The Internet was a marvellous invention. Instantly, at the tip of our fingers, we can gain a vast range of information from various sources. We can also publish at the push of a button, our thoughts and musings on daily life.
One group to benefit from this concept is ex-pats living in Turkey. By following, other ex-pats who write about their lives in a foreign country, there is a great source of information, comfort and familiarity. For this reason, we present our favourite expat blogs. Grab a cup of coffee and start reading because there are some interesting stories.
This is an informative blog by Lisa Morrow, a native Australian that moved to Turkey in 1990 and eventual settled in Istanbul. She began teaching English for a Turkish University, but also took an in-depth and unbiased look at daily Turkish life and cultural traditions.
The site will be of particular interest to expats who want to move or are living in the bustling metropolis. Lisa shares her thoughts on favourite places to eat and shop as well as historical information, of which Istanbul certainly has a colourful timeline throughout the years!
Lisa has also penned two books about Turkey of which the first is “Inside out In Istanbul” and the 2nd is “Exploring Turkish Landscape - Crossing Inner Boundaries,” which focuses a lot on Turkish traditions and cultures and how she has adapted.
Natalie Sayin, a British girl moved to Turkey in 2001 to start work as a holiday rep. She eventually settled down in Didim on the Aegean coast, but because it is a typically British expat resort, she travels further afield to learn about the cultures and traditions of her adopted homeland.
Her blog focus on destinations and the people she meets. She also talks candidly about her failed cross-culture marriage with a Kurdish man, her experience of the Turkish divorce courts and dating in Turkey as a foreign female. She insists that every expat should travel at least once a year, within Turkey so that they understand the extreme diversity of cultures and heritage.
Written by Kerry Arslan, this blog is defined as the “Housewives Guide to Living in Turkey.” Kerry, who married a Turkish man, has focused on the social pressures of living in a foreign country, her experiences of being pregnant and raising a child, as well as village life. She talks of schooling, education and cultural differences but also focus on light hearted topics such as cooking Turkish food and learning the language.
Defined as a road trip through a Turkish – American marriage, writer Liz Cameron has adopted a rather unique angle to present her political, religious and social musings to readers. A former social worker, she talks often about the Turkish Karagoz puppets that prompt many of her intense thoughts.
The puppets (a popular theme for children during Ottoman times) often and still do feature in plays and they represent two diverse characters; therefore promoting Liz’s writing style of a non-biased but sometimes conflicted point of view. This blog is not light-hearted reading. It is for people who want to know the nitty-gritty, ins and outs of daily life in Turkey.
Karen, an American mother, realised that when her daughter left for college, it was an opportunity to fulfil her dream of travelling the world. She settled in Istanbul and in 2008, started her blog, which has turned in to a huge bank of knowledge for any expat, who is eager to know more.
She still travels extensively and her topics are not limited, ranging from architecture, books, art, football, culture and history. Karen has been recognised by many international publications as a valuable source of information for expat advice.
Terry Henson Kaymak is a Pennsylvanian Lawyer turned travel blogger who married her Turkish boyfriend and moved to Ankara in 2009. Her dream was to travel the country and share her experiences.
Extensive information on Adventures in Ankara, include day trips and excursions, interaction with expat societies and groups in the region. She also focuses on issues such as food, family life, healthcare as a foreigner and language difficulties. Anyone planning to live in Ankara will definitely benefit from her wide source of knowledge and contacts.
Focusing on the Bodrum Peninsula, Anne first visited the area in 1982. She returned 30 years later to find an extremely different landscape. Settling in the area, she started to write about the differences and her experiences of adapting to modern Bodrum.
This is a good resource bank for anyone looking to buy property in the Bodrum region. Topics include everything that you can possibly think of; village life, walking trails, markets, and a Turkish kitchen. Anne is also extremely good at keeping up-to-date with local news, and reflecting on them, in her blog.
Written by Jennifer Hattam, a freelance journalist who moved from San Francisco to Istanbul in 2008, she has a keen eye for the details of Turkish society and also often writes about social and political issues within Turkey. Publishing since 2008, other light hearted topics such as museums, arts, events and festivals feature on her post list. Readers will find her language section particularly interesting because rather than read like a schoolbook, she points out differences in tenses, grammar and use of the Turkish language. She also has an Istanbul Travel Tips section but is not afraid to deal with current issues such as the riots of Istanbul last year and urban planning.
Claudia has lived in Istanbul for 30 years, and shares her time between the city and the ancient village of Assos. As indicated by the name, the main focus of the blog is Turkish recipes and food, but Claudia also delves into related topics such as local markets, and adapting foreign recipes with local ingredients. Definitely a blog that should be followed by food lovers, she covers soups, drinks, baking, salads, and jams.
Ashley and Hilary took some time travelling around Turkey before eventually deciding to settle in the country. They love getting out and about on their bike and write about other daily subjects including gardening and small issues of life that need careful negotiation such as DIY! Settling in the area of Selcuk, they are a source of information for local news and also have a passion for flora and fauna of the region.