Lifestyle & Commentary

Istanbul attracts all sorts of heroes and magnificent freaks. And I am not talking about Sean Connery or Liam Neeson. Meet Thomas, who calls himself...

Being an expat is difficult. You need courage to leave not only your comfort zone and sense of security behind, but also your lifestyle,...

Back in 1990 when I first visited Turkey, toilets, whether squat or what we think of as ‘normal’ but the Turks call Ala Franga,...

Located in the quiet northern suburb of Sarıyer, Tarabya is home to the modern, chic amenities of downtown life as well as the natural...

Old-school followers of Yabangee will likely have noted that we love starting the year off with resolutions (How to Stop Being Such a Yabancı:...

As a person who has a deep interest in the contemporary history and the treatment against the minority groups, I tend to get super...

In a time of increasing disregard for the environment within Turkey, the conservation work being undertaken to protect endangered marine turtles on the southwest...

Personality is a phenomenon which describes the way people behave in everyday life. It’s an essential concept in order to understand and predict our...

Before I left for Istanbul, I had many friends promise that they would come and visit me. Unfortunately - since life gets in the...

Being a foreigner in any part of the world can be a daunting affair. Anything and everything can be different from what you have...

Have you ever heard of the word yabancı, which also lends its name to this platform? If you've ever visited Istanbul, you’ve probably heard...

On Monday 06 February, 2023 two massive earthquakes (7.5 and 7.8 in magnitude) devastated Turkey and Syria, with aftershocks being felt hundreds of miles...

From the organizer: We created Friendly Speed Dating because we believe in the power of human connection. We understand that dating can be difficult and...

Moving from Poland to Turkey was definitely a big cultural shock for me – people, living conditions, working etiquette, and even foods were (and...

“If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you,...

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...

The gas mask is definitely too tight. When the three soldiers fly over Istanbul aboard the camouflage helicopter, the condensation almost stops Cem from...

I arrived in Istanbul with little knowledge of the country, its culture or language. Straight from the vacation in Japan with my boyfriend and...

The timeless column feels cold and rough to the touch. I like to visit things that are a lot older than I am. It...

If you or a loved one are thinking of quitting smoking this summer, and you've got a basic handle on Turkish (or want to...

Moving to Istanbul was an exciting thought. I get to live in a new country, surrounded by people of a different culture. Oh, the...

I have never really been a "film guy" in the traditional sense, but growing up in a small town where there wasn’t much else...

Living in Istanbul comes with many joys alongside many compromises. If you are the kind of person who tries to lead a green life,...

Finding out that I was pregnant came as a complete surprise, my husband actually found out before I did, but that's a whole other...