Maybe you’ve been offered a career opportunity in Turkey, or maybe you just feel like making a change. For whatever reason you might be considering moving to Turkey, you may have some doubts or uncertainties. It’s a big decision and you need to be absolutely certain that you’re prepared to make it. So, in order to help you start considering your move to Turkey a bit more realistically, here are a few things you’ll need to know.
Healthcare and Insurance
The great thing about Turkey is their medical and cosmetic industry. It’s been improving and growing massively over the years. A lot of people are even receiving professional hair transplant in Turkey for excellent value. However, regretfully EHICS are not valid in Turkey, so for temporary visits you’ll need to arrange travel and health insurance for the duration of your trip. If you’re moving permanently you may join the Social Security Institution health scheme after your first year of living there. There’s quite a bit of paperwork to file and a medical examination to undergo, but it is a scheme that’s beneficial for expats.
Weather
If you live in the UK you’re probably used to seeing the sun for only a few days at a time, and over here we call any temperature above ‘mild’ a heatwave. So, maybe summer temperatures of 30°C might be a bit too hot for you. This isn’t ‘beach weather’ kinds of temperatures. These temperatures make it too hot to breathe, or think, or do just about anything. Trying to go about your business in temperatures like this is almost impossible, so don’t overestimate your love of sun.
Culture differences
On the one hand, it might be a bit of a culture shock to move to Turkey without having some decent experience of life there beforehand. Turkish people are very sociable. They talk a lot, to friends and strangers, and they talk quite loudly. So, if you’re a bit on the shy side you might find it a bit overwhelming to suddenly be the most popular person in the room when you enter your new job. Another aspect of Turkish culture that might be a bit overwhelming is their love of food. At any and all social gatherings there is some kind of food involved and there is a lot of it. Unless you love to eat you’re not going to mesh well with the Turkish culture. So, either come with an empty stomach or steer clear if you’re not hungry enough.
Food is different
It’s not just the flavours and the dishes that are different. The way that they eat in Turkey is completely different, too. Depending on who you’re eating with, you might be dining on the floor or you and your spouse might be eating in separate rooms or at separate times. Turkish people also don’t have as easy access to fruits and vegetables as we do in the UK. In most places, people eat seasonally, which is something that may be difficult to adjust to. You won’t be able to eat what you want exactly when you want it, so you’ll probably have to learn more about Turkish cooking and recipes to keep on top of the seasonal menu changes.
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