We Are All Refugees, One Year Later
Editor's Note: We asked Smilja Brown, the driving force behind last year's "We Are ALL Refugees" benefit concert, to reflect on last year's event. Below, she...
Fires Across Turkey: Relief Organizations You Can Support
We recently made an open call to our community for suggestions and have since compiled a list of organizations that are currently taking part...
Arrested as a Spy, Caught in a Major Earthquake, & More:...
We've all been there, haven't we? You are in a foreign country and some strangers approach you.
You immediately think: "Whatever they are they selling,...
10 Tips for Coping with Feelings of Isolation and Loneliness as...
Being an expat is difficult. You need courage to leave not only your comfort zone and sense of security behind, but also your lifestyle,...
Practices of Mindfulness in Turkey
We sometimes forget how hectic life in a cosmopolitan city like Istanbul can be (I know I do). Weekdays can feel mechanical, while weekends...
The Struggles of a New Yabancı in Turkey
Moving to Istanbul was an exciting thought. I get to live in a new country, surrounded by people of a different culture. Oh, the...
“Dialogue Tableware” Ceramic Studio Ortaköy
Since i love to learn new skills and to keep my hands busy doing and creating things, it wasn't so far to participate in...
Shopping for Unmentionables: Buying Underwear in Turkey
As a young teenager I was a tomboy, so getting my first bra wasn’t something I looked forward to. When the fateful day came...
The Way We Travel
When it comes to travel, the questions, ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ are often far more meaningful than, ‘where?’ Two people may go on the same...
Bike Riding from Kadıköy to Pendik Along the Sahil
The 20+ kilometer bike ride from Kadıköy to Pendik is one of the best places to take advantage of the sahil, featuring wide paths,...
Istanbul Productivity: Six Cafes to Head with Your Laptop Near Taksim
Taksim Square is a place that is planned into almost every trip to Istanbul, one way or another. The name “Taksim” means “division”, from...
Istanbul Adrift
It was bound to happen sooner or later. But it happened much sooner than the citizens of Istanbul were ready for. And it happened in...
Sea Turtles in Turkey: Caretta Caretta Conservation at Iztuzu Beach
In a time of increasing disregard for the environment within Turkey, the conservation work being undertaken to protect endangered marine turtles on the southwest...
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...
Tips for Living Eco-Friendly in Istanbul
Moving from Poland to Turkey was definitely a big cultural shock for me – people, living conditions, working etiquette, and even foods were (and...
My Thoughts on Turkish Society as a Young Turk
As a young Turkish woman who hasn’t lived abroad yet, the scope of my writing is largely about living in Turkey. In my essays,...
Everything Wrong with the ‘Limon ile Zeytin’ Bus Etiquette Animations
You barely catch the bus. You jump on, and it’s crowded, of course. But you squeeze your way in. Stuck in between strangers invading...
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...
Just for Fun: Seven “Best” Turkish Foods
When Tas decided to share her cheeky and genuinely pretty accurate list of worst Turkish foods (looking at you leblebi!), my inner Turk compelled...
5 of Turkey’s Best Eurovision Performances
With Eurovision being a week away, selected artists are already making their way to Kiev, Ukraine, where this year’s song contest will be held....
Ten Things I Have (and Have Not) Gotten Used to about...
I have been living in Istanbul for four years. Just writing that sentence makes me dizzy.
As a Spanish expat living in this amazing city,...
Permaculture: A Growing Trend in Istanbul
By Abdelrahman Mahmoud
Permaculture. Does the word ring any bells? If yes, and you are already well acquainted with the concept, then hold on a minute...
Three Romantic Ideas for Valentine’s Day in Istanbul
Every year, with the arrival of the first day of February, we know what is ahead of us -Valentine’s Day! While some can’t wait...
The Art of Nothing in Istanbul
Nothing: nothing to do, nothing to fix. No work to go to, no garden to tend. No meetings to go to, no dance classes…absolutely...