“A guest comes with blessings,” say the Turks.
Anyone who has been in Turkey at least once or knows a Turk and visited their home would attest to the incredible hospitality the Turkish people show their guests.
Hospitality is one of the most important spiritual values of the Turkish culture and Islam, which both teach to treat guests to the best of one’s ability.
Hospitality being one of the fundamental parts of the Turkish culture can be easily traced through the folklore and the sheer amount of proverbs and idioms about generosity toward guests. Even an uninvited visitor is referred to as a “God’s guest” for they are welcomed greatly and believed to bring good fortune to the hosts.
This inherent hospitality to any guests has certainly played a big part in Turkey being one of the most visited countries in the world, for instance. Those who have visited the country know how well visitors are treated here not only by the people working in tourism sector but by the friendly locals as well.
It doesn’t end there, however, as the Turkish people don’t only welcome short-term visitors, but expats too. Any respectful, decent people wanting to live in Turkey are gladly received by the locals, whose aforementioned hospitality starts from their very own homes and extends to the entire country.
In fact, the people make Turkey, perhaps, one of the easiest places to settle in. How so?
Well, being a foreigner in this country means being its people’s guest. Therefore, locals not only have absolutely no issues with you being here but also would give you special treatment in the best traditions of the Turkish hospitality.
Most Turks are very helpful and even more so toward foreigners. It’s not unusual for locals to actually reach out to a foreigner, who looks as though they ran into some trouble or got lost, for example.
An interesting side effect of the Turkish hospitality is the people’s curiosity. Anyone moving to Turkey should definitely be prepared to get bombarded with questions by most people they meet here. Since locals are so welcoming, they also genuinely interested in their guests and the place they came from. Hence the many, many questions.
On a more abstract note, there is also a very positive general vibe of embracement toward foreigners among the people that is hard to put into specific examples. Despite some possibly obvious or inconspicuous differences that come with being from a different country, it doesn’t really matter to anyone. Universal values such as love, friendship, respect and honesty are very much appreciated in Turkey and as long as someone holds them, they are welcome.
Along with hospitality, one of the building blocks of the Turkish culture is tolerance. Over centuries it resulted into a society that is made of different, sometimes contrasting, people and communities who everyday live in an elegantly chaotic harmony. And why a foreigner would not be welcome, when they are just another piece of this beautifully diverse puzzle.
