Tale from Istanbul’s New Normal
Friday night. A few minutes before midnight. April 20th, 2020. Kaan is in the CCTV room of the luxurious hotel where he works as...
Through the Lens: The Çapa-Şehremini Above (Black & White)
As someone who lives in the Çapa-Şehremini area, an old neighborhood of Fatih, I spend a lot of time on the complexly interwoven, narrow...
Volunteering with Tidy Turkey: World Clean Up Day 2018
World Clean Up Day 2018 was held on Saturday 15 September. Turkey, in solidarity with many countries around the globe, responded to the call...
Songs for an Unfinished City (An Istanbullu’s Listening Guide)
Every great city has its own soundtrack, or at least, deserves one. If it doesn’t, you should think about moving somewhere else.
I think of...
University & Erasmus Student Open Call: Join the Yabangee Events &...
Every semester, Yabangee looks to connect with university students to collaborate on their event calendar. These volunteer positions are largely flexible and depend on...
The Beginner’s Guide To Hey Mama – Local Live Music Favorites
It’s Halloween night, and I’m dressed as a self-proclaimed music journalist while I make my way to Barock Sahne, where Hey Mama will be...
Visiting Istanbul’s “Thailand & East/South Asian Market”
If you are a lover of Southeast Asian foods, then this review has a worthy activity for your time. The Thailand & East/South Asian...
A Daytrip to the Black Sea
It is not as though we've all been spoiled by the weather in recent months. Noses hidden and protected by thick scarves as well...
A Five Star Toilet – Bathroom Tales in Turkey
Back in 1990 when I first visited Turkey, toilets, whether squat or what we think of as ‘normal’ but the Turks call Ala Franga,...
10 Steps to a Unique New Year’s Eve House Party
Editor's Note: With NYE around the corner, most of us are still trying to plan this year's celebrations. We thought Meredith's post from 2014 (still as...
Shanghai Philharmonic Comes to Istanbul with Fazıl Say
This year's IKSV 47th Istanbul Music Festival came with many orchestral treats, including the Luxembourg Philharmonic with Yuja Wang, the Tekfen Philharmonic with cellist...
Electronica Festival Istanbul — A Monument of the City’s Summer Landscape
In an era when so many of the city's music festivals are struggling to maintain momentum, it's reassuring to see 100% Music: Electronica Festival...
Q&A: Ayşen Keskinkılıç – Communications Executive of Istanbul Comics & Art...
Nerd culture is rising. Comic book sales are up and everybody and their mum are watching Game Of Thrones or the next Avengers Movie....
Walk Across Turkey: Two Polish Guys
Sunday, 2 September
At 5:15 a.m. the wail of the muezzin’s call to prayer from the loudspeakers of the minaret rising over me stirred me...
In Conversation with Jessica Sim and Gabrielle Reeves, Circuit Istanbul
On Tuesday evenings, people from all backgrounds and all over the city gather at a space called Circuit Istanbul in Kadıköy to enhance their creative...
Speech Bubbles School of Performing Arts: The Creative Hub for Children...
We all know that Istanbul has a plethora of activities for foreigners. Whether it's concerts, stand-up shows, spoken word events, or even trivia nights!...
Reading in bed and paying it forward
When I first came to Turkey, I brought with me the holiday I created. That's right, a holiday. I was living in New York...
Dreaming the Future: The Russian Avant-Garde Exhibition
Visiting the Sakıp Sabancı museum has been on my mind since I got to Istanbul, more because of its aesthetics than anything else. The...
Holi Festival in Istanbul: The Indian Festival of Colors
Religious and regional festivals makes up a key part of Indian culture, in a way they give India its vibrant soul. As an Indian...
The Şakirin Mosque
There are more than 3000 active mosques in Istanbul and, in terms of architectural style, they can generally be categorized as either Byzantine (ancient...
Istanbul Tulip Festival: Last Call!
You have been in Istanbul for a while, and you have even seen the posters for the 13th Istanbul Tulip Festival. You have been curious about...
An International Linguistic Puzzle
My wife and I visited Konya, May 2023. Never having been to Konya before, we decided to hire a guide for an all-day walking...
Saving Money in Turkey
So you’ve come to Turkey and plan to stay for a while, or you already live here and have decided to save up some...
Bir Başkadır, A Kaleidoscopic Gem of a Turkish TV Series
In an abnormal and downright weird 2020, healthcare workers have been the heroes that the world needed. In a more mundane fashion, the ones...