Turkey in the eyes of an alien....

Published in the "Multicultural Guide Ankara - April issue"

A hearty greeting, my fellow aliens! 

Of course amongst us would be some who are well assimilated and no longer consider themselves an "alien"; some might have just set foot in this land, and glad to have discovered this nice freebies magazine which consists of a lot of useful information and tips for a new comer.

I would like to share my cultural experience with you through this page, with the hope that it provides a smidgen of insights for you to understand local practices and customs.  Not before long you will understand that interactions with the locals will make up a big part of your memories and legacy of Turkey, especially so if you would ever depart one day. 

Walking in the door of Turkey, we ought to firstly understand that individualism and the concept of personal space are both very different affairs here.  I recall the first time when I got on a blue minibus (Dolmuş), sat in the front row after handed the fee to the driver, and was much prepared for a mundane lonely journey from point A to B.  Little do I know about the practice of transmitting fare from all passengers to the driver were to be done via everyone in between.  I therefore had a tap on my shoulder (generally my right shoulder, as I was sitting at the aisle seat in the front row) every now and then, requesting me to transmit the handed fare to the driver sitting in front of me.  Same goes the other way of course, change from driver back to passengers.  See?  Locals are interactive! 

If you have an outlook that shouts "I'm not a Turk" (like myself, a rather ordinary Asian with the typical slit-eyes), you would have already encountered the question: "Nerelisiniz?" ("Where are you from?"), at least twice in the past 24 hours.  This is also a symbol of locals' friendliness, their free spirits and the lack of "personal space" convention in culture.  If you have not yet the proficiency of Turkish to elaborate, replying simply with the name of your country, accompanied by a sincerely smile will suffix to return the kindness.

Should you have the chance to travel within Turkey, you will be exposed to more opportunities to experience the well-known locals' hospitality.  It is very common that you will be offered a tea (Turkish style with the elegant glass of course, no English cups..), no matter summer or winter; whether you make a pause walking through a village; shopping in a bazaar and in the process of deciding whether or not to make a purchase ( more excitingly, while in a bargaining battle..); or in any occasions if you are at a lodging of a local.  This I have not personally experienced in other countries and is the element where an alien feels like home and welcomed.

In fact Turkish hospitality can be experienced most thoroughly when you are invited to a local home as a guest.  Host family takes the opportunity to display their delicate manner towards guests by presenting them a well-prepared feast table.  In this respect, I suspect that I have experienced its summit because of my close tide with the Black sea region (my daughter has half Black Sea pedigree).  Every time when I see the amount of food presented to me, I wonder if some sort of eating competition is taking place, only I realize every time there isn't.  It is the "normal affair" and guests' responsibility is to enjoy as much as possible.  Here, my dear aliens: What you need to do is, eat slowly!  Whenever you leave an empty spot on your plate, know that it will be refilled.  This is done anyway whether you use excuses such as you are on a diet (by the way, the answer to this is "not today, you can diet other days"); or you are already full (the counter argument to this would likely be "these are all very healthy food, it doesn't matter if you eat a bit more"), etc.  Therefore to eat slowly, believe me, is the best certified true solution, if you do not wish to challenge your or enlarge the capacity of your stomach. 

Until the next issue, please take care.  In the mean time, enjoy a minibus ride; enjoy a chat with a local stranger; and enjoy the cup of tea and the wonderful feast someone has to offer you.

12 April 2012
Ankara, Turkey