And I don't mean this temperature wise...I mean open, warm and friendly or closed, hard to get to know. One Turkish student I just met said he was in USA last summer, New York, Seattle and Alaska. He said that our country was beautiful but that the people were cold. This made me a little disappointed in the American public and a bit defensive i think because I also appreciate warm people and love my country. Of course things like this always depend on who you meet on your travels but... Turkish people always talk about if people are warm or cold. The general consensus, around Europe at least, seems to be countries that border the Mediterranean sea are warm, Spain, Italy, Turkey etc while the Scandinavian countries have a colder, less open approach to culture. Turkish people are also extremely hospitable and have more of a collective approach to life. The general response to me being an American is curiosity and as long as I don't like George Dubya Bush I am alright. Turkish people always have time to sit and drink tea together maybe while Americans are busy taking their coffee to go. Americans are all about independence and teaching you to do it your own sweet self. Which can leave people in their work dust and appear cold if they are not used to it. I miss American efficiency and creativity. Also I think America is such a melting pot of cultures that people get over looked. Foreigners aren't so different, by just being different so they aren't overly recognized or welcomed where as in Turkey I feel like you really stick out as a foreigner. Either way some where in the middle of the "give me it to go" efficiency and the sit and drink a million glasses of tea don't forget to be nice to strangers and chat it up a bit. Smile and be nice to your neighbors and visitors...
When they said Jesus could walk on water I think he was just at this salt lake. This is Salt Lake next to Cappadoccia towards the center of Turkey. We went here when I first came Turkey on a bus crammed with other exchange students, both hot and cold.
3 comments:
Hello Emily,I have a friend who returned to Turkey after living in USA for 10 years,and he says Americans are date obsessive because of loneliness,and instead of having real friends they pay therapists for listening to them.Do you think his observations are unfair?
pisipati,
Thank you for your comment! I think that this is true for many Americans. They loose track of interacting with other people because they are trying to get ahead or maybe they are embarrassed to speak of their problems to their friends and family but that is what family is for. But remember this is of course not every American. I am blessed to come from a big warm family and have lots of friends in similar situations. There are lots of good people in America.
Thank you for your explanation Emily.Merry Christmas:-)
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