expatriate-turkey

Who among you has not heard of the oriental hair removal technique using thread? In Europe it is fashionable to shave one’s moustache and eyebrows with this technique, to obtain a longer lasting result.  Did you know that it has been used in Turkey for centuries? It is clear that not everyone knows how to put it into practice, it is often handed down from generation to generation. In my case, since I am one of the few in my family who knows how to do it, it went a little differently. It wasn’t my mom who taught me, but a neighbour of my cousin’s. Every summer we spent three…

I would like to tell you about a splendid custom, that of using nicknames in Turkey between spouses. It is clear that it is not a general gesture for all Turks, but the custom is very widespread, certainly among the young, but also in more mature people such as my parents, my uncles…. Nicknames in Turkey : Too close to call you like everyone else Here, it is precisely this … Among the Turkish spouses, nicknames are often used to call each other, avoiding using the proper name, which is left to all those outside the couple. Everyone will call your spouse by his name, but I will call him…

In Turkey, hospitality is the basis of social relationships, whether they are at home or away from home, it is a real rule of life. Every opportunity is good to help others. If you get lost in the immensity of Istanbul, and ask for help, it is very likely that they will not only give you directions, but will accompany you directly to where you want to go. In this article, I will focus on Turkish hospitality when entering a Turkish home. Hospitality should not be taken lightly, it is a very important aspect of Turkish culture, as I told you it is a rule of life and must be…

There is a great sense of respect in the Turkish language and they express it every day through a series of titles that are used to call each other. They are often added after the person’s name. It is not easy to get to know them all, especially if you do not have the opportunity to frequent Turkish friends on a regular basis. Who doesn’t remember sweet Sanem addressing her boss with “Double Check Can Bey“? Yes, despite the obvious attraction between Can and Sanem, she must still call him Bey as a sign of respect since he is her boss. Formally, hanım and bey in the Turkish language Formally,…

The five things to avoid when traveling to Turkey. Each country has its own code of conduct, whether written or not, and there are gestures or attitudes that are best avoided when visiting a country, in order not to fall into misunderstandings  sometimes you will find yourself in an uncomfortable and embarrassing situations. . Here are five things to avoid when traveling to Turkey Some things will make you smile, others will leave you perplexed or surprised. Here are the 5 things to avoid: 1. Atatürk and the Turkish flag are sacred Atatürk, literally “The Father of all Turks“, is the Turkish hero par excellence. He is the one who…

Today I will show you the importance of yogurt in Turkish cuisine, its origins and the Turkish preparation technique. I will tell you about some of the many dishes that can be prepared with yogurt or that yogurt can accompany. Memories of yogurt in Turkish cuisine with traditional technique Every Sunday evening my mother prepared yogurt according to tradition. She had learned it from her mother, and her turn, she will have learned it from her mother and so on. Yogurt is one of those basic ingredients of Turkish cuisine that can never be missing. Of course, many of us, here in Italy, but also in Turkey, now buy it…

The Turkish people have a love for all flowers, in fact our cities are full of flowered and manicured gardens, in particular  we have a love for the tulip “lale” and for the rose “gül”. Tulip – Symbol of the sultans Originally, the tulip was a flower of Central Asian origin (like the Turkish people), which arrived in Anatolia with various migrations. In Anatolia, its cultivation began centuries ago and it was in these remote times that the passion of the sultans for this particular flower was born. In fact, the tulip, recalls the turban of the sultans … will it be the explanation of this passion? Perhaps, but the…