katealaurel

I have an apartment! It’s right across from the university and furnished– the best possible option. Pictures– of this and other things, though I’ve been too busy to photograph much lately– incoming.

In discussing the apartment with Narin, I found out something very surprising to me: many Turkish people apparently don’t know– and don’t care about– their address.² Narin doesn’t even know the name of the street her apartment is on; everyone she’s asked has said it doesn’t have a name, even though it’s a very major street. Mail, even for taxes or bills or government documents, is a little uncommon, and usually comes to your place of business. (Mail to me, for example, should be directed to my university address in the Yabancı Diller Yüksekokulu.¹) Yet kindergarteners still have learning their address and phone number as an early piece of homework (it was my very first assignment in school at Fairview, too). Narin claims everyone just forgets it right afterward.

This ranks near the top of surprising cultural differences that have appeared so far, even though it’s relatively minor. I can list the addresses of everywhere I’ve ever lived– but Narin says she’s not even sure how she would get mail at her house!

Ok, back to work. Lots to do!

1: School of Foreign Languages.
2: Ok, Narin backed down on this one. Many people do know their addresses, but many Turkish buildings don’t have clear or useful addresses, and personal mail is pretty rare. However, official mail does still happen– though it’s common for it to go to your workplace, too. So address-obsession: not common, but address-usage: occasional.