When visiting Turkey you may notice there are habits that are very different to what you are used to at home. Turkey has a set of social rules all of its own which can be confusing at first.
Following on from our previous articles about Unique Turkish Phrases we decided to take a closer look at some of the unspoken Turkish rules you will come across during your stay.
Social Greetings
Turkish people often greet each other with a kiss on each cheek. If a Turkish person is greeting a grandparent or elder, it is customary for them to kiss the right hand of said person and place their head to the hand, as a mark of respect.
They also walk down the street with arms linked or wrapped around each other’s shoulders. This can apply to men as well and is normal social behaviour. If you are in an in-depth conversation with a Turk and they touch your arms or hands, it is just their way of emphasising their thoughts and opinions.
Turks smile less than Westerners
This doesn’t mean they’re unfriendly or unwelcoming (quite the opposite). It’s just a cultural difference. It’s best to avoid smiling at strangers, especially in rural places where they’re not used to smiling foreigners. At best, they’ll realise you’re a foreigner and greet you, at worst, they’ll consider you a bit simple or think you’re making fun of them. Smiling is generally reserved for people close to you.
Never refuse a cup of tea
The drinking of tea (çay) is a national pastime and offering it to guests is part of Turkish hospitality. Refusing is seen as anti-social. You’ll notice that when you’ve finished your tea your host will refill your glass. Once you have had enough, leave your teaspoon lying across the glass to signal “That’s enough. Thank you”.
Don’t put your handbag on the floor
Putting your handbag on the floor is considered unhygienic, it’s also bad luck as it will cause all your money to leak away to the ground, or you will end up spending your hard-earned cash on useless or frivolous objects.
Take your shoes off
It’s important to remove your shoes before entering a Turkish home so you do not drag in the dirt from the outside into the home. Some people bring along shoes for inside the house but you will always be given a pair of slippers or house shoes by your host.
Kolonya! Kolonya!
Before a meal, after a meal, to welcome guests or to revive someone who’s feeling a bit faint: kolonya (lemon cologne) is absolutely everywhere. In homes, restaurants, businesses and in bags all over the country, lemon cologne is waiting to revive, refresh and disinfect.
A bit of a grilling
Turks are comfortable talking about personal details, even with someone they’ve just met. This can be alarming to someone from a more reserved country, such as the UK. As a foreigner, you’re even more interesting. Expect to be grilled about your marital status, age, number of children, job and salary. You can also expect all manner of questions about where you’re from.
Five minutes means an hour
Life in Turkey is slower and more easy going. The Turks have a casual attitude to showing up on time. Call someone who is late to ask where they are and you might get a “geliyorum” (I’m coming) meaning anything from “I’m just around the corner” to “I’m still at home”. Take a deep breath and enjoy this casual way of life while you’re here.
Which Turkish unspoken social habits have you come across?
The post Turkish habits you might not know about (part one) appeared first on Fethiye Times.