Why Turkish Culture Rocks
As in many other countries, Turkey has its own characteristics. And if someone asked me what comes to my mind when saying “Turkey” I would definitely answer “Tea”. If anyone thought the British were the biggest tea drinkers, they just haven't lived in turkey yet. Seriously, here tea is drunk in liters! Walking along the streets you can see small tables not only next to cafes, but also next to hairdressers, shops where uncles sit, drink tea and leisurely communicate with each other. You will be offered tea everywhere. Also, some cafes here offer tea for free. For me, as a tea lover, its one of the nicest things to experience in a new country.
From the above it can be understood that the Turks are not particularly afraid to allocate a lot of time for tea. Here, people don’t live according to a certain schedule, no one is in a hurry. That gives a sense of calmness and harmony and reduces the likelihood of stress. Even in big cities like Ankara people don’t move quickly without noticing anything around. Moreover, people here are very attentive and polite to passer-by. That is another thing that makes Turkish Culture rock – their helpfulness. I still remember the day I just arrived to Turkey and had lots of challenges to be passed. After my endless calls to my friend with a request to help solve another problem, I heard on the phone: “Listen, you’re now in a country where every passer-by will gladly help you and then pour some tea for you.”. And she was right. In Turkey it is not scary to be alone because in their culture it is customary to help each other. Sometimes it comes to comical cases when you ask someone for directions and they point to a random way just not to seem unhelpful.
In the end, it’s a sin not to mention their food culture. Turkish cuisine is one of the biggest cuisines of the world. Here, the table is set more varied for breakfast than during a gala dinner. It is so varied that there is a choice even for vegans. I, being vegan, did not have to search for a suitable dish and monitor the ingredients for a long time which made hanging out with friends in cafes more pleasant. Living in Turkey also added a few favorites to my list such as chi kofte and sarma. This is a small part of what can be said about the culture of Turkey, as it is very rich. One should definitely visit the country to really understand the culture and feel its atmosphere.
Written By Zarina Zholdoshova
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