Dutch Maaike left Turkey – with her children, but without her husband
Dutch woman Maaike Dekkers (32) is married to Veli, a Turkish man. They have two sons, Semih (3) and Kaya (2). Until recently they lived together in Turkey, but last June Maaike returned to the Netherlands. With her children, but without her husband.
‘Veli knew what I gave up in the Netherlands, and why I had such a difficult time in …
‘Aid to Kurdish municipalities delayed’
ISTANBUL – Although the earthquake in the east of Turkey intensifies brotherhood between Turks and Kurds, on the other hand ethnic tensions are rising. Saban Isiktas, working for the Istanbul office of pro-Kurdish party BDP: ‘There are rumours that the aid to Van is being delayed because Van is governed by the BDP and not by governing party AKP. I …
Turks give en masse aid to earthquake victims
ISTANBUL – After the heavy earthquake yesterday in the East Turkish province of Van, everywhere in Turkey initiatives have started to gather aid for the victims. Municipalities coordinate the aid, arrange boxes and transport, and civilians bring blankets, coats, nappies, socks and sweaters.
A truck arrives at the town hall of Kadiköy, a municipality of Istanbul. it parks by the entrance, …
‘They always got back on their feet again’
For monthly magazine OnzeWereld (OurWorld) I regulary contribute to ‘Around the world’, a series in which every month another theme is reported about by several journalists around the world. For July/August the theme was the question: ‘Who do you take as an example in your life?’. I interviewed Delal Seven, and besides that there were stories from Mali, Yemen, Israel …
Happiness – 4 women share their story
Are you happy? Where ever in the world you ask that question, you can always identify with the answers. Journalist Frederike asked women in the Turkish city of Bursa. What defines their happiness?
‘Green Bursa’ is how Turkey’s fourth biggest city, Bursa, about a hundred kilometres south of Istanbul, is often referred to. And indeed, there is …
Dutch in Turkey: ‘I want to go home’
Live in Turkey with your loved one: very romantic of course. Or is real life tougher than that? Yes. For Maaike, Ralph, Barbara and Charlene there is hardly any romance left. They want to return to Holland.
(more pictures will be published later!)
Maaike Dekkers (31) lives in Evrenseki on the south coast:
‘IF WE COULD GO TO …
Turkish couple married for ninety years
ISTANBUL – Adbullah (112) and Elif (110) Adigüzel from the Central Turkish village of Arguvan have been married for ninety years, according to a report in today’s daily paper Radikal.
The couple met during the Ottoman era and they say they married out of love. They had 10 children and the number of grand- and great-grandchildren has reached 113. The …
The Armenian community in Turkey consists of about fifty thousand souls. It’s not easy to keep such a small community alive. Especially not for Armenians who live outside the strong Armenian community in Istanbul. A special report.
Cemil and Gülestan have been married now for twenty one years. But when you see them sitting together with their sons …
Closure of websites intensifies ‘homophobic atmosphere’ in Turkey
ISTANBUL – The closure of several internet forums for gays is another example of homophobia and a new step towards silencing gay organisations in Turkey. That’s the view of spokespersons for huge gay forums that were closed this week on the order of a government organisation.
The sites seem to have been closed because of ‘inappropriate content and immoral actions’, but …
Imagine you were born in a village on the Black Sea coast of Turkey. What would your love life look like then? And how would you make an arranged marriage work? Four women tell their story very openly.
Three hundred kilometres east of Istanbul lies the village of Örenköyü. It’s a rather traditional village, like so many in Turkey. …
Recent Comments