Three years after arriving in Türkiye, Ankara no longer feels new—but it still catches me off guard in the best ways. From neighborhood cats with apparent full-time jobs to impossible hills, park benches, Turkish kindness, and the call to prayer, these are 13 tiny everyday things that still make me love calling Ankara home.
Steep hills, sidewalk obstacle courses, and surprise snail crossings—walking through Ankara still feels like an adventure, even after three years.
Five relaxing nights in Bodrum brought cats, cocktails, hammams, wonderful dinners, and a surprise birthday celebration.
My first Ankara rental taught me a costly lesson about paperwork, residence permits, and why trust should always come with verification.