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    As a soon to be expat, I am anxious and excited to embark on my new life in Turkey.  I am aware there will be a lot of positive and negative aspects in my new life and am confident the positives will far outweigh the negatives.  One example of an issue I have with life in Turkey is the drinking water delivery system.  All water is delivered via plastic bottles/containers which I'm not certain what the recycling percentage is but is of concern to me from an environmental perspective.

As for water delivery, you can go either go to a supermarket or have a big bottles (19LT)  (in our case) have them delivered to your home (these are definitely recycled). As for recycling, things can go to far (I am Dutch), seperate bins for green garbage (if you live in an apartment means vegs spoilt or not used, batteries collection points (which I understand), special bins for old papers (promotions etc.), normal garbage, collection points (and you have to pay for old furniture, electricity garbage again), empty bottles you have to bring back, nowadays even for cans, ... (for normal people it takes time and effort).

In Turkey there is no official effective recycling as far as I know, however poor people (even in our (rich) neighbourhood) scan the garbage for something which can be of value (sad, but it happens and it is useful in a way). We try to segregate our garbage before so make it easier (empty bottles, paper, ..). People will generate income.

Cardboard or very old chairs are gone within 20 minutes.

  Another pet peeve is the lack of public restrooms when one is out and about.  You have to purchase an item from a store in order to use their bathroom. 

-I have strong bladder and I never used over 2.5 years restrooms, but in general (as my wife tells me) it is very fine (even more than fine)

I have a few more noteworthy qualms I could discuss but my last issue is with the overly aggressive drivers.

-Driving in Turkey is not the safest thing to do (one of the reasons for me NOT to buy a car), but than again driving in eg France is also not safe.

  I haven't mentioned the pros because there are too many to mention but at the top of my list is the genuine hospitality of the people.

-I can also agree, but one has to be aware people are commercial (I do not care though if they deliver if it fine).

a few examples

...

. I smoke and drink a lot, the owner gives me a good price, BUT he (and his uncle) bring the order to home (I am a bit older), OK big order. (I said do you not have to worry about your shop? He said my neighbours will look out (but they insisted (I am sure the other client will get a rebate though).

.When I go to hairdresser (for shaving)  and see 1 person in the chair and one waiting I say I will come back tomorrow (just 100 m away). People say, please sit, I apologize and restress again I can come back tomorrow.

.If going to restaurants people can see my walking is not 100%, they almost want to carry to my chair (I refused so far, lets see what future brings).

.In the US smoking in a restaurants is limited, but in Turkey ashtray is changed a few times per visit.

.I overstretched myself in shopping for sparkling water and fell down a bit (within 10 minutes 4 people offered to help (inclusive of an elderly Turkish woman (80 years + I think)

So, in anticipation of my move, I am interested to hear inputs from others the personal joys and exhilarations of their lives in Turkey as well as the pet peeves, annoyances and hassles in life.  I hope this discussion will prepare me so there won't be many surprises once I settle into Turkey.

Thanks and happy weekend to all
Gino

PS There will be positive and negative surpises I can tell you
   

    -@Gino_C

@Gino_C Sorry, between the lines you might reconsider moving to Turkey? Your posts are good, but your questions are very back to basic (I would imagine that you solved these yourselves already).

I live here for a few years (not in your anticipated location though).

Things are fine, of course pluses and minuses and things are becoming more expensive (also in USD and EUR). Honestly I considered Swakopmund (Namibia) and Batumi (Georgia) seriously.

But Infrastructure where we live (shops, beach (for my wife), supermarkets, RESTAURANTS, markets are excellent (also hospitals and staff). You look very young and energetic (on your photo).

Honestly why not go right now?

I worked in many countries (Netherlands, UK, Luxembourg, Hungary). In Turkey I am unemployed (but I have some savings).

Your current employer must be able to do things for you. (bonus, semi-nomad,...)

Why do you reconsider??

@Gino_C Bottom line cash will buy you comfort (inclusive of HealthCare). USD 2500 pm should be more then sufficient for normal life.

Turkey however needs people who can spend (USD 2500 should be sufficient), if not sufficient Turkey might not be good enough.

Balance between comfortable life and country where you live.

In Turkey some discussions Greece (EU and Schengen) are a big topic (service is a thing to be considered) (ie Greece being cheaper)

As an expat in a foreign country, my best advice is to not rely too much on other people's advice. Instead, form your conclusions based on your research and experiences. From my experience of living in 15 different countries, I've found that it's essential to treat yourself as a local and not expect special treatment. Embrace challenges such as language barriers, be open to making mistakes, and be prepared to grow and change as a person.

Returning home after living abroad can be overwhelming, but it's natural to seek the next adventure as long as you continue to learn and grow while managing your finances responsibly.

It's crucial to keep your financial and job situations private and to nurture relationships. In a new country, you'll learn how things work and what is considered normal in that community. For example, in Turkey, due to pollution caused by poor education, the water system is not great, so you buy bottled water and you may come across free public washrooms abundantly. Driving in certain countries may seem chaotic for transportation, but driving defensively and familiarizing yourself with the local driving culture can make it manageable and enjoyable.

Lastly, it's important to trust yourself, use common sense, and understand that what works in your home country may not be the same in the country you're in. By adopting a local mindset, even if you don't speak the language, you can have a more fulfilling experience abroad.

Another point to note is to leave the drama, pet peeves, gossip, and comparisons at the door. Continuously comparing to things that are not possible in your new location will ruin your experience. It's best to live for today and embrace it as it is.

@d4zt7bsj

Thank you for your response.  As an optimist, I do have the mindset of embracing my new life to-be with gusto and adventure.  As an engineer, I am  analytical and a problem solver so I never get into drama or personal matters in my dealings with others.  I never shy away from challenges. 

Frankly, the purpose for creating this new topic was twofold:

1) To hear from others the aspects of their new lives which makes them smile and on the opposite spectrum, the annoyances they cope with routinely.  This information would serve to provide insights for expats to be like me.   

2) To initiate some kind of worthwhile discussion amongst members.  This MB is barely trudging along with any meaningful discussions.

@cdw057

I have already made a purchase of an apartment in Eskisehir so I'm all in to moving to °Õü°ù°ì¾±²â±ð and have no reservations about becoming an expat.   And as I stated, I am very anxious and excited to get started with my new life.  As a retiree, I have a comfortable nest egg so I have no concerns in that regards.

I understand your point. Many responses here are conflicting and confusing. I've enjoyed your posts over the last few months. It's great to hear you bought a place   Paul

@Gino_CGunaydino Gino Besides living in a much better environment then the USA in almost every aspect of living, Warm, friendly helpful citizens, For us expats our US dollars become worth more here as each day goes by. I tell all my friends and family back in the USA that it is like going into a casino, laying down your money and winning every time. As you know when I first came here I was getting 8,500 Tl per USD now we are getting 33.41 TL per dollar.

Yes the drivers are not all that courteous, the Dolmus drivers, (Mini-bus) drivers are some of the worst, they drive there motor bikes on the walkways etc., And they give you no warning when coming up behind you.

I really believe living in this much slower paced country you will experience a much longer life without the stress and anxiety of our home country in the USA. I have made more good friends here in the 3 years I have been living here then the past 40 in the USA. I could go on for hours giving you experience after experience I have had living here that most likely would have not had the great outcome if the same experiences happened to me in the USA.

We know each other thru this site and we have become good friends over the past few years so you know some of the stories I refer to.

For anyone else contemplating a new retirement location in this world, you would be doing yourself a great disservice not putting Turkey on your list of possibilities.

Hands down this is without a doubt the best thing I ever did for myself in my entire life.

Anyone that has questions or would like some additional information, please don't hesitate to text me. I will be more then willing to share my knowledge of life here in Turkey.

Dennis

@Gino_C For water, I would suggest go for a reverse osmosis wanter filter. Might look a bit costly once you buy but then you are free from the hastle of carrying plastic water cans or bottles. Once you have a filter plant at your home you are doubly sure of the quality of water you are drinking and using for other chores. Yes driving discipline is not upto the mark and you need to be careful on the road. Hospitality wise I give them 5 stars. They go out of the way to help you despite the language issue. Me and my wife have now quite a number of Turkish friends who either donot  speak English or speak very little but thanks to Google translate we manage our socialization well and meet quite often. This also provides us an oppurtunity to polish our Turkish further.

@Mushtaqkk

Agreed, I was going to look into some kind of water filtration system when I move; the benefits of avoiding the continual aggravations of dealing with hauling containers of water is easily justifiable.  As for aggressive driving, it is an unfortunate part of the culture and is in direct contradiction to the warmth people show you when directly interacting with them.  Overall, comparative to my life in the US, I know that my life will be much more fulfilling as my friend Dennis has expressed in his post above.  As a first generation American with Turkish parents, I do know the language on a conversational level but my vocabulary is extremely limited so I'll be focusing my efforts to strengthen my Turkish.  I can't wait to start my new life in Turkey.  Thanks for your post.

@dncole4156

Hello dncole,

Thanks for the feedback you provided. I would like to connect for more info if you don't mind. I am currently living in LA, California, and is planning to move to Turkey early next year. I would use your valuable input as expat who lived in the US earlier. Would you be able to post your mobile number so that I can you to WhatsApp and connect with you. If you do not feel comfortable posting your mobile number publicly, I understand.

Thanks in advance

I wanted provide an update on my latest experiences upon returning from a vacation in °Õü°ù°ì¾±²â±ð.  Overall, my wife and I were very impressed with nearly all aspects of life in Turkey.  People are engaging and friendly.  Prices in general are higher than in the past but still relatively inexpensive in comparison to the USA.  Personally, I find that food quality and taste is multiple notches higher than what you find in the USA and likely more nutritious. 

The two things that gnawed at me the most were walking and driving.  When walking, people walking the opposite direction of you, walk side by side across the span of the walkway towards you and no one will step aside to allow you to pass until the last moment and at times, will collide with you.  Secondly, people walking the opposite direction of you will pass you either on your right or left.  There is no orderliness to the process and results in chaos particularly in heavy traffic areas.  There is no courtesy.

As for driving, I understand that the general protocol is to drive ultra aggressively and in the end, drivers work in concert with each other without any raised emotions to make the process function well.  My issue is with the high speed drivers on the highway (otoban).  As they approach you from behind at a very high speed (my guess is up to 170 km/hr), they get violently assertive to get you to move out of their way even if you are passing another vehicle expeditiously.  They expect me to wait to pass a vehicle (in other words brake) so that they don't have to brake.

In conclusion, we left °Õü°ù°ì¾±²â±ð saddened that we had to part from the near paradise to head back to the drudgery of life in the USA.  We very much look forward to moving to °Õü°ù°ì¾±²â±ð and start enjoying our golden years.

I forgot to mention one other issue with driving.   The other aspect of driving is the total mismanagement of regulating the necessary allotment of parking spaces for developers/businesses.  The number of cars on the road far exceed the capacity of parking spaces needed which wreak havoc on traffic flow due to double parking, increased driving time to find a spot and also increased stress on drivers navigating the mess.  I detest driving for this reason.   

I just want to add some of my experience here. I love °Õü°ù°ì¾±²â±ð and agree with what you said.    Unless you have a particular reason to drive, Türkey has a fantastic public transportation system, and you don’t need a car.  The only thing I don’t like is the smoking.

Indeed we do not have a car, too much hassle and with epilepsy better not.

Me being a very heavy smoker, the being allowed to smoke is actually a big plus, but I think for example in shops, restaurants and hospitals it is not allowed

    Indeed we do not have a car, too much hassle

I agree, it is too much of a hassle to drive, for that reason (amongst many others) the apartment I purchased is in the city center.  The location is a center of commerce with shops & restaurants and a tram system serving the entire city for a fare of 15TL ($0.44).  Even taxi fare is very reasonable relative to the cost here in the US.