Legends of Turkey: Sarıkız

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl with shiny blonde hair that ran down her shoulders and sweet hazel eyes which sparkled...

Book of Travels: The Evliya Çelebi TV Show

These days quasi-historical shows like Game of Thrones are the most watched (and pirated) shows on TV. Also, Muhteşem Yüzyıl, “The Magnificent Century”, a prime-time...

Insider Trading: Kaset Restaurant & Cafe

 Being betrothed to a Brit, I have quickly come to appreciate a good curry. Although I am normally enamored with Turkish cuisine, Fıccın being...

Three Significant Barriers in Expat-Local Romantic Relationships

Being an expat is difficult. You start a new life somewhere you probably have very limited knowledge about. All your old habits and automatized...

Istanbul’s Short-Term Bicycle Rental System: İSBIKE

İSBIKE System Istanbul is one of several international cities offering increasingly diversified alternative transportation options, including its own short-term bike rental program. The İSBIKE system...

In Conversation with the Editors of Sofra: A Gathering of Foreign...

Having been one of the contributors to the Tales from the Expat Harem anthology over a decade ago, I was excited to see a...

Five Essential Turkish Films

Contemporary Turkish cinema often oscillates between bland, commercial movies (that range from broad comedies to over-sugared romances) and magnificent under-performing films that demonstrate the concerns...

Izmir Chronicles: Izmir is Worth Visiting (Part II)

Izmir offers plenty of local sites within the city of four million people, but it is also known for its access to easy day...

Insider Trading: Twins Coffee Roasters

It would be disingenuous to say that Turkey doesn't have a coffee culture. But, I will go out on a limb here and say...

A Cat, A Rat, and Two Teyzes

It started with my husband spotting a rat on his way to work. "Don't get scared, but I saw a mouse on the ground floor...

Yabangee Recommends: “Where can I go when I’m the third wheel...

“Where can I go when I’m the awkward third wheel on a date?” This unfortunate situation has been endured by many, myself included. To make...

166 Reasons Not to Leave Istanbul

These last months have not been easy. Our hearts ache for the country that has been a welcoming home away from home for so many of us....

Swipe & Skype: How to Social Distance Date in Istanbul

It’s Tuesday, May 26, 2020, the final day of lockdown in Istanbul. Some of you spent your days indoors working on your bodies. Many...

Touring Turkey with Kids in a Camper Van

We are an English-Turkish family and we travel around in an old Mercedes bus that we converted ourselves to a camper van. A year...

Ibrahim Tatlıses for Beginners

It started as good a time as any – on a dolmuş to Hasankeyif with a crate of live chickens on my lap. I...

Travelling to Turkey with Pets 101

Moving is a big deal. The whole process of packing your items and shifting from one place to another is tiring and time-consuming. Relocating...

Off the Beaten Track: Nine Vacation Spots in Turkey

Turkey is a country of immense diversity. This includes diversity of culture, geography, scenery, cuisine, art, and perspective. Throughout my time in Turkey I...

Şahsiyet: A Must-See Turkish Cult Classic in the Making

If you watch Turkish TV to learn Turkish, you may feel that you've sacrificed part of your life for this language. The episodes usually...

Visiting a Tailor in Istanbul 101

Istanbul has developed in so many ways over the years, including shops of all kinds which have seen shifts in terms of services, logistics,...

How to Stop Being Such a Yabancı: 23 Resolutions for 2015

Stop ordering on YemekSepeti cause you’re too scared to order over the phone in Turkish. Stop forcing your friends to call you cause you forgot...

Giving Birth in Turkey: Getting Prepared

In our previous piece we discussed choosing your obstetrician - this was the most difficult part. Now it is time for you to relax...

Turkey’s Hidden Paradise: Maden Deresi

To anyone who begins reading this, I would like you to be absorbed by the magnificence of a serene song or melody that is...

Exploring Istanbul’s Not So Obvious Metrobüs Etiquette

If you ever feel like having a quick tour of Istanbul from the Asian to the European side (or vice versa), just buy an...

Camel Wrestling in Turkey

The long wait is over: The camels are in heat. Bright-yellow shawls are fetched from the back of the closet. It’s okay again to...