You can expect to be made to feel welcome from the moment you arrive in Turkey - no matter if you are living, working or just staying - and it is likely that by the time you leave you will have a large circle of local friends and acquaintances willing to put themselves out for you.

Religion in Turkey
One of the common misconceptions about Turkey is that because it is a majority Muslim country westerners are not welcomed by the locals. In fact the constitution of the country provides very well for a secular state and the position of its non-Muslim minorities is legally protected. This is not to say that religion does not play a very important part in society for those living there, because when you arrive you will realise that it obviously does. Rather, that the population is very accepting of alternative cultures and beliefs and as a non-Muslim you will be made to feel just as much at home as any fully practising Muslim. You will, however, find that in the popular tourist areas and the big cities, religion is far less obvious than in the smaller villages and towns and local people will often be found enjoying a drink after work, partying the night away and generally enjoying all the same hedonistic pleasures as much of the UK population.
 
Politics in Turkey
Turkey is a republican parliamentary democracy and is currently ruled by the religiously orientated Justice and Development Party (AKP). Politically Turkey has had a hard time recently, having spent a few years trying to find its feet after a serious depression in 2001. However, the economy has now stabilised (thanks in large part to the tourism industry) and with the government looking to enter the European Union to secure its future democracy and economic prosperity it is fair to say that much of its policy is favourable to western ideals. This is not to say that Turkey does not have its own identity because nothing could be further from the truth.
 
Old Turkey versus new
The country is very much a story of the old and the new living alongside each other. Western ideals in the big cities and tourist areas are contrasted with traditional attitudes of the smaller, more remote, towns and villages. Despite the country having had a female prime minister and an active and successful feminist movement there are still areas where women live a much more male-dominated lifestyle than in other areas. When walking through some of the towns it is highly likely you will come across Mosques living alongside Orthodox churches. Maybe you will stumble into a traditional market selling apple tea and Turkish spices before turning the corner and walking up the steps to a huge shopping mall with all the familiar high street names. Everyday living in Turkey is an exciting and interesting merging of cultures that highlights the good and bad sides of both the traditional and the modern ways of living.

Working in Turkey
Despite the ongoing recovery from the 2001 economic crash there is still a high rate of unemployment in the country and no special privileges for EU citizens. Despite this there is a limited amount of opportunity for job seekers. A sensible approach to finding work in Turkey is to obtain a job offer and work permit before you arrive as this will ensure you are not left frantically job hunting whilst your funds disappear. It is advisable that you contact the Turkish embassy or consulate before you arrive and arrange a work visa. You will need a written offer of employment from within Turkey, proof of your qualifications, passport photos and the relevant completed embassy forms and fees paid. Once you have your work visa you are automatically entitled to a two year residence permit.
 
Jobs commonly available for Brits in Turkey include English teaching positions for those with a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) qualification and tourism related work. Jobs are advertised regularly in Turkey's only English language newspaper, the Turkish Daily News.

Healthcare in Turkey
There are no special inoculations needed if you are visiting or living in Turkey, but it may be wise to make sure you are vaccinated against Typhoid and Hepatitis A and B.  If you are going to be around animals then a rabies vaccination may also be a good idea. There are some areas where malaria is an issue depending on the time of year (usually April–July). Visit a travel clinic before you leave to find out if you will need to take precautions. It is generally accepted that tap water is safe to drink in most of Turkey, although it is heavily chlorinated and does not always taste great. The alternative is to buy bottled water or source from one of the rural springs. 

For minor problems there are pharmacies [eczene] in just about every town where you will be able to pick up Turkish versions of all the medication you would expect to find in a British pharmacy. For more serious complaints then you may have to go to a larger town or city to find a specialist doctor or a hospital for the right treatment. There are state hospitals [Devlet Hastane] and private hospitals [Ozel Hastane] of which the later generally offers a much higher standard of care. If you choose this option for treatment make sure you have a reasonable level of health insurance because although hospital treatment is cheaper than most of the rest of Europe, costs can still be considerable.

If you are unsure and the language barrier is causing a problem then  the best thing to do is contact either your consulate or tourist office and see if they can put you in touch with an English-speaking doctor.

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Article first published in January 2006