My first guest blogger is Linda from Ayak’s Turkish Delight. Linda and I share a public sector past in the social work field, a much-maligned profession, fraught with risk – damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Linda writes about her first tentative steps of her glorious Turkish journey.
I am delighted to have been asked by Jack to do a guest post on his blog whilst he is away. Jack’s blog is one I look forward to every day. It’s amusing, informative and just so different from many blogs out there.
Let me tell you a bit about me. I’m a retired Social Work Manager (in the mental health field) and I moved to Turkey from England in 1998 and married my Turkish husband in 1999. We have lived in different areas of Turkey. In fact we have moved 15 times to date.
My very first home 13 years ago was in Gümüslük. The peaceful village of Gümüsluk is one of the oldest settlements on the Bodrum peninsula. It stands on the site of the ancient city of Myndos whose seafront sections slid into the sea in some long-forgotten earthquake. We rented the top floor of a two-storey house, which was really a holiday-let and because each room led out to an open terrace, was only really suitable for the summer months. We rented it during the winter because it was cheap and we didn’t have a lot of money.
There was no hot water or heating and I had one saucepan and one gas bottle to cook with. It rained a great deal and poured in through the metal-framed windows, to the extent that one morning we got out of bed and were up to our ankles in water. We had no mod cons. In the absence of a washing-machine, I washed our clothes in a huge plastic bowl. No TV, telephone or internet. Just one very old rusty fridge.
The setting was wonderful…right in the middle of orange and olive groves, with no neighbours, and was very peaceful. It’s hard to adapt to such a basic, primitive way of life from the one I had in England but looking back at that time, I realise I learned a lot about myself and how I am capable of far more than I give myself credit for.
We stayed in Gümüslük for 5 months then moved on to Turgutreis and so began my Turkey journey, to places as diverse as Side, Antalya and Cappadocia. You can read more here.
Perking the Pansies 
Great post, Linda. I always love hearing other folks’ stories…I would love to hear more from you (and Jack) via your social work lenses – I too am a social worker – and now a social work professor. What are the odds?
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Thankyou Jack for the opportunity to post on your blog. I am honoured. Hope you and Liam are having a wonderful time.
E.S. Thanks. I sometimes think that those of us in mental health are somehow drawn to each other.
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I agree on the “somehow drawn to each other” – what’s up with that? Perhaps we should do a week of posting on Turkey through a social worker’s lens. I used to do child protection work, then juvenile criminal defense work, then adult criminal defense work. What about you?
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wonderfully atmospheric – having been here about the same length of time as you I am still waking up each morning, looking out of the window and saying ‘Oh, no! Not another beautiful day in Turkey!’ Long may your magic continue for you too.
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Thankyou Alan..The magic is still there every day isn’t it?
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Hi Linda Good post, we have a lot in common moved a lot ourselves and had some weird and wonderful accommodation. It certainly teaches you how to manage on the basics in life and on the whole quiet a rewarding life style if a bit insecure. I always look at it like you have to make some sacrifices to live in paradise.
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Hi Yvonne..thankyou. I think it’s good to struggle with the basics from time to time. It makes you appreciate life a whole lot more.
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Nice. Coming from the community mental health field (NHS side) I fully understand the damned if you do damned if you dont issue.
Am new to being retired in Turkey, your story is fascinating. Thanks for sharing.
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Thankyou Ashley. Hope you are enjoying your retirement in this beautiful country x
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E.S. Firstly working with youngsters coming out of care, then mental health until I left to move to Turkey, by which time I had more or less burnt out……often one of the hazards of the job!
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A brief hello from rainy Blighty. Great post Linda. Great comments too. Thanks again for helping me out.
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You’re welcome Jack…and thank you.
Ooh am envious of the rain. Hope you’re having a great time xx
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OMG, are we all SWs here : ) C&F for me, disabilities, though I have done the CP and Mental health in the past.
I have so enjoyed reading this blog over the times, and cant believe now I am finally coming to your part of the world at last (Turkbuku) in 4 weeks, you are upping and leaving. Thats grattitude for you : )
I wish you and Liam all you would wish yourselves in the next segment of your lives, and I wont be ‘Jack scanning’, just general ‘people scanning’ on my holidays.
Good luck to both of you.
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Turkey is where old social workers come to die! 😉 Thank you for your kind wishes and I welcome to the rest of your life. Have fun!
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