Travelers before traveling abroad are recommended to get acquainted with the traditions of the visited state. We think that no one wants to be in an embarrassed situation because of violations of the customs of local residents. It should also be borne in mind that harmless words or gestures in another country can be perceived as an insult. In this article, we will get acquainted with the features of Turkish etiquette.
Dress code of Turkish women and rules of communication with the opposite sex
In Turkey, patriarchy prevails, which leaves its mark on the attitude towards unfamiliar women and the requirements for the appearance of all representatives of this sex. Rigid borders in a secular state are established by customs based on the principles of Islam.
Adhering to religious beliefs, you should not get acquainted with passers-by strangers in Turkey. Especially strict here relate to appearance - condemning glances are honored to all vulgarly dressed. Among the passers-by on the Turkish streets you will not meet men with a bare torso, women in a miniskirt and with a deep neckline. Topless girls are allowed to sunbathe only in specially designated places, since it is forbidden to open large areas of the body on local beaches at hotels.
There are a lot of religious places in Turkey. Visitors enter the mosque without shoes regardless of gender. Men cover their shoulders, chest and knees, and women should wear closed clothing and a hat.
If you want to clarify some information from an unfamiliar passer-by, then you should contact only people of the same sex. Girls should not give unfamiliar men a hand - this can be perceived as a hint of a closer acquaintance.
Only Turkish men who are relatives of the girl can be hugged in the photos. And almost all women walk the streets accompanied by men.
Rules of etiquette in public places
Sitting with your legs spread wide, especially in a public place, is not recommended, as well as throwing your leg over your leg. Indecent will be considered the refusal of an invitation to a cup of tea or lunch.
Coming to visit with a small gift for the owner is a rule of good manners. Guests are greeted by the head of the house, men shake hands as a sign of respect, women are satisfied with a nod of the head.
When you are asked about how things are going, you expect to hear gratitude for your attentive attitude, and not a whole tirade about life's problems. In response, you also need to inquire about the affairs of the owner. The exchange of pleasantries in this case is not a simple playful politeness.
There are almost no drunkards on the city streets. First, it is forbidden to drink alcohol on the street. Secondly, the punishment for obscene behavior under the influence of alcohol is detention and a large fine. In the holy month of Ramadan, it is forbidden not only to drink alcohol, but also to sell it, during this religious fast, visitors should behave quietly and calmly.
Despite the large number of strict requirements, turks are very sociable, they like to talk a lot and loudly. Interrupting or abruptly interrupting the conversation will be ugly on the part of the listener. In this situation, it is recommended to smoothly redirect the topic of conversation in another direction with a quick logical conclusion.
In the markets, do not be afraid of high prices: sellers specially make a large markup, so that later at the auction it is necessary to throw off a little.
Fans of photography need to be careful - in Turkey it is forbidden to take photos of people without permits. This applies to local residents in national outfits, women and pregnant Turkish women. Also, do not neglect the sign "Photography is prohibited" in museums and other places with attractions - for a photo in the wrong place you can get a real prison sentence.
Spouses and romantic couples are not recommended to openly express their feelings in public, among others you need to behave more restrained.
Forbidden themes and gestures
For the duration of your stay in Turkey, you should forget about nodding your head as consent or denial. It is better to learn a couple of words in Turkish: consent, denial, greeting and farewell. This is due to the fact that the usual negative shaking of the head from side to side in Turkey is perceived by local residents as the inability of the interlocutor to understand the essence of the conversation. For disagreement, the Turks have a special click of the tongue.
As an endorsement, you should not raise your thumbs up or make a circle of your thumb and index finger, as in Turkey these are signs of insult. Local residents perceive these gestures as a hint at the non-traditional sexual orientation of the interlocutor.
Muslims, when greeting, give each other their right hand, dishes from the plate are taken only with the right hand - the left is considered dirty.
To develop a conversation, you should not choose political and religious topics. Residents of the East react sharply to criticism in the direction of the leader of their nation and state religion. The Kurdish problem (the question of the origin and position of turkish Cypriots in the modern world) is considered a forbidden topic of conversation among the inhabitants of Turkey.
And, of course, it is worth respecting the feelings of believers: with understanding, approach the peculiarities of faith and try to adhere to the basic rules of decent behavior as much as possible.
