Planning my move for 2010.....

Hi Nicky

Where are you planning on teaching English? I'm sure you'll be able to find an ex-pat community wherever you go - especially if you're going to any of the big cities.

We're an English couple and have been living in Fethiye on the Southwest coast for the last 6 years on and off. Obviously, the coastal areas are a bit of a mecca for ex-pats so you'll find many nationalities in these places.

We've made good Turkish friends whilst being here as well as ex-pats. Obviously, it all takes time but I'm sure you'll be fine. Most people are very welcoming!

We write a blog about our lives here if you want to have a look at that. Turkey's For Life We love it here and our blog is very biased and positive about Turkey - it might make you feel better about moving here:)

Good luck with all your preparations and best wishes.

JayP

Hey Jay

Thank you for the response!

It depends on the time of year i end up getting out there for. If it is summer time I was thinking trying to get something in Antalya as that is by the sea but still a big town. Otherwise I would go to Istanbul.

What made u guys choose Turkey? Any regrets?? Did u find it hard adjusting when u first arrived? Are many of your friends now ex pats or locals? Do you think its safe for a girl on her own to move out there? I spent the 2 months there in the summer alone, travelling and doing work camps but do you think i should be prepared for a reality shock when im actually there to live rather than travel?

Thanks in advance for the tips!

Nicky

Hi

We came to Turkey on holiday about 12 years ago - young couple, never going to the same place on holiday twice blabla. Saw Fethiye and thought, 'This is us!' We never did another package type holiday after that. We travel around when money permits!

We've been here on and off (mostly on) for 6 years now and no regrets at all. We've got a few British and German friends but the friends we see most often are our Turkish friends. We made a big effort when we first arrived to live here to spend time away from the traditional expat areas - not always easy in this area but worth persevering. So I suppose the main 'adjusting' was trying to convince Turkish people that not all foreigners want to spend their time with their 'fellow foreigner!' There's a big expat community here that does exactly that so it's not surprising really.

I think things have been easier for us because we're a couple but if you've spent two months in Turkey in the summer, you'll know what it's like. You've just got to use your common sense as with anywhere else in the world.

Antalya and Istanbul are both great places - we go to Istanbul as much as we can because I like a 'city fix' every now and then. There's more of an open, cosmopolitan feel to Istanbul. Fethiye's a fantastic town to live in but sometimes you've just got to get away. Wherever you choose, if you're going to be working in a school, you're likely to make friends there originally so I'm sure you'll be fine.

What you will definitely find is, for a big country, Turkey is a very small place. Every Turk you meet will have a friend/cousin  in any other place you mention. I have to admit that when we go to Istanbul for example, we now know a lot of these friends and cousins from Fethiye and we don't tell anyone we're going until we get there. He he. This is because they all want you to stay in their homes with them. Lovely but it's nice to explore alone sometimes. All our Turkish friends like to feel we need babysitting in their country which I guess it's nice to know there's always someone looking out for you - even when it's not necessary.   

Hope that made sense. I've gone on a bit. Good luck with everything anyway and happy new year as well.

Hiya Nicky!

I know exactly how you feel!  Im moving there in March - 21st March to be exact.... booked my flights yesterday! Argghhhh
I went to Turkey over 2 years ago and fell in love with the place and have loved it ever since.  Doesnt make it any easier to pack up and leave everything you know behind though does it?
My Turkish is only very basic aswell but I am hoping I can pick it up more once I am there.  Where will you be living do you know yet?  Ill be in Denizli from the 21st March onwards

Sam

Hi Nicky;

You are really brave compare to my partner. He is british living in London we are considering to move to Turkey but he is ever so anxious about the whole thing!

Good luck with your new job and life!

hi am dominic i have an problem in spoken english even i know how to read and write can u give me advice how can i do so zat i can improve my ability of speak english cause i want to move from my country to study abroud and most of people use english as thier medium of communication

Hi everyone,

It's so nice to hear others' plans to move to Turkiye, and the experiences of those who already have.  I posted a few days ago because I'm planning to move to Kusadasi in the next few months.  I went to visit my boyfriend for two weeks and got back about a month ago.  I'm excited about the move, but my family is not happy at all.  They're worried because Americans tend to know very little about Turkey, it's a predominantly Muslim country, etc.  Slowly, I think they're starting to trust my decision.  Anyway, I would love to know some other ex-pats before my move.  Good luck with all of your planning!

Caroline

Hi Nicky

Have you made the big move yet?? If so, hope you are settling in well.

Caroline, from what I've heard, there are loads of expats in Kusadasi so you shouldn't have too much trouble making friends there. Hope you manage to find some on Expat.com before your move. We're a few hours drive South of you, sorry.

Hi Nicky

Have you moved yet? If so I hope everything went well.

I first came to Fethiye 10 years ago and fell in love big time. I bought an apartment 6 years ago and divided my time between Fethiye and UK until last year when I moved here permanently.

I agree with everything JayP has said and I read all their blogs and find them really interesting.

I live in an area of Fethiye that is mainly Turkish as I really wanted to be part of the Turkish lifestyle and not live in an area that is 'little England'. I do have a good mix of Turkish and English friends!

The Turkish people are warm and friendly and have helped me no end in setting up permanently with things like telephone, internet etc! I am learning Turkish but yavaş yavaş! My Turkish neighbours check to make sure I am ok and do odd jobs for me too. Nothing is too much trouble for them.

I moved here on my own and have not looked back!

Lyn

Hey Lynn!

Yes i made the move...finally!!! I am now living in Izmir and teaching English. Only been here for a short while so am still trying to fit in and work everything out!

My Turkish is also improving slowly slowly - one of the many things on my to do lists is to sign up for turkish classes!

Nicky