After 14 years living in the farming village of Okçular near Ortaca in Muğla province in the SW of Turkey, there are so many stories to tell; some are cautionary, some are interesting and some are downright hilarious. From the day we arrived there has hardly been a dull moment.
Adjusting to a radically different culture and mind-set will, inevitably, bring moments of gaping disbelief followed by moments of sublime insight. Some, usually middle-class, Turks will tell you with pride that they are Europeanised – they are not, and may it please any powers that be that they never should become Europeanised what they already are is wonderful; passionate, anarchic, welcoming, warm, crazy, protective, family oriented – all of the things we once thought we had in the country I used to call home. Now here, in Okçular, is where I am really at home; never in my life have I felt so strongly that this is where I belong.
Why ‘Archers of Okçular’? Well, Okçular is the Turkish word for an Archer, and the blog started life as a political blog ‘taking pot-shots . . showing reality’ so the title was and still is appropriate. You can follow the hard-nosed and some times very hard to swallow reality at archersofokcular.blogspot.com You’ll be in good company as the blog gets in excess of 20,000 hits per day! If you prefer to remain in the dark, don’t go there!
This blog, on the other hand, will traverse time and bend reality, just like the Tardis, from present day happenings to past adventures where memories have dimmed somewhat and frequent re-telling of tales has led to exaggerated new realities. But then, what the hell – a good yarn is a good yarn! Our life in Turkey has been full of interest and J and I don’t have a single regret about coming to live here – even when in the depths of some bureaucratic black hole (as we occasionally are) we have conjured up memories that have lifted our spirits; good, positive reasons why we love it here. Every morning we look out of our bedroom window and say to each other ‘Oh no! Not another beautiful day in Turkey!’
Alan Fenn 27th April 2011
Alan Fenn, Okçular Köyü
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I love your description of Turkish people – I’ve only ever visited the country briefly, but the one Turkish person I know – the publican’s husband in our village pub back home in the UK – is delightful – warm, friendly, and adores my Spanish husband. Neither of them understands a word the other says, so they just drink beer together, chat and smile. I think it’s a male Mediterranean thing – some kind of bond, anyway. Marat does a mean fish barbeque every week, and my elderly parents never miss it.
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we have a neighbour called Recep; he and I communicate by gestures and smiles alone. He speaks a local dialect so neither of us has enough Turkish to do it any other way. Pity he doesn’t drink!
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hocam bu siteyi yeni keşfettim çok güzel hazırlamışsınız
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çok sağol
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Turkey has always been a land of great fascination for me because I guess I have had the privilege of having so many Turkish neighbors and friends in Germany. One of my great Turkish friends relocated back to Istanbul two years ago. She is one of those you would call the “Europeanized Turks” as her grandparents were “guest workers”-in Deutschland we call it Gastarbeiter- and she was born in Germany and speaks fluent German and English. I am not sure whether she speaks good Turkish but she tells me she is having an awesome time over there. Reading this post reminds me of the warmth and friendliness of the Turkish people I grew up with. I am definitely planning to pay a visit soon. Perhaps, when there is time I will pass by Okçular to experience the excitement.
thank you Danielle and welcome to Archers. If you do come by our corner of Turkey then do get in contact it would be our pleasure. Spring with all our flowers is always the best time.
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I like how you end the post by saying “Not another beautiful day in Turkey” I have never been there and I’m sure that it is a really beautiful place going vby the pictures on Google. For now, all I can say is “Lucky you!”
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. . beautiful it certainly is – the ‘luck’ was planned to some extent.
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I agree that Turkey has always been a land of great fascination. Last Week i been there and amaze howbeautiful it is
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Hi CS and welcome to Archers! Turkey is indeed a beautiful place – but in common with so much of the world it is being dismantled by the greed of the economic system.
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Hi Alan
Great post I love turkey we sailed our boat down the coast of turkey from just above the island of lesbos all the way down to bod rum helped by the sometimes rather blowy meltemi we had such a good time and found the Turkish people very welcoming. Will come back later to read some more of your posts.
Great memories lee
Thanks Lee, glad you enjoyed the ramblings! J and I used to sail out of Queenboro’ and had a boat here until a few years ago and so appreciate the pleasures of the Turkish coast.
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thank you Olivia!
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