Hey there! My name is Ana and I am an Expat Woman in Turkey 🙂 I have been living here for the past four years. I am stay at home mom to a three-year-old boy and a baby boy. My husband is Turkish. I created this website to share my expat experience and connect with other expat women. Hope you enjoy browsing through my website! :)
Interview With A Russian Expat Living In Turkey – From Corporate Career To Being A Fulfilled Yoga Teacher In A Foreign Country
Ksenia is a Russian expat in Turkey who’s lived in Ankara for over 3 years and she is a yoga teacher. Before Turkey, she was building a corporate career in finance, traveled all over the world and had a very successful and active social life. One day in Moscow in a Russian-Turkish wedding party she met a Turkish guy and now they are happily married and have a wonderful son. But, as she says, a family is only one part of a person’s life. Friends, job, hobbies, personal development are needed to live a balanced life and yoga helps her have it.
In this interview, she shares, among other things, how she succeeded in having a wonderful expat experience in Turkey despite many challenges that motherhood in a foreign country brings.
Here is what she says about herself:
My name is Ksenia. I am from Russia and I am a yoga teacher giving Hatha, vinyasa, prenatal and postnatal yoga classes.vinyasa, prenatal and postnatal yoga classes.
My website www.behappy.yoga will go live quite soon. I have chosen this name for my website because among endless benefits of yoga being happy is the key one.
When did you move to Turkey and where in Turkey you live?
I came to Turkey three and a half years ago and since then I live in Ankara.
How did you discover Turkey? What made you decide to come and live here?
Even though I was fond of Istanbul as a tourist I was never considering Turkey as a country to live in . But when I met my future husband I understood that I could follow him anywhere and live any country in the world. That’s how I came to Turkey.
Was it hard to get the resident permit in Turkey?
I took my residency permit by myself without hiring any third party. Since my husband is a Turkish citizen and Turkish is his mother tongue I have a privilege not to be deeply involved in all bureaucracy issues as it’s my husband’s responsibility in our family. Actually, all information in different languages is provided on www.goc.gov.tr and by using their call-center 157.
What are your tips for someone who will relocate to Turkey?
Generally, I’m not sure it’s possible to get fully prepared for being an immigrant. You can read about the country you are moving to, its history, learn at least some basic expressions in Turkish, and just be open to new experience. Anyway, you’ll face the country specifics. Just try not to be judgmental when you encounter cultural differences, take it as it is, as a new learning and new experience.
What are the biggest adjustments you had to make when settling in Turkey? Did you have some kind of culture shock experiences and what kind?
If you are going to move to a new country as I did, I think it’s important to start with a clean consciousness. Despite the fact that your previous achievements don’t matter your skills, your knowledge and your personality will be always with you. In my opinion, Turkish people have high emotional intelligence that’s why they can easily read your attitudes to them and to the country.
What do you enjoy most about Turkey?
First and foremost, I like the climate in Turkey. It’s so nice to have so many sunny days during a year. Turkish people are very welcoming and friendly, they are very hospitable and helpful no matter how long ago you met, can be 5 minutes ago.
What you enjoy least about Turkey?
Well, I don’t think I like Turkish folk music. And I’m not a fan of Turkish music in general… Maybe that’s why it’s not that easy for me “to accept” the language.
Was it easy to make friends?
I think making friends in Ankara is quite easy. I’ve made most of my friends through yoga. By the way, I think yoga is the best way of making friends. ☺ I always meet Russian-speaking moms with kids in outdoor playgrounds. In our culture, it’s very important for kids to spend time outdoors that’s why Russian moms do their best to provide this opportunity for their kids. And of course, my husband is a source of new friends for me. Thant’s why I am a lucky person because I have both local and foreign friends.
Turkish language – how did you learn it, was it easy/hard and what is your advice for the future Turkish language learners?
I don’t know the way of learning the Turkish language easily and quickly. I’m still struggling to learn it. I’ve tried Tömer’s group classes, individual Skype lessons, self-studying. I can understand Turkish pretty well but I am shy to speak. If any of you have the same problem I would like to share one good advice. Feel free to read out loud in Turkish when you are alone, no need even to translate the text if you don’t understand it. The important thing is to get used to the sound of your own voice speaking in Turkish. If you keep doing it for 5 to 10 minutes every day and you will see the fruitful results.
Do you have some experience with how nightlife in Turkey is or you can give us some advice about museums in Ankara?
As I am a mother of a little kid and we don’t have a babysitter I can only guess what the nightlife in Ankara looks like ☺ But what I can do is guiding you through some good museums for kids. So if you have a kid, my top recommendation will be Natural History Museum (MTA Tabiat Tarihi Müzesi). My boy is a big fan and doesn’t want to go to any other museum but this one.
Do you feel safe in Turkey?
I feel very comfortable and happy in Turkey. I feel quite safe in Ankara even though I understand what’s going on in the country nowadays.
Do you feel accepted by Turkish people? Do you have a good relationship with your neighbors? Tell us more about it.
Yes, I think that Turkish people like foreigners in general and being an expat in Turkey is an advantage. Plus Turkish people love kids that’s why when I am together with my boy I have a double privilege. There is one important disclaimer. We are living in Or-An and I usually spend time around there or GOP. I hardly leave from Çankaya district. I can say this is a “foreigner-friendly” area. My neighbors are always kind to me. For example, every autumn they bring us “aşure” (a special seasonal Turkish desert to celebrate autumn’s fertility). In this regards I have a tip for immigrants: if your neighbor gives you some meal in her plate don’t forget to return the plate back full with a meal you cooked for the neighbor.
Were you accepted as a foreign woman in your husband’s family? Do you have some advice for the ones who are yet to walk the same path you did?
My husband is Turkish and fortunately they accepted me right away. Actually, I was lucky to meet his parents same day when I met my future husband (as I told before we met at the wedding). Since family connections in Turkey are very strong it’s important to be accepted into the family. Most likely you will see the family pretty often. So, if you happen to like your new Turkish family it’s a very nice experience.
What is your take on the healthcare system in Turkey? Do you have some experiences to share with the readers?
I gave birth in Turkey in TOBB hospital with a private doctor. My doctor was Şelale Özmen, I highly recommend her. There are a lot of advantages of having your private doctor the only disadvantage is that it’s budget unfriendly. Private doctors have contracts with many good hospitals, so you are choosing the one according to your preferences. If you have a Turkish family, please feel sure many of your relatives will come to visit you in the hospital right after your labor is over. So, you’ll have to welcome the visitors or regulate this issue with your Turkish husband in advance.
What about the schooling system in Turkey? Do you prefer sending your kids to the government, private, Turkish or international school?
My son was going to a private Turkish kindergarten because this option was the most comfortable for us. I heard that public kindergartens can be as good as private if they are located in a good neighborhood. Public kindergartens have an age threshold – 3-year-old, they are closed for summertime and new applications are requested in June to be accepted and start in the middle of September.
Do you have some experience with studying in Turkey?
I’d like to share my experience of taking my yoga teacher training course. There are a few options in Ankara for taking yoga teacher training. All of them are in Turkish and some of them are approved by Yoga Alliance (it means that your certificate will be valid all over the world). I took my training in Yogaşala and there you can ask for English notes for yourself as a foreigner. Basics of Turkish and English notes will be the same but every year teachers develop new programs, add some extra materials mostly just in Turkish. That’s why your English notes most likely won’t be up-to-date, please be ready for this. So, if you don’t understand Turkish well enough you have to work harder and do your best self-studying.
What do you miss most from your home country?
I miss Moscow’s parks most of all. They are amazing, well-organized, beautiful and always full of entertainment (many of them even free of charge).
If you would have a chance to choose again, would you come to live in Turkey again?
Yes, definitely I would come to Turkey if I had to choose again. I have a wonderful husband, he even dedicated his book to me and our son (Evliliğin sayıları, Özer Fırat). I found new friends here and a new profession which makes me happy.
When you compare the cost of living in Turkey with Russia, are the prices higher or not? Cost of living in Turkey in general, is it expensive or not?
Ankara is cheaper than Moscow in every aspect. Yet, on the other hand, the salaries for locals are significantly lower than in Moscow.
What is your advice for future expats in Turkey?
Changing the country means going out of your comfort zone, that’s the reason why yoga is especially helpful for immigrants because it makes us less stress, enables to embrace who we are, to enjoy life, to find new friends, and to be happy. Coming to a new place, just try a yoga studio in your neighborhood. Maybe you will have the same positive experience as I had.
Can you tell us more about your yoga practice and how it changed your life?
I was practicing yoga since 2006 after I was introduced to yoga in a publishing house and studio of Yoga Journal Russia. First, it was a hobby that made me feel good physically and emotionally. When I got married and moved from Moscow to Ankara yoga started being more and more important part of my life. Thanks to prenatal yoga I had a healthy pregnancy and very easy natural delivery.
Even though I didn’t speak Turkish at all I found prenatal classes of Pınar Enginsu in Yogasala very beneficial for me. When I became a mother we practiced postnatal (mom & baby) yoga together with my baby boy. To tell you the truth, the first months of motherhood were very hard for me. My baby was taking all my physical energy and emotional resources. I understood that I never worked harder in my life (even leading the company’s debut $1bln Eurobond transaction was easier). Plus I felt very extremely lonely in the new country. Postnatal yoga helped me a lot to adapt to the new country and my new status of a mother. I am endlessly grateful to my teacher Ana Plisnic. I became a part of wonderful yoga mom’s community thanks to Ana, I managed to continue my own yoga practice inspired by Ana’s vinyasa classes in Yogaşala, and I met with Gizem Onay with whom we continued practicing postnatal yoga after Ana’s relocation from Ankara. When my little son went to kindergarten I realized that yoga is becoming getting more than just a hobby and made the decision to take a teacher training program. I have completed 200 hours of hatha/vinyasa yoga teacher training by Pınar Enginsu and 100 hour of prenatal yoga teacher training by Burcu Omay and Candaş Erdiş at Yogaşala. Both programs are approved by Yoga Alliance, the international yoga association.
Now I am taking one more teacher training course to deepen my knowledge in postnatal yoga. When you love what you do you always want to continue your professional development.
How can people reach you? Do you do private yoga classes?
As I mentioned before, my website www.behappy.yoga will go live quite soon. In fall 2017. I am starting giving classes in LUNA (LUNA-Bilge Kadınların Yaşam Döngüleri) in GOP. I think that expats know this place and personally the founder – Gizem Onay. I invite everyone to practice yoga with me. That will be hard work and fun, I promise! My goal is to continue my yoga path sharing all the knowledge I have with my students, bringing more happiness into our lives by practicing yoga. Looking forward to seeing you on the mat soon.
I also have yoga group classes in Kent Dans studio in Umitkoy, Ankara. I give private yoga lessons too and for any kind of questions, you can reach me at ksenia.firat@gmail.com or (539) 560 20 75. My goal is to continue my yoga path sharing all the knowledge I have with my students, bringing more happiness into our lives by practicing yoga. Looking forward to seeing you on the mat soon.