King of Istanbul Roads: A Dolmuş Interview

Being a foreigner in any part of the world can be a daunting affair. Anything and everything can be different from what you have grown to expect. But what we need to remember is, the unexpected is not always unpleasant.

Because of the location of our home, I am often able to catch an empty sarı dolmuş to take me to Kadıköy. For those of you who don’t know, a sarı dolmuş – pronounced ‘Sa-ruh Dolmush’, are yellow minivans which run on specific routes but don’t have specific stops. You can flag them down and get in anywhere you want and similarly you can get off anywhere. It’s kind of like a professional car-pool. Personally I think dolmuş is a very creative solution to a gap in the transport system. It’s more comfortable than using a bus and much cheaper than a taxi. You don’t need a ticket or Istanbul Kart to get on a dolmuş. Just sit inside and pay the driver in cash.

Whenever possible, I choose to sit in the front seat next to the driver. Unlike the back rows, the front seat has a bit more leg-room. At the most, there are just two seats in the front. Less number of seats means less shifting in your seat to make room for a new passenger getting in, and less scrunching of your knees to make way for somebody getting off. It’s definitely the business class of dolmuş travel.

The only downside of sitting in the front is the prospect of being engaged in mundane chitter-chatter with the driver. This time when I took a dolmuş on my way to an interview, all the inane chatting with the driver proved to be unexpectedly useful and insightful for me. As soon as I extend my hand to pay the fare, my unusual Turkish accent gave away the fact that I was a foreigner. And thus, the expected conversation began:

Driver: Nerelisiniz?
Me: Hintliyim.
Driver: Oh Hindistan! Baya uzak! Türkiye’de ne yapıyorsunuz?

The whole conversation involved the driver asking questions and me giving answers – in that sense it was more of an interview. The interview lasted for a good twenty minutes with the driver finding out my age, my marital status, commenting that I looked young, commenting that he liked the design of my gloves, finding out about my husband’s job and questioning why I hadn’t had any children yet. Surprisingly, Bollywood didn’t come up in that conversation – usually a favorite topic with dolmuş drivers.

You could think that the driver was being rather rude for asking me such personal questions. But talking about myself to that stranger in an unusual setting helped me to overcome my anxiety. In fact, I felt more relaxed and prepared for the actual interview I was headed to. After all, what could be more awkward than what I had already experienced that day? And if I could get through that, I could very well handle anything else too. As my destination neared, I requested the driver to be dropped off. I wished him a pleasant day and walked off smiling.

There are many things which make Turkey an amazing country and a delight to live in. Its natural beauty, rich traditions and yummy food are already famous around the world. But being a Yabangee  I have come to realize another beautiful aspect of Turkey. If it wasn’t for the Abi driving the dolmuş, the Abla selling veggies in the pazar, the neighbour Teyze and the Amca walking in the park, Turkey would be so so incomplete.