Our new feature, Expat Chat, focuses on expatriates who live here in Didim and Akbuk. This week we spoke to Julie and Jon Ayres, a warm and natural couple with strong family ties.

While we were looking around in a neighborhood that sees the green nature of Akbuk, not being sure of Julie and Jon’s house, we suddenly heard Jon’s friendly voice.

A little while later, we were in a living room with toys that suggest there is a little child in the house, listening to the story of Julie and Jon meeting and falling in love while working for the same company.

Julie and Jon met while working in the IT department of a large company in England. They say they fell in love with each other and got married, with a shy attitude that looks very beautiful from the outside. They had three children in their 34-year marriage and yes, there really is a little one at home, a 20-month-old granddaughter.

The family, who spent their holidays in Turkey for a long time, bought a house in Akbuk 8 years ago. Stating that they love Didim very much and that the people are friendly, Jon said, “We do not settle here because our children live in England. Our daughter, who lives in South Africa, will be with us next year. So they will all be near us there.”

When we learn that their smiling parents, whom we will meet shortly, are also on vacation with them, we understand better that they are a loving family with strong bonds.

Julie and Jon, who live in a neighborhood dominated by Turks, say they do not experience any cultural difficulties in Turkey. Jon is taking Turkish lessons and says that one of his neighbors speaks Turkish quite slowly and understands it well.

Although I tinkered with the folder containing his homework and lecture notes and insisted a little on speaking Turkish, Jon jokingly but firmly says, “You won’t be able to take a word out of my mouth.”

Although they weren’t culturally challenged, they encountered some things that surprised and made them laugh. Julie said, “We were moving our house in Ramadan. Despite the heat and tiredness, the worker carrying goods had never drank water, and we were very surprised that he was able to stay without drinking water.”

They were also very surprised that one of the workers was carrying the washing machine on his back during a house move.

The couple, who frequently encounter both street animals and animals coming down from the mountains because they live in a quiet neighborhood, talk about their love for animals.

But they were very surprised when a man walked down the road with 200 sheep and that the man could call the fleeing sheep and bring them back. “It was not usual for us to see sheep on the street,” Jon says. In addition, he sums up Turks’ relationship with animals very accurately: “The Turks I meet either love stray animals or they are really afraid.”

The family, who spends their holidays in Akbuk rather than Didim, like to go to the beach and restaurants in the region. They say they like Turkish food and Julie adds that she likes wraps the most. Jon says the big Turkish breakfast they had nearby was very good.

At one point in the conversation, we find ourselves talking about the economy, if you are in Turkey, this is normal. Jon jokingly says that the way things are going in Turkey is “fantastic” for them. But Jon adds solemnly, “It’s not easy to understand how the Turks are dealing with this price here. ” Leaving the economy issue behind, we go down to the garden together with their children and their parents sunbathing by the pool. We meet the rest of the family and take a nice souvenir photo. Then we wished this beautiful family a happy holiday and leave with a smile with the effect of our sweet conversation