(Update February 2016: Since this is one of
my most popular blog posts, I wanted to write a brief update. I still stand by
all my comments that Istanbul is still a relatively safe city, just like any
other big city in the world. Be smart and make smart choices and you should be
fine. We lived in Istanbul for 3 years and I’d happily live there again. If you
have any questions, please feel free to email me.
Another related article published by a fellow Istanbul expat: Am I Safe in Turkey?.)
I’m going to stray away from my normal happy topics about the
pazar, baking
and our Turkey
trips to talk about some local news.
I’m sure you’ve heard about the missing
American woman from New York in Istanbul. Local police and the Federal
Bureau of Investigations have been searching for Sarai
Sierra, 33, who has been missing in Istanbul since Jan. 21, when she didn’t
return to NY. I feel sorry for the
family and hope she is found, but there are a lot of strange circumstances
surrounding the story.
Since I’ve been following the story, I have seen and heard
many comments online following these news reports and in particular comments being
made about Istanbul, Turks and Turkey. Of course, this story is discussed quite
differently among my expat
friends and me here in Istanbul.
I’m quite angry and frustrated by these ridiculous,
zero-fact based and ignorant comments. I have a difficult time believing these
statements are being made by Americans whom have actually traveled to Turkey.
Unfortunately, many of these comments are based on stereotypes.
It’s no surprise Americans have misconceptions about Turkey when less than
half a percent of the population traveled to Turkey in 2011. Millions of
Americans travel to Mexico and Canada every year while only a couple thousand
visit Turkey.
According to 2011 statistics released by the U.S.
Department of Commerce, the top 3 outbound destinations Americans
traveled to were Mexico, Canada and Europe. Mexico received 19.9 million U.S. visitors
while Canada was visited by 11.5 million U.S. travelers. In third place, Europe
received 10.8 million U.S. visitors. In fourth place, 6 million Americans
traveled to the Caribbean.
In comparison, according to a Jan. 6, 2012, article in the Hurriyet Daily News, 733,193
tourists from the U.S. visited Turkey in 2011 compared to 619,000 Americans in
2010. That’s an 18.45 percent increase.
In the past few years, Turkey and Istanbul have been
declared top travel destinations by travel experts such as Travel & Leisure,
Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor. Last month, CNN placed Istanbul on its Europe’s
10 Hottest Destinations for 2013.
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| A view of sprawling Istanbul from the Sapphire Building. |
For the record, I’ve lived in Istanbul as an American with
my husband for nearly three years. I’ve gone out late at night in Taksim and
met my girlfriends – by myself. I’ve never had any problems. I’m not going to
walk down a dark, barren street by myself. I wouldn’t do that anywhere.
My husband has never feared for my safety nor NOT allowed me
to go out by myself. (Some commentators have said men shouldn’t allow women to travel
to Turkey by themselves. I hate the word – allow.)
During the day in Istanbul, I walk around the city all by
myself and sometimes with girlfriends. I’ve walked across the Galata Bridge
dozens of times. I visit outdoor markets, small stores and the Grand Bazaar that
are run by male Turks. I’ve never been assaulted. The occasional rude comment
is ignored. I consider myself a big city girl and am smart about what I do.
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| View from the Galata Tower over the Galata Bridge and Sultanahmet in Istanbul. |
Generally, Turks are very helpful and kind people. They will
go out their way to help you if you are lost and probably will offer you tea
along the way.
There have only been a couple of occasions, on crowded buses
and the subway, where I felt uncomfortable because a Turkish man was trying to
get a little too friendly. Learn a key phrase like “Terbiyesiz” and shout it out. People will assist you. And even if you don’t speak
Turkish, you’ll be fine if you tell someone to F*** off in English.
Bad things can happen anywhere.
How safe is America?
For more than six years, I also lived in NYC, Washington D.C. and Baltimore in the U.S. Each of these
metropolitan cities has bad neighborhoods where you just don’t go. I’ve been
out late at night there too, but I’ve played it smart. By the way, rude and
horrible men live in these cities too.
In fact, Baltimore has consistently ranked in the top 10 of
America’s most dangerous cities, according to the FBI. Have you watched The Wire? In 2010, Baltimore's
violent crime rate decreased about 5%, but it’s still plagued with drugs and
poverty and ranks in the top 15 U.S. cities for all violent crimes but forcible
rape. Despite these crimes, I’d move back to Baltimore in a heartbeat.
Do I need to mention all the gun-related problems that have happened
in the U.S. lately?
Do you think parents
in Newton, Conn., sent their children off to school knowing a crazed shooter
would kill 26 people at this elementary school?
How about the mass-murder shooting at a movie theater in Aurora,
Colorado, that killed 12 and injured 58 others last year?
How about the recent nanny in NYC and several parents who
have drowned and killed children in bathtubs during the last few years in the
U.S.?
I repeat – bad things can and DO happen everywhere.
Misconceptions about Turkey
Now, I’ll address some of the comments I’ve heard online recently
and in the past by friends and acquaintances.
‘Isn’t Istanbul a desert?’ I was asked this by an American
woman at the Charlotte International Airport in N.C. last year. Nope! Istanbul is bordered by the Bosphorus, Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara.
Turkish women have no rights. In fact, Turkey granted women
the right to vote in 1930 – while France and Italy didn’t until 1945. Isn’t
that interesting?
Istanbul isn’t safe because it’s so close to war-riddled Syria. Please take a look at a map! Syria is located about 1,200 km
away from Istanbul.
‘Do you ride a camel?’ I heard this one from a friend when I
first moved here and laughed. The only time I’ve been on a camel is while
sightseeing in Cappadocia,
Turkey.
All Turkish men have harems. From 1453 to 1922, harems were
part of the Ottoman Empire and the Sultans in power, but that ended when the
Turkish Republic was established. I have heard of married Turkish men having
mistresses, but that’s no different than American men having affairs either.
All women are covered and wear traditional burqas. While
many women in Turkey do wear head scarves and long trench coats, you rarely see
women wearing a full black burqa unless it’s a tourist from Saudi Arabia or
other Middle Eastern countries. In fact, you’ll see plenty of modern-day Turkish
women wearing short dresses or skirts and colorful high heels in Istanbul.
Despite the uneven, cobblestone streets, Turkish women seem to love wearing
insanely high heels.
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| Some of the more traditional women you'll see in Istanbul. |
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| Daily life in Istanbul on Istiklal Cad. in Taksim. |
I also think the Turkish government has a fair number of
issues, but I won’t delve into that topic.
I repeat: bad things can happen anywhere.
So this is just my two cents from an American woman in her
mid-30s who is living happily and safely in Istanbul.
Here are some interesting travel articles:
