Expats (how long)

[tribalelder]

I Don't believe it!,,,,,,,the statistic of  70% quitting within three years. I am sure Starman is quoting as he has heard, it is just the accuracy of the original source of the figure I cannot believe.

[Steve B]

It's actually about 68% I heard.

[tel]

Jukebox, ...."We;ve lived there now for 19 years an settled in immediately."
Was that Leeds or Turkey?  LOL
We are in our second year of living in TR, which for me is my tenth year of living outside the UK....LOVELY

[loz]

4 years come January, ructions in the house, a house divided, I would like to down size, return to the Uk and visit for 3-6months at a time. Move away from Calis, away from the expats.

When we moved here originally we had only been in the country 40minutes and Gordon was bleating to wanting to go back, I talked him into giving it 3 years, now its my turn.

Basically I was too young to take retirement (43) Gordon wanted early retirement (56) I feel as though I am brain dead, I don't drink, so watching others get "off their trolleys" night after night, seeing the same dance routine night after night, the same joke because they were so rissed the previous night telling it they forgot, hearing them laugh raucously bacause it is the first time they have heard it too (to rissed the night before to remember) with not a sensible conversation is not my idea of fun.  My brain still needs intellectual nourishment.

There are only so many tours, holidays, walks and drives one can take, the scenery is wonderful, when you start talking to tortoises you know that you really have lost the plot.

Yes the season of Christmas HUMBUG is upon us
 

[Tiff]

We moved into the house 3 years ago come December 1st and love it
After spending the first year on holiday I felt I was too young to retire so looked and found a job. My husband who is much older than me has definitely retired and there is no compariosn to the quality of life here compared to the UK.I guess like another member it has been easy for us to settle as we have lived all over the world and it is far easier here May I add Kazakhstan to the list of difficult places to live in !!
I miss my mates most of all and cheddar cheese of course!

[Scunner]

Wow Loz, that is really sad. I do sympathise too though (I'm sure my sympathies are important to you   )

I know other people who have decided the same, and may well be returning to the UK in the nearish future. Early retirement seems like a dream, but you are right, doing nothing is hard. Very hard. I remember during my illustrious career taking a job (through necessity) at CBS records which, as Christmas approached, meant more and more order picking in the warehouse. Music is one of my passions and I would read the CD sleeves word for word as I went. Far more interesting than a warehouse full of socks. But in the end, you've read them all. I can be quite witty and enjoy a good debate, but at lunch I ended up brain dead - I couldn't think of a single funny thing to say, couldn't contribute to deep discussions on the state of the World - nothing. A life without brain stimulation is hardly a life at all.

I decided a while back to distance myself from the ex-pat community (although in fairness a number decided to distance themselves from me, but thats's another story) for those very reasons. I was never an every day or every night bar dweller, but could get totally bladdered on the ones I did go out on, maybe partly to numb the fact that nobody had anything new to say. No, because it was fun. I didn't even understand it all till I got to a stage where I could reflect from outside. Drink 5 vodka & cokes in Maria's bar, no problem surely. But measures are around 5 times a UK measure in many bars - how the hell could I have drunk 25 vodka's in the UK?

I learned, possibly too late but I got there.

For us, we love the area, we love our Turkish friends and neighbours and can avoid the rest. But, to be honest, the most important reason we're here is because our kids are having a childhood, and a great schooling. My girls at 7 are nothing like 7 year olds who come here on holiday - they're just kids and that's the way I want them to be till "the time comes". Children in the UK seem to grow up so quickly in comparison and without moving to a whole new subject, don't have the respect and discipline kids here learn.

[laffa]

 :)Talk about hitting the nail on the head, even though we don't live there, we do go out for long periods, and I can echo your sentiments precisely, during our long stay this year I had woke up late for the third or fourth morning on the trot, and was so annoyed with myself, our spends had decreased dramatically and it was time to take stock,So we started going on the days out which I had mainly come for and had the odd night out, which was appreciated more.And yes it did become same old, same old until we changed it, same people slagging the same people off,(one thing I hate)then laughing and joking with them. We even let a few janglers down by not turning up to meet with them, so definately in the bad books there, they were definately ex-pat knobheads, and like Loz the same routine in the bars gets boring, so see your point entirely.Laffa Reformed.

[Jock]

I have been here since 2000. In the years that have passed many things have changed. I have a wonderful husband (yes Turkish and yes a NICE one - married in 2002) we have worked hard and managed to buy somewhere to bring up our family. We have two children, the eldest is 2 and a bit and the baby is 10 months.

Much the same outlook as Scunner for my kids, they are kids for so much longer and the environment that is offered here is much safer and not so much peer pressure. Yes, some individuals still want to keep up with the Jones next door - well do so for all I care !!  I have a few friends within the ex-pat community but I try to keep away from all the tittle tattle and get on with my life as I want to run it. I don't frequent quiz / bingo / etc nights - but that's my choice and I hope that all of you that do enjoy it.

I have worked since I arrived in Turkey, 1st for an overseas tour operator and then like everyone else in the estate business - I would just like to add that I am legal here. I have insurance, I have a pension and I am happy doing what I do.

Are there things I miss? Off course there is! I miss my family, I wish their granny was here to take the kids of my hands for a day or 2, I miss the big supermarkets and a days trailing round the shops. Every now and again I have this hankering to go back to the UK - so I go for a week, get it out of my system and come back loving my life here once more.

Another year has passed again and a few more Brits to add to the ex-pat community. I hope to anyone that is about to join to enjoy it and make the most of it and if it doesn't work for you - you have at least tried it.

[suec]

Hi, we are about to move to Uzumlu permenantly in January 2008.
We are really looking forward to our relocation and all that it brings with it, but are a bit worried about some of the comments that we have read. It is not our intention to move back after 3 years but who knows what will happen in that space of time.
We have both taken early retirement aged 52 & 51.
We are not "propers up" of bars or clubs but do like socialising and meeting new friends.
As to living in other countries we are currently living in Wales if thats any help!!!!
Heres hoping to meet up with some of you in January.
Sue & Mike

[Alan Keating]

As we are on track to move over in October, this Topic is very enlightening. Fortunately we have friends who have lived there for various timescales; they have been very helpful. As mentioned prior, the clue is not to change the "locals", but to build on and embrace the differences.
We know our pace of life will change, this is what we want. But we also want something to "get up" for, being retired is not just a change of pace, it's a chance to get involved with other people and do different things. If you take a figure of twenty years, then look back at the last twenty, you have another career ahead of you.
This New Topic idea might be useful, could a few of you give an outline as to what you do over a week or so? I believe it will help to enlighten some?