By Jay Jean Jackson – It is hard to imagine when you stare across the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coastline at the many islands dotted around that the area was once controlled by a ruthless bunch of pirates over 2,000 years ago. According to Plutarch, the Greek philosopher, historian, biographer and essayist, the small…
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By A.J. Griffiths-Jones – Last month the world commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. It was a dark time in history that will forever be a blot on Europe’s campaign for human rights, yet one that should be remembered so that such a terrible place…
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By Jay Jean Jackson – Some 2,500 years ago, the annual spring festivities were starting. They’d taken place, and would continue to do so, for many centuries. The atmosphere around Miletus and Apollon Temple would have been buzzing like the crowds at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. The sacred stones (Gyllos) are placed…
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Maximilian Sam, the alter ego of Voices columnist Chris Evans, has stories appearing in a new anthology, Not Marriage Material, coming out on Valentine’s Day (14 February). The anthology, collected by Sue Bavey, brings together stories and poetry from 20 authors to celebrate the ones who got away and the ones we were lucky enough…
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Residence permits, whether permanent or temporary, have been the hottest of topics in Turkiye for the past year, writes Chris Evans. Confusion has been the default emotion for most. It has seen many expats of all nationalities leave the country as uncertainty has caused unnecessary stress. Twists and turns Voices has covered every twist and…
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By Jay Jean Jackson Approximately 2500 years ago, there was a significant shift in the way people thought about life, the universe, and everything. Thales of Miletus moved away from mythology as a way of explaining the world and started exploring nature to understand the machinations of existence. However, he did not refute the presence…
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Tapping into humanity’s darkest fears, Akbuk author A.J. Griffiths-Jones explores factual incidents in which people have been buried alive – and some who have lived to tell the tale. Griffiths-Jones decided to explore the darker side of her claustrophobia and her own fears of suffocating alive in her new release, Buried Alive, due for…
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By Chris Evans I’m currently sitting in Seyir Cafe on Sagtur beach, although it could just as easily have been Kokina Restaurant. The beach is deserted, the sea gently lapping at the sand, and the sun shining brightly. All this in November. I did, cheekily, post pictures on social media to annoy my friends in…
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By A.J. Griffiths-Jones Taking a morning stroll along Akbuk harbour has been a great way for me to get to grips with appropriate Turkish greetings and when to use them, and also to pick up a few new sentences along the way. It’s amazing how many people will try to help you improve your language…
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By Chris Evans If anyone had told 16-year-old me I’d end up writing match reports on our local football team in Didim, I’d have laughed at them. Secretly, though, it had been a dream since childhood. I grew up wanting to be a journalist. I turned to the dark side when I left university as…
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