Life around the world
What is life like in Turkey?
Daily life in Turkey, officially Türkiye, sits between continents in more ways than one. A morning ferry across the Bosphorus in Istanbul, a slow breakfast in Izmir, a tea garden in Ankara or a village on the Black Sea coast all feel different, but tea, food and family tie them together.
A day in Turkey
Tea is everywhere, all day: at home, at work, in shops, where a glass is often offered while you wait. In Istanbul, many people cross between Europe and Asia by ferry on their way to work.
Weekdays can be busy, so weekends make room for a long breakfast, called kahvaltı: cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggs, bread and more tea, shared at a big table.
Evenings are for family and friends: dinner at home, a walk by the water, or tea and backgammon at a neighbourhood café.
The things people do without thinking
- Tea in tulip glasses. Strong black tea in small, curved glasses, refilled before you notice. Saying no to another glass takes practice.
- Turkish coffee. Thick and served in a small cup, often after a meal. Some people turn the cup over afterwards and read fortunes in the grounds, mostly for fun.
- Bayram visits. During the holidays called bayram, people visit relatives, and younger people traditionally kiss the hand of an elder and touch it to their forehead.
- Tavla. Backgammon, played fast and loud in cafés and on balconies, with plenty of friendly commentary.
Questions worth asking
The best way to learn what life is like somewhere is to ask someone who lives there, and to listen. These questions tend to open a real conversation:
- What is on the table for a proper weekend breakfast at your home?
- How many glasses of tea is a normal day for you?
- What does your family do at bayram?
- What is your city like at night?
- What is something about your region that people outside Turkey never hear about?
One voice, somewhere in the world
In the 30 days to 5 November 2026, people in Turkey talked on Mindfuse with people in 14 other countries.
You cannot choose a country on Mindfuse. You tap once and talk, by voice, with whoever is up for a talk right now, and you find out where they are after the call. It might be Turkey, or somewhere you never thought about. Either way, the questions above work.
The Daily Fuse, the hour when the most people are around, starts every day at 17:00 UTC. That is 20:00 in Turkey today.
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Life in other countries
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