Pennie from Çengelköy

Thanks to Pennie Uygurer for sharing her experience in Turkey with us.

Tell us about yourself.
I am a Londoner, forty something (don't talk about it) and an avid Arsenal fan. I have been resident here for more than 12 years now and cannot see myself ever moving back to the UK.

What made you come to Turkey?
I visited a friend and fell in love with Istanbul! After six months and two more trips I decided I better move here as I was driving everyone crazy back home talking about Turkey all the time. Then three weeks after I arrived mutual friends introduced my husband and I have been here ever since!

What do you do in your daily life?
Unfortunately I work! I teach English at a private primary school here on the Asian side of the city. Luckily it is only a ten minute drive from home so I have lots of time to look after my garden and cook.

Family?
Married, for six years to a wonderful man, no kids, just cats! My parents are back in the UK and my sister lives in Sydney so we are a truly an international family! My Turkish niece married an English guy so the citizen exchange is complete.

Can you compare your first days here with today?
No comparision! My first few months there was an appalling water shortage. We had a two hour window every second day when we could take a shower and flush the toilet! The flat was full of buckets of water, which we filled when the water was actually on!
The other big difference is the food/drink you can buy nowadays. I am sure I am a legend in my local Carrefour for the strange dance I do when something new arrives on the shelves! (especially the day that Thai curry paste and coconut milk came)
Life is certainly a lot easier now.

Has living in Turkey influenced your approach to life?
Absolutely! I was a classic Londoner, always in a rush, it took alot of time to learn to slow down and wait for things to happen!

Turkish language?
I learnt mostly from watching the TV and endlesly asking my partner "what does that mean?" now I can most things done without help, although the red tape stuff still thwarts me. I am still very tembel at speaking Turkish though, if I know the other person knows English!

Let's talk about the region you are living in?
I live in Çengelköy on the Asian side of Istanbul. Actually I don't live in THE Çengelköy, which is a lovely little village on the water, rather up on the hill above the Bosphorus in a large estate. Sadly we don't have sea views but we do look over a valley, which is mostly gecekondu so there is always something interesting going on! (and we have several cockerels across the valley as our alarm clock)
The one thing that surprised me is how different our climate is! In the winter we have snow when the rest of the city is clear. Friends say I must live in Narnia.

Have you traveled in Turkey? Tell us your discoveries
I have travelled mostly on the Aegean and Med coasts, but I am not going to tell anyone the secrets I have discovered! I did that with Olympos and now everyone goes there! I do love Ayvalik, it is a very laidback place with amazing food.

What is your preferred characteristic trait of Turks?
Kindness.

What was the annoying one?
Nosiness, I am a constant source of interest to all, as I am an English woman. Why? What? Where? When?...

AND the abysmal driving. Noone seems to know how to use a handbrake or an indicator. And don't get me started on illegal turns and jumping red lights. Grrrrr.

Turkish Cuisine?
I love all the food, and get withdrawal symptoms after a week back home. My one real love is ciğ köfte....

Any suggestion to new comers to Turkey?
Be prepared to wait! And if you open your hearts to people you will always be rewarded tenfold.

Any suggestion to people planning to visit your region?
Don't listen to all the myths about Istanbul's rip off merchants. Istanbul is a city and as such is no different from any other. For every bad guy there are ten honest ones who will go out of their way to help.

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