Janine from Izmir

Thanks to Janine for sharing her experience in Turkey with us.

Tell us about yourself
My name is Janine and I was born in Republic of Panama. Also Italian. I graduated in hotel and restaurant management in my country. I like to dance, to cook, to do handicrafts, to learn languages, I'm very independent and also i have family sense. I think I'm very open minded person since I have all kind of origins and have lived abroad which help to be tolerant and receptive to other cultures. The process of adaptation is not easy though!:)

What made you come to Turkey?
Only love...I'm engaged with a lovely young man. We are young couple (I'm 25, he is 29 years old)...we met in Chicago, United States. He returned to his country around February 2004, I joined him in April, 2004 and since then we are here.

What do you do in your daily life?
I'm a Spanish teacher, which is my profession here but still looking for a job in my career. I got better in my handicrafts (jewelry, work with wood, etc), improving languages specially Turkish, improving at the kitchen because I love Turkish food and therefore I learned how to make manti dough, all kind of dolmas, kazandibi, kunefe (with tel kadayif), I even did yogurt at home! I love cakes, to do breads; sushi and so on...also socialize and contribute in international woman association of Izmir. Soon I will be learning a graphic design course, I also try to keep my blogs updated which is http://www.culturinary.blogspot.com and http://espacioblog.com/mialmadesnuda and I always have my personal projects, working on them.

Family?
Not yet....give me some time we want and need to work first!!!:)

Can you compare your first days here with today?
Yeah well my very first days I was trying to buy nails to fix something in the bathroom (I like to work at home) and was quiet funny. I felt like doing drama theater in the hardware store but thankfully Turkish people are smart and we could handle the situation. It was very special nail that I needed but I got something else that I could use to fix my problem anyway...Today I can even seat with a "cay" or tea with them and talk about life! so is quiet different from those days now isn't it?:)

Also as I'm interested in cooking when I came here I tried to do Panamanian food and I was even published for that in "Izmir life magazine" and then I was published in the main newspaper "La Prensa" in my country so I felt for first time I was recognized for representing my country which was very nice feeling and kind of proudly more when you think that Turkey and Panama doesn't have diplomatic relationship :)

Has living in Turkey influenced your approach to life?
I have lived in other countries so the fact that I need to adapt to somewhere else is not very new to me but Turkey have influenced me for sure. There are so many little things that we think they need to be learned and when you come to Turkey is already in the culture, part of their daily life. It is very interesting and beyond your thoughts.

Turkish language?
Yes what about it? Shall we try Spanish language?!!! Turkish language is difficult, I understand almost everything but the things I'm able to understand and read, I'm not able to talk that way yet. I can talk but still with mistakes. Need to practice more. I realized that as i speak very fast in Spanish when I try to speak in Turkish that fast so all my sentences is in disorder! so hardly I need to try to speak slow (think slow too) so I can order my sentences and i sound better in Turkish:) more correct I mean but people understand anyway is good....

Let's talk about the region you are living in?
Izmir is a wonderful city. There is stuff to see not only in the city itself but also surroundings. People are very warm and relaxing. We say is the third biggest city in the country but is like a village, is amazing feeling!!! There are around 4 million people and imagine my country has only 3 million! It is a joke because you meet with everybody around, then you know everybody in the streets, I don't know how!

Have you traveled in Turkey? Tell us your discoveries
I have been in Istanbul, Ankara, Bodrum, Denizli, Marmaris, Fethiye, even Kayseri...:)

What is your preferred characteristic trait of Turks?
Generosity, hospitality, relax about life. They appreciate their culture, the old people and kids.... are important.

What was the annoying one?
Uncertainty (for me!). Tthey always leave a door open which is good but necessary straights on the things, they go too much around and with no conclusion specially in business. Also bureaucracy. They are very loud with music specially in weddings, traffic and parking problems and the cigarette subject drive me nuts. There is smoke even in the bathroom, airport, shops, beauty salon! It is very bad... I come from a country where you cannot even smoke in shopping center and they really dont !:)

Turkish Cuisine?
I love it especially yogurt and eggplant, otherwise I wouldn't gain weight for nothing. I have tried to cook Turkish food at home, luckily good:)

Any suggestion to new comers to Turkey?
To enjoy a lot, to try to learn some Turkish because it helps to be around, to travel if you can because there are beautiful places to visit, to taste all food you can (it would worth to travel just to taste food!!), lots of patient in case you will not be able to work, to try to socialize, to analyze all your talents and good qualities you have so you can take advantage of them here creating activities or your own profession if you are an active person. To be receptive to a new culture, new language, new people, always watch, hear, learn, taste and use your sense of common!:)

Any suggestion to people planning to visit your region?
My region sounds interesting! I'm Panamanian and I can tell you Panama is the best ranked place for retirement if you want to check in internet! I'm able to promote my country here? jaja! But if we talked about the place where I'm living now, Izmir is nice city. Be patient and interact with all kind of people. Expats will understand you a lot, which is important once you are living here but still have some Turkish friends. In long term they will be very good friends. In Izmir you can visit some museums, the fair, the bazaar, historical places, do good shopping, the surroundings like Çesme which has incredible beaches, Foca, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Tire, Odemis and so on..

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