Exploring the culture, history, and cuisine of Turkey through the eyes of not-just-another-tourist
"I love trash. Anything dirty or dingy or dusty. Anything rotten or ragged or rusty. I love it because it's trash!" This was my favorite Sesame Street song from the great, Oscar the Grouch. I just loved that song. Still know most of the words. But it just ain't so. If there is one house... Continue Reading →
Yesterday was graduation at Middle East Technical University (METU). As part of the celebration, Alumni Day was held on Saturday. I attended with my husband who is currently teaching at METU as well as a graduate, class of 1999. METU is a state university founded in 1956. METU's presence brought about new methods and... Continue Reading →
We are all fans of McDonald’s. Sure, go ahead, claim that you are not. You can argue that it’s not a real burger. But we don’t go to McDonald’s for real burgers. We make those at home on the grill. We go for the two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce cheese, pickles, onions, on... Continue Reading →
Happy Father's Day my friends! We are celebrating Father's Day here in Turkey, much like we do in the States. I am cooking a huge breakfast for the family. We will spend the day together. And hopefully, we will enjoy a lovely fish dinner at Eymir Orfuz, a fish restaurant located in the woods along Lake... Continue Reading →
Meeting new people comes pretty easily for me. I will talk to anyone. I have held conversations with homeless people on the streets of Philadelphia. I have started conversations about my wedding plans with lawyers in the midst of multi-million dollar settlement talks. I have spent time playing pool with bikers in dark seedy bars. I even... Continue Reading →
Yesterday morning I went to the police station to pick up my resident card. It's official - I am a resident of Ankara, Turkey! I took the subway back to Kizilay, then strolled through the streets, admiring this and that along the way. As I walked home, it occurred to me that I truly felt "at home" here. I had... Continue Reading →
Ankara and Philadelphia have so much in common. There are also a lot of things that are very different - or at least things are done in very different ways. Here is a fun list of things that are similar and some that are different: Ankara has Ataturk, the founding father of modern Turkey. You will find his picture in... Continue Reading →
Shopping for cars in Turkey is just plain hell. First, there are different rules and taxes for a yabancı (a foreigner) than for a Turkish citizen. If a foreigner sells a used car, he can only sell it to another foreigner. I believe it also has less tax than for a Turkish citizen. Sounds great... Continue Reading →
Friday night was another gorgous evening for a stroll through the neighborhood. It also became a lovely date night. I had received an invitation from the Turkish American Association (TÜRK-AMERİKAN DERNEĞİ) for one of its special events. It was walking distance so we headed on over. (Still shopping for a car!) The TAA , with... Continue Reading →
The first book I remember owning – that was completely mine – not shared with my brothers, sisters, niece or nephews – was “The Baby Born in a Stable.” Mom bought it for me at the Religious Goods Store at St. Agnes. I actually got to pick it out. Here’s a current pic of it... Continue Reading →
Ankara is the capital and the second largest city of Turkey. According to Wikipedia, in 2007 it had a population of 4,751,360. My sources say the numbers are probably much higher than that, due to issues involved with taking the census. Sound familiar? Ankara is comprised of eight provinces. We live in the province that is also called... Continue Reading →
Musings of a Philadelphia lawyer - who married a Turk, quit her day job, and set out for adventure!
-by Terry Henson Kaymak
Adventures in Ankara 