{"id":723,"date":"2015-11-28T13:08:27","date_gmt":"2015-11-28T13:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emiddle-east.com\/?page_id=723"},"modified":"2015-11-28T13:08:27","modified_gmt":"2015-11-28T13:08:27","slug":"in-the-dream-about-yesterday-and-tomorrow-turkey","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/emiddle-east.com\/kwartalnik-emiddle-east-nr-22008\/in-the-dream-about-yesterday-and-tomorrow-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"IN THE DREAM ABOUT YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW – TURKEY"},"content":{"rendered":"
IN THE DREAM ABOUT YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW – TURKEY
\nKarolina Markocka<\/p>\n
Turkey is the only muslim country where law and religion are divided and said to be two different life domains. Thanks to constitution the question of interpretating traditional law that can be found in Koran isn\u2019t raised. Religion already cannot place a veto towards decisions of president or Prime Minister. Obviously nothing happens by itself. Also transforming a traditional country into the modern one wasn\u2019t an easy thing to do.<\/p>\n
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The name of a man who became an inspiration for changes \u2013 of whom turkish people are truly proud calling him the greatest turk that turkish soil ever revealed – is Mustafa Kemal Ataturk(1881-1938). Each turkish child knows his biography. Kemal is his second name that gad been given to him by his mathematics teacher in recognition of his academic excellence (meaning Perfection or Maturity). Later on he became a soldier, then a general and at last he obtained a Pasha title. It was during the First World War while defendning Gallipoli peninsula against invasion of English, Australian, French and New Zealand armies which made him famous. During that fight he said to his soldiers „I do not command you to fight, I command you to die. In the time it will take us to die we can be replenished by new forces”. People were respecting him for his bravery and for the fact that he was a real fighter and never lost hope. But his most important characteristic was his charisma thanks to which millions of people followed him calling Ataturk-the Father of Turks-. Ataturk overthrew kalifat (religious institution which ruled the country) and Ottoman Empire, became president, named the country Republic of Turkey and reformed it in 1923. These weren\u2019t kind suggestions implemented little by little. These were orders and totally new principles that meant to change the country and its people dramatically. Law, alphabet, calendar, tradition and everyday lifestyle was changed literally in one day. Latin letters instead of arabic ones, new law for women, suits and hats for men, cigarettes in place of water pipes. Traditional man dress became forbidden, women also were told to show their faces and hair especially when working for national institutions. That was a real revolution! We can call Ataturk a dictator but as a matter of fact a positive one as still loved by his countrymen. We can find his portraits and photographs in every institution, in many shops and blocks of flats.<\/p>\n
\n<\/a> \nNowadays Turkey is one of a kind mosaic, it\u2019s like a multilayer cake with hundreds of flavours inside. Influences of Greek and Roman culture, later Arabs and their rich traditions, nomadic people crossing the country \u2013 each of them left unique sign and trace. Finally land became inhabited by Turks and Christians. All of them had thousands of years for development which now seem to be one minute. So they came and gone, they were fighting and living together, they left marveous pieces of art and human\u2019s thought. This is one of many reasons why the country is so magical. Another one is that Turkey is situated in the Middle East \u2013 somewhere in the middle of Europe and Asia, not mentioning Istanbul(historically Byzantium and later Constantinople) which is a mysterious metropolis, the only one in the whole world situated on two continents in the same time. So geographically it is rather an asian country but mentally rather european one \u2013 this is Turkey.<\/p>\n \n10 characteristics of Turkey:<\/p>\n 1.Turkish hospitality.<\/p>\n \nPeople in Turkey are open and friendly. They are so hospitable that you can even find turkish expression describing people who keep their doors open \u2013misafirperver \u2013 that means \u2013guest lover -. People in Turkey are always ready to help you anyway (especially if you are a foreigner). Also don\u2019t be surprised if children and teenagers call you abla (elder sister) or abi (elder brother). This kind of directness is natural and it is a sign of respect to you. So when you find yourself in everyday common situations like shopping on bazaar etc. you can hear other people calling elder women teyze (aunt) and elder men amca (unckle). \n2.Turkish cuisine.<\/p>\n \n<\/a> \nTurkish cuisine is a topic wide and deep as sea. There are as many different starters (called meze), soups, main dishes, salads and desserts as villages and as many variations of them as many families in Turkey. Courses are delishes as products are fresh, natural and of course made in Turkey, recipes are unique, moreover chefs do their best to make you eat your fingers (parmaklarini yersin). Most popular dishes are kebab(minced meat or cubes of meat on a skewer, usually marinated before cooking.), doner(meat cooked on a vertical spit and sliced off to order. The meat may be lamb, mutton, beef, goat, or chicken), pilav(a dish in which a grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is generally first browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth with vegetables and herbs), lahmacun(usually made up of a round, thin piece of dough topped with minced meat-most commonly beef and lamb. Lahmacun is often sprinkled with lemon juice, and then served rolled up with pickles or other vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers and onions.), manti(small dumplings \u2013not bigger than ravioli with meat inside, eaten with garlic yoghurt sauce and fried spices ), mercimek corbasi(lentil soup made of stock and lentils with onions carrots and celery), icli kofte(meatballs filled with spices and nuts), and a hundred of others that obvoiusly cannot be mentioned here because it is a topic for long studies. Most popular desserts are sutlac(a pudding-style dessert made from rice, milk, and eggs), baklava(pastry traditionally made with phyllo dough, honey, nuts, and orange essence), helva(a dessert made of sesame seeds and sugar or a simpler home-made variation is prepared by flour, butter and sugar. Helva may also be made from a variety of other ingredients, including sunflower seeds, various nuts, beans, lentils, and vegetables\u2014such as carrots, pumpkins, yams, and squashes), lokum(Turkish Delight, lokum, or loukoum is a confection made from starch and sugar, contains various nuts, sesame seeds, fruits, black or white chocolate etc.). The thing that can surprise you is that even if you see a table in the house, dinners in Turkey are often eaten on the floor. A special clothing, then plates and dishes are put on a carpet. It is called sofra-both a table or floor covered with table cloth prepared for a dinner. A traditional turkish dinner is very colourful and it consists of many dishes that\u2019s why if you are invited to a turkish house that would be nice if you offered your help taking plates and food from the kitchen. Then just sit comfortable like all the family do and prepare your stomach for the feast of your life-especially if the dinner starts at 9 p.m. and lasts till 11 p.m. Celebrating is very important. For desserts usually you can expect very sweet cakes, sweets and traditional pastries or simply fruits. After dinner it\u2019s kind to say to the person who prepared the food \u2013 ellerinize saglik (ellerinize saalyk)which means may your hands be healthy and then she would reply afiyet olsun! \u2013 have a nice meal. Turks use \u201cbon appetit\u201d(afiyet olsun) after meal, not before.<\/p>\n 3.Turkish weather.<\/p>\n \nTurkish weather and climate differs according to regions so it depends on where you are but generally speaking it\u2019s hot and sunny. The warmest place is Adana \u2013 a city where not only you can find the biggest mosque in Turkey but it is also the biggest producer of watermelones, oranges, peaches, corn and many other fruits and vegetables. Sun and turkish climate has got a very positive influence on culture and society \u2013 people smile more often and life starts after 9 p.m. thanks to which you can feel that you are really live, not only awaiting for another day to come. There are many more benefits of sunny weather in Turkey and that is connected with its lanscape and nature which has to be seen, not described.<\/p>\n 4.Ezan\u2019s prays.<\/p>\n
\nHAGA SOPHIA, fot. K. Markocka<\/p>\n
\nDon\u2019t be ashamed to ask for a piece of bread if you are hungry because it will be given to you. It\u2019s also natural when your new turkish friends invite you for a family dinner to their house. That would be nice to give something to them(except for a bottle of wine as such a gesture could be misunderstood). I would recommend buying something neutral like sweets or chocolates \u2013 never too much of it in turkish house -. Before entering turkish house or flat remember to take off your shoes, often already in the front of the entrance door. Thanks to many pairs of shoes that can be seen next to each door you don\u2019t have to guess the number or age of each family member. While disputing it\u2019s important to get rid of all stereotypes people grew up with Although it is difficult try to become a white, clean sheet of paper. You will be understood if people see that you try to understand them. Otherwise, if you start to ask embarassing, rude questions, you can be misunderstood and that would be a lack of respect. But as a matter of fact the best advice is to be natural , to do what your heart tells you to do. If people see that things you say is truly what you feel, they will open their hearts too and become your honest friends. Stil, if your life motto is when in Rome do as the Romans do and you want to show your esteem you should bend down towards the oldest man or woman sitting in the room, then kiss his\/her hand touching it with your forehead. They will love you.<\/p>\n
\nfot. K. Markocka<\/p>\n