The Beauty of Hospitality
There are few countries on the planet which are as welcoming as Turkey. When you visit a Turkish home, you will be treated as one of the family; when you enter a shop, you will be welcomed warmly, and when you go into a restaurant, you will be fed and looked after to perfection. Basically, Turkish people want to make you feel happy and welcomed in their space, and will go to great lengths to ensure that happens.
To the foreign eye, Turkish hospitality can seem a little too much, perhaps even a tad over the top, but once you have experienced it a few times, you will understand the beauty of it. From allowing a near stranger to sleep in their house for the night, to feeding their visitors to the point of self combustion, Turkish hospitality is certainly something to behold.
So, what can you expect?
Basically, it depends on the situation, e.g. if you are in a home, restaurant, or a shop. You might have the cynical mind-set that hospitality in a shop or restaurant is nothing more than wanting you to spend money, and to a degree you would be right, but when you have experienced hospitality in a home, you will understand the closeness of it all.
When you enter a home, you will be expected without fail to take your shoes off. This is just the culture in Turkey, one of their old traditions, but you will be offered house slippers, so don’t worry about cold feet! Once inside, expect the feeding to begin!
Tea will be given in abundance (cay), and if you don’t want an instant refill, drink it slowly, because your glass is unlikely to stay empty for too long. Turkish coffee may be served to you, and as a word of warning, this type of coffee is very, very strong! Put plenty of sugar in it, to take away the bitterness, and if you feel you can, ask for a splash of milk (sut), which will improve the taste no end. You are highly unlikely to be offered alcohol in a traditional Turkish home, but in some rare cases (very rare), you may be offered raki. This is a very strong Turkish spirit, which is traditionally served with water, and often goes alongside a meal of fish.
Food-wise, basically expect everything and anything. You will either be served food at a table, or, more likely, on the floor on a blanket. This is totally normal and very traditional; not every household eats this way, but if a blanket is laid on the floor and food brought out, sit yourself down. Soup (corba) and salad usually accompanies every meal, as well as plenty of bread (ekmek). A Turkish stew is likely to be served, and tuck in because it is truly delicious. There isn’t usually a dessert course served with Turkish meals, because there are many snacks to come later on!
Once your meal has been served, around half an hour afterwards, the cay will come out again, and then you will probably find that fruit comes, possibly cake later, popcorn, nuts, an then probably some more fruit as a later course. Basically, you’re going to be grazing for the entire evening. It is expected of you to at least eat as much as you can. ‘I’m full’ is unlikely to cut the mustard in this case, so simply eat away.
The dining experience is just one part of Turkish hospitality. You will find, if you are ever in the position of staying in a Turkish home with family or friends, that people simply turn up and are very welcomed. People don’t call ahead to say they are coming usually, they just turn up, and it’s not unheard of for them to just stay the night, or even for a few days. You might wonder where everyone is going to sleep, but don’t worry, out will come the bed cushions and the sofa will probably be transformed into a double bed! These unexpected sleep-over guests are well catered for, and most homes have sleeping arrangements covered without you having to even think about it.
It is quite normal for a Turkish person to help anyone in need. It doesn’t matter where you’re Turkish yourself, or whether you’re from a totally different country, you will be treated the same. This is one of the most wonderful things about the hospitality of this country – everyone is helped and everyone is welcomed very warmly.
