Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Wow Mina! The Turkish festival sounds wonderful! We'll have to watch out for it next year. I believe they have one in Philadelphia also but I bet the New York one is huge! I looked at the link and all that food looked soooo delicious!! Hope the 10-year card is approved soon Awaterlily! What is your husband's status considered in the meantime? Is he able to travel out of the country if need be? 8 months seems like a long time to wait.... Galfeist, best of luck on your interview! We'll be thinking of you guys! Wendy...hoping Yilmaz and yourself will be attending Turkish festivals in the US together in the near future! I guess you could say we had our own miniature Turkish fest on Sunday night...we invited the Turkish students who live nearby for a little BBQ at our place. I don't believe they've had a home cooked meal since arriving in the US a few months ago...let alone a Turkish one. They were so overjoyed to see Turkish beans and salads and kebap! We stayed up way past 1 AM though & I am still recovering from all the fun In other news, Ozzy started college classes yesterday! He wants to go for Network Engineering but has to take a semester of ESL first. So far so good though! Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-26 10:09:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Thanks for the well wishes Erika! I need all the luck I can get! QUOTE (ErikaAndHamit @ Aug 19 2008, 06:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (tanyakaraman @ Aug 19 2008, 10:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Julia, thats good to know about Turks not needing a visa to visit Costa Rica! Its so hard to find foreign countries we can visit (other than Turkey) where Ozzy doesn't need to apply for a visa first. And you phrased so well the feeling I get in Istanbul when I am there! I hope Onur's intuition is right and your number comes up soon at the embassy! And don't worry, your family will come around, unbelievers and all. I think my entire family was in shock over my relationship with Ozzy, but they learned to love him once they met him. Erika - Hope you have a great time in Turkey next month! Mina - I'm happy to hear Coksun will be home with you soon!? When is he coming (I tried to look back but I've apparently missed a lot in the couple days since I signed on here last () and didn't see... Speaking of which, wow, this forum is hopping lately... Wow, congratulations to Kenny and Handan! I hope she has a very smooth transition to life in the US. It's so great your family is there for her too! On that note, I live in a pretty rural area in Delaware and didn't think there was a Turkish population near me at all, but Ozzy has proven otherwise! When he first came, we were driving 3+ hours to a Turkish grocery store near New York City (or ordering groceries online from Tulumba), but we've since found a local Turkish market (disguised as a regular old American cafe) as well as a halal butcher, 2 Turkish families who own a local pizza shop and a sports bar and about a dozen Turkish students living nearby who are here on work/study visas! I had no idea, but he is just so outgoing, and apparently he can spot another Turk from a mile away. He cracks me up. We'll be out somewhere and he'll say, "Oh, that person looks Turkish" and go talk to them, and about 80% of the time, he'll be right! Ahh, and a Mediterranean vacation sounds just wonderfull! I'm so sad to see summer on it's way out! I start back to nursing clinicals next week and I am just dreading it! Well, happy Tuesday everyone...I better get back to work! Tanya What a dork I am Tanya...you two are already together!! Obviously, I haven't been paying attention lately. DUH Nursing clinicals are fun and exciting....NOT!!! LOL All I can say is get plenty of rest and be 100% prepared and a gallon of coffee helps too. Good luck Tanya! Thanks Mina (guess my pics aren't close up enough to show my crows feet lol) QUOTE (Mina76 @ Aug 18 2008, 11:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (tanyakaraman @ Aug 15 2008, 04:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Wendy - That's so funny what you mentioned about the pantomime! The first time I took my kids to Turkey to meet Ozzy, we all stayed at his place and his mom and brother came to visit. Later in the evening, the men (Ozzy, his brother and my son) all went out together to watch a soccer game. We women (me, Ozzy's mom, and my 2 daughters) stayed home and relaxed/cleaned etc. It amazed me how much his mom and I were able to communicate using the little vocabulary I had and pantomime! I was worried there would be an uncomfortable silence, but there most definitely was not! I too am determined to get better...it's just so hard to find the time right now! Here's a pic I just had to dig up (another of my favorites) of my kids in Istanbul with Ozzy and his mom...ahhh, such fond memories Hi Tanya, Wow, you look so young to have children, but they are adorable! This really a wonderful photo of your family with a lovely view of Turkey! GOD Bless	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-20 13:28:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Julia, thats good to know about Turks not needing a visa to visit Costa Rica! Its so hard to find foreign countries we can visit (other than Turkey) where Ozzy doesn't need to apply for a visa first. And you phrased so well the feeling I get in Istanbul when I am there! I hope Onur's intuition is right and your number comes up soon at the embassy! And don't worry, your family will come around, unbelievers and all. I think my entire family was in shock over my relationship with Ozzy, but they learned to love him once they met him. Erika - Hope you have a great time in Turkey next month! Mina - I'm happy to hear Coksun will be home with you soon!? When is he coming (I tried to look back but I've apparently missed a lot in the couple days since I signed on here last () and didn't see... Speaking of which, wow, this forum is hopping lately... Wow, congratulations to Kenny and Handan! I hope she has a very smooth transition to life in the US. It's so great your family is there for her too! On that note, I live in a pretty rural area in Delaware and didn't think there was a Turkish population near me at all, but Ozzy has proven otherwise! When he first came, we were driving 3+ hours to a Turkish grocery store near New York City (or ordering groceries online from Tulumba), but we've since found a local Turkish market (disguised as a regular old American cafe) as well as a halal butcher, 2 Turkish families who own a local pizza shop and a sports bar and about a dozen Turkish students living nearby who are here on work/study visas! I had no idea, but he is just so outgoing, and apparently he can spot another Turk from a mile away. He cracks me up. We'll be out somewhere and he'll say, "Oh, that person looks Turkish" and go talk to them, and about 80% of the time, he'll be right! Ahh, and a Mediterranean vacation sounds just wonderfull! I'm so sad to see summer on it's way out! I start back to nursing clinicals next week and I am just dreading it! Well, happy Tuesday everyone...I better get back to work! Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-19 12:05:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Thanks Julia! I miss it there too. There's just something so romantic about that city, with its ancientness and historical significance...when I am there, I often imagine the townspeople and conquerers and crusaders who walked and fought in the same streets a thousand or so years ago. Thats probably a lil (or a lot) corny but...I think I fell for Istanbul and Ozzy almost simultaneously QUOTE (JULIAFERNO @ Aug 15 2008, 10:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (wendya @ Aug 15 2008, 09:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Tanya, what a lovely picture of your family!! Your children are so adorable!! They look very happy!! Julia, I have used mymerhaba and found it a wonderful website too. I wish you best wishes and hope that everything falls into place soon!!! Wendy - cok tesekkurler! I wish the same for you, as you truly deserve it! Tanya - what a great photo! Your children are adorable! And the picture makes me miss Istanbul! Edited by tanyakaraman, 15 August 2008 - 11:15 PM.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-15 23:15:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Thanks Wendy! It really was a wonderful adventure for them...and me too! I wish I had had the same experience at their age... Julia...I too love the idea of bilingual (and bi-cultural) kids. We have been teaching my kids little bits and pieces... but when (Insallah) Ozzy and I have a child together I certainly want him/her to be raised bilingual also, from birth. Which will mean my Turkish language skills will need to be advanced in the near future! Or maybe I can learn at the same pace as our (future) child lol. Also, I really just love the Turkish culture. In families where the true culture is still intact (which is becoming more rare, unfortunately), there is just such a wonderful "respect" between family members. I have a hard time explaining/putting it to words, but I just love the way I feel when I am there among his family. They are just so down to earth and honest. I always have a very hard time readjusting to US culture when I return... Wow, I've heard that Costa Rica is very nice too. What was your experience like there? I wonder how difficult it would be to obtain a visa for there for a Turkish citizen? It sounds like your family is very culturally diverse Hopefully, as a result, they are supportive of you and your relationship with Onur. Well, thinking of you guys & hoping to hear some good news soon! Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-15 22:59:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Wendy - That's so funny what you mentioned about the pantomime! The first time I took my kids to Turkey to meet Ozzy, we all stayed at his place and his mom and brother came to visit. Later in the evening, the men (Ozzy, his brother and my son) all went out together to watch a soccer game. We women (me, Ozzy's mom, and my 2 daughters) stayed home and relaxed/cleaned etc. It amazed me how much his mom and I were able to communicate using the little vocabulary I had and pantomime! I was worried there would be an uncomfortable silence, but there most definitely was not! I too am determined to get better...it's just so hard to find the time right now! Here's a pic I just had to dig up (another of my favorites) of my kids in Istanbul with Ozzy and his mom...ahhh, such fond memories	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-15 15:29:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Wow, that is very interesting and encouraging! Especially living in a country where we expect everyone who comes here to learn "our" language in order to get very far... I have a very basic vocabulary of nouns and adjectives, a few common greetings, etc. (and Ozzy has taught me an assortment of curse words LOL), but the Turkish verb tenses just confuse the heck out of me! My lack of ability to speak Turkish has led to some interesting situations sometimes, since Ozzy is really the only person in his whole family who speaks English. Sometimes he will run to the store or whatever without his cell and his mom or sister will call for him. I have a little "script" I memorized so I can tell them he's at the store, will come back in a few mins, and I'll tell him to call them back, etc. His mom worries that if "anything" ever happend to him, I wouldn't be able to tell them. But really, I just love his family and would love to be able to really pick their brains...or have a little "girl talk" with his sisters (without an interpreter) Maybe someday... QUOTE (camistanbul @ Aug 14 2008, 01:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (awaterlily @ Aug 14 2008, 03:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I speak very little Turkish and while I stayed there, was offered a permanent teaching position and one in sales. Had I taken the teaching position I would have made more $ than my Turkish sister in law, who is a teacher by profession and with a teaching degree. If one is interested in teaching, what I recall is the schools do most recruiting in the school year for the next school year. And, I suppose some of the job availability depends on demand and your locality. It seems there is more of a demand for American English than British - at least that was my experience. Perhaps due to saturation? QUOTE (tanyakaraman @ Aug 13 2008, 03:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I want to ask you...(and really everyone on the board!)...well, how fluent are you in Turkish and what affect did that have on your ability to get a job in Turkey? If you are pretty fluent, how long did it take you to become so? Schools do most of their recruitment before the school year begins and then again in the wintertime, though people are always coming and going and if you want to find a teaching job it's not too difficult. People who have a university degree, TEFL certification, or even better, CELTA or DELTA certification will be able to find the better, higher paying jobs. As the Director of Studies of a school, it didn't matter to me (or to my company) if someone was British or American. We tried to find a balance in the schools so students would be exposed to all kinds of accents. And yes, foreign teachers always make more money than their Turkish counterparts, even though the Turkish teachers are generally well-trained, speak good English, and have more experience. It's just the way it is, even though it doesn't seem very fair! How fluent am I in Turkish? Well, considering I worked 6 days a week at a school and spoke no Turkish there, and went home to my English-speaking husband..... I'm not really where I'd like to be. I took a course at TOMER in Istanbul and it was good for the basics. I can understand well but speaking is quite difficult. We're staying with my in-laws now for the next 3 months (before we move back to the US!) so I'm trying to practice and it's coming along, but slowly. As far as jobs are concerned, most teaching jobs would not want you to speak Turkish with the students, in my experience. At my school, it wasn't allowed. I only know a couple of foreigners who are truly fluent, but they had boyfriends/girlfriends who couldn't speak English or hung out with people who never spoke English with them. I've tried to get my husband to do that, but he gets bored after a while. That said, there are lots of jobs out there and I am fortunate to know many American women working in Istanbul doing everything from law, research, reporting, teaching, music, etc. If you really want to live in Turkey, it's possible -- just kind of far away.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-14 07:39:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Camistanbul, welcome to to the Turkish forum and congratulations on your fast approval!!!! I want to ask you...(and really everyone on the board!)...well, how fluent are you in Turkish and what affect did that have on your ability to get a job in Turkey? If you are pretty fluent, how long did it take you to become so? I have been trying to at least get to the point where I can have a basic conversation for about 2 years now, and progress has been soooo slow. My husband's English is excellent so we usually just converse in that language. He teaches me little bits, and I pick up a lot more during our visits to Turkey....as well as watching Turkish movies on Youtube and fooling around with a Turkish Rosetta Stone CD I bought, but I'm still not able to carry (or understand) a real conversation with my in-laws, mostly because I have a really hard time with the verb conjugation. It's very frustrating to me.... Edited by tanyakaraman, 13 August 2008 - 02:29 PM.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-13 14:28:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Hi everyone and thanks so much for your kind comments on our pic! It's my favorite picture of us...taken at the beach in Istanbul where we stayed for a week in August '06 (the first time I traveled back to visit him after we met 2 months earlier). I remember how scared I was then....wondering if he'd really be waiting for me at the other end...amazing how far we've come since then As far as moving to Turkey, I personally would love to! Ozzy initially invited me to move there to live with him and I would have loved to take him up on the offer. It presented a legal problem, however, because of my 3 children. There is no way their father would ever agree to me moving out of the country with them, and I would never attempt it any other way than legally. So, unfortunately, for now it is not an option for us. We do hope to move there someday though, after the kids become of legal age....or doing as Wendy said and splitting our time between here and there... As far as me finding a job in Turkey...that is a subject we have given a lot of though to. I am still not anywhere close to fluent in Turkish (although I am making slow progress ). Ozzy says that I could easily get a job teaching English, and there are many English language schools in Istanbul. From what I have learned (Ozzy rented a room to 2 different roomates who were working in Istanbul as English teachers), they actually prefer to hire non-Turkish speakers, since that eliminates the temptation to teach the class partially in Turkish. I just don't feel I have the "teacher gene" though and don't think I would be happy doing that. Its a definite possibilty for anyone else who might enjoy it though... On the other hand, I am currently 3 semsters away from getting my RN degree in nursing, but apparently nursing is not a very lucrative or prestigous profession in Turkey like it is here in the US (besides the fact that I would not only need to be fluent in conversational Turkish, but also medical Turkish) and it seems like sort of a shame to throw away all the time and effort I've put into getting that degree, ya know? I have also given thought to possibly working in one of the US Embassies...or doing as I found another American Ex-pat married to a Turkish man in Antalya doing- she and her husband own a 150-ft sailboat and take vacationers out on day/week-long cruises during the tourist season! That seemed like ever so much fun Otherwise, I'm not sure if I could be content with being a housewife in Turkey...I think I'd be willing to give it a try though My best wishes to everyone...especially Julia & Wendy, my thoughts are with you guys! Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-11 12:47:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Hi to you too Wendy! Every time I sign on here, the first thing I look for is to see if there is an update for you and Yilmaz. I am hoping & praying your good news will arrive very soon! You two certainly deserve it. Hugs! Tanya QUOTE (wendya @ Aug 7 2008, 09:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Everyone, Just wanted to say "hi" and wish Juliaferno best of luck with the AP process. I am sure everything will be okay!! Hi To awaterlily, tanyakaraman, and Mina. Hope all is going well with you. I haven't see both Debs on here for awhile, I hope all is well with them too!! How are the "newbies" doing? I hope their visa process is going well. We all know this is a long and arduous journey!! Thank God we have this site and support of others that know exactly what we are going through!! Take Care everyone and have a wonderful weekend whatever your plans maybe!! Love and hugs, Wendy	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-08-07 13:42:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	So sorry Julia, I hope it is resolved quickly! QUOTE (JULIAFERNO @ Jul 29 2008, 05:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Tears are streaming down my face, and not happy ones We are now in AP hell. Onur said the interview seemed to go fine, except for the fact that he was incredibly nervous, but the CO handed him the green slip which had Administrative Processing checked and told him to check Ankara embassy's website in 15 days for our case number, and when it appears to send in his passport with this refusal sheet. I am so sad.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-07-30 13:13:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Best of luck to you guys! We'll be thinking of you!! QUOTE (JULIAFERNO @ Jul 28 2008, 05:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey Turks & Turk-lovers Just bumping the thread back to the first page...and counting down the hours until Onur's interview (10 hours and 45 minutes!) I'll be checking in again soon!	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-07-28 17:36:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Actually, I believe you are correct. It has been a year since I had to fill the I-134 and I guess I was confused (the one you file for adjustment of status is a lot more extensive). I'm pretty sure I had to bring my tax documents to the interview though...can anyone else confirm this? Am I correct to think one does not even need to provide income tax returns for previous years with the I-134 Affidavit of Support? I am filing for the K-1 visa and no where on the I-134 does it state to include tax returns (unless self-employed)-only letter from employer, bank statements (these two alone will prove for myself) and assests to prove 100% poverty level incme. I am confused with the what i read on the I-134 and what people are advsing me....what did everyone here initally send with their fiancee's Affidavit of support and was it sufficient??? Thanks so much....I am stressing [/quote]	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-06-19 09:48:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Probably the best you can do is submit your 2007 tax documents along with proof of your year-to-date income (your most recent paystub) and a letter from your employer confirming your current yearly salary is as well as something to the effect that your employment with them is reasonably expected to continue on a full-time permanent basis indefinitely...etc. Also send a letter explaining the whole situation. Actually, for a family of 5, 100% of the poverty level is only $24,800. If you are currently making 60K per year, you are probably there already for 2008...or at least very close. Actually, I think your chances are probably pretty good as long as you show lots of proof of your current salary and employment. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you...all of us here have been where you are now and stressing about one thing or another in this process. Hopefully you'll find, as I did, that what's meant to be will find a way Good Luck, Tanya QUOTE (greeneyednurse @ Jun 18 2008, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for the reply. I am worried even more because I DID NOT meet the requirement s for 5 people (I have 3 kids) for 2007-only $17,500 because I only worked 4-6 months out of 2007. I only now filed the I-129 on 5/29/08 so I will NOT have filed my 2008 of course until next year. So what will happen? I currently make $60,000 now that i am working full-time, but for years 2004-2006 I was in school or like I said-taking a break in 2007. I have no idea, but I am stresing over this bad. You were lucky because you had filed for 2007. I wonder what they will say in my case? Anyone can help in the same situation or anybody knows what they will require because of my situation? QUOTE (tanyakaraman @ Jun 18 2008, 09:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Erika, I can say from my personal experience that current income generally is more important...although your 2008 income might not be submissible until you have filed your taxes for the year (unless you have ALREADY surpassed the poverty level with your to-date income for 2008 and can prove it). In that case, you would need to submit copies of tax records for 2007 (including W2's) along with proof of your to-date income from 2008...along with a letter from your employer, etc. This was my experience (with the affidavit of support for Adjustment of Status, not the affidavit of support for the Visa): We filed for adjustment of status in November 2007 and I included an affidavit of support based on my 2006 income. In January, we received RFE stating that my affidavit of support was not acceptable because I didn't meet the income requirements in 2006. However, my 2007 income DID easily surpass 125% of the poverty level and I had just done my taxes for the year, so I just filled out a new affidavit and submitted it with my 2007 tax documents (as well as copies of the titles to both of our cars with Kelly Blue Book values, just to be on the safe side). That's another possiblity...you can include certain assets to make up the difference if your income is too low. Check the rules and regulations to see what types of assets are eligible. By the way, I believe the affidavit of support for the visa only requires you to earn 100% of the poverty level, not 125%. You'll be required to show 125% later when you file for adjustment of status. Hope that helps... Best of Luck! Tanya QUOTE (greeneyednurse @ Jun 13 2008, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks kennyandhandan!!! I have a question about the affidavit of support: Last year I made under the poverty level because I had just finished school and only worked for 1/2 of 2007 to take a break...however this year I am well above the 125% required...what do you all think will be required of me as far as paperwork goes and is it true current income has more bearing than previous income? Do they even want the w-2 from 2007???? Do you think I will need a co-sponsor (because I do not have anyone I could ask at all)? This is my biggest fear as far as this visa goes. Anyone have the same fear before and how did it turn out? I would love to put this fear to rest-hopefully...sigh Thanks, Erika	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-06-19 09:29:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Hi Erika, I can say from my personal experience that current income generally is more important...although your 2008 income might not be submissible until you have filed your taxes for the year (unless you have ALREADY surpassed the poverty level with your to-date income for 2008 and can prove it). In that case, you would need to submit copies of tax records for 2007 (including W2's) along with proof of your to-date income from 2008...along with a letter from your employer, etc. This was my experience (with the affidavit of support for Adjustment of Status, not the affidavit of support for the Visa): We filed for adjustment of status in November 2007 and I included an affidavit of support based on my 2006 income. In January, we received RFE stating that my affidavit of support was not acceptable because I didn't meet the income requirements in 2006. However, my 2007 income DID easily surpass 125% of the poverty level and I had just done my taxes for the year, so I just filled out a new affidavit and submitted it with my 2007 tax documents (as well as copies of the titles to both of our cars with Kelly Blue Book values, just to be on the safe side). That's another possiblity...you can include certain assets to make up the difference if your income is too low. Check the rules and regulations to see what types of assets are eligible. By the way, I believe the affidavit of support for the visa only requires you to earn 100% of the poverty level, not 125%. You'll be required to show 125% later when you file for adjustment of status. Hope that helps... Best of Luck! Tanya QUOTE (greeneyednurse @ Jun 13 2008, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks kennyandhandan!!! I have a question about the affidavit of support: Last year I made under the poverty level because I had just finished school and only worked for 1/2 of 2007 to take a break...however this year I am well above the 125% required...what do you all think will be required of me as far as paperwork goes and is it true current income has more bearing than previous income? Do they even want the w-2 from 2007???? Do you think I will need a co-sponsor (because I do not have anyone I could ask at all)? This is my biggest fear as far as this visa goes. Anyone have the same fear before and how did it turn out? I would love to put this fear to rest-hopefully...sigh Thanks, Erika	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-06-18 11:51:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Hi Julia...hope you'll have a great time in Turkey! What city(ies) will you be visiting? We are returning for a visit next week also (March 20-27) and will be spending time with Ozzy's family in Istanbul as well as Antakya. I remember just this time last year we were going thru the K1 process and it all seemed like such an unlikely possibility. I guess I really didn't completely believe it would happen for us until Ozzy stepped off the plane this past September...so just keep the faith, you'll get there too Wendy...how have you been? Any word out of Athens? Thanks for sharing that cookbook Awaterlily! It sounds great. Even though Ozzy does most of the cooking at our house these days (I am working semi-full time and doing my nursing clinicals in the evenings and he is just home more than I am right now)...I guess it would be nice if I learned how to make some Turkish dishes other than coban salatesi Congrats to everyone who has received recent approvals! We're keeping our fingers crossed for Ozzy's green card approval...we should be hearing from USCIS any day now... Take Care All, Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-03-12 08:46:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Sorry for the late reply. I haven't visited the board very much lately...things have been crazy with my schedule the past few weeks! We did finally get the military issue resolved. We sent our info to the consulate in Los Angeles to register our marriage, then waited a few weeks, then Ozzy returned to the consulate in New York last Wednesday (we got so many conflicting stories from embassy representatives as for what documentation we needed to send, etc., that we thought it better to just go there in person with *everything*) and he was able to postpone the military service, I believe for 2 years. So that is a huge relief! We are planning to return to Turkey in late March (with my 13-year-old daughter) and didn't want to have to worry about him being detained at the airport or anything. I'm glad to hear that your husband had no problems...hopefully that'll be the case for us as well. QUOTE (Debra&John @ Jan 27 2008, 10:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (tanyakaraman @ Jan 20 2008, 10:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well...turns out its a bit more complicated than I thought. For us anyway. My husband came to the US on a marriage-based visa (K1), so before we can file for the military postponement, we have to register our marriage with the Turkish embassy. Since we were married in Las Vegas, we have to apply to register our marriage with the consulate in Los Angeles (the NY consulate does not have "jurisdiction" to register marriages that took place in Nevada). THEN, after that process is complete, we have to bring or send his immigration papers back to the NY consulate to apply to extend his military service deadline. So basically, we made the 7-hour round trip to NY for nothing. Well, we had a good time exploring the city, but weren't able to accomplish what we really went there for. We are under a little bit of stress right now to get the process completed, as we have purchased plane tickets for late March to return to Turkey for a visit (they told us on the phone that it would be simple and wouldn't take more than ~2 weeks to complete)...I really hope we can get everything done in time! Ozzy was so stressed out & disgusted after our visit to the consulate that he temporarily started smoking again (he had quit ~3 weeks ago) and now swears he is going to change his citizenship ASAP! For your friend, it should be simpler. He should contact the Turkish Consulate for specifics, but probably all he needs to do is bring/send his green card (copy or original or both...I am not sure) probably with proof that he is a student or worker (basically that he is fullfilling whatever type of visa he came here with) to the consulate that has jurisdiction over the region where he lives. They can extend his deadline for military service for one year during which time he can visit Turkey with no problem. Apparently the process takes ~2 weeks normally. Best Wishes, Tanya QUOTE (Nanusia & Lukaszek @ Jan 15 2008, 10:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks so much for your links & posts! I do really appreciate it. I think you guys are right, it's probably the military requirement that is holding him back from visiting. Since he left to complete college here, he probably left Turkey before the required age of 20 there. I had no idea that the military requirement would be so strictly enforced. While reading on the link to wiki from Tanya, it said that you cant get married, cant stay at a hotel, if you are a draft evader. Yikes, they are serious. Tanya, I'd appreciate if you could post or PM me how everything goes on Friday for you at the Turkish consulate. Best of luck to you! Thanks again for all your help, from me, and my friend in need. I am so sorry to hear about your problem with military issue tanyakaraman. Candemir went thru this same issue but he just contacted the Embassy in California, downloaded the application and then sent it back along with his passport (he renewed that as well) and the $$. Back in his hands within a few weeks. He was called to duty just as he was leaving Turkey to come here, so we had to really get on the ball and make sure the military issue was taken care of. The process has to be done yearly if he wants to go home. When he went back to Turkey last year, everything was perfect. He had the letter with him but no one asked for it ;-) Best wishes, Debbie	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-02-21 15:39:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Mmmmm yes, hamsi! I first tried them in a restaurant in Instanbul and loved them! We actually found them (frozen) in a Turkish market in Peterson, NJ (that town has the most awesome Turkish/Middle Eastern section with many markets, halal butchers, barber shops, restaurants, etc!!) and cooked them at home! You can eat them just like french fries - heads, bones and all. It took a while for my kids to work up the nerve to eat fish heads, but they loved them too. That was the dinner when I started to pour some milk for everyone and got a panicked look and quick advice that you can't drink milk with fish (or it could end badly for you)! QUOTE (wendya @ Jan 25 2008, 02:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (awaterlily @ Jan 24 2008, 09:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> something's wrong with this board tonight..i keep trying to respond to posts and it won't let me! to respond to wendya: are you referring to the little fish that are abt 3 in long? from the Black Sea? They're delicious! Yes, they are the ones!!	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-02-21 15:32:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Thanks Wendy! We mailed all the stuff off to register our marriage in L.A. this morning...then we're just planning to bug the heck out of everyone at the Turkish Consulate and military service until they give us what we need! Glad to hear you had such an awesome trip and glad you made it back safe!! Take Care, Tanya P.S. I was reading some old posts on this forum the other day and cracking up to myself when I came to the part about eating fish and yoghurt at the same time...its sooo true! Apparently the same thing goes for fish and milk too... ****************************************************** Tanya, I am so sorry, I didn't realize you and Ozzy were going through this regarding his military service. I hope you will get it resolved soon. I am sure you will, you both seem to be on top of things and waste no time getting done what needs to be done!!!	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-01-24 15:24:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Congratulations!! QUOTE (Debra&John @ Jan 18 2008, 09:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ***** U P D A T E ***** Received 10 year green card in the mail yesterday. How is everyone doing? Any news? Ah, so happy this week is over! Almost finished with year-end Take care, Peace Debbie	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-01-20 13:37:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Well...turns out its a bit more complicated than I thought. For us anyway. My husband came to the US on a marriage-based visa (K1), so before we can file for the military postponement, we have to register our marriage with the Turkish embassy. Since we were married in Las Vegas, we have to apply to register our marriage with the consulate in Los Angeles (the NY consulate does not have "jurisdiction" to register marriages that took place in Nevada). THEN, after that process is complete, we have to bring or send his immigration papers back to the NY consulate to apply to extend his military service deadline. So basically, we made the 7-hour round trip to NY for nothing. Well, we had a good time exploring the city, but weren't able to accomplish what we really went there for. We are under a little bit of stress right now to get the process completed, as we have purchased plane tickets for late March to return to Turkey for a visit (they told us on the phone that it would be simple and wouldn't take more than ~2 weeks to complete)...I really hope we can get everything done in time! Ozzy was so stressed out & disgusted after our visit to the consulate that he temporarily started smoking again (he had quit ~3 weeks ago) and now swears he is going to change his citizenship ASAP! For your friend, it should be simpler. He should contact the Turkish Consulate for specifics, but probably all he needs to do is bring/send his green card (copy or original or both...I am not sure) probably with proof that he is a student or worker (basically that he is fullfilling whatever type of visa he came here with) to the consulate that has jurisdiction over the region where he lives. They can extend his deadline for military service for one year during which time he can visit Turkey with no problem. Apparently the process takes ~2 weeks normally. Best Wishes, Tanya QUOTE (Nanusia & Lukaszek @ Jan 15 2008, 10:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks so much for your links & posts! I do really appreciate it. I think you guys are right, it's probably the military requirement that is holding him back from visiting. Since he left to complete college here, he probably left Turkey before the required age of 20 there. I had no idea that the military requirement would be so strictly enforced. While reading on the link to wiki from Tanya, it said that you cant get married, cant stay at a hotel, if you are a draft evader. Yikes, they are serious. Tanya, I'd appreciate if you could post or PM me how everything goes on Friday for you at the Turkish consulate. Best of luck to you! Thanks again for all your help, from me, and my friend in need.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-01-20 13:35:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Turkish military service is required of Turkish males with very few exceptions. Turkish citizens in your friend's situation who have not completed their service (and whose deadline to do so has passed) can be detained by the military upon returning to Turkey. It will not matter that he has a green card. Here is some info about the Turkish military requirements: http://en.wikipedia....ption_in_Turkey Here is some info about obtaining a temporary deferrment (see pg 26 of this PDF file): http://en.wikipedia....ption_in_Turkey Basically, your friend needs to call the Turkish Consulate in his region (see contact info in previous posts) and obtain instructions on how to apply for a deferrment so that he can return to Turkey. My husband is currently dealing with the same issue. Basically, he was instructed to bring/send copies of his immigration papers as well as his Turkish ID card and a form (which we have not been able to download from their website due to its format) to the Consolate to apply. We are planning to go to the consulate in New York City this Friday...I could probably be more helpful after then, as we are really still trying to figure it all out right now. Best Wishes to your friend... Tanya QUOTE (Nanusia & Lukaszek @ Jan 14 2008, 04:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi guys, I'm trying to get some Turkish info for a friend, hopefully you can help He's already here in the US and has a GC (not through marriage). He has the GC for 2 yrs (3 more before he can apply for citizenship). He found out his mom has cancer and she is undergoing treatment in Ankara. He mentioned that he's unable to visit her until he has US citizenship. He was real bummed out about the news so I didn't to pry details in order to help him. Do you know what reasons could be that he wouldnt be able to go back to Turkey (or perhaps Turkey not allow him to leave), even though he has a GC? He came here on a student visa, and graduated college. So I'm thinking that when he left he possibly could have left before serving in the military (age wise). Is this a requirement in Turkey? Is there a certain age afterwhich its no longer required? I really want to help him see his mom. She's not strong enough to travel to any of the bordering countries to see him, and she has daily visits in the hospital. If you guys have any idea of what I'm talking about, your responses would be very helpful. Thanks!	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-01-15 09:28:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Wow Congrats!!! Time to Celebrate!! QUOTE (Debra&John @ Jan 11 2008, 05:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That was too easy and too fast! Thought I should share...its 2:58 am.... Wishing everyone all the best, Debbie > *** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL *** > > The last processing action taken on your case > > Receipt Number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Application Type: CRI89 , PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED > > Current Status: Card production ordered. > > On January 10, 2008, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register. > > If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283. > > *Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Case Status and Processing Dates. > *** Please do not respond to this e-mail message. > > > Sincerely, > > > The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-01-11 14:49:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Thanks so much Debbie! It's nice to know we aren't the only ones! Thanks for the info and for taking the time to answer so quickly (and for the warm welcome! ). I'll call them today. Tanya & Ozzy QUOTE (Debra&John @ Jan 8 2008, 02:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Merhaba, I am so sorry, just got your email post and had to take a few min off from working to give you a little info. Yes, my husband did live the same thing...yes it is ALL true. Go to the following websit and call them and tell your situation. You will file paperwork with them and then he can go to Turkey without a problem. (must be done yearly to postpone his duty) I am sorry I dont have so much time to give the whole story. Please see below. http://www.turkiye.net/lacg/ Country Misyon Ad? Phone E-mail address U.S.A. Turkish Consulate, Chicago (312) 263 0644 trchicago@mfa.gov.tr U.S.A. Turkish Consulate, Houston 1 713 622 58 49 turcon@sbcglobal.net U.S.A. Turkish Consulate, Los Angeles +1 323 655-8832 turkcgla@pacbell.net U.S.A. Turkish Consulate, New York +1 212 949 0160 tcbkny@broadview.net U.S.A. Turkish Permanent Mission to the UN TELEFON EPOSTA U.S.A. Turkish Embassy, Washington, D.C. (202) 612 6740 konsolosluk@turkishembassy.org Best wishes to All Peace..!! Debbie ps.........NICE TO SEE NEW PEOPLE AROUND....WELCOME, WELCOME MINA, Text me on my cell if you still have my number	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-01-08 15:07:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Merhaba everyone! I've been lurking around this forum (sorry, that just sounds so creepy) for a while now...My husband came to the US from Turkey on a K1 visa in September of 07 and we were married in October 07. We are currently waiting for his green card to arrive. All is basically going very well with USCIS and with married life ; however, we find ourselves in a somewhat difficult situation with the Turkish government. We would like to return to Turkey this spring after he receives his green card to visit his family, etc. Our problem is that at age 28, he has not yet done his military service. He initially postponed this so he could complete his college education, but his deadline to enter the service, in December of 2007, has now passed. He was told by the Turkish Embassy that if he goes to Turkey now, even with a green card, he will be met at the airport by soldiers and escorted to begin his military service right then and there. He mentioned something about possibly being granted another postponement based on our marriage. I also read that if he is a resident or is employed abroad of Turkey for 3 years or more, he has an option of paying 5,000 euros and doing only 60 days military service. Three years is a long time for him to not see his parents (not to mention that 5,000 euros is a lot of money!). I don't particularly condone him avoiding compulsatory military service, but I also don't want to be separated from my husband for a year or more so he can perform it. Has anyone here ever heard of this or a similar situation? Any advice/thoughts/experiences would be most appreciated. Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2008-01-08 14:37:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Interview Rescheduled	That's so great! My fiance has his interview on July 5 also in Ankara! I am planning to travel to Turkey this weekend so I can go with him. I am so nervous and excited... Good luck to you guys! Tanya I just received the e-mail from the Ankara Embassy. They moved our interview from June 13 until July 5, 2007! we really took a gamble on that one. We really feared a several month wait. Now I can sleep well, and plan our summer. Have a great one, Christine	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2007-06-26 11:25:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE This made me laugh out loud!! I have to tell a little story..... The last time I was in Turkey, we rented a villa and it had a washer and dryer!! I was happy and asked Yilmaz if he wanted me to wash anything. He gave me his stuff and said "Everything is okay, right" Well of course I said yes, and thought, what does he mean?! Well, I soon found out when I took the clothes out of the washer. Everything was a gray/blackish color!! His black underwear had ran over everything (thank God I didn't wash anything good and most of my clothes are black so it didn't effect me). So, as for his white undershirt - Gray!! He is so funny, he said that it made it special and when people ask him about the color he will say, it is special and only my fiance can make it this way!! (oh how cok tatli, but I am sure he threw it out after I left!!) As for ironing, I don't iron my own clothes. The first thing I am going to do when he gets here is buy wrinkle free shrits!!!! Haha that's funny Wendy! I don't iron either. I was forced to iron the family's clothes when I was growing up and I guess I rebelled from it LOL. I only buy wrinkle-free clothes for myself and if something does happen to wrinkle, I will re-wash it or throw it back in the dryer. I didn't even own an iron when Ozzy arrived....we had to buy one special just for him, and he is the only one who uses it! QUOTE P.S. Onur decided to come a week earlier and will be here this Friday evening...3 days away. I can hardly believe it! OMG Julia, you must be sooo excited!!! Edited by tanyakaraman, 18 February 2009 - 08:44 AM.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-18 08:46:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (sardes @ Feb 17 2009, 03:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> LOL You guys are too funny.. I think my hubby has never seen one of them while he was in Istanbul.. Otherwise he would be very very curious about that.. ha ha! btw I'll be in his arms next Tuesday.. yayyy!!! Interview date is getting closer.. Feb 26th! Please God help us.. I am just wishing to fly home with him on the March 5th! Fingers crossed... Best of luck to everyone! Yay, I bet you two are so excited! Best wishes with everything....I bet your interview will be a piece of cake and you'll be flying home with him in no time!! ~Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-17 09:49:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE One thing (of many) I found interesting, and totally off toilet topic, is hardly anyone has or uses a clothes dryer I ironed EVERYTHING so clothes wouldn't feel stiff. I noticed this too! Ozzy had a machine at his apartment in Istanbul that he said washed and dried, but it really just "wrung out" the clothes, which would then have to be hung out to get really dry. And he irons everything too. At first, he thought my dryer was wonderful, but now he hates it (I guess maybe one of his sweaters got accidentally shrunk oops!). Also, apparently the American bleach is not as powerful as Turkish bleach....he always says his tshirts and undies are not as white as he wants them to be....sigh....I don't know how to make them any whiter without putting holes in the cotton.... Edited by tanyakaraman, 17 February 2009 - 09:42 AM.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-17 09:37:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (Hoomsfuturewife @ Feb 16 2009, 02:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Lol. PMS and toilets that are more like holes in the ground. Boy, was it a shocker for me the first time I walked in on one of these holes behind a stall with no TP or spray hose, no way to flush and only a cup under a faucet. I was really confused/disgusted by the 'measuring' cup. I walked out and decided to hold it til we got home. In Dubai they have proper toilets with a spray hose attached to the wall for you to wash your bum with and TP for you to dry with. In Iran they use the hole in the floor toilets like in Turkey. Only old people and the handicapped have the proper toilets installed in their homes. Once we make it to the states and have a place of our own I will look into installing one of those spray hoses like they use in Dubai for Hoom. I was sooo confused too...the first time I had to use one (on a college trip....imagine if you will a group of 10 or so college girls all having to go badly and the only available facilities was a hole in the floor! None of us had any idea what to do but we were all laughing hysterically...) I think I actually peed in the measuring cup thing and then dumped it down the hole LOL. I didn't know what to do and there were no instructions! I had been forewarned about the no toilet paper thing and had brought my own wipes. I had no idea what to make of the measuring cup and faucet though!!	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-16 09:49:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (JULIAFERNO @ Feb 15 2009, 05:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (JULIAFERNO @ Feb 15 2009, 05:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (camistanbul @ Feb 15 2009, 01:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (ErikaAndHamit @ Feb 15 2009, 09:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> OMG I have a funny, embarrassing, surprising and risque story to share Please don't get mad if it's TMI-if you're sensitve to bodily fluids......DO NOT READ any further Ok....here goes a slice of culture shock..... When I went to Turkey last year on one of our visits and my aunt Flo decided to show up mid-deed, he thought I was injured and he was very worried and insisted on my being "inspected" downstairs. A few moments later he says: "oh, it's ok, no problem" as in "no serious injuries"...lol I then ran for our English-Turkish dictionary and pointed to the word "menstruation" and he nodded as if he knew to save face, but then had the most confused look on his face I started laughing. I still wonder what else "menstruation" could mean in Turkish? I tried to show him tampons and pads-he says "wow big" to the cardboard applicator type I handed him did he think it was a "toy"?...... he shrugs when I whip out the pads and is now looking thoroughly perplexed and anxious-maybe he thought in addition to his fiancee having something terribly wrong with her-I had a #######? Now I was grasping at strings...."you know: 5 days???!! All women have this problem every month?...if no come this kirmizi normal then bebek come" yes I used broken kindergarten English for easier understanding He still doesnt know and I am running out of ideas, but I was DETERMINED to give him a crash course on the birds and the beesif we were to ever work out and he not think I was a freak..... Again in broken juvenile English: "Mother/father no tell how pee-pee work? No tell how bebek come? Tashak you know what for? Woman every month cok kirmizi come?" He still says no-I look up several fertility related vocabulary...nope. I am thinking wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww the US and Turkey are VERY different. Now I try meataphors and humor: "yumurta" (egg)...later this bebek if man woman do sport and no "jordan" use (condom as he prounounced it) aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh understood He says: "In Turkey family no speak this topic." He did, however know what and where sperm do/are. It took about an hour before I made it clear I wasn't a born again virgin or injured or in urgent need to see a doctor! He is now well-educated on the birds and the bees...flowers....trees This is actually really sad to me. I know you wrote this as a kind of funny topic, but it's just sad since I know so many Turkish girls who have had multiple abortions and I have had to literally search for tampons in Istanbul (it's easier now than when I first lived there)... because everyone associates tampons with loose women. Ugh. :-( Sex ed is certainly a sorry topic there.... *sigh* When I moved to Turkey I brought a huge stash of tampons with me because I knew I wouldn't be able to find them there. Onur had never seen one before. He thinks they are the most peculiar little contraptions. He is really quite fascinated with them. Sometimes when I get into one of my feminist tirades while in Turkey I'll start asking him "So, what? Even married women aren't allowed to use tampons? I mean, obviously if you've already had kids your hymen has already been broken - so what's the big deal!? HUH?!" Poor guy. He usually responds, "Do you think I made this rule?" You should have seen me the first day we were walking around Kirikkale and I saw a nice park with benches that I wanted to walk through. "Sorry, but you can't go in there" Onur told me. "Ummm...why not?" I asked, truly puzzled. "It's for men only." I flipped out, swore that I hated Turkey, etc. We laugh about it now...but I was seriously pissed. Hence the reasons he is moving HERE P.S. Onur wants a Turkish style toilet here in the U.S. (i.e. hole in the ground). I don't get it. He prefers it. Ozzy prefers them too...says it "helps everything come out" LOL	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-15 21:34:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (Hoomsfuturewife @ Feb 15 2009, 12:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Mina76 @ Feb 15 2009, 08:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes, I have to agree with cami on how Sex ed is a sorry topic there! I also had my monthly friend come during one of my visits to Turkey to see my husband (when we were first engaged) and whispered to him that I just got my period. So we go out to pick up some products and as soon as we get to the checkout point he tries to hide the package and after the cashier ring it up and he then quickly bags it so no one sees it, geez! Even in a casual conversation, when asking about a pregnant friend's sex of the baby will make him react and say "don't say sex in public!" Ohhh pleaseee! Yet, it's ok for women to go topless at their beach resorts like the one in Bodrum, Turkey!!! sorry, but there is way too many hypocritical double standards if you ask me! I'm sure I'll get reamed for saying so but that's pretty typical in muslim culture though. I've lived in Germany, Norway, Dubai and now Turkey so I'm familiar with the way muslim immigrants are in Europe and how muslims in the GCC are and am now learning how Turks are in their own country. When I lived in Europe I would quite often hear muslim men talk about what whores western women are. Yet at night they would wander the streets whistling at girls and go into to bars looking for a white girl to screw. The muslim girls would look down their noses at western women because they had their brothers coming home telling them how slutty western girls are and how much better the girls from back home are. Then you go to Dubai and you find out there are underground clubs for picking up women, polygamy is the norm as is visiting as many 'temporary wives' as you can afford. Once when Hoom and I were having dinner here with some of his Iranian acquaintances the women started talking about cheating and how it's worse when a woman cheats than when a man cheats. Hoom was the only one that said it's equally bad when either cheats. Generally speaking, I'd say muslim men are far sluttier than any western men or women they just make themselves hypocrites by trying to hide/disguise it. I always thought christians from the deep south were hypocrites when I was a teenager. I was disappointed to discover they're not the worst offenders. At least Turks try to keep their government secular though. They have Arabs and Iranians beat in that department. I agree with this 100%...about the Muslim men and western women. The first time I was in Istanbul (this was when I was still single, before I met Ozzy), MANY a man I came in contact with seemed to think that the only thing preventing me from having sex with him was the mere existence of my pants. I had a shopkeeper in the Grand bazaar try to unzip me under the pretense of "measuring my waist" and he was genuinely shocked and disappointed when I got angry and walked out. If they see you are anything vaguely resembling blond and foreign, they see you as an easy mark, and they are after it. There is a huge double standard. And you know, Erika, come to think of it, this may be why Hamit "escorts" you everywhere in Turkey, because he knows how these men are. Come to think of it, Ozzy does the same thing when we are in Turkey. Since I met him, I have never walked anywhere alone there....it really does border on a safety issue sometimes....	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-15 17:00:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (ErikaAndHamit @ Feb 15 2009, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I totally agree with you both camistanbul and hoomsfuturewife from what I have seen/learned so far. It is sad and it took about another month after this before he understood everything completely. I was shocked then, but I can laugh about it now. I am currently teaching him about PMS and it's implications for him. Turkey is so different from America. PMS....Erika you're so funny. That man of yours is getting quite an education...his poor head must be spinning!	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-15 16:47:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Tanya that is sooo very funny what you said about your kids asking him which one of his legs is broken! I am the same way with Coskun whenever he asks for something that is within his reach and I am 10 feet away! Really now, some of these men are such spoiled "mama's boys" and we wives have to teach them better! [/quote] It's true...sometimes I am amazed when he will ask someone to walk all the way from another room to fetch him something that is just barely out of his reach! Or he will forget something in walking from one room to another and ask *someone else* to go back and get it for him! Sometimes I look at him like... He often gets my kids to help him straighten his closet or clean up a mess that he made, but they don't seem to mind too much any more. He does give them money for helping him so of course that's always a big motivator LOL, but I have to admit, he really gets them working together better than I do...it's one of his gifts I guess...	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-15 16:44:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	Sorry, I got interrupted there.... I will say one...possibly the only....issue we've had is regarding children and respect. In Turkey, children are extremely respectful to their elders. When we visit Ozzy's sister, his neice and nephew wait on him hand and foot. He tells them to bring him this or bring him that, and they scurry off to get it for him. Things are very different here, to say the least. He tells my kids to bring him something and they look at him like they want to ask which one of his legs is broken (and sometimes they do ask LOL)! Or they will argue with him about something. He wasn't used to that. It's getting better now I think, as I guess everyone has gotten used to each other and what the expectations are but it was kind of an issue at first. Well I am writing a book here! And I haven't even started my laundry yet ugh! Hope some of that was helpful.... ~Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-14 16:48:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (ErikaAndHamit @ Feb 14 2009, 02:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This has been on my mind lately:huh: Is there anything that because of culture was impossible for either you or your SO to understand about each other that caused problems? Surely there are difficulties for BOTH sides at times as the Non-USC needs to adjust to a new country, marriage, new job, etc. and the USC adjusts being newlywed to someone of a differing culture such as Turkey. What was helpful adjusting? What wasn't? Who had the most issues? Anyone not have any issues? Why? I will give you some of my concerns and how culture can come into play as much as we love each other 1.) In Turkey the men are very protective of their wife and women in their families as you know and normally women are "escorted" everywhere or are never left home alone with say, the plumber, male guest or computer repairman. Not that I ever want to be alone with the repairman (I will be happy for Hamit then as it can be uncomfortable)but, this isn't taboo here in the US. I am worried that he may want to be my "protector" which is fine, and dandy, but not ALL of the time. How do I tell him it isn't "normal" here in the US as the men don't care about their women's safety and honor or comfort..lol I can see where it could be a problem: I need to run to the store, but he is dead tired, but feels it is his "duty" to escort me there, yet I don't want him to go everywhere with me, nor do I want him to be tired from doing this, although for him it may not be a chore,but for me seen as a a waste of energy or an inconveniance. Guess we will see...... 2.) Already, he wants to become the breadwinner and look after me, start a family, which is fine, but this scenario will take YEARS as in plural, not 1 YEAR. He knows how much I earn (quadruple what he will make until he goes to school and/or owns his own business) and he knows what to expect income-wise starting from the bottom, as his electrician experience will be useless and his English needing improvement;when does he take off the rose-colored glasses and how will he deal with the reality? I know men from Turkey feel obligated to be responsible for everything and he is SOOO motivated and determined, but geez....I worry about him...sigh Anyone else in my boat? Anyone already go through these or similar tales? Please share, especially funny ones! Your stories can help those of us who don't know what to expect when our SO's arrive from Turkey to a foreign country newlywed. Well, first I'll share a funny story. Ozzy's 2nd day here, I took him to the beach. He decided to treat me and the kids to lunch and suggested the nearby Hooters restaurant. I know he didn't know what Hooters was LOL and maybe I was bad for not warning him. Well, he couldn't *believe* the way the women were dressed in there. He just kept saying "This would NEVER happen in Turkey". He wouldn't even look at or speak to the waitress...I had to do all the talking. He just looked down at the table. It was very comical, but I thought very sweet also. So different from American men.... As far as escorting me....Ozzy doesn't really do that per se. We always go to the grocery store together, but that's because he is in charge of buying the groceries. We walk arm in arm and I love that. I go plenty of places alone though. I work pretty far from our home and the kids school is pretty far away too so obviously, we make pitstops along the way. If we are cooking or whatever and realize we need something from the store, he always offers to go while I stay home. As far as money goes, I only expect him to pay what he can afford. Right now, that is one of the utilities, his cell phone bill, and the groceries. I don't even bring up the other bills, although he has asked how much I pay for this and that I tell him. He asks if I have enough and I am honest. He gives me extra money when he has it, but I don't expect that from him. We keep separate bank accounts. He knows how much I make and I know how much he makes but we really don't talk about it much. I guess one thing that has helped is that I have purposely not allowed our cost of living to increase much since he came, so to prevent any "uncomfortable issues" regarding money. When we both finish school and he is more "adjusted" (although don't get me wrong, i think he has adjusted marvelously in the past 1.5 years), then we will talk about sharing finances, etc. It's good to just be open and honest and let him know if his expectations are unrealistic....and then be there for him when he realizes how difficult it can be here.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-14 15:03:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE I am happy tha Zofran works for you Tanya! Yea. that phenergan makes you so sleepy that I was wondering how you were functioning. When I was pregnant, they told me there wasn't anything to take for nausea; as a result I lost 15lbs the 1st trimester! Ooooh, did I ever gain after the 4th month lol! I had never vomited, but it was because all I ate was salty chips and lemonade as it was THE only thing that kept me from dry heaves. Was it this bad for you with your other pregnancies? What did they do then? Ok maybe I should write you a PM instead I was sick with my other pregnancies too, but I don't remember it ever being this severe. Like you said, there were certain things I could eat or drink....I believe I survived on 711 slurpies for a month or 2 LOL. This time, nothing seems to agree with me. I kinda got discouraged and stopped even trying to eat. I'm just glad my midwife knew about Zofran. Yeah, the phenergan was awful. I only took 2 of the pills and threw the rest away. It made me sleepy and dizzy and didn't really even prevent the nausea. QUOTE I am buying our tickets today visa or no visa-I am thinking positive and if I lose my money so be it....I want to be prepared. I should be headed to Ankara on the 15th or 16th! Way to think positive! I wanna see you two lovebirds come home together!! We are going to be buying tickets in the near future too. We want to go back for a visit in either April (over spring break) or June. Can't decide which and I don't think we'll be able to afford to do both. Tickets are cheaper in April, but we could stay longer (and go to the beach...and stay at "our" hotel....) if we go in June. Then again, I'll be pretty big by June. I feel like I'm getting big already and I'm only 8 weeks!! Does anyone know what the current airline regulations are regarding flying and pregnant women?? ~Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-14 14:47:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE (Mina76 @ Feb 14 2009, 01:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (tanyakaraman @ Feb 10 2009, 05:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Erika & Wendy, so happy to hear you have interview dates now! Exciting stuff!! Mina, I think what you're going through is completely natural...I'd have felt the same way if my hubby had been away from me for so long. I hope you can work through it though! My thoughts are with you. As for me, I have been soooo sick (so much for all that energy I had just a couple weeks ago!). I ended up in the hospital all dehydrated on Sunday because I haven't been able to keep anything down. It's getting a little better now, and Ozzy is being so sweet taking over responsibilities for me, but I really hope this morning/all day/all night sickness is over soon....I don't know how much more I can take! ~Tanya Hi Tanya, How are you holding up? Hope you feel better soon and that the morning sickness soon subside. Thanks Mina. I am feeling much better now. My midwife prescribed me this stuff (Zofran) that they apparently use for chemotherapy patients with nausea. It's safe for pregnancy and helps me feel better immediately. At my OB appointment yesterday, I found that I had lost 8 lbs this past week! We had a big Turkish style breakfast this morning and it felt sooo nice to be able to eat again (and keep it down)!!!! Happy Valentines Day everyone!!! Tanya	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-14 12:27:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE I introduced Onur to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I found peanut butter at Migros - he had never had it before! He loves PB&J now and would always ask me to make my "special snack" Funny thing, Ozzy's family *loves* peanut butter too, and its difficult if not impossible for them to buy in the cities where they live. Every time we go to visit, we bring his mother and sister huge jars of it as a gift. They serve it as a special spread with breakfast. Maybe sometime I'll have to introduce them to PB&J I personally think the Turkish hazelnut butter is more delicious (mmmm...I could sit down with a spoon and eat a whole jar of it!), but I guess that's just because its not "commonplace" to me.	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-14 12:21:00
Europe & Eurasia (except the UK and Russia)	Just Turkish	QUOTE When I was living in Turkey I watched the shows Menekse ile Halil (drama/romance), Avrupa Yakasi (comedy), Elveda Rumelli (about a family living in Ottoman times), and Kavak Yelleri (drama/romance) with Onur...I didn't I understand what they were saying for the most part, but I liked guessing and making up the story in my own head Onur is going to be thrilled to see this site! Is Avrupa Yakasi the one with ppl working in an office and then it shows them at home sometimes and there's an old grumpy woman wearing "village" clothes?? I think we might have been watching that the other day. Ozzy was laughing so hard, so it must have been hilarious. I was, like you, making up my own story line	tanyakaraman	Female	Turkey	2009-02-13 19:13:00