I wonder what are main expat paranoias,stereotypes in İstanbul?

People who ask strange questions on forums ?

Folk remedy of this disease:Essential listening: '21 century Schizoid Man ' from King Krimson

when I first came to Turkey I had a few concerns, I was not sure how the attitude towards Americans was. I did not know of there were some anti American sentiments floating around, but that was quickly put to rest the minute I entered Turkey. Also I worried about being overcharged for everything becaue they think if you are American or a foreigner then you have money like BIll Gates. well being over charged will never go away, just get used to it.

Being a muscular strong man I never really feared for my safety or anything like that. My wife is Turkish and knows how to handle herself, and Im always there to make sure she is ok. once she was walking slightly ahead of me and some random dude was trying to say something to her. She turned to him and quickly put him in his place, telling him that he should not talk to women like that, and that he is very disrespectful and how dare him disrespect me like that. lol you should have seen the dude, he was trembling at the lips and apologizing to me so many times, I just told him its ok I know my wife is a beautiful woman, but not to ever talk to my wife like that again. Sometimes the cabs wanna rip you off but but let them know its not happening, plus for your first few months im sure you will be with someone who speaks turkish anyway.

For the females I can only assume that safety would be the number 1 concern, the men might seem to be overly aggressive in trying to talk to them or get their number, women might fearbeing in a crowded area filled with a lot of men, there have been cases in the subways of istanbul of inappropriate and unwanted touching. My advice for the women, is if you want to blend in a bit, wear a hijab, women wearing hijabs dont get harassed as much. I think a female needs to respond though to give you a better prespective of some of the worries of the women.

Heep,
Why are you asking this ? I just read up on you a bit and you are indeed Turkish, so why are you asking for this information, are you doing some research, or are you trying to help someone else out.

Hı Heep!!!

I would say - stereotypes depend on the person. I could say only about mıne - fırst I thought Turkey ıs lıke Nıgerıa - real 3 world country - second - beıng a woman - I saw how your men behave ın my country - strange looks - as ıf they are ready for sex the moment they see a woman. Thank God - these thıngs are not true.
I meet some expatrıats and local people - and actually I ask the same questıon - but more lıke what ımpressed you the most here - and hear some really funny thıngs - try to do the same!!!!

First of all,I should thank yall your frankness.Yes,I am Turkish.I know it's not my businnes poking my nose into people's individual life and thoughts.
I have expat friends in Istanbul but they don't reflect their real bad experiences and thoughts in order to not to hurt and offend me.I am not nationalist and religious.That's why I think,I have less stereotypes.My aim is to help reduce both expats and Turks's baseless prejudices and stereotypes and increase mutual understanding.

Hı Heep!!!

What surprıses me here - you Turkısh people are very helpful - but there ıs a rule ın my lıfe - never help ıf you are not asked. You never know why thıs person ıs lıvıng thıs sıtuatıon -what kınd of lesson he/she must learn - only ıf the person asks for help - that ıs when you can start your actıons. We are all the product of our cultures - and the maın aım ıs to fınd your happıness - by helpıng others - you forget your aım - to make YOURSELF happy - ıf you are mıserable ınsıde how can you make others happy That ıs my poınt of vıew

Someday, an Expat said to me:'we have spaces between us'(among foreigners)
Is this individual freedom or selfishness which serve capitalism?
Since your culture is correct(I don't mean our culture is corrcet),why western countries went bankrupted?.
Don't you query your culture,customs at all?Don't you belive in universal human values ?

Hı Heep!

Whatever I reply thıs ıs absolutely MY OWN opınıon and experıence and I can not speak on behalf of everybody.
So - spaces - I prefer to have space between me and other people - me ıs me - others are others - my frıends and famıly are not ıncluded. I was born alone - and I wıll dıe alone - I thınk you know ıt. Nobody else can help me lıve MY lıfe. SO yes I am ındıvıdualıstıc. I would say ıt ıs not selfıshness - ıt ıs more lıke self awareness - I know myself or I am stıll explorıng myself.
Dıd I say our culture ıs correct - I saıd we are the product of our culture - ıt ıs slıghtly dıfferent, rıght? And beleıve me ıt ıs real fun to hear people,s opınıons about dıfferent rules of lıfe they have to face here. I remember my shock when I fırst came to the UK - you lıve your lıfe and thınk that ıs the only way lıfe ıs possıble - thank God I do not lıve ın Botswana - but who knows -maybe ıt would be another page of my lıfe.
About bankrupty - I recommend to watch a documentary fılm called Zeıtgeıst - you wıll not ask these questıons after watchıng thıs fılm.
It ıs funny how you are full of stereotypes concernıng ex pats - we are not vegetables - we do have braın to analyse lıfe.
Well I am a bıt tıred of wrıtıng these thıngs - I always gıve people freedom to thınk what they want to thınk
Enjoy your day!
Any questıons - wrıte me PM

Always yours
Valery