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[yaramaz]

Dear Y'all,

Due to the recent dearth of communications here on the Turkey board, I have been browsing through China and other locales. One thread that struck me was the one that asked people to list what they would and would not miss if they left China. I thought it would be a great idea to do the same here.

What I would miss if I left:

-The food... manti, Iskender, beyti kebab with yogurt, lavash bread fresh from the oven, fresh hot lahmacun and pide, countless little plates of salads and fresh flavourful vegetablesand fruits, all the sweets and puddings in those little clay pots.... and hot sahlep in winter, sprinkled with cinnamon.
-Cappadocia, for the caves, the rock churches, the wild and austere and lonely atmosphere, the little old ladies in baggy pants and delicate lacey headscarves driving by on horsecarts, for the fairy chimneys, for the wine and wine cellars where you can sit and sip and dance till dawn...
-Music... I had no idea there was so much variety in Turkish music before I arrived-- I had been warned about the invasive, overwhelming nature of very loud arabesque played in public locales, but I was unaware of the creativity and diversity of other styles: ska with Athena, moody dark rock with Duman, creative reworkings of Piaf et al by Candan whatshername, wild tribal wailing from Kardes Turkuler and the Turkish Rhythm Group, classical/chill out from Mercan Dede and countless others, jazz from Tulay German... and that's not even entering the realm of traditional music... my cd collection has grown exponentially thanks to the affordable prices and willingness of my turkish friends to introduce me to new sounds.
-Buses... Affordable, comfortable, with those lovely conductors who ply you with beverages and cakes and cologne at regular intervals, and those elaborate rest stops with the restaurants that serve really good food. I also love the servis buses. I can't go back to north American buses...
-History... as a history major in university, I am tickled pink to be walking amongst millenia of history. Our city center is built inside old castle walls, with a caravanserai at one end, which is attached to a vast old covered bazaar and contains a 500 year old bedesten and 200 year old vezirhan. There is a bookstore in a 400 year old medressa, a craft bazaar inanother medressa, and a 900 year old hospital in the park... not to mention the dozens of selcuk tombs scattered around the city at the oddest places (on traffic circles, in back yards, etc)
-The friendliness of the people... ghost will argue with me here but for me, my experience with the turks has been overwhelmingly positive. I am invited for tea or dinner or to visit their friends and family readily and regularly. Maybe it is enforced hospitality, maybe it is more cultural than heartfelt... but it has made me feel welcomed and included. This is a difficult city to live in but my Turkish co-teachers have been fantastic.

Things I won't miss...

-The sapiks... the men who cat call, the men who grab, the men who think that because I am foreign then I must be an easy lay. However, on the other hand, the men who are not like that are a joy to behold. Enlightened Turkish men are ones who have really had to work out their feelings and opinions to reach their open minded conclusion-- they had to sift through a lot of complicated cultural and religious baggage and so their viewpoints are more sincere and heartfelt. I know several like this and I think they are wonderful friends.
-The lack of international variety in food... I think I am in the only city in the world without even one foreign restaurant----- not even a chinese take away!
-Books and english newspapers... can't easily get them here, though I know you can get them in the bigger cities. Still, I miss English bookstores and news stands...
-The obsession with Ataturk and the reluctance of many to conceive of the fact that there might be life and ideas after him...
-The obsession with marriage and family. This one hits close to home for me due to my recent relationship dissolution... ex-bf's family simply said they'd disown him if he married (or even dated) a non Kayseri girl (read muslim, virgin, good family, happily house-wife-geared, etc). The women here seem to be married off, voluntarily or no, by 25. Lots of arranged marriages. Lots of very strict rules about a girl's worth based on her history and her family's status in the community. I knew one woman who couldn't find a husband simply because HER MOTHER had had several boyfriends when she was younger, and so now all of the daughter's prospective in-laws were rejecting her because she might have whoreish tendancies (as we all know, loose women run in the family). Also, as an unmarried 29 year old woman, everyone here seems to assume that I've married and divorced already... My night-class director thought I had done so twice and told all his buddies about his wild, foreign treacher. They also can't understand why I havent married yet, do I not want kids? Also, how could I, as the only daughter, leave my parentsalone in Canada? Sigh.
-The garbage in the streets, the thick black coal dust, the stray cats, the chain smoking...

[dmb]

Yaramaz, I know what you mean about things being quiet here. I found myself in Korea a couple of days ago.
Anyway back to point. I feel well qualified to answer things I miss as I'm living abroad at the moment( i.e. not Turkey)

1) The food, the food, the food and Efes beer.
2) Culture
3) Taking a boat across Bogazici(especially at sunset)
4) Wandering the streets of Cihangir and Beyoglu
5) Live music and theatre in any form( not Arabic)
6) sitting in a pavement cafe in Tunel watching the world go round and doing nothing else( Badehane is my fave)
7) (related to the above) Seeing pretty girls who aren't covered head to toe in black.
The buzz and atmosphere of Istanbul in general.
9) THE STUDENTS
10) Most importantly- my friends.

10 is enough for the moment. What things don't I miss. ..... I'll let you know when I return in April. I can't think of anything of the top of my head. Rose tinted glasses???????

[Byzantine]

You miss Efes? Really? I think I soured on Efes while I was there. OK, in fairness, I probably had a few more than I should have - we used to have some fantastic, long drawn out arguments at the pub. We didn't solve any of the world's problems, but I did get a few hangovers.

I guess I would admit to missing a cold Efes, but not several lukewarm ones.

[yaramaz]

dmb, aren't you currently in Saudi or thereabouts? I'd miss Efes too if I were in Saudi surrounded by flowy black faceless hijabs and cranky princes... hell, I love an Efes (chilled) after a long day at work, especially in the summer and spring when we can sit on the roof and look across the rooftops to the montains...mmmmmmm. I prefer Efes dark, actually, or Tuborg pilsner or the delightfully named Albatros (I wear it round me neck, cried the Ancient Mariner after a few too many...)

I am currently sipping a lovely Villa Doluca red in a tea glass... not easy to find wine glasses in this city!

[dmb]

Yaramaz, Im next door to Saudi-in Qatar. You can buy beer here at the 5 star hotels. But the prices are crazy. A pint of Guiness costs 33 riyals thats about 5 GB pounds. So, as the reason to be here is to save money we tend not to go out too often. When you get to the bars they are are full of older miserable oil men staring into their glasses, so the bars aren't that much fun.
However you get a booze license and buy crates of beer to be consumed at your lesuire at home. The price at the booze souq is comparable to Britain. It is a bit of a hassle to get to though(there is only one) as it is hidden in the middle of the desert.
So when I said that I missed Efes i meant supping on a pint in a civilized atmoshere where you meet people. Rather than sit in your flat staring at the walls.(Yes Ghost, Turkey is civilized compared to qatar)

[yaramaz]

Aye, it's the bars and cafes that I miss too. It's just not the same, sittin' on the roof... or at home. We can drink in Cappadocia, which makes for a lovely weekend trip. However, I'd kill to be able to go out for a drink after work with co-workers and friends... just to chill and yak and unwind. We are too tightly wound here. Maybe its from too much tea...