[Learn Turkish Home Page] [Beginners] [Table of Contents] [Questions or Comments]

[Habibullah Speaks!] [Latest website updates]

[Search the whole website] [Online Turkish word dictionary]

Identify this Famous Turk... Click for enlargement! To Jim and Peri's Commercial-free CD for Turkish Learning -- now with triple ebook bonus! Also available in Downloadable Broadband Edition Essential Suffixes Printed Book

Travel Tips for Insiders -- 4 things you shouldn't do in Turkey You already know not to do this, right...? Thanks to US Foreign Service Institute Related Pages: Turkish Culture -- 5 things you should do in Turkey A Boy's Worst Nightmare The Turkish Kinsey Report The Lying Eyes Club of Turkey Turkish Culture -- Two Turkish traditions we especially like Surviving the Turkish Internet Turkish Superstitions Turkish Travel Tips -- 4 things you shouldn't do Travel Tip #1 -- Don't bring your bone-crushing Wharton School of Business handshake with you. That's because ordinary Turks (both male and female) shake hands very gently. [Of course, American-ized or European-ized Turks may sometimes be exceptions to the rule.) Travel Tip #2 -- A man can touch another man (even someone he's only met recently) during a public conversation. It's too forward for him to touch a woman (not his girlfriend or spouse) in the same situation. (This doesn't refer to all woman -- and behavior is 'looser' in places like Kuşadası, Bodrum, Marmaris, Antalya (etc.), for sure. Just think twice before you do it.) Note: Women touch women with frequency in any situation... Travel Tip #3 -- A man must not flirt with another man's girlfriend or spouse. People get shot for this 'offence' on occasion. (Also, this doesn't refer to all woman -- and behavior is looser in places like Kuşadası, Bodrum, Marmaris, Antalya (etc.), for sure. Just think twice. Or maybe three times, for this one.) Travel Tip #4 -- Until you are sure of your friendship with a Turkish person, do not talk about religion, politics, or the opposite sex. And, especially at this particular time, don't get involved in a conversation about the PKK, Öcalan, or the Kurds -- or the Armenians. Whichever side you support might be the opposite side of the person you're talking to, or the person who overhears the conversation. After living here all this time, I feel 'comfortable' talking about these subjects, with my Turkish friends -- but never with strangers. Some people (on both sides) get quite emotional on these subjects. Next: Turkish Culture -- 5 things you should do in Turkey Related: Profiles of the Turkish People Our Two Favorite Traditions of Turkish Culture Mature Foreign British Bride in Turkey Mature Foreign Swedish Bride in Turkey Turkish Culture -- Circumcision and what many Turks believe about Westerners Turkish Culture -- Traditional Turkish Circumcision Ceremonies Turkish Culture -- Circumcision Fear... The Boys of Erzurum make a run for it Comments Posted by Yagiz | February 12, 2007 Yes it is rude to do this in public areas especially to do it in a place where people eat something, because in such places people think about the things you are blowing... they can be disgusting sometimes... And people never think good about that action. If you must, do it with a low noise -- at least try it. Don't directly blow like announcing... that's all you have to do. Generally everyone will understand you after that. Have a nice day in Türkiye :D Posted by Beverly | Sept 14, 2006 Personally I'd prefer someone blowing their nose discreetly in a restaurant to someone blowing cigarette smoke over me whilst I am eating (or any other time for that matter!) Posted by Nurdan | July 6, 2006 (Re: Comments posted below on May 10, 2006) Yes, blowing one's nose at the dinner table is as rude as someone passing gas while eating. It is not only rude but it is disgusting and nauseating as well. Posted by Tina | June 28, 2006 I thoroughly enjoyed reading your comments about 'What not to do in Turkey,' as I'm learning a bit about Turkish culture -- and find that it's surprisingly similar to our Cook Island culture. But I'm also doing this for the benefit of my 8-year-old daughter's study about Turkey. So I thank you in several ways! Each country's people have their own unique style and attitudes towards one another. Posted by Louise | May 29, 2006 Another do or don't tip for travellers concerns public teeth picking, which is all right to do as long as you're discreet -- making sure to keep the picking activity (and the toothpick) concealed behind one's hand. Also, pegging out (setting aside) undewear on display is definitely taboo! Posted by Carol | May 10, 2006 I read your blog with interest, especially the bit about what not to do in Turkey. On our last visit to Bodrum at Easter we came across a local newsheet, written for the benefit of the english-speaking community. It too had a section on what not to do in Turkey and one of the things not to do was blow your nose in public, and especially not in a restaurant. Some years ago we were in a restaurant and one of our visiting english friends had a bad cold. Inevitably he sneezed several times and was obliged to blow his nose, whereupon some Turks at a neighbouring table told him off. We had no idea why and they didn't offer any explanation. Do you have any idea why nose-blowing is so bad? If it really is such a sin, perhaps you could add it to your list? selamlar Jim and Peri's Reply | May 10, 2006 That's a good question, Carol. One we'll 'add to our list' right away. The answer is... A lot depends on the place and the manner in which you blow your nose in public in Turkey. If it's just an simple sniffle into your hankie to stop a runny nose while you're waiting at the bus stop -- there's nothing negative that anyone would think, nor complain about. But a restaurant, because of the hygiene considerations, is a 'sensitive' place to begin with. And since Turks consider "dining" to be a semi-sacred act, a native Turk would excuse him/herself from the table and take her/himself to the restroom for nose-blowing -- if caught in the situation you describe. Related Pages: A Boy's Worst Nightmare Profiles of the Turkish People The Turkish Kinsey Report Gossipy Turkish Who's Who The Lying Eyes Club of Turkey Turkish Culture -- Two Turkish traditions we especially like Top of Turkish Culture -- 4 things you shouldn't do in Turkey Turkish Culture -- 5 things you should do in Turkey Surviving the Turkish Internet Turkish Superstitions Turkish Circumcision Ceremonies Circumcision and what many Turks believe about Westerners Also: Whole Earth Catalog of Turkish Movies Turkish National Election, 2007 Newsreaders Encyclopedic Dictionary, Index Mature Foreign British Bride in Turkey Mature Foreign Swedish Bride in Turkey TIME laid low by True Believers Freedom of Speech gets a fiendish French Twist The God-Awful State of Turkish-American Relations Language-Learning Related Pages: Translating Turkish, the basics Essential Turkish Vocabulary Turkish Verbs Essential Idioms, Index Essential Suffixes, Index Sentence Structure, Standard Turkish Pronunciation Turkish Accenting Numbers in Turkish Other Turkish Difficulties Unrelated fun: Frequently asked questions about Turkey and the Turkish language Habibullah and the Great Cannon Caper A simple Turkish 'thing'... Turkish Belly Dancers Sneeeezing in Turkish Turkish Terms Of Endearment Turkish Personal Names Politically Incorrect Turkish Humor Off-Color Turkish Turkish Conventional and 'Erotik' Movies, Index The World's Worst Sport Novelty Turkish Wedding Invitations Post your comment...»

© Learn Turkish of the People! - Travel Tips, Turkish Culture