Everyday life in Turkey!

Hey there, I have been living here for about a year and it's been a pretty negative experience. The people are rude and don't like foreigners too much. They also stare... a lot. I honestly can't wait to leave.

However, coming here for a short time won't be hard. As for how to act, this country is very westernized and probably not what you would expect. Just be prepared to get stared at a lot lol

Ankara is a mix of city people and newcomers from villages who honestly find it bizarre that foreigners can live in their cities as well.  The Turkish idea of propriety and manners are different than the Western World, where they think staring is not rude nor is commenting on your skin color, weight etc.  They say they are not racist, because they view racism differently than the West...infact I find they are a bit prejudice but in a strange type of way.

I had once yelled at a coworker because she had said "wow you are so White."  She didn't understand how thats offensive.  My african friends have a million complaints, even one of them said a guy asked to touch her hair... they deal with it because they are students and they have learned to distance themselves from these people. 

Even my own husband I yell at, at times when he points out someone with darker skin and says "look a foreigner."  He has now stopped that habit of his thankfully. 

Just prepare yourself and get in the mindset that these people act as if they have never seen a White or black person before.  It's that level of naivety that reigns here.  I get stared at Daily moreso because I wear hijab, I mostly ignore it now unless it is too much and I yell at them in Turkish...well I guess I yell at everything now don't I. 

You will be fine, if you were living here this is more troublesome but you came to volunteer so it's not overly annoying.  Also keep in mind that you will come in Ramadan here, so if you are eating in public when the sun is up you may get some unkind looks your way.  There is no advice for what to do or not do, just be yourself.  It's their problem they act that way and more and more Africans are moving here which is slowly changing the mindset about this.

I am sure you will pass a good and interesting time in Turkey. Welcome and best wishes !!!

It is important  which city u will stay. If u stay in Istanbul you should rent a Car . Becouse istanbul is very crowded to use transportation.

Hi Marian
I visited many times in Istanbul and Antalya for holiday with my children, I am black too. I really like Turkish people.
They did not experience many black people so they are more curios than racist, but nowadays it is more different and they travel a lot around the world especially to Africa.
My advice is you can go to the city you prefer for good long holiday and see for your self that will help you to decide what you want to do.

I hope you will be successful with your decision.
Abdinur

İf you Are in Ankara ı want to meet with you

Hey how are you:) i want to meet up new People im Antalya maybe you want to go out and drink something:)

it's all about the Difference of Culture and the human eye nature which looks and stare at the different things.
If I decide to live in Russia for example, I have to respect the culture and not to look weird or different, I cannot go to a Mascid with swimming shorts, I cannot go to a casino with Imam clothes, I cannot go with public transportation naked, although that I have a free will, I can do whatever I want, but not to respect the culture will trigger a lot of staring from normal people who don't want to make fights, others may spit on ground while looking at me, in a meaning that we don't accept you and you are not welcomed here, and others may say it directly to you, and others may even take aggressive actions, only for not respecting the culture, not respecting the people, the tradition and etc...

When I was younger, I thought to be different is something very cool, but bit by bit I started to understand that joining the community is much calmer and closer to people. to tell people OH LOOK IM DIFFERENT THAN YOU! HAHAHAH! YOU REALLY COMMON AND IM DIFFERENT! is harder than to tell them : OHHH BOYS IM ONE OF YOU, WE ARE ONE, WE ARE TOGETHER, WE BELONG TO SAME CULTURE and etc...

Finish culture and Muslim culture is very different, but no matter how different it is, I assure you, if you act/dress/eat/drink/live the same way of how Turkish people live, they will welcome you and smile to you all the time. Since I joined the people, I felt I'm really one of the community. and here is the difference, Individual European Communities which gives importance to individualism, where in Turkey it gives values to Socialism.. in the end, maybe im wrong so I don't know..