October 6, 2005
Advice on living and working in Turkey: Religion & Politics
Turkish people are amongst the most hospitable in the world. From the moment you arrive in Turkey, expect to feel welcomed. And by the time you leave it is likely that you would have gained many local friends willing to be of help to you.
Because Turkey is a Muslim country, a common false notion about the country is that westerners are not welcomed by the locals. As a matter of fact, the constitution of the country covers the secular state and the non-Muslim minorities are legally protected. But religion does play a very essential part in society which is obvious when you arrive in the country. They are open to other cultures and beliefs and they extend the same hospitality to non-Muslims as they would to practising Muslims. However, religion is far less obvious in the popular tourist areas and the big cities than in the smaller towns and villages. Local people enjoy a drink after work, party at night and basically enjoy the same things as the Brits do.
Turkey is a republican parliamentary democracy and is presently governed by the religiously orientated Justice and Devlepment Party (AKP). The country has had a difficult time politically, recovering from a serious depression in 2001. But the economy is now stable mainly because of the tourism industry and the government is expecting to join the European Union to ensure its future democracy and economic well-being.
The country is a mixture of the old and the new. Western ideals are reflected in the big cities and tourist areas compared to the traditional attitudes of the smaller, more remote towns and villages. There are still places that have a more male-dominated lifestyle than in other places despite an active and successful feminist movement in Turkey and a female prime minister in the past. In some of the towns, you will most likely see Mosques beside Orthodox churches. You may bump into a local market selling apple tea and Turkish spices and just a few steps ahead walk into a big shopping mall. With the different cultures that marks the good and bad sides of both the traditional and modern ways of living, life in Turkey is exciting and interesting.
Posted on: Turkey
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