Job Discussion Forums

[2canucks]

Hi,
We are moving to Ankara in September. We are wondering if anyone could recommend some things that we should bring. For example, when we moved to China we brought deoderant, tampons, medicine, coffee etc, because they were things that we wouldn't be able to buy.

Any suggestions?

[yaramaz]

I brought tomatilla salsa, tampons (but you can get them more easily now if you are okay with non-app ones), garam masala, trousers that fit, good English books, vitamins.

To be honest, you can get a lot more stuff here these days than you could 5 years ago. I ask for fewer and fewer things when friends or family come to visit. This time my parents only brought over a half dozen cans of tomatilla salsa and a bunch of shirts that don't leave a 3 inch gap between them and my jeans (Turkish women are assumed to be quite short-waisted, based on the cut of clothes--- I struggle with finding anything that doesnt leave my back wide open)

What medicines might you need? You can usually get almost anything here over the counter for quite cheap. Except claritin. I need it for asthma and the wussyassed generic version they sell here is useless and a fraction of the regular strength.

[Baba Alex]

[yaramaz]

Yeah but Canadian claritin keeps you nicely wired. Ventolin just doesnt have the same kick.

[zencefil]

Here's my usual wish list:
maple syrup (it can be found, but 10x more expensive)
pancake mix
anything blueberry or cranberry
bouillions without MSG
Listerine, Secret, Glide Floss
Generally, any brand you are stuck on, or things you cannot live without, I would bring in ample supply.

[dagi]

Migraine medication is another thing that is not very available here. They only sell the old-style injection stuff that knocks you out completely.
The newer stuff hasn't made it to Turkey yet.

[lovelace]

Skin cream - the everyday brands are affordable but Clinique and other stuff that's middle-market price in the UK is very expensive here. Ditto make-up
Applicator tampons
Well-cut work trousers - though that's been partly remedied now Debenhams and Marks&Spencers are here!
Bras - if you don't like the moulded-cup, bullet-proof ones that Turkish women wear to ensure they never ever show even a faint outline of nipple
Deodorant - getting a deodorant and anti-perspirant together seems a tall order

Most products are available now, although as others said they can be expensive.

[2canucks]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've been living in a place where I can't even buy cheese so I think Ankara will be a big improvement. I'm 5'11" and my boyfriend is 6'4" so I am guessing that we shouldn't plan on buying to many clothes there. What about shoes? Are they all really small? Also, how about things containing fibre (whole wheat flour, cereal, etc)? China is suprisingly deficient in this area.

[dmb]

You can find pretty much everything here. But it can be costly. I saw a tube of primula the other day for 25 YTL.

[lovetowander]

I read in other posts that its difficult to buy clothes there that fit, as the cut is to suit Turkish body types. What Body type is that exactly lol
Are they small built, short, chubbers? lol
I have a hard enough time here in bangkok as you need to be a child like size to fit in to most things.
Im hoping that they are all just short, so I can at leat get clothes there lol.

Cheers

[yaramaz]

For women, the clothes are built for people with rather small, narrow frames- I have foreign friends who are quite slim and quite fit but who barely squeeze into an L or XL in Turkish brands like Oxxo or LCW-- their skeletal frame is just to wide/long/big.

I've also found (for me) that everything is just too short. Shirts that fit my shoulders and ribcage come 1/3 of the way down my arms and leave huge gaps between my jeans and them.

It's funny though, because I see so many curvy (especially in the hip and thigh area), long waisted Turkish girls and I wonder where they find their clothes...

[Laura777]

Good tips on the clothes - the pants and shirts here just dont fit right but since you will be in Ankara they have great malls to shop at which have all the newest brands.

Nivea sells a good antipersperant deodorant... but it took me ages to find it.

Also you can find foreign goods in the big malls I think the one in Cankaya is ?? Whats the name of that mall? There is a shop there that sells everything damned near that you could find in the states. But the prices will make you gasp! Peanut butter skippy sells for 20 to 25 ytl.


Also if you need pain medication better to bring lots of them with you from your doctor you cant get good pain meds here as they have very strict controls on anything with opiods (sp) in them.


Shoes - good shoes from the states if you wear half size. I wear an 8.5 but they do not make half sizes here in Turkey. Also any imported Italian shoes are the same.


Your favorite books - hard to find unusual english books here that are easily found in the states.

[dmb]

[yaramaz]

Sorry dmb, it's unchangeable unless you can get your spinal cord lengthened. Can you? I just can't wear shirts here without showing 4 inches of skin when I sit down. It drives the waiters crazy, always trying to pull my shirt down over the gap to cover my shame. I got my parents to bring over a half dozen longer shirts from Canada this time. Much better. For once ı miss the Gap and LL Bean. Never thought I would.

[lovelace]

I see some Turkish girls with the same prob - I think that's why bodies (those horrible swimsuit style vests that fasten on the crotch) are so popular here. Or they wear a normal vest and stretch it down to tuck it in.
Actually, I think the Turkish clothing industry is due a sizing revolution like we had in the UK a few years ago, where lots of high street stores adjusted their sizes and shapes to to fit the modern women's body.
Isn't it strange though that although modern women in developed countries are getting bigger and curvier, the media and catwalk models are getting thinner? Are they passing their fat cells onto us? (Or could that be all the Tutkus I keep eating?.. )