Culture Shock in Turkey

Even though I had studied turkey in my F272 business class prior to travel, I had no idea what to expect when I arrived. Turkey seemed like such a far off place and I had never really thought about what it was like to live there. Here are some things that I thought were interesting while traveling there.  

1. Cats

Cats are everywhere in Istanbul. I mean EVERYWHERE. You can walk down the street or have a nice coffee break at a cafe without having a cat nearby. So maybe not the best place to travel for those with car allergies. 

2. Bathrooms & Toilets 

One thing that surprised me about the bathrooms were that you had to pay for some of them. Be ready to fork over 1 Lira if you have to go to the bathroom (especially in tourist places). 

As far as toilets go... In Turkey they have a regular toilet, and also a one that is a hole in the ground. It's not so bad but for a westerner, it can be alarming. In order to avoid, just make sure to read the door signs. 

3. Politics 

Turkey is such a beautiful and friendly country, but they have deeply rooted political problems. With multiple military coups in their past and their upcoming elections, politics plays an active role in the Turkish lifestyle. While we were there, banners promoting political parties were displayed all over the city and once or twice we experienced protests right outside our hotel. 

4. Street vendors 

There were two main types of street sellers: food carts and little children. The food carts in Istanbul are equivalent to the American hotdog stand. However, they are mainly roasted corn, chestnuts, fresh squeezed juice, mussels, and siut (which is like a bagel with cream cheese or nutella). 

As far as the children street sellers, they were mostly Syrian refugees living on the streets of Istanbul. While very sad, they were quite persistent salesmen, as we were often followed or approached by them. Interestingly they almost always sold water, flower headbands, or selfie sticks. 

5. Food! 

The food in turkey is not only mouth-watering, but dirt cheap! Stores are open late, and I bet that you'll never be further than 1/2 of a mile of a kebab restaurant.