İslam Araştırma Merkezi ISAM – A Researcher’s Paradise
The constant crowds and the endless rushing can sometimes make Istanbul feel like the least conducive city for study. What's more, the never ending...
Why Every Istanbulite Should Visit Warsaw
Honestly, Warsaw had never been at the top of my travel bucket list. I would have enjoyed seeing it one day, but it just...
Want to Learn Turkish? Try World Café
It wasn't so long ago that we promoted the first iteration of World Café, a language learning project organized by local university teachers. After...
Resources for Learning Kurdish in Istanbul
Maybe you’re thinking of traveling to eastern Turkey. Perhaps you want to get on better terms socially with Kurdish-speaking friends. Or maybe you just...
Insider Trading: Murat Efe Prop House
Somewhere in the winding alleys of Fener and Balat, the former Greek-Jewish neighborhood of Istanbul, there is a hidden workshop and store that might...
Life Hack: Bank-free Nakit Cards for Online Shopping
When I moved to Istanbul I encountered problems with shopping online because websites wouldn't accept my foreign bank card. Although I later opened an account...
Yabangeese: The Lexicon of the Yabangees
I guess it comes with the territory of being an English teacher abroad, but it is always fascinating to me to watch how language...
There’s No Such Thing as a Simple Turkish Wedding
The marriage bureaucrats at the Şişli marriage bureau seem like the unhappiest people in the world. Just a few meters from the miniature theater, where everyday...
3, 2, 1, Let’s Run Istanbul!
I am one of those people who never liked running. When I was younger I hated even the thought of it. After I moved to...
A Daytrip to the Black Sea
It is not as though we've all been spoiled by the weather in recent months. Noses hidden and protected by thick scarves as well...
Organization Profile: Jasmine Baladi
Editor's Note: Jasmine Baladi is one of the organizations at this year's We Are All Refugees event.
Jasmine Baladi is a Syrian run, non-profit organization...
Lost in Turkey: Lake Bafa
This little pocket of salty sea water trapped inland by ancient sediment accumulation has managed to retain all of its Aegean culture, with a...
Turkish Literature 101: Nazım Hikmet Ran
Born on the 15th of January 1902 in Thessaloniki, where his father was serving as an Ottoman government official; Nazım Hikmet Ran, commonly known...
Introducing: Turkish Language House – Learn & Master Turkish Online
Turkish Language House is a new platform for foreigners to finally master Turkish and be confident in their language skills.
About the program:
The Turkish Language...
The Olive Tree: Turkey’s Past, Present, and Future
“Zeytinyağı gibi üste çıkma!” or “Don’t stick out like olive oil!”
This time last year, my husband and I were sipping olive oil at a...
Rimuut: Borderless Freelancing Solution For Yabangees
In the era of digital nomads, Turkey has proven itself an idyllic destination for freelancers from all over the world. Whether settling in for...
Renter’s Rights in Turkey: How Much Can a Landlord Raise the...
Rent increases are an unpleasant but inevitable part of adult life. However, as rent prices have spiked by an unprecedented degree over the past...
In Search of Mantı
As you walk down the streets of Istanbul, the air swirls with color and unfamiliar smells. Occasionally, you stop and peer into shop windows,...
City Highlights: Sancaklar Cami
A friend of mine from the Czech Republic once told me her feelings while she visited Istanbul one year ago. She said that it...
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...
Tackling Turkish Tinder: 15 First Dates
Everybody’s doing it. Or so I’d been told. Acutely aware of the boundaries imposed by my inherent shyness, clumsiness and geriatric bedtime, I’ve never...
Yabangee Recommends: “Where can I go for a non-chocolate dessert?”
“Where can I go for a non-chocolate dessert?”
Sometimes chocolate is not the sweet you crave. Maybe you fancy something made with honey, fruit and...
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...
Foodie Frolics: Gourmet Adventures in Istanbul with Sally McDonald
The first time I met Sally McDonald of Foodie Frolics I asked her what had brought her to Istanbul. I'm always curious about what...