Turkish Delight

How do you change perception? As an American living outside the US, you become acutely aware of foreigners opinions of Americans. Other than being taken advantage of every day by vendors that know you have money because you are a westerner, I haven't personally experienced any ill feelings towards us for being American. Actually, it's the opposite. Most people are interested by us or at least indifferent. When we pass kids in the street or on the bus and they notice us speaking English, they smile, whisper
among themselves, then start speaking any English words they know. A little girl in my building knows I speak English, and every time she see's me she says, "Hello." I think that's the only word she knows because I get a blank stare when I say, "Hello! How are you?" I've often heard that when traveling abroad Americans find it easier to lie and say they are Canadian rather than take the chance of upsetting people by admitting they are American. I'm not one to walk on eggshells and lie about where I'm from. I'm proud to be from the U.S. and I don't think I'm helping anyone by concealing by nationality. Generally speaking, the world has a less than favorable opinion of Americans. But how do we change that? I think the only way to change someone's perception of Americans is for that person to meet Americans and talk with them and draw the conclusion that we aren't, as a rule, rude, rich, and righteous.

Hopefully, Karl and I changed some perceptions on our recent vacation in Antalya, Turkey. Last month we took our first, much needed vacation. Neither of us knew what to expect, vacationing in a country that borders both Iraq and Iran. We never once felt unwelcome or disliked for being American. It was quite the opposite. I'd never felt so welcome in an unfamiliar place as I did in Antalya, Turkey.

The Turkish people are so warm and friendly and open to people from all over the world. Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean Sea that hosts mostly vacationing Europeans. We went at the start of the low season, but the weather was as warm as the people. I have to admit, our first dinner in Turkey was at McDonald's. But every other detail of our trip was truly Turkish. The landscape was breath-taking; mountains covered with pine and pomegranates reaching to the sky, the salty sea with water as clear as glass. We swam in water and walked down roads that people walked on in 200 B.C. Any shop we walked into, the shopkeepers would share apple, pomegranate, or black tea with us and would invite us to sit and talk. This was not done as a sales tactic. The people honestly just enjoy speaking with you and they want to be hospitable. They would share their favorite places with us and give us directions to find them. Then we'd be invited back the next day to share what we thought of their advice. When we were driving around lost (which was pretty much every day) we'd stop and ask other drivers for directions. Several people just motioned us to follow them and they'd lead us to our destination. Antalya doesn't get many American tourists. It's obviously far from home and not even on the radar as far as typical vacation destinations. But it should be. I don't feel that I have adequate words to describe the beauty of the people or the location. But I do have pictures and video! And lots of it. I hope you enjoy it.

Click here to see more pictures of our Turkey trip!