Observations of a Yabanci Living in Antalya

1. When walking on sidewalks, beware of motorcycles and cars (also on the sidewalk). They will not move around you.
2. Americans are just not creative enough with parking, so it's no wonder we have problems. For example, the middle of the street is a perfectly acceptable place to leave your car for a few minutes.
3. Families are meant for loving on kids. Teachers are meant for educating and disciplining children.
4. Nescafe should be accepted and drunk whenever possible. After all, it's NESCAFE.
5. All traffic rules are mere suggestions. These include helpful safeguards like speed limits, lane lines, stop signs and turn-lanes.
6. You are not a hip and cool teenage girl unless you wear high-top Converse All Stars with rolled ankle socks and tights with your plaid school uniform skirt.
7. Trees are important. It is much better to split a road around a tree than to take down the tree. Hence - many roads have random tree-islands in the middle.
8. As in many countries, buses should not be relied upon to arrive anywhere at a specific time. It is perfectly normal for the driver of the bus to pull over during the scheduled route to get tea, cigarettes, or to use the bathroom. Drivers are also the only person not held to the no-smoking-on-the-bus rule.
9. On a whole, Turks are incredible helpful. Put a confused look on your face and attempt a few words in Turkish, and they will instantly try to help you.
10. Tea comes after a meal, not with or before it. To put milk in your tea is sacrilege.
11. In schools, lighting and heating are good places to start when trying to reduce school expenses. There is also no need to provide toilet paper or towels.
12. Youth gladly and quickly give up their seats on the bus to their elders and those with small children.
13. Exercise equipment is provided in any outdoor park worth its money. While it looks like strange children's play structures, the equipment is intended for adult usage.
14. Tourists stand out in many ways. They are usually wearing sandals (like tevas or chacos) or sensible shoes, backpacks, may carry a map, are frequently blond, and often have a look of complete wonder on their faces at the beauty of Antalya. (In that respect, I hope I never stop being a tourist.)