Hello steemit friends!
In this post I would like to write about some facts and observations concerning me as a foreigner, break stereotypes, show some things in different light and maybe it can be something you are curious about ;)
1.Do turkish people can understand immediately that I'm not Turk?
"Probably you will be sensation, blonde, pale European girl, Turks will stare at you and they will know you are foreigner, also because their women mostly covered". This is what I have heard a lot from Poles. For people with stereotypes it can be dissaponting but only once I had situation that someone from the beggining knew I'm not Turk. I had that situation in restaurant during ordering the meal(not by me, I was just standing next to) women working there said that I'm not looking like Turk and I must be foreigner because of my way of standing and appearance. I thought...what is wrong with my way of standing and way I'm moving but she said she can not explain...she just knows it ;)
In the other situations when I'm walking on the street, going to lectures and doing shopping I feel totally marged into the crowd. Any weird looks and also people start conversations with me talking in turkish. When I have situation that I may not understand something and saying "Im not Turk" they are mostly suprised. How? It is not summer season for tourists ;) Because blonde, pale, bright eyes people are totally normal in Turkey ! Of course mostly I focus on Ege region because I am living here and probably in more east region I could be little sensation. When we go to Black Sea region we can see a lot of people looking like me or other Europeans.
And hey, also not all Slavic people are pale and blonde and Turkey is also in small part in Europe not that far away from Slavic ;) Also in Ottoman time girls from Polish Kingdom teritories and Balkans were taking to Ottoman Empire for sultans and had children with them, so present roots of Turks to a certain extent are mixed.
2.Do I need to cover my face and body and go pray to mosque?
No. I do not need to, unless I'm going to vitsit a mosque and yes I went to visit a mosque and I wore special clothes but only in praying time for muslims. In Ege region girls have full freedom about their looking - shorts, skirts, piercing, tattoos, I saw even girl with tattoos on her face. Istanbul because of the mix of nations also can be place like this.
Other stories are rest regions of Turkey - people are watching you and going out with skirt in west Turkey can couse confusion, you should wear some long jeans or dress and not expose some part of the body but loose pants and blouse are enough - anyway you do not need to cover your face, hair or wear burqa.
If I'm or I'm not a muslim no one will make me go to mosque, this is everyone's private issue, like going to church or praying in the house.
Remember Turkey becomes really modern country!
3. Do Turks treat women like less important ones in society?
Wake up! We are not in the middle age anymore...
Women in Turkey making careers, have much to say in family hierarchy, they are politicts! and men try to protect them as much as it's possible. Turkish women have same right as men since Atatürk's reformation and can work same positions as men.
4. When Turks learn I'm foreigner and not muslim do they have some prejudices and problems with that?
For muslim Turks important is that you believe in something, you have your religion and they are okay with that.
Also I have never experienced any racist attacks to my person. Maybe it is because of their mentality and also because of mix of appearances and much contact with foreigner tourists.
Sen Türk değil misin? - ang. You are not Turk?
I hope you liked my post and may vote ;)
Have a nice day or night!