Comparison of the States and Turkey!
I thought it would be interesting to compare two distinct countries.
1. I definitely feel Turks are a lot more conservative, energy-wise in particular. The lights are automatic here. They have sensors that can tell when one is walking down the hall, then the light would turn on. Rather than the light always turned on. This is everywhere, even in the bathrooms! It makes a lot of sense and it saves a lot of energy too! Even the escalators don't move until you step on them. Then they move accordingly. Brilliant.
2. People are just incredibly incredibly incredibly (have I stressed it enough? haha) helpful and friendly here. Although very few people speak English, they are willing to go out of their way to help. If you ask for directions, instead of telling you where to go, they will walk with you to the designated place. I feel that there is a greater sense of camaraderie among strangers too. There is also a great sense of trust here. Turks trust that you won't act immorally, such as steal or lie. For example, when you pay after you eat, they ask what you ordered and trust that you won't say a cheaper item though they have no way of knowing. Or at least this is the way I feel, haha.
3. I prefer their food serving. For one, buffet style is incredibly popular. They have a bunch of items and you pay per item. For instance, if you were to order 3 items, it would be x amount, and then 4 items would be a dollar more or so. This way, you get to try a bit or everything and pay accordingly. Also, when the buffet style is not an option, their portions are a lot more realistic to that of the States, haha. There's also no tipping here! Water is also never free, haha.
4. Traffic is absolutely terrible. There is a billion people living in Istanbul (ok I'm exaggerating but it's fairly close). In other parts of the country, it's not so crowded and I honestly prefer that to Istanbul. Rush hour is the worst, around 6pm as you don't move, haha. Though something cool about Turkish companies is that they have their own free shuttles so one doesn't need to take public transportation. US companies listen up, hehe!
I'm sure there are many more similarities and differences but these are some off the top of my head! :)
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI really like that you are using themes for your posts. It's a great way to focus your thoughts. Saving energy should be on the top of the U.S' list! It seems like something so simple, but I guess all of those automatic lights cost money. Do you think your experience as a foreigner is different than a local- concerning the helpfulness of the people in Istanbul? Is everyone nice to everyone or do you feel you get a sort of special treatment?
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one bothered by rush hour!
Best,
Tammy
Hmm I'm not going to deny being a foreigner might give me an extra perk or two. For example, when I ate a restaurant and ordered a small pastry, they would give me another one and say it's a "gift." However, other than Turkish hospitality towards foreigners, they are just as friendly to each other. Strangers openly converse to one another and people aren't afraid of going out of their way to help each other, not just me, that I have seen. I have seen strangers help each other carry their groceries, give up seats, and so on. Though Americans help each other out too, I feel Turks are a little bit more friendly and trustworthy.
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