Living - working in Turkey |
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English friends in Turkey
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| 1. |
26 May 2008 Mon 02:53 pm |
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Hello all,
I am currently living in Istanbul as most members here know, I have made some Turkish friends and have some exisiting ones but still feel very lonley when it comes to my native language English. I enjoy meeting new people and was only invited on saturday to a Henna party, I did enjoy it but cannot converse as much in Turkish as I would like to.
My wife can also see that I just miss England a little, I wanted to write here if there are any English friends who are currently living in Turkey also and do they meet up with each other? I must admit it would be nice to have an occasional chat with somebody who is also living in Turkey and how they are getting on with life here. I have MSN and YAHOO if anyone is interested
Best wishes Rich and Nesrin
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| 2. |
26 May 2008 Mon 03:51 pm |
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Hi Rich,
It is good to see you on TC. I know how you feel. When I visit Turkey for an extended period of time, I miss hearing or seeing familiar things. I guess we are feeling a little bit of what immigrants feel when they leave their own country for another. I am posting a link to a forum for Expat's in Turkey. They meet pretty frequently and I joined for when I would be living in Turkey (not sure when that will be now). I know that there are a lot of members from England and other countries as well. I hope the link works.
http://forum.expatinturkey.com/viewtopic.php?t=11164
Also, maybe check out these websites:
www.mymerhaba.com
http://www.expatsofturkey.com/
http://www.britishexpat.com/Turkey.695.0.html
Our best to you and Nesrin.
Wendy and Yilmaz
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| 3. |
26 May 2008 Mon 04:13 pm |
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Hi Richard
Make sure you get tickets and come to the British Summer Fete at the Consulate on 14th June. You will meet lots of Brits living in Istanbul there.
We are selling tickets at the Greenhouse (0216 449 3034) in Kadikoy.
Alternatively check the website of the British Community Council:
www.bccistanbul.org
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| 4. |
26 May 2008 Mon 04:18 pm |
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only brits are invited?
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| 5. |
26 May 2008 Mon 04:21 pm |
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No!!!!!!!!!!!!! Loads of Germans, Turks, Dutch, Koreans, Filipinos, Iranians, Nigerians etc all come too.... and, we even let some Americans slip in!
But, seriously, if you want to meet British people, the BCC and the fete is a good place to start.
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| 6. |
26 May 2008 Mon 04:22 pm |
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PS. I note Rich only wants to meet English. Well, the St Andrews Society usually have a stall at the fete. So if he wants to avoid Scottish people he needs to steer clear of that stall!
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| 7. |
26 May 2008 Mon 04:23 pm |
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Quoting MarioninTurkey: Hi Richard
Make sure you get tickets and come to the British Summer Fete at the Consulate on 14th June. You will meet lots of Brits living in Istanbul there.
We are selling tickets at the Greenhouse (0216 449 3034) in Kadikoy.
Alternatively check the website of the British Community Council:
www.bccistanbul.org |
How much tickets?
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| 8. |
26 May 2008 Mon 04:28 pm |
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Quoting MarioninTurkey: No!!!!!!!!!!!!! Loads of Germans, Turks, Dutch, Koreans, Filipinos, Iranians, Nigerians etc all come too.... and, we even let some Americans slip in!
But, seriously, if you want to meet British people, the BCC and the fete is a good place to start. |
oh great!
i have tutoring in Acıbadem tomorrow, so i may pass through greenhouse.
but the date is so risky!
I might be in the south for the project again.
You are open till 18:30 right?
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| 9. |
26 May 2008 Mon 04:29 pm |
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Quoting Lifemate: Quoting MarioninTurkey: Hi Richard
Make sure you get tickets and come to the British Summer Fete at the Consulate on 14th June. You will meet lots of Brits living in Istanbul there.
We are selling tickets at the Greenhouse (0216 449 3034) in Kadikoy.
Alternatively check the website of the British Community Council:
www.bccistanbul.org |
How much tickets? |
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| 10. |
26 May 2008 Mon 05:12 pm |
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Quoting SuiGeneris: Quoting MarioninTurkey: No!!!!!!!!!!!!! Loads of Germans, Turks, Dutch, Koreans, Filipinos, Iranians, Nigerians etc all come too.... and, we even let some Americans slip in!
But, seriously, if you want to meet British people, the BCC and the fete is a good place to start. |
oh great!
i have tutoring in Acıbadem tomorrow, so i may pass through greenhouse.
but the date is so risky!
I might be in the south for the project again.
You are open till 18:30 right? |
Yes, but WERE CLOSED ON TUESDAYS!
Tuesdays are a dead day. Those who come to Kadıköy for the Salı Pazarı don't want to walk with shopping down to the bookshop area. Those who don't come to the Salı PAzarı avoid Kadıköy on a Tuesday because the traffic is awful. So we close Tuesdays. Come in on Weds, instead!
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| 11. |
26 May 2008 Mon 05:25 pm |
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Quoting lovebug: Hi Rich,
It is good to see you on TC. I know how you feel. When I visit Turkey for an extended period of time, I miss hearing or seeing familiar things. I guess we are feeling a little bit of what immigrants feel when they leave their own country for another. I am posting a link to a forum for Expat's in Turkey. They meet pretty frequently and I joined for when I would be living in Turkey (not sure when that will be now). I know that there are a lot of members from England and other countries as well. I hope the link works.
http://forum.expatinturkey.com/viewtopic.php?t=11164
Also, maybe check out these websites:
www.mymerhaba.com
http://www.expatsofturkey.com/
http://www.britishexpat.com/Turkey.695.0.html
Our best to you and Nesrin.
Wendy and Yilmaz |
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for your message, I hope you and Yilmaz are well? and thanks for the websites I posted on Mymerhaba before and I like their website. I just feel a little lonley here I suppose it is natural and Nesrin said herself she would probably feel lonley also being in the same situation, she has the advantage that her English is very good.
Best wishes from Rich & Nesrin
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| 12. |
26 May 2008 Mon 05:27 pm |
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Quoting MarioninTurkey: Hi Richard
Make sure you get tickets and come to the British Summer Fete at the Consulate on 14th June. You will meet lots of Brits living in Istanbul there.
We are selling tickets at the Greenhouse (0216 449 3034) in Kadikoy.
Alternatively check the website of the British Community Council:
www.bccistanbul.org |
Hi Marion,
Thankyou for your help, yes I am very interested in attending this Fete, is it okay to bring Nesrin along also?
Best wishes Rich & Nes
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| 13. |
26 May 2008 Mon 05:28 pm |
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Quoting MarioninTurkey: PS. I note Rich only wants to meet English. Well, the St Andrews Society usually have a stall at the fete. So if he wants to avoid Scottish people he needs to steer clear of that stall! |
Marion I do not mind who I meet, I did not want to rule out meeting anyone else, of course it would be great to chat to fellow Brits living in Istanbul, can you believe I have not met anyone yet and I have been here a month.
Take care
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| 14. |
26 May 2008 Mon 05:46 pm |
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Quoting Loveprague: Quoting MarioninTurkey: Hi Richard
Make sure you get tickets and come to the British Summer Fete at the Consulate on 14th June. You will meet lots of Brits living in Istanbul there.
We are selling tickets at the Greenhouse (0216 449 3034) in Kadikoy.
Alternatively check the website of the British Community Council:
www.bccistanbul.org |
Hi Marion,
Thankyou for your help, yes I am very interested in attending this Fete, is it okay to bring Nesrin along also?
Best wishes Rich & Nes |
I'm sure it's ok Rich, she did mention that Turks go there as well. Good luck! 
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| 15. |
26 May 2008 Mon 06:03 pm |
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I should steer well clear Rich - in my experience ex-pat Brits abroad are a bunch of alcoholic bores who do nothing but winge about the things they miss from home
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| 16. |
26 May 2008 Mon 06:04 pm |
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... although I am sure Marion is an exception to this rule. Not so sure about Lady in Red though - she seems to enjoy one too many tipples during the day
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| 17. |
26 May 2008 Mon 06:05 pm |
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Quoting Loveprague: Quoting MarioninTurkey: PS. I note Rich only wants to meet English. Well, the St Andrews Society usually have a stall at the fete. So if he wants to avoid Scottish people he needs to steer clear of that stall! |
Marion I do not mind who I meet, I did not want to rule out meeting anyone else, of course it would be great to chat to fellow Brits living in Istanbul, can you believe I have not met anyone yet and I have been here a month.
Take care |
Only joking! Bring Nes, and her whole family if you want to, the more the merrier!
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| 18. |
26 May 2008 Mon 06:09 pm |
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Quoting magnadea: ... although I am sure Marion is an exception to this rule. Not so sure about Lady in Red though - she seems to enjoy one too many tipples during the day |
and not forgetting the marmite sandwiches 
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| 19. |
26 May 2008 Mon 06:10 pm |
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Quoting libralady: Quoting magnadea: ... although I am sure Marion is an exception to this rule. Not so sure about Lady in Red though - she seems to enjoy one too many tipples during the day |
and not forgetting the marmite sandwiches |
And fecking PG Tips!
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| 20. |
26 May 2008 Mon 06:27 pm |
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Quoting Loveprague: Quoting MarioninTurkey: PS. I note Rich only wants to meet English. Well, the St Andrews Society usually have a stall at the fete. So if he wants to avoid Scottish people he needs to steer clear of that stall! |
Marion I do not mind who I meet, I did not want to rule out meeting anyone else, of course it would be great to chat to fellow Brits living in Istanbul, can you believe I have not met anyone yet and I have been here a month.
Take care |
What's wrong with scottish people?
just because they drink too much, they cant play football and the men wear skirts
but they make a damn fine whisky aye
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| 21. |
03 Jun 2008 Tue 10:24 pm |
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Quoting magnadea: Quoting libralady: Quoting magnadea: ... although I am sure Marion is an exception to this rule. Not so sure about Lady in Red though - she seems to enjoy one too many tipples during the day |
and not forgetting the marmite sandwiches |
And fecking PG Tips! |
Missed the libellous comment about my drinking habits  as the family were over to stay all last week! And YES they did bring Marmite but I already had loads of fecking PG Tips!!
Personally - and I know I haven't been here long - there is very little apart from my sons I miss from the UK and I don't 'hang around' with ex-pats (unless you count my husband but I have to hang around with him I suppose!)
But you are right magnadeaAEnigmamagnadeaII/III et al - a lot of them do sit around moaning about the lack of bacon and sausages and drinking too much - 'b***** off back to wherever you came from then' is what I say to that!
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| 22. |
03 Jun 2008 Tue 10:29 pm |
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Quoting magnadea: Quoting libralady: Quoting magnadea: ... although I am sure Marion is an exception to this rule. Not so sure about Lady in Red though - she seems to enjoy one too many tipples during the day |
and not forgetting the marmite sandwiches |
And fecking PG Tips! |
Hmm ... marmite, TETLEYs (not PG!!!) bacon and tampax are the only thngs I bring from the UK.
But the list of things my mum and other British visitors want from Turkey gets longer and longer every time I go home
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| 23. |
04 Jun 2008 Wed 11:38 am |
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Quoting MarioninTurkey: Hi Richard
Make sure you get tickets and come to the British Summer Fete at the Consulate on 14th June. You will meet lots of Brits living in Istanbul there.
We are selling tickets at the Greenhouse (0216 449 3034) in Kadikoy.
Alternatively check the website of the British Community Council:
www.bccistanbul.org |
Marion,
Thanks for this information I will be attending the Summer Fete with Nesrin
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| 24. |
04 Jun 2008 Wed 03:17 pm |
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Hello,
I just wanted to add to this because I lived in Turkey (marmaris) for 3 years and some of the things you wrote rang true to how I felt when I was there. I moved there with my husband from the UK, and I have to admit that the first 3 months were very hard. Its always hard to adapt to another way of life and culture but I learnt that the secret was actually to throw yourself into that culture and learn it and grow with it. I also could not converse in Turkish as much as I would like, but I tried, and they knew I was trying so it broke the ice as it were. You do miss your family and friends and the familiarity of home but if you have support there from your wife and new found friends, you are in the best company and you will be fine.
Can I ask? how is your turkish coming along now? and are you confident to speak it and converse?
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| 25. |
04 Jun 2008 Wed 03:24 pm |
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Quoting oreniyorum8: Hello,
Can I ask? how is your turkish coming along now? and are you confident to speak it and converse? |
Not sure who you were asking there - but from my point of view the Turkish I have in my head is coming along fine - it's just getting it to come out of my mouth that's difficult!!
(btw nice to see you back on TC - I hope all is going well for you)
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| 26. |
04 Jun 2008 Wed 04:00 pm |
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Hi LIR, lovely to hear from you to! Nice to be back on here after so long! Im glad to hear that your turkish is coming along well, and that you are enjoying living in Turkey! I wish I was still there Maybe one day soon. Keep practicing with the locals and you will be fine x hope to catch up with you soon
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| 27. |
06 Jun 2008 Fri 12:09 pm |
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Quoting oreniyorum8: Hello,
I just wanted to add to this because I lived in Turkey (marmaris) for 3 years and some of the things you wrote rang true to how I felt when I was there. I moved there with my husband from the UK, and I have to admit that the first 3 months were very hard. Its always hard to adapt to another way of life and culture but I learnt that the secret was actually to throw yourself into that culture and learn it and grow with it. I also could not converse in Turkish as much as I would like, but I tried, and they knew I was trying so it broke the ice as it were. You do miss your family and friends and the familiarity of home but if you have support there from your wife and new found friends, you are in the best company and you will be fine.
Can I ask? how is your turkish coming along now? and are you confident to speak it and converse? |
Hi,
I am hoping to live here for two years to start with the main concern I have now is being able to find a job which I need to support my wife. Thanks for your story it is great to hear from someone who was leading a similar life to myself. My Turkish is not too bad I can still not have a long conversation and I am learning new words everyday but I still find it difficult to converse as much as I would like to
Best wishes
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