Inside Out In Istanbul: Making Sense of the City

Turkey is a country that wrestles with the juxtaposition of tradition and modernity. These two disparate influences compete on a daily basis, and the foreigner, in the midst of such contrasts, is often left confused and bewildered. Of course, any country where you were not born, and do not share the same language or religion will be foreign and therefore strange, but Turkey also has an extraordinarily diverse population. Everyone you meet here will identify themselves as a Turk, but being a ‘Turk’ can mean many things. The smooth talking salesperson in a carpet shop or the stony-faced village woman who stares at you unremittingly for hours at a time on a long distance bus trip are both Turkish, but can come from any one of a multitude of backgrounds.