Leaving Turkey with Pets 101

Well, hello there. Chances are you are leaving Turkey with your pet, and you’ve stumbled upon this page looking for advice. Don’t worry, we're...

Cheap Istanbul: 8 Things to Do for under 10 TL

Summer just won't seem to quit, and we all know how the heat tends to stifle any imagination when it comes to finding ways to...

Maintain Your Sanity Living in Istanbul: Ten Tips

Living in Istanbul is not for the faint of heart. We face a pretty hefty amount of stress on a daily basis – the hours...

How to Survive the Metrobüs Experience in Istanbul

“Metrobüs” is a word whispered in dark corners of the yabangee community in İstanbul. So what is this so called Metrobüs? How does it...

Nine Tips for Biking in Istanbul

Although Istanbul is not really a bike-friendly city, nor it does have a vibrant biking culture, it is still a good idea to buy...

Appealing a Residence Permit Rejection in Turkey

The residence permit application process in Turkey is an ever-changing and often complicated process. While we stand by the belief that a thoroughly compiled...

Eight Suggestions for a Kid-Friendly New Year’s & Christmas in Istanbul

While we are leaving 2017 behind, all sorts of celebrations for Christmas and New Year's Eve are underway. We are regularly bombarded with countless...

How to Donate Blood in Istanbul as a Yabangee

One of the simplest and easiest ways to help others is to donate blood. Back in Barcelona I was a regular blood donor, donating...

8 study spots in Beyoğlu

The end of this semester is approaching quickly. Along with it, come final projects, papers, tests, presentations, and a number of other things, which...

Istanbul Basics: Opening a Bank Account in Turkey

There are several reasons why residents of Istanbul need a Turkish bank account - the most obvious being that it is required for most residence permit...

A Guide to Istanbul Earthquake Preparedness

With all the disturbing events in the news recently, it is easy to forget the more mundane, boring threats of life: pickpockets in Taksim,...

Hunting for Records in Istanbul, Part 1: Beyoğlu

For many commentators, the digital music revolution catalysed by iTunes over a decade ago signaled the end of all physical formats of music. With...

A Guide to Online Shopping in Turkey

If you have a nine to five job and a lot of responsibilities to handle, you might prefer to stay in after work or...

Student Life: 8 Tips to Live in Istanbul on a Student...

Is living on a budget a choice or an obligation? In my case, unfortunately, it had to be an obligation. I’ve moved to Istanbul...

Seven Organic, Health Food, and Exotic Markets in Istanbul

When I first came to Turkey six years ago for a vacation, one of the first things that enamored me was the food. The...

Buying a House in Turkey – Finding the Right Place (Part...

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

Getting to the Airport: More Than One Way to Getaway

Going on weekend getaways is one of the perks of living in Istanbul. The Mediterranean sun is just a hop, skip and a jump...

Be Earthquake Ready in Istanbul

It’s the kind of story that sweeps down the gossip chain, becoming so popular that it morphs into an urban legend. The tale retold whenever...

10 podcasts to help you beat the Istanbul commute

If you’re anything like me, or the average Istanbul resident, you probably spend a larger percentage of your life commuting than you’d like to...

Istanblues Be Gone! A Rainy Day Guide

Unpredictable Spring showers can put a real dampener (pun intended) on one's social calendar. But even if you have exhausted the city’s museums and...

Guide to Using & Registering a Foreign Phone in Turkey

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...

The Week in Turkey’s Cinemas

On Friday 11 January, three new movies come to Cinemaximum! Bring along your loved ones, get yourself some popcorn and snacks, and enjoy a...

How to Make Friends as a Foreigner in Istanbul

It hit me a few weeks after moving to Istanbul two years ago. I was stressed and confused by so many things like accommodation...

Expat Life: Having a Baby in Turkey

It’s amazing how things can change in just a few short years. Three years ago, I accepted a job in Turkey. Six months later...