Columnists

Seven years in Didim – and no itch, yet

Some things seem to come around far too quickly. Birthdays once we’ve passed 21, annual car insurance payments, and renewing our residence permits. We are lucky in Didim. The residence permit office is superb and offers far more help than they need to. They highlight the very best services our area has to offer. It’s…

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A Surprise Trip On A Party Boat

My neighbours have arrived for their summer holiday. It’s when I know I can have a couple of weeks behaving like a tourist and enjoying the wonderful area we live in. It also means I, invariably, agree to do some different things while having a nightcap and a laugh at 2am. This time it was…

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All-Inclusive holidays

For many families in Europe, July and August are the months in which their main holiday is taken. A long-awaited break when children are off school, for most this is a big treat, something that has been saved for over the course of the year and booked well in advance But what is the real…

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Daytripping to Kos

With the new increased ferry services from Turkish ports, it is now easier than ever to take a day trip to the Greek Islands, and Kos is one of the most popular destinations for shopping and sightseeing. The third largest island of the Dodecanese by area, after Rhodes and Karpathos, Kos is a great choice…

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Changing Your UK Pension Details

  A few weeks ago, we highlighted the issue of UK banks leaving expats high and dry by closing accounts with no notice. The numbers who made contact to say it had happened to them were truly horrifying. The power of social media showed itself as messages came in from different countries ranging from the…

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Understanding dementia

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones  We have all experienced moments of confusion, it’s a part of getting older. Walking into a room and forgetting what you were looking for, searching for the glasses that are perched on top of your head, or losing the thread halfway through a conversation are all normal, a sign of forgetfulness, but…

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Mavişehir – Another Perfect Bay In Didim

Chris Evans, Voices Columnist While Mavişehir is famous for its night market, there’s a lot more to discover if you walk a short distance to see the main bay. Regulars will already know I’m going to be mentioning Resit and Sonny at 06 Restaurant. They hold a special place in the hearts of many expats…

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Lost in translation

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones For many expats living in Turkiye, Google Translate is a godsend when you don’t speak the language, making it easier to navigate shopping and services, but for a more in-depth understanding in serious circumstances a professional translator is essential. There are several individuals and companies providing English to Turkish translation services but…

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In the market hour

By Chris Evans We’re entering the months of stiflingly hot daylight hours where doing anything other than sitting somewhere cool is out of the question. Our lives turn towards the cooler nighttime. I’d love to say I’m used to it after living in so many hot countries, but the change from winter to summer still…

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Embracing community spirit

With recent data showing that expat resident figures in Turkiye are falling, below 10,000 across Aydin, it’s more important than ever to both support our fellow foreigners and integrate into the local Turkish community,  writes A.J. Griffiths-Jones There are many ways to do this, through sports, classes and trips, but it’s not always easy to…

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