She's been living for only several weeks in Istanbul, Turkey, but she has already seen and experienced many things that make the place one of American expat Carpetblogger's favorite places. The outlook for Turkey is positive, and she urges people to come visit before everything changes too much. Read Carpetblogger's interview to learn from her experiences and pick up several useful tips!	Carpetblogger

February 17 2007

-Where were you born?
California, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?
Istanbul, Turkey

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my two dogs. My husband lives in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he runs a business.

-How long have you been living in Turkey?
I have been in Istanbul for only about 6 weeks. Before this, I lived in Kyiv for a year and Baku for two.

-What is your age?
38

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Turkey?
Turkey, and Istanbul, have always been in our top five favorite places. My husband and I decided back in 1991 when we first visited that we wanted to live here someday. It just took 16 years to make it happen. We could live just about anywhere we wanted, so we sought out places that met a couple of criteria: cheaper than western Europe/North America, but still a decent standard of living (Internet, infrastructure etc); culturally and historically stimulating urban environment; centrally located (easy to get to other places); tolerable climate; dog-friendly.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
It’s relatively easy to get a residence permit; much harder to get a working permit. But since my clients are not in Turkey, I don’t really need one.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
I have insurance from America.

-How do you make your living in Turkey? Do you have any type of income generated?
I work as a consultant. My client base is US firms that are doing projects overseas. I also write. I also network like crazy and if someone has an interesting project and I have time, I’ll take it on.

-Do you speak Turkish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I do not speak much and I wish I did. It’s been one of my biggest regrets in all the places I’ve lived. Life would be so much easier and I would understand so much more. I am trying, but I hold no illusions that I will become fluent enough to do anything but the basics. Any little bit helps though, so I plug along.

Of course expats need to be sensitive to local customs, especially in Muslim coutries. But not everything that’s done in some countries is worthy of respect or emulation. I didn’t drive like a lunatic or dress like a streetwalker, even though both are local customs in Ukraine.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Of course, but I prefer to visit America now. I don’t want to live there.

It can be hard to meet people in a new country and make friends. You have to really try hard. People who are not me do team sports like ultimate Frisbee. You have to view everyone as a potential friend. Later you can weed out people who you have less in common with. But knowing a lot of people makes it easier to solve problems when they arise. You need a network to survive.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
We really want to explore Turkey, especially the eastern part. Iran is also on the agenda.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
An ok two-bedroom apartment in the Beyoglu neighborhood rents for about $1000 a month. A similar place to buy is about $150,000 roughly. Rent, and real estate, in Turkey is going up all the time. We rent, but we are looking to buy. I think it’s a decent investment. Turkey is on the way up, most of the time.

-What is the cost of living in Turkey?
Not as cheap as it used to be, that’s for sure. But it’s not western Europe or America yet.

-What do you think about the Turkish people?
The Turks are my favorite locals by far. They are friendly, open and hospitable. People here are usually very cooperative with non-Turkish speakers, especially when they are ripping you off.

The Ukrainians were friendly enough on a personal basis, but everyday transactions were a burden since they still suffer from a Soviet hangover. I could go in a shop every day and the ladies there would never greet or recognize me. You’d be surprised how far a simple “welcome” and a smile (no self-respective Turkish shopkeeper would neglect this nicety) goes.

Azeris were very clannish and gender roles were surprisingly rigid, so it was hard for me, as a woman of my age with no children, to socialize with locals.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Turkey?
Positive: Turkey is an interesting experiment and it’s not always clear how things are going to turn out. It has a very distinct, rich culture and a tremendous history. It’s remarkable how many expats have been here for a while and really, really love living here. That was absolutely not the case in Azerbaijan or Ukraine. People generally couldn’t wait to leave (unless they married a Ukrainian!)

Negative: the bureaucracy is a drag, but it’s nothing like the former Soviet Union.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Turkey?
Istanbul is on the way up. Get here before it goes all Euro and gets ruined.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Turkey?
Well, Carpetblog ROCKS!
I love Binnur’s Turkish Cookbook!
Turkish Blog Count links to every English and Turkish blog you can imagine.

From Ukraine, I like:
Ukraine List
Nezalezhnosti