Advice & Info

In my previous article, I wrote about the more difficult side of navigating Turkish family dynamics as a foreign partner. The constant phone calls,...

Has your luggage ever been delayed significantly? This past summer I found myself in Istanbul without any of my bags. They eventually arrived 3...

So, you’ve been in Turkey for a while and decided that it might make sense to buy a home or maybe you have your...

If you have lived in Turkey for a while, you’ve probably got an account with a local bank. It is easy enough to open...

The work permit process in Turkey is unclear or confusing for many people because of the bureaucracy and inconsistent manner in which information and...

Once you’re officially a resident in Turkey, you can buy a Müzekart (“museum card”) – a handy, money-saving tool for expats keen on visiting...

As you reach into your pocket this week to see if you can afford to hit that pricey New Year’s party, you may have...

So you're visiting or moving to Turkey and you want to bring your foreign mobile phone with you to happily use here. Great! Let's...

So you've decided to move to Istanbul. Hoş geldiniz and congrats on a fantastic decision! We're confident you'll love it here just as much...

So you’ve found somewhere to live in the urban jungle of Istanbul – congratulations! Opening utility accounts is not that difficult but can be...

If you are in a relationship with a Turkish partner, one of the first things you may notice is not just how much he...

As you walk down the streets of Istanbul, the air swirls with color and unfamiliar smells. Occasionally, you stop and peer into shop windows,...

How does an offhand comment from a fellow cyclist spark a fire that becomes a worldwide phenomenon? To find out, I talked with Sema...

So you’re thinking about getting married in Turkey. If you’re a foreigner, you probably have quite a few questions about the process. I’m a...

To be a true yabancı, there are certain skills you have to master... 1. Become a teaholic. Drinking copious amounts of black tea is an...

Coming around a bend on the Anatolian side between the two bridges is the aptly named Çengelköy. The neighborhood, whose name means hook village in Turkish, is...

There's a maxim of which every new parent should be reminded, and it's something about how nobody else is as interested in your baby...

If you have been living in Turkey long enough, surely you speak enough survival Turkish to get by in everyday life. However, every now...

Everybody’s doing it. Or so I’d been told. Acutely aware of the boundaries imposed by my inherent shyness, clumsiness and geriatric bedtime, I’ve never...

My first introduction to Istanbul came via embellished story, when my father regaled me as a pre-teen with tales of his freewheelin' hippie misadventures traveling...

Every few months, Yabangee opens the door for university students who want to get involved in Istanbul’s social and cultural scene. Our volunteer roles...

Istanbul Airport has a rhythm of its own part symphony, part storm. The first few times I flew out of IST, I underestimated that...

If you’re looking to dive deep into the energy, culture, and history of Istanbul, MegaPass is your new best friend. With one simple pass,...

Istanbul is huge and, a bit intimidating. Finding your "in" can take time. As a foreigner, you'll quickly see that breaking into Turkish friend...