Icmeler Online Holiday Forum & Reviews - Turkey

This will be our first time in Turkey and we've no idea of local customs. Are there things we should do or not do to avoid giving offence to the locals?

Don't try to have a conversation with the visa/passport control officers

Don't be afraid to say no, because if you don't you will have to eat at about 20 restaurants every night, buy jewellry every day, and buy every trinket in the market, just be polite and firmly say no thank you if you don't want anything.

john G wrote:Don't try to have a conversation with the visa/passport control officers

I try that every year, one year I will get a reply, well either that or I will get chucked out of Turkey

One year one of the passport control officer actually said "Welcome back to me". I'm still recovering from the shock.

Try not buy anything at the airport on the way home. Very expensive, except cigarettes. Don't change travellers cheques in a bank they charge commision. You can change them at the supermarkets who often give the best rate and no commision.

Colette wrote:

john G wrote:Don't try to have a conversation with the visa/passport control officers

I try that every year, one year I will get a reply, well either that or I will get chucked out of Turkey

Yeah they are right sour faced things those officers aren't they. What is their problem?

Steve

salford_steve wrote:

Colette wrote:

john G wrote:Don't try to have a conversation with the visa/passport control officers

I try that every year, one year I will get a reply, well either that or I will get chucked out of Turkey

Yeah they are right sour faced things those officers aren't they. What is their problem?

Steve

That just made me laugh out loud LOL
Nice one Colette,

Dont try to outdrink Gene..

one of the passport controls guys started speaking to me last year when i came into turkey
he noticed my necklace which is a turkish flag then he looked at my passport and saw how many times i had been to turkey and said oooo your one of us your turkish and do u like turkey
and i said yeah of course i love turkey
xxx

Hector wrote:This will be our first time in Turkey and we've no idea of local customs. Are there things we should do or not do to avoid giving offence to the locals?

Don't flush your toilet paper and don't use the paper without using the wheel first!! See this link for more detail!!
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4553&hilit=toilet+wheel

hi don,t cross your legs in a public building, e,g police station and the like. my wife had a interview there when her debt card was stolen. her friend and her were told it was ,lack of respect?? a very natural movement for most women,so it happened more than once in the interview. its a old tradition ,toward people who are senior to you . bill atkinson

hi don,t cross your legs in a public building, e,g police station and the like. my wife had a interview there when her debt card was stolen. her friend and her were told it was ,lack of respect?? a very natural movement for most women,so it happened more than once in the interview. its a old tradition ,toward people who are senior to you . bill atkinson

its not so much crossing your legs thats disrespectful but it is when the mosque is calling
if you cross your legs when that is on turkish people see it as disrespectful and especially people senior to you
however if the mosque is not calling then there shouldnt be a problem
maybe its different in government buildings
but its very easy to do and really easy to forget when you hear the mosque to uncross your legs
xxxxx