expatriate-turkey

Turkish tea is part of the keyif ! In Turkey, tea is drunk throughout the day. Turkish tea accompanies breakfast in the morning. It follows the main dishes, both in winter and in summer, and is served during an evening with friends or relatives. In a nutshell, tea is a  must and can never be lacking. It is a social glue, an act of hospitality, the moment to disconnect and relax, sometimes it is also the indispensable tool and a good start to successful negotiations. To make Turkish tea, you’ll need to have the right tools and ingredients. Obviously, you need to have a Turkish teapot, which will infuse the…

In this article. I will talk about Turkish coffee. As a bonus, I will tell you about the love story that binds the Turks to “kahve” (coffee)! Origins of Turkish coffee Despite the name, we do not have a historical paternity on Turkish coffee. We do play a major role in bringing it to Europe, however!  It is so called due to the diffusion of its very particular preparation method, which took place through the Ottoman world. Coffee made its appearance in Turkey during the reign of Süleyman (1520-1566), thanks to Pacha Özdemir, who, returning from Ethiopia and passing through Yemen, brought the first coffee beans. Since then, preparing coffee…

I have the desire to tell you about this particular aspect of Turkish life, which we could call “the time to live” or “keyif”. Often, I have encountered this way of life in the regions of southern Italy and other areas of southern Europe.  I must admit that sadly, it seemed to me to be relegated particularly to older people. This is precisely the difference with us Turks. In Turkey, the keyif is not just for the elderly. In fact, it is a way of life that is still very widespread among the entire Turkish population. Keyif is art of living The Keyif is precisely an art of living, which…

It is time to discover together the secrets of Turkish beauty. Turkish women, even before beauty, are very keen on personal cleansing, which includes hair removal and hygiene. This rule really applies to all of them. My mom never put on makeup in her life, as to her natural beauty was more worthy  (I remember that she came from a peasant culture), but the most important thing was face cleansing and personal hygiene. Turkish women today, discover the secrets of Turkish beauty Turkish women today, in addition to cleanliness and personal hygiene, are very attentive to all beauty tricks. They are very well-groomed women in all respects. In fact, they…

Often good manners in Turkey or bad manners change from one country to another, from one culture to another. Turkey is a country very close to Europe, but it has a very different and rigid code of conduct and good manners than many European countries. I intend to explain to you the “good” Turkish manners, which you may have observed in some film or television series and which will have aroused your curiosity. Stay composed! The basis of good manners in Turkey Two words that every Turk will have heard his mother say are myriad many times, “stay composed”. Here is a very important aspect of our education. Knowing how…

Who among you has already wondered what the meaning of hand kissing is in Turkey? Is it because in some cases salt is added to the coffee? Turkey is full of customs and traditions that can seem strange at times. In this article I will tell you about some of them, the best known ones, thanks  to the Turkish TV series that are depopulating In Italy. Hand kissing in Turkey Hand kissing in Turkey is a very widespread custom. During the holidays it is used to greet our older relatives . It is a gesture that has no negative connotations, as it could have in Italy. Indeed, it is a…