Hi

Hello Shay!

Your topic has been moved to Istanbul forum for better visibility.

Harmonie.

hello shay,
it depends on which part of istanbul you will be living in. in some areas, it's even hard to meet a turkish whereas in some other areas, it's hard to find an expat

which areas would you advise?

I would recommend taksim, Harbiye, Osmanbey, Sisli, 4-Levent...Istanbul is a lovely city. I actually miss it right now and looking forward to coming back again ... Just accept the job and I'm sure you'll enjoy your life there

Hey shay - it depends where your job is. The asian side - kadikoy is a really nice area and lots of expats over here. What job will u be doing??

Hi Shay,

congratulations on the job offer,

I recently moved here from London and it seems like a cool city with plenty to do. I haven't seen all of the city but I know Taksim would be a good place to start; busy, touristy area with plenty of expats from all nationalities.

I live slightly further up the Bosphorus in Besiktas near to Ortakoy. It's a lively area round here with plenty of bars and nightlife but I haven't bumped into any expats just yet. Levent 4 and Sisli seem like decent areas too. Depends which side of the bosphorus you're on as well.

I've been enjoying myself in Istanbul and would definitely recommend it. I haven't met a lot of people (so get in touch if you move!) yet but I guess you have to give it time; when I think about it my network of friends in England was built up over several years.
My advice would be to go for it! Would be a great experience, and opportunity not to miss!

Dan

Hey Dan,

Thanks for the email. Glad your having a good time im looking forward to moving in 2 wks a little more as im chatting to more expats.
How are you finding your job due to language barrier etc?
Im going to be staying in one of the areas you mentioned but it hasnt been confirmed yet, if i do we should defo meet for a coffee.

Shay

Taqseem, Harbiye and Osmanbey are the best places to live in..
Taqseem is my favorite

Shay,

The language barrier is an odd one because we're a brand new office and currently only have English people in our office (and only three of us!) as well as English-speaking people travelling from London to work in the office, but any meetings we have with clients/consultants need translators. We'll be starting Turkish lessons soon and ideally I'll pick up enough of the language to get by in conversation.

I imagine that if you're going to be working with a lot of other Turkish people you'll start picking up the language very quickly.

Yes, coffee sounds good. What area is your work in?

Dan

thats very lucky that you work with so many English people just so you can have banter at work.
Yeh i will work with mainly turkish people but i will have a translator which im not too sure about.
I will be working about 20mins from the airport, where do you work?

Shay

Your own translator!? That great! What type of work is it? I bet it'll be daunting at first working with mostly Turkish people but you'll probably be fluent in Turkish in no time! I can see why you're asking about an expat community though.

I work in Levent, probably about 25 minutes from the airport if the traffic's good. But then I guess everywhere on the European side is probably within 30 minutes of the airport, depending on traffic, which is often terrible.

Dan

im a footwear designer ill be working for company called TEMA its one of the largest retailers out there. Yeh my own translator just so i know if they are ripping me or not haha
yeh i heard traffic is terrible i get a driver for the first 3 months then i just get a car so thats rather scary.
so what part of Essex are you from? Have you met many people off here yet?

Nice one, a translator AND a driver. Sounds like they really want you working for them. You'll find it's better to be an aggressive driver in this city.

I only joined this site yesterday so haven't met anyone from it- it's been very busy at work since I arrived and I've been back in London for one weekend so haven't really had a chance to explore the forums, but they seem fairly useful. NickyDreamofTurkey (above) had even organised a night out last night but I don't have a phone at the moment so couldn't make it.

Someone else suggested another forum to me - it's called The Sublime Portal, and it has a lot of useful threads. You should check it out (although if you join be sure to leave a "new members introduction" before you post anything, I didn't and got told off!)

I'm from Romford in Greater London technically but went to school in Brentwood, where they film The Only Way is Essex. Oh, so proud. What about you - it says you're from the Virgin Islands? How long have you lived in England?

Brentwood nice i watch the only way as Essex sad i know but its good tv. Do you know anyone off there?
No im not from Virgin Island it kept crashing when i was putting Britian Im from the North East Sunderland originally but i havent lived there for a long time so im nothing like Geordie shore girls like a) i have a job and b) i can speak english JUST.

I think these sights are a good idea as its made me less worried about moving which is good i dont know why im worried as i travel the world i think its more cultural/language ive heard some horror stories about men and women over there (in relationship way that is)

haha, I've heard one or two hilarious stories as well, but the guys here don't seem to act any worse than they do in Essex or Newcastle (actually, that's not saying much really).

No, I don't know anyone from TOWIE; they're all a couple of years younger...and hang out in very different crowds. Although Joey Essex is a regular Nandos. Yes I watch it too, but only because my housemates used to. Honest.

I'm feeling positive about these sites too - I've signed up to go to a couple of events already, so fingers crossed that I meet some interesting people, I'll let you know how it goes so you'll have some inside knowledge before you arrive!

Really then your not hearing the same stories haha
haha yeh yeh you love it and so want to be one of them ey?1!!
haha thanks ive spoken to a few people quite a lot of here and we get on so all good but im defo up for a large group of friends im very social. Be careful like cos some of the stories involve luring men into a false sense of security

YES!!! They are the same stories I've heard! I thought it was funny cos it wasn't true, but this is the second or third time I've heard this - starting to get worried now!

I would like to be like those Essex guys but unfortunately I think my friends and I are probably more like the Inbetweeners I'm gonna stream some Geordie Shore now and see what that's all about!

Hey Dan & Shay,

Good to read your posts and GREAT to meet so many people from so many different countries on these blogs! I'm a Dutchie, but have lived in New Zealand for the last 3,5 years with my kiwi husband (big night last night, I won't tease you with your name Dan Carter, but bloody well done in the first half of the tournament!!). We're moving to Istanbul as well and will be living on the Asian side as it's closer to my husband's work and we liked the houses there better. Would be GREAT to catch up once we get there - Dan, my husband is into playing golf, squash and tennis if you're interested? He'll be moving this Sunday and I'm not coming until after Christmas. Oh, and he watches Jersey shore and Georgie shore sometimes too, how terrible is that!!! Shay, I'm very social too - can't stand being by myself every day (although I'm a very nice person ;-) so would love to catch up in the new year!! I should prob let you know that we have a little 1 year old and I'm pregnant with number two, don't let it scare you off though - the only thing that's different is that we'll prob not go to night clubs anymore ;-) We better find a babysitter soon as we love going out and about, have dinners, etc. Right, enough about myself - hope all is going well with you guys and that you're enjoying the last bits of sunshine before winter kicks in.

Talk soon,

Suus xx

Hi suus,

thanks for the rugby reference, I've had a whole world cup's worth of that
So when will you be moving here? I'm absolutely useless at golf (honestly, your husband would get bored waiting for me to hit the ball) you I would be up for a game of tennis or squash, just not sure about where to play at the moment. I haven't even been over to the Asian side yet so it would be a good excuse to get over there - I've been told the ferry is pretty convenient and there are buses that head over the bridge.

Good to hear from you, get in touch when you arrive!

Dan

Hi Suus,

Thanks for the msge.
Well i move in a wk or so hopefully i can find a few nice places to eat socialise so that when you do arrive i can show you around a little bit. Dont worry I love kids so that doesnt bother me at all. Will you have had your second baby by the time you arrive?

Speak soon Shay x

Dan,

Did you look up Geordie shore? how bad is that dont worry im nothing like that at all.
Inbetweeners haha which one are you?

Hey guys.
I'm useless with keeping up to date with this at times but just to inform you that this expat site has been MEAN with helping us with the expat gang. We have had a number of nights out, thanks Nicky, Malgo, Sam, Mel, Carmela, Simon etc and you guys are always welcome if you're here already or whenever you get here!
Oh and Suus, don't even tempt me about gear from NZ, I may just take you up on that...but I'm thinkin my snowboard is too big haha.

Hey, Anna, that doesn't sound good - what do you mean this site is mean? I'm still new here so wouldn't know, but from speaking to people on here seems like there's a decent expat community out there...does this site not help?

Shay, sorry, I never watched Geordie Shore - I could only find websites that would charge me for it!
Inbetweeners - I've been told I sound like Jay, but built like the lanky one, and maybe act more like Will. Brilliant, that sounds like a right mess!

Oh, Anna, is anything going on during Bayram week? A girl I met in my building at work (there are other expats there!) mentioned it, and I didn't even realise I had the time off! I guess you might be here by then as well, Shay?

Awwww love u Anna need to arrange this weekends plans.... Dancing and movie night!!! And oltada can we fit shopping in at some point??? I need clothes!!!! And shoes!!!!

Haha sorry I guess I shouldn't use Kiwi slang anymore, Mean means awesome. Apologies. Bayram week is when there is a mass exodus from the city. I'm heading to Jordan for the five days, but be warned it is expensive to travel in Turkey because everyone else is wanting to do the same thing.

Btw Dan mean means amaZing in crazy kiwi language haha! Watch out for the kiwi chicks ESP kiwi number two hehe

Nicky!! Sorry your msg didn't come through until I posted the last one. Shopping on Sat, you're off right? Thinking maybe this side outlet stores? Do we wanna do Weds coffee after/between work

And there are no bus tickets left anywhere anna I couldn't get ANYTHING

Wed I now have this new private 121 lesson so coffee plans are off for the forseeable future.... Boooooo

What the heck? So no Cappadocia??? I got the last bus ticket on the bus for last Bayram, it's insane! Guess you'll just have to come to Jordan with me hmm. I'm gonna walk home most nights this week so lemme know if you've got any time off between 4-6ish.
Oh btw, you off on Sun too, I'm thinking biking on the islands? Dan, you're welcome to join.

Oh and Shay, I need to see this Geordie Shore, I've been told about it but never seen it either. My mam's a Geordie and I've spent a fair bit of time in Newcastle so kinda keen to see it

Noooooo I always work sat and Sunday we could do biking on the Saturday??? That would be ever cooler than shopping!!

Yeh it would be way cooler. Just lemme get back to you as have a Turkish lady who wants to learn English wanting to join on the shopping trip, if she can do Sun shoppin I'm all over Sat biking.

Please please please!! I'm so excited at the thought of biking!!!!

Hi Shay, looking forward to hearing how your move went and what you think of Istanbul!! We've been for a week only in September to find a house and an obstetrician - baby is due early March so I'll be BIG when I get there ;-)

Anna, happy to bring stuff - we've got a 40ft container and we're def not gonna fill the whole thing up so feel free to get some stuff to me before the 12th of November and we can ship it over for you! Who knows, maybe we can go snowboarding some time, we're bringing all our gear too!! Maybe email me on [email protected] to sort out details?

Dan, not sure where we could play tennis - prob have to wait till bubs is a wee bit older, but pretty sure my husband (Campbell) will be keen! We have tennis courts in the compound where we live, but need to check out how it works with bringing guests and stuff. We'll def be in touch!! Have you got an email address I could give to Campbell so he can contact you? He's moving this Sunday and might be quite keen for a catch up in one of the weekends.

Great to be in touch with all of you!! It makes the move soooo much easier!!

Cheers,

Suus xx

Hey suus!

Im not keen on tennis but i can definitely babysit your gorgeous baby while you guys play!!!

Hey thanks for the biking info Johnny, appreciate it!
And big thanks for your offer Suus, if I can get my mate in Auckland to bring something back from the Naki when he goes there then I'll take you up on your offer and pay you too cos honestly it is such a big favour you'd be doing me! But all dependent on whether he goes home for a weekend. I'll be in touch via email.
By the way, anyone up for a touch game sometime? In Goztepe park maybe or a park on the European side? I just wanna do some kind of activity similar to that!

Hey Suus,

just read the last few messages - tennis would be good, yeah, if you let Campbell know my e-mail ([email protected]) I'll most likely be available at the weekends for a catchup or a match or something.

I'd be up for touch, Anna! Before it gets too cold, right? Not really sure what "touch" is, though...