HOW TO STAY POLITICALLY CORRECT IN TURKEY

While exposed to a different culture, people often say or do things that irritate locals without even noticing it. However, paying a little attention can prevent these irritations and even get you some bonus points in your relationships.

Whether you are visiting for a short time or are an expat living in Turkey, here are some tips that can help you:

• Turks do not like it when people call the Bosporus a river. They simply call it the Bosporus. It is a strait connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara.

• They do not like it when executives visit Turkey to attend two-hour business meetings. You should always schedule to stay for lunch or dinner so that we can show you our hospitality and get to know you.

• They do not like it when people leave them on their own during visits to other countries, especially if we have hosted them in Istanbul. They do everything possible to entertain a foreign guest and expect the same in return.

• They do not like it when foreigners make strong comments about their politics or sports teams, especially soccer teams. Even though they criticize themselves quite a bit, your criticisms might easily offend them.

• They do not like it when sarcastic or sexual jokes are made about their family members. It is not in their culture, no matter how friendly they become. 70 Businesses Over Turkish Coffee 71

• They do not like to be compared to other developing countries; they want comparisons to developed ones.

• They do not like short and direct conversations. It might offend them. They like to hear long and polite sentences.

• They do not like the statement “Don’t take it personally” because they do take everything personally.

• They do not like it when people blow their noses loudly during a meeting. They go to the bathroom to blow their noses, or do so only very quietly.

• They do not like it when people have absolutely no clue about their country, history or language. You can easily make them happy by using a few Turkish words in your sentences.

Please bear in mind that even though they get irritated, they do not show their irritation immediately if they are your hosts. In Turkish culture, a guest has a very important status. However, please also note that if you continue to irritate them, there will be a response either in a business or social sense. If you do not know what irritates people, you will not be able to figure out the reason behind a sudden outburst of annoyance directed at you. Therefore, paying a little attention can save you a lot of trouble.