 I
wake up every day knowing that I live in one of the loveliest places in
the world. That, in spite of the invasion of thousands
of people who have arrived these past few years to buy into our quality
of life. Fortunately, I arrived in Bodrum, Turkey in the late eighties.
Little did I realize then that I would still be here 20 years later. I
am not the first foreigner to have been lulled into the Lotus Eating syndrome
in Bodrum, Turkey. Hundreds of foreigners arrived before I. It was 1983
when I first arrived in Bodrum for a sailing holiday. I had been
working in London for a non-profit with teenagers from the inner city.
We flew into to Izmir, a military airport, where we were thoroughly searched
before climbing aboard a rickety bus and traveling south for an endless
five hours without air-conditioning in high summer. It used to be
work to get here. Foreigners who came to Turkey then were highly
motivated travelers, in search of eastern culture, atmosphere, food, and
music. Three years later, I heard there was a summer job as a holiday representative
available. I jumped at it. Everything then was exotic and charming
- even if the power did get cut off on a regular basis. Three years later,
I heard there was a summer job as a holiday representative available. I
jumped at it. Everything then was exotic and charming - even if the
power did get cut off on a regular basis. And there was the attention factor.
As a blonde, I stood out. I returned to London when my summer job ended,
but I was back the following year. - Life
in a Turkish Tourist Town - By Priscilla Windsor Brown |
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 Islands
For Sale Worldwide -
Buy a private island - there are 1000's of islands for sale all over the
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 Istanbul:
A city with so much to discover - The
only things I knew about Turkey before I came here were that it was once
home to a great empire that ruled on three continents and how the country
was transformed into a republic under the leadership of the great Mustafa
Kemal Atatürk. I started searching for information and read a lot
about Turkey in order to understand the country before I would begin living
there. I was captivated by its great history and couldn’t wait to explore
Istanbul. There was already a huge “to do” list I had noted in my mind
— I had to watch the whirling dervishes, visit the Blue Mosque, spend some
money in the Grand Bazaar, visit numerous historic sites in Istanbul, enjoy
a Bosporus cruise and get a chance to experience a hamam. I arrived in
Istanbul one day before the holy month of Ramadan began. I had been living
in Malaysia for 23 years, and now I had to be independent and cherish every
moment I would spend in Istanbul. I had to fast and experience the holy
month the way Turks do, rejoice it and celebrate Eid al-Fitr on what was
once Ottoman soil. The first night of Ramadan I was awakened by a loud
sound from the street. When I looked out the window, there was a man pounding
on a drum, which was, as I later found out, to wake people up for sahur.
It made me remember the many villages in Malaysia in which the people were
awakened by the sound of tabuh — a log hit by a drummer at surau or a mosque. |
 Coming
to grips with Turkey through its literature
- For the average expat living in Turkey, it’s a tall order to understand
the complexities of our adopted homeland. It’s very easy to live within
our own comfort zone and, curiously sheltered by the language barrier,
pay little attention to issues that don’t directly impinge on our own lives.
But when small, barefooted boys are thrusting packets of tissues through
my car window as I pause momentarily at the traffic lights, or a crowd
of Dickensian street urchins attempt to pick the pockets of my rucksack
outside Sirkeci Station, it’s impossible not to wonder where they come
from or what their story might be. I know that there are many ways to begin
addressing this deficit, from reading the news (through papers like Today’s
Zaman if our Turkish is not completely fluent) to keeping a wide circle
of Turkish friends. But another way to gain an insight into the complexities
of the culture we have chosen to make our new lives in, which should appeal
to anyone with an interest in literature, is to read novels; either those
written by Turkish authors themselves, or by foreigners who have a good
understanding of the country. |
 From
Bali to the Grand Bazaar (ISTANBUL) -
I arrived at the Grand Bazaar today bearing a gift for a shopkeeper named
Mehmet. We have a mutual friend, Nyoman in Ubud, Bali from whence I have
recently returned. Mehmet had requested I bring him some of Nyoman’s coffee.
And so I have, along with a pile of costume jewelry, all of it long in
need of repair. But how to find Mehmet’s jewelry shop out of the thousands
in the world’s largest and oldest shopping mall? When my Turkish phone
died in Bali so did the numbers of many friends including Mehmet’s. I called
the Kybele Hotel where Ali Baba had once told me he knew Mehmet. He was
on vacation, but the boy who answered the phone said, “I know Mehmet. I
can tell you where he is.” “Are you sure? There must be thousands of Mehmet’s
in the Grand Bazaar,” I said. “The jeweler right? He’s in the old part
. Just ask for Mehmet.” Never ceases to amaze me how the world shrinks
as my travels span greater distances and time. Istanbul is a city of 20
million and the Grand Bazaar has more than 5,000 shops. One phone call
and someone knows exactly where to find Mehmet. |
 Real
Estate in the Turkish Mediterranean -
The Turkish Mediterranean is an area of spectacular beauty. Beautiful sheltered
sandy coves, backed by the Taurus Mountains, are a sight once seen never
forgotten. With no pollution, a relaxing atmosphere and the warm hospitality
of the Turkish people it’s like living in paradise. Imagine waking up and
looking out of your window at spectacular scenery that makes you feel good
to be alive. The easy-going lifestyle here allows you to relax and really
enjoy your life. With inexpensive living costs and not having to keep up
with the Joneses, you have less stress and more money in your pocket. Why
continue spending most of your hard earned money on ever-increasing taxes
back home? Real Estate prices here are much lower than in Spain and you
usually get more value for your money. However, this situation is changing
due to recent amendments to the law making it easier for foreigners to
buy property in Turkey. The result has been a rise in real estate prices
but also a vast improvement in the standard of construction. |
 Finding
A Villa In Turkey ~ Daylan ~ by Charles Bentley
- I suppose it was the Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn manner of our boyhood
that left us with a deep love for the lifestyle, values and environment
long since sacrificed to secure the material riches of the modern world.
Yet part of us never left the backwater village where we grew up. Part
of us still yearned for the simple pleasures and delights of that time
and place. Return visits, necessitated to respect the passing of boyhood
friends no longer with us, simply confirm the passing of those days long
ago, those`blue remembered hills.’ Where the sun shone all day and the
peace and security were visible and audible in everything around. Nothing
is the same anymore. Houses cover fields where we once ran so free, woodland
we explored for lost treasure; levelled for farming and the river that
once held challenge and fear in its currents and frothing falls, now little
more than a tedious stream. Ah well, at least the memories remain. |
 Investing
In Turkey ~ Incentives, Conditions, Getting Started
- Ever thought of investing in Turkey? This ancient land of stunning natural
beauty and abundant resources is now actively trying to revive its historic
role as the commercial link between east and west.Besides its choice geographical
placement, Turkey seems to have it all: a rich agricultural heartland,
heavy industry, huge stretches of coastline on three different seas, as
well as great tourism potential, not to mention a very favorable relationship
with the United States. Especially now that plans have been approved for
the long-anticipated Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Turkey is developing into
a hot emerging market. The government is actively seeking out foreign investors
on huge privatization programs in the fields of energy, telecommunications
and infrastructure projects. The Turkish Constitution has also been amended
to allow for international arbitration- a previous lack that had scared
off potential investors. All in all, the situation is becoming increasingly
favorable. Yet this mysterious country, hampered as it is by bureaucracy
and poverty, remains somewhat inaccessible to the potentially interested
Western investor. |
 Gümüslük/Bodrum,
Turkey - Don’t Buy The House, Buy The Neighbors - by Deborah Semele
- My neighbor Hatice (the grandmother) insists that I look out the window
to remind me that this is the best view in all of Avanos. My other neighbor
Hatice (the granddaughter) insists that she used to not be able to hear
the noise coming from behind the storage room, but now she can. Between
them both is Zekinur (the aunt), who has forbidden me under any circumstances
to sell my house, because that’s what they want. “They” are my neighbors
on the other side, owners and operators of the disco, which is where the
noise is coming from. The problem is, it’s not just coming from the side,
it’s also coming from underneath. You see, like the rest of the houses
in the “ancienne village” of Avanos, pottery center and minor Cappadocian
tourist attraction, my house was built into and on top of caves, which
have, over the years, been carved out by the various inhabitants. Unlike
the rest of the houses in Avanos, however, mine has been completely excavated
by my disco neighbors in less than a decade. As a result, when the disco
is in operation, as soon as my head hits the pillow at night, in place
of a sweet Turkish lullaby, an incessant “dunga, dunga, dunga” (Turkish
onomatopoeia that translates loosely into English as “Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
Bam!”) comes echoing upwards through stone – or what’s left of it. |
 On
the Road: From Turkey to Bulgaria -
My legs cramped up immediately. This is nothing new to me.
Things in other countries never seem to be built with my size in mind,
much less my comfort. I imagine that there are few seats in any bus
or train or airplane that remain comfortable after 11 hours. Sitting
for that long in claustrophobic quarters is like asking a dog to stand
for 11 hours…attacks are likely. We rode in absolute silence…the only sound
being the driver’s Zippo every half-hour and the sound of his first exultant
exhalation. As the sun slowly disappeared to the west and the clouds
of a cold rain built to the north, I imagined myself in the villages we
passed; growing up with everything planned out, going to the mosque and
playing soccer in the grazing fields. I stared out the window like this
watching the sun smooth out and die as a finished smoke flung itself out
of the driver’s window, and the weather seemed to grow colder. |
 Real
Estate in Altinkum - Turkey - Altinkum translates
as golden sand and is a holiday resort on the south west coast of Turkey
attached to the town of Didim in the county of Aydin. The European visitors
are predominately British but it is also the destination for hundreds of
thousands of Turkish tourists every year. The resort stands at the mouth
of the Akbuk bay and is surrounded by the beautiful Blue Turquoise water
of the Aegean Sea. Altinkum is centrally positioned for easy access to
many of the ancient sites of the Roman era such as Apollos Temple (1 mile),
Ephesus (60 miles), Pamukkale (120 miles), Milet (10 miles), and Priene
(25 miles). Just 25 miles away there is the the largest inland lake
in Turkey known as Baffa lake and it gives people the chance to take
a boat trip or do a bit of fishing or just relax on the banks of the lake
and enjoy the scenery. Typical Turkish villages abound in this area and
all kinds of arts and crafts are carried out in them such as pottery and
carpet making. |
 Teaching
English In Turkey - Falling In Love With Turkey
- Many people enjoy travelling, but short visits to a country are rarely
enough to get a real feel for the culture and people. Travellers
often want to spend more time in one place, but their budget prevents them
from doing this. Living and working in a country is probably the best way
to get to know a place authentically. If you have ever been interested
in visiting Turkey, or returning to Turkey, there is a very easy way of
making a living for any English speaking tourist. The Turkish middle classes
are very keen to learn English, and they really want to learn it from a
native speaker of the language. If you speak English as your first language,
you are almost guaranteed a job teaching English in Turkey. The number
of students wanting to learn English far outweighs the number of English
teachers, which means that many schools will hire someone without the proper
qualifications. |
 The
Turkish Island Of Bozcaada ~ A Turkish Island In The Mediterranean
- Bozcaada is a small Turkish island located about 12 miles (19 km) off
the western coast of Turkey just south of the Dardanelles (a narrow strait
in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea with the Marmora Sea).
The island’s ancient name was Tenedos, and its strategic location in the
Aegean Sea at the entrance of the Dardanelles Straits was ideal to guard
the city of Troy just to the north. When approaching Bozcaada’s eastern
coast on the ferry from the mainland, the island’s terrain is unimpressive
and barren. Offsetting this bleakness is the characteristic Greek
whitewashed town of Bozcaada with its narrow streets and its impressive
fortress. The outdoor harbor area is a pleasant place for tea, next to
sailboats, and further out, great ocean going ships in queue to pass to
Istanbul. There is a wide availability of hotel accommodation for all price
ranges. The town has a bank, an ATM, a few markets, and an internet
café (expect slow connections and short working hours). |
 Traveling
To Constantinople - A Greek Tourist’s Impressions Visiting Istanbul
- It was Wednesday December the 15th, 2004, when my friend Yiota called
me up in the office. “What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?” she asked,
me and my mind just thought about another social engagement for the Season.
“Nothing much” I replied, since my boyfriend had just left to spend the
Holidays with his family in the States, I was telling myself that no matter
what, I would go with the flow and confront the usual Holiday blues with
a sense of positivism… “Well, how about us going to Constantinople”, Yiota
said, with hesitation coloring her voice. “Constantinople ??? When are
we going, dear?”, I said, with a sense of excitement in my voice now. “Well,
from December the 28th till January the 2nd…” “OK, let’s do it! I have
a Holiday leave during those exact same days, so it’s a deal!!!” I finally
told my friend, putting a big smile on my face, for the unexpected yet,
thrilling arrangement which was about to follow! For the Greek people,
the Byzantine Empire has always been a part of our cultural heritage and
the glorious capital of the late Empire was Constantinople! |
 Montenegro
- Tanja's Unconventional Guide - by Tanja Bulatovic
- There are places in this world almost too good to write about. Like precious
jewels, unpolished and raw they sit proudly in the quiet knowledge of their
own self-worth without needing to blow their own trumpet. With a surface
of only 13 800 Km2 and a population of 600 000, Crna Gora, as the locals
call her (meaning Black Mountain) is the size of a postage stamp. And yet,
this UNESCO protected nature lover’s paradise packs plenty of punch. Diverse
landscapes, rugged terrain, dramatic gorges, spectacular rivers, striking
fjords and a picture postcard coastline. There are 250km of beach (pebbles
and sand), National parks and ski resorts, all complimented by the turquoise
hue of the Adriatic Sea. The average temperature is 25°C in summer,
with 230 days of sunshine per year. Yet herein lies the challenge. I’m
speaking about my original homeland and so I have a lot of people to answer
to, however, I also want to be honest, as presenting you with a sugar-coated
version of the place serves nobody. |
 Want
to Live in Europe? – Consider Corsica
- When most people think of France, they probably imagine the hexagonal
country mashed in the middle of continental Europe and its stunning capital
city Paris. Although this does make up the most populous bulk of
the country, France also consists of many overseas territories (Guadeloupe,
Tahiti, etc.) as well as one of the largest, most beautiful islands in
the Mediterranean Sea: Corsica (”La Corse”). The French call Corsica
”l’Ile de Beauté” (the island of beauty) and it truly is a place
of inspiring landscapes and stunning geography. Unlike the French
Riviera which has basically turned into one gigantic strip of unbridled
concrete sprawl, the Corsican coastline is still virtually unspoiled, with
limited construction allowed only in major cities or very small fishing
towns that have been there for centuries. In fact, if you try to
build a vacation house too close to the coastline in Corsica, it is actually
not an uncommon occurrence for the local Corsican populace to blow it up
during the off season. |
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- by Mark Nestmann Owning real estate in another country provides
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 Cash
Flow Properties Worldwide - The time to buy
real estate and stocks is ideally at the bottom of the market. Tighter
Lending Policies Improve Cash Flow Houses - Can anyone see the forest through
the trees? Does anyone in Washington really understand what drives
the housing industry? |
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 Medical
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 Live
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 Cultural
Dimensions of Living and Working in Czech Republic - American expatriates
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 Relocation
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 The
Insiders Guide to Thriving in Dubai - Anyone can thrive in Dubai
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