Back again.
Well, the woman certainly sounds disenchanted with Turkey, and I do agree with everything she says. The safety measures out in Turkey are atrocious - everyone knows that. And the country's lack of concern trickles right down to everyone - which is why they're all so lax. I remember reading a very interesting article in a Turkish newspaper when I was living out there (it was translated into English, by the way!) anyway, the report said that they'd done a study, and something like 90% (can't remember the exact figure - but it was HUGE) 90% of Turkish men believed they could not catch the AIDS virus providing they washed after sex. They also refused to accept that smoking would damage THEIR health "it only happens to other people" is their attitude. And they also thought seatbelts etc were stupid, and only worn by wimps - they thought it took their machoness away if they wore a seatbelt or helmet.
By the way, I noticed that the woman talking about these problems out there seems to do the driving - just as well her fiance can't drive isn't it?! I'm assuming he can't - maybe he can?
Actually, you often find when a person starts becoming irritated by certain things and habits - they're becoming disillusioned with their MAN. Or woman. When they're first head over heels in love, all these Turkish traits, idiosyncracies,Turkish values (or lack of) - the whole 'Turkish thing' - is endearing to them, and they find it sweet and lovely and funny and quaint - and say things like 'aw bless'. Once the rosetint starts fading it's just not quite so quaint anymore.
I think she's gone off him.
She probably won't admit it (her pride wouldn't let her) and maybe she doesn't realise it herself - but I wouldn't mind betting she has.
But back to the main topic - I think these people who seem bowled over by Turkey and want to live out there - sometimes without ever having VISITED the country - are unrealistic daydreamers living in cloud cuckoo land. And it isn't just starry-eyed women with a rat beckoning them - older peope (retirees) sell up and move out there in the belief they're going have a bettr quality of lifestyle. And the quality is NOT better - certainly not better than where we are!
I also think when a person falls in love with a Turk, they
want to fall in love with Turkey, too; which although childish - I can understand them feeling like that. They kind of think Turkey produced the man of their dreams - I know that sounds mad - but a psychologist would tell you the same. It's human nature to be biased and all that.
I also think that the vast majority of people who want to upsticks and move to Turkey are doing so to escape from themselves. I really believe that. OK, there are those who have Turkish husbands and so need to move there, and there are the retired couples who want to move out and live in the sun etc, but most people who go over there to live - especially lone people - are often escaping something or searching for something. I met so many ex-pats in Turkey, and EVERY SINGLE one of them (those that moved over there alone) had some kind of problem. And let's face it - what person gives up a happy, comfortable life in there homeland - for no other reason than 'they like the sound of Turkey'?
They were often dropouts, lazy-arses, losers - had never made it in any capacity - were unhappy with their lives - and so though by moving to Turkey THEY would change. But they don't - of course they don't. They take their issues with them. And then they spend all day hunched over an Efes talking to other ex-pats and trying to convince themselves how wonderful it is that the weather is so HOT and it's not raining.
I think they have very low aspirations, actually. Turkey can be SO tedious and boring - especially in the wintertime. I can't speak for the big cities; it's possibly very different there. But the resorts send you crazy with boredom in the winter.
Turkey's quite a strange country for the average person to want to move to - I think so. But I think a lot of people did that because at one time property was very cheap to buy out there, and Spain was beyond their budget.
God, I've really rambled off here............
I've gone right off track!
Strawbs