and barely notice them anymore.
- You know who Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is.
- You know not to criticize Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
- 25°C feels like winter.
- You think that it is the most normal thing for men to be kissing each other on the cheek. Twice.
- Fried potatoes, fried eggplant, salça (tomato sauce), goat cheese and olives are part of your breakfast.
- You have learnt how to play tavla.
- Men are the ones to pay for your meal, even if you are just friends.
- You put your hand on your heart and make a slight bow to indicate “thank you”.
- You know not to blow your nose in public.
- You know that the standard price for half a litre of water is 0.50 TL and that a simit generally costs 0.75 TL.
- You know how to recycle the blue water bottle lids.
- You know that you don’t have to recycle anything else.
- You wonder when friends visiting from abroad only buy water for themselves.
- You know about the addictive power of sunflower seeds.
- You know that a smile says more than a thousand words.
- You know that there is a solution to everything.
- Meeting at 8pm actually means meeting at 9pm.
- There is always someone who knows someone who can help.
- You are not afraid to ask for help.
- You start speaking with a Turkish accent.
- You know your çiğ köfteci’s first name.
- You know you can always pay tomorrow.
- Or the day after.
- You have learnt to be more relaxed about things you cannot influence.
- Things you cannot influence are either nazar (evil eye) or kısmet (destiny).
- Strangers call you canım (my soul / darling).
- Everything is çok güzel.
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Loved it!!! I haven’t learnt to play tavla yet 🙂
Then you haven’t been here long enough! Don’t worry, we can fix that. 😉
Loved your post! Wish I was in Turkey now… life seems easier there.
Thank you, Elisa! Yes, this is a truly beautiful place. Life is not always easy, but most times. You have been to Turkey as well, right? Maybe you recognize some of the points I mentioned.
I love 8, I am a firm believer in 16 and after reading 19.. Turkey sounds like my kind of place! 🙂
ahh.. 28. Bliss.
Sarepa, I’m sure you’d love it. No arepas, though. Hmmm, may be a market niche. Something fried to add to the Turkish cuisine.
Hah! Oh gosh, I can’t remember what life was like without the humble arepa.
Love this post! I have been in Turkey for almost three months and can relate to most of these:)
Thank you, juliamkh! It is interesting how those little things become part of our daily lives so quickly, isn’t it? I hope you are enjoying your stay!