Turkey is a home for many persons due to its unique and charming advantages but there are as well as bad things about living in Turkey one should know before embarking on that journey.
Turkey is an economic and financial center which is currently ranked 17th in the world GDP with a population of over 85 million with diverse languages which include Kudish,Arabic,zaza,Greek, Armenian and others .
The ethnic group consists majorly of Turks . The country is connected to continents Europe and Asia.It is bordered by Black Sea, Georgia,Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran,Iraq ,Syria, the Mediterranean Sea,the Aegean Sea,Greece and Cyprus
It is home to 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites,a charter member of the United Nations and the World Bank and is the fourth most visited country in the world.
Turkey has a rich cultural history with the influence of the various peoples that have inhabited its territory over the years.
While living in Turkey you would get to enjoy lots of attractions and relaxing moments ranging from the lakes,beaches, theater,arts, music and dance,cuisines and sport activities.
But aside the advantages of living in Turkey,In this article we will consider the bad things about living in Turkey. So let’s dive in!
Bad Things About Living in Turkey
- Language barrier
- Low Valued Currency
- Work Permit
- History of Terriorism
- Cultural shock
- Observing Unfamiliar Holidays
- Few Vegetarian Options in Cuisine
- Lack Punctuality
- Difficulties in Owning a Car
- Large Traffic in the Big Cities
- The Internet is Censored
- Abuse on Animals
- Reckless Drivers
- Air Pollution
- Power Blackout
1. Language barrier
Turkey has over 30 diverse languages spoken by its people, but Turkish is the official and dominant language.
This can lead to difficulties in communication, especially for some persons whose English is their official language and who do not understand Turkish. there would be misunderstandings, misinterpretations, confusion, frustration, and even conflicts, and social interaction would be less.
Additionally, sign languages have developed in the country as more than 50,000 Turkish citizens have hearing impairment. sign language is the most commonly used language by the deaf community in Turkey. without the knowledge of this language, interacting with this population would be difficult
Trying to adapt and learn the language for communication would take a while to be fluent. The use of translators, interpreters, dictionaries, or technology tools, such as online platforms, apps, or devices that can translate speech or text in real time, has been made available.
2. Low Valued Currency
The Turkey lira has lost its value. This has been a great concern in Turkey’s economy as growth has become slow, inflation has increased, and high importation prices which will also affect other emerging markets.
If you wish to relocate to Turkey for greener pastures, you won’t be able to make lots of money as saving up would be difficult, too.
3. Work Permit
You must obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security if you intend to work in Turkey as a foreigner. This gives you the right to work and reside.
The process of acquiring this work permit seems stressful, and takes a longer time to get responses and sometimes it might be unsuccessful.
For the work permit application, there are documents required which include the foreign national’s passport, petition for work permit application, photograph, and a copy of the contract for the work to be worked.
if you are successful in getting the permit there are still certain employment and working conditions one has to abide by.
The working time legally is about 45 working hours a week and night shifts are limited to 7 hours.Your consent is required for overtime but should not exceed 270 hours per year.
Employees in Turkey can be hired on permanent, fixed-term or short-term, either on a full- or part-time basis. Some jobs include a 2-month trial period whereby both the employer and the employee may walk out without notice or compensation.
4. History of Terriorism
Terrorism is also a big concern for Turkish people and has left a shocking mindset on people living in turkey.
Terrorism has exacted an enormous toll on the Republic of Turkey. Stream of terrorism-related events killed an estimated of 30,000 to 35,000 Turkish citizens through bombings, armed assaults, hijackings, or hostage taking from the year 1984 to 2000
Turkey is one of the countries hardest hit by terrorism from different terrorist groups. Although Turkey is developing many of the systems of local emergency response required for victims of multiple casualty bombings, shootings, or attacks, much work remains in organizing these response components for large-scale terrorist events.
5. Cultural shock
Some people will experience cultural shock having moved to Turkey as they are unfamiliar with the environment and haven’t adjusted to their culture, language, food, and more.
Culture shock can be quite stressful and lead to anxiety and homesickness. Helpless, isolation, Disorientation, Lack of concentration.
However, it’s possible to overcome it and grow by adjusting and being familiar with the environment, though this may take a while.
6. Observing Unfamiliar Holidays
There are lots of holidays observed in Turkey and you must have to observe these holidays regardless of your nationality. Holidays observed in turkey annually include republic day, Ramadan feast, Victory Day, labour and Solidarity Day and many more
Adjusting to these holidays will be difficult, especially if you’re not used to celebrating holidays that you aren’t familiar with.
7. Few Vegetarian Options in Cuisine
As a vegetarian, you prefer a healthy diet without meat or fish. Turkey is known for a variety of dishes but commonly made with meat. You could hardly get vegetarian dishes or, if seen, will be left with few options.
One common dish you must find in restaurants and restaurants is the Kebab. These are plain or marinated meat that can be stewed or grilled, the Kuzu Tandır (roasted lamb),Döner (meat in a wrap), and Manti (dumplings) .
These meals are prepared using meat which isn’t an option for a vegetarian. As a vegetarian, you will have to prepare your desired meal at home.
8. Lack Punctuality
You’ll need to readjust your expectations in Turkey and expect lateness, If you’re used to punctuality,
People are very relaxed about time and tend to show up late to appointments or social gatherings.
This sometimes has a negative impact on the individual and reduces the productivity and efficiency of a person,an organization, or business
9. Difficulties in Owning a Car
A world of opportunities is opened if one owns a car as the world seems smaller if you have a car and you have the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you please in a comfortable settings
A car is a huge investment and preparation is made to get one. In Turkey, as much as there are good credit car dealers, there are also bad credit car dealers with bad credit scores to get auto loans.
The process is complicated and there are lots of fees and taxes that add up quickly.
However, it is best not to consider getting a car if you know that it will be hard to make payments. Ultimately, your vehicle will become a liability instead of an investment.
Secondly, the maintenance costs that come with a car is expensive also If you do not have a parking space at home, owning a car might be discouraging.
You will need to show that you are 21 years of age or older to be eligible to own a car and must hold a valid driver’s License
10. Large Traffic in the Big Cities
Driving a car in large cities in Turkey, like Istanbul and Ankara, is massive, with very confusing and hectic traffic.
This reduces the functions of people’s daily activities, leading to decreased productivity as people spend more time on the road and less time in their intended destination.
11. The Internet is Censored
The government censors the Internet in Turkey to control, suppress, and restrict the kind of information to be made available to the public.
Over the years, Turkey has banned over 130 social media platforms and thousands of other websites. Popular websites such as Wikipedia, Blogspot, and WordPress have been banned.
Restrictions on Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as file-sharing tools such as Google Drive and Dropbox. Information like political and religious criticism and obscene or taboo content like pornography are restricted in Turkey.
This monitors billions of people on the Internet, stops people from accessing copyrighted information, keeps people from viewing harmful or sensitive content, and controls Internet-related crime.
Real information could be blocked along with fake information during this restriction.Among these five countries, Japan, Russia, India, and South Korea, including Turkey have a high number of content removal
12. Abuse on Animals
While living in Turkey you would see the cruelty on animals. Some of these animals kept as pets are being neglected and their essential needs are not provided such as food,shelter and health care. There is an uncontrolled killing of animals causing them death and suffering as the case may be.
13. Reckless Drivers
Reckless driving accounts for a large number of accident which could cause death or injury.
There is a high rate of reckless drivers in Turkey as lots of these drivers consume more alcohol. You should expect to see them even stirring with a cigarette in their hands. They get distracted and disregard the safety of other vehicle owners, pedestrians and passengers.
This causes them to drive at a high speed rate ,thereby increasing the risk of injuries and accidents which could lead the a loss of life or damage to the vehicle.
14. Air Pollution
There are harmful effects on the natural environment,the people and animals due to a change in the atmosphere and the air being contaminated. This affects the health of individuals living in Turkey and causes a high prevalence of diseases and death.
The release of pollutants to the atmosphere is due to the presence of
harmful gasses,smoke from industries ,factories and automobiles.
15. Power Blackout
Electricity system serves homes and businesses across Turkey as they depend solely on it, but due to extreme weather conditions electricity becomes vulnerable to electrical users.
High winds, storms can cause damage to electricity systems, resulting in electricity service interruptions. Some of the occurrence of this interruption are caused by damage from trees and tree limbs falling on local electricity distribution lines and poles.
Power blackout can last a few hours or extend to periods of several days depends on the severity of the weather condition.
This causes loss of lighting,food spoilage as perishable goods will be damaged, loss of production and profit,damage to equipment.
In other to maintain order in case of power blackout,a backup power sources such as standby generators should be available which will automatically start up when electrical power is cut short.
FAQs
Cost of living in Turkey?
Turkey ranked 181st out of 197 countries by cost of living and the 79th best country to live in.
The average cost of living in Turkey is $515 which is cheaper compared to the world average. It can exceed the average cost depending on the lifestyle of the individual
Best Cities to live in Turkey?
İstanbul,İzmir,Bodrum,Bursa,Ankara, Antalya,Marmaris and many more . Choosing the best city to live in depends on ones needs and preference
Is Turkey worth living in?
Turkey is a popular destination for students,retirees, and tourists with its unique charm and advantages welcoming people hoping to enjoy the country’s lifestyle and the cheap cost of living.
Most expensive place to live in Turkey?
The major commercial cities with lots of tourist attractions and centers would cost more compared to other cities. Cities like Istanbul and Ankara are known as the largest cities in Turkey.
Safety city in Turkey?
Eskisehir, one of the safest cities in Turkey with a score of 82.45 when ranked. Another Swiss city that managed to make it to the top of the list is Bern with a score of 81.98.
Cheapest place to live in Turkey?
Cities such as Ağrı, Müş, Bingöl, Bitlis, Bilçek, Kars and Siirt, etc. are among the cheapest cities in Turkey.
Cheapest place to study as a student in Turkey?
Eskişehir and Erzurum have been recorded as cheapest cities for students to live and study in Turkey
Conclusion
In this article we have discussed the bad things about living in Turkey which ranges from the barrier in language to the cultural shock experienced as a foreigner, internet censorship, traffic issues, stress associated with getting a work permit, low productivity due to power blackouts and others.
Not minding these cons in living in Turkey,there are also the best areas to reside in depending on your needs and priority. one could still have a memorable experience during your stay in Turkey
I hope this article was insightful. Do well to share this article with your friends and leave a comment below
