That Pink Elephant Mystique: A Celebration of International Women’s Day, in...
“Silence is the worst. Whenever a thick cloud of silence descends, the yapping voices inside me become all the more audible, rising to the...
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...
Six Years in, in The Soulful City
Just as you never fully know a person, a subject or yourself, you never grasp Istanbul in its entirety; it’s too big, too complex...
How to Cope with Grief
On the morning of February 6th 2023, the citizens of Turkey woke up to the tragic news of a 7.6 magnitude earthquake affecting major...
Romance of the Roma: Hıdırellez, Spring time and the ‘Gypsy’ culture...
Perhaps there is no word more loaded and simultaneously mythologized yet scorned than the term “gypsy”. From Fleetwood Mac to Cher to Lady Gaga...
Real Student Comments
In all facets of daily, human life, the divide between what is expressed to others and what is in truth thought in one’s own,...
A Cat, A Rat, and Two Teyzes
It started with my husband spotting a rat on his way to work.
"Don't get scared, but I saw a mouse on the ground floor...
Join our Turkey in English Discord – Chat & Stay Connected
Yabangee is now on Discord - an easy way to chat and stay close with friends and communities in Turkey.
What is Discord? A free...
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...
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,...
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...
In Conversation with Christian Feiland, Aiding Istanbul’s Street Animal Helpers with...
Anyone who has spent time in Turkey, especially Istanbul, will have noted the condition of street animals here. For all the compassion that exists...
Off In The Direction Of Tarabya (Poem)
cold, dark, eerie
leather soles staccato along pavements
avoiding cracks and stray van
İstanbul becalmed, again
street lamps whisper through hüzün
diesel engines growl like kangal
buses ready to depart
north...
Giving Birth in Turkey: Getting Prepared
In our previous piece we discussed choosing your obstetrician - this was the most difficult part. Now it is time for you to relax...
A Moment for Istanbul
This weekend has seen the country suffer yet another senseless terror attack, leaving 5 dead and 39 injured in the heart of our beautiful,...
Fall Resolutions for Yabangees in Istanbul
There is no better time to start working on your resolutions than the Fall season! Don’t believe me? Let me show you why.
Most people...
Life in Lockdown: Married with Kid vs Single with Cat
While regular weekend lockdowns in Istanbul have been a unifying experience in a myriad of ways, so much of our experience is tied to...
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...
An Ode to Yabangee
Well this isn’t technically an ode seeing as poetry intimidates me. What it is though, is a giant shout-out to all you Yabangee-ers out...
Awkward Tales from the ‘Bul #2: A Bit of Football Never...
I went and played my first game of football for a team in Turkey, adding to several other nations around the world in which...
Finding and Following Your Way
“If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you,...
New Year Bibliotherapy: 10 Turkish Books to Read in 2021
Even though decades pass, some stories and books are ageless. Reading is more than just a hobby, as books also help us manage mental...
What I’ll Miss about Istanbul
After five years in this fascinating city, the need to finish a master’s is calling me back stateside. I have known about the move...
“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...