My office janitor in Turkey took me under her wing, and she left me this note. Someone translated it for me as something like “foreigners don’t care we have hard lives.” (I welcome comments to correct this…)
I heard from Turks of every walk of life–from professors to doctors to students to janitors to bus drivers and shop keepers–that life in Turkey is hard. I do not deny that life is hard for the very poor, the laborers, the people who live in gecekondu (slums) with no plumbing. I know it is very hard in the East. But life in Western Turkey is also good for a great number of people. For example, right now it’s August, and many Turks are at the seaside. How many Americans have “summer houses” or month-long vacations? Turks also retire quite young, in their early 50s, like my janitor friend is about to do.
Another Turk told me that I have “great positive energy.” Well, yes, I’m normally an optimistic person, but I think it’s more an American thing. So are Turks just a pessimistic people, like the Argentines?
3 comments:
Hmm...I can't read the writing on that piece of tissue, it's really small. Had I been able to read it, though, I'd be more than willing to translate it for you.
Anyway, I have to admit, Turks are quite a pessimistic bunch. Unless, of course, they lead the hard lives which you described in your blog post, I don't see why living in Turkey could be particularly hard compared to other countries in the west, like America. I don't know anyone other than myself who has been on holiday for more than 7 weeks.
I really don't see why life could be so bad there, as long as you have enough money, a comfy house and lots of free time. Strange.
Yabancilar
Pek kafaya
Takmiyor
üzülmiyor
demek.
Cok iyi ama
Sorry about bad "i's"...
Thanks! K
Foreigners don't take into account that it means that it's not sad, but it's very happy.
???
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