Custom and Etiquette in Turkey

2.  As a sign of respect, we kiss family elders’ hands
and shake hands with young ones in family,
relatives and familiar environment.

3.  We visit to our family elders in religious holidays.
Also we kiss their hands and they give some small
gifts like handkerchiefs,candies,etc or some pocket
money, so it makes us so happy.

4.  In daily life, people use some
greeting expressions like “Good
Morning, Good Evening, Hello,
Goodbye”.

9.  In our country, young ones don’t call
older people with their first names. As
a sign of respect,they use some title
adjectives like aunt, uncle, etc. before
their first names.

10.  In our country, there is a custom of giving gift in
birthdays, Christmas times, wedding ceremonies in
general.
 In addition to this, giving present (it is usually pinning
gold coin) in circumsicion feast, baby shower or as a
housewarming gift is also customary.
 Besides,giving present to people who have sons joining
the army or who have children getting into university is
also our custom.

11. An image of jewelry ceremony in a wedding.

12.  Jewelry ceremony in
circumcision feast.

13.  A newborn baby is pinned gold coin by relatives
and close friends.

14. A young man is given some pocket money or
clothes which is useful during military service as
a gift by friends and relatives.

15. Meal Time
Breakfast: We have our breakfast
between 08.00 and 10.00 am.
Lunch: We have our lunch between
12.00 and 01.00 pm.
Dinner: We have our dinner
between 06.30 and 08.30 pm.

16.  Generally we have our breakfast at
8.00-10.00 am.We try to be together
with our families as much as possible.
 Absolutely we have steeped tea,fried
bread, butter, cheese,olive,tomato,
cucumber, egg, jam, honey etc. After
finishing breakfast, we usually drink
Turkish coffee.

18. Tea, gevrek (traditional Turkish bagel), and Boyoz (a traditional
Turkish pastry) are remarkable for Turkish breakfast.

19. Turkish cofee is drunk with friends around
11.00 am in the morning.

20. We have lunch beetween 12.00 and 13.00 pm in
schools, offices, houses or restaurants. For example,we
can have some vegetable, dishes, meat or legume or soup
in our lunch.

21. It is a custom that it is very common for housewifes in
general and various catering products is served with tea.For
instance, everybody serve same products like börek (a kind
of pastry) cookies,delights and cakes,etc.to show their skills
and after that,absolutely Turkish coffee is served.

22. It is very rich contented meal which is had between 18.30 and 20.30 pm.

23. As a beginning, we have soup, and then certainly salad and main course
(generally meat), rice, pasta and various snacks. If it is preferred to drink
non-alcohalic drinks with meal, it will be ayran.

24. Dinner time is finished with dessert and fruit services
and then, tea and coffee is served again.

25. There is a table setting that whole family join there.
Family elders sit in the seat of honor and nobody begin
to eat before them.

26. In religious holidays, all family and relatives come
together and eat special foods for that day joyfully. In
these days, everyone-especially children-wear their
new clothes and sit down to a meal with a great care.

27.  Neighbourhood relations is very important in our
country. Communicating with neighbours and helping
each other is so common. All neighbours support and
help each other in wedding ceremonies, funerals and
festivals.
 In some places like public transport vehicles etc. young
ones always give up their seat to elderly, behave in a
respectful manner and help them.
 Speaking loudly in society and interrupting while elder
ones are speaking is so unwelcome behaviours.

28.  Generally national education guidelines are
practised in school in our country.
 Lessons start at 09.00 am and finish at 3. 20 pm in
our school.

29.  School starts after raising the flag ceremony and singing
the Turkish National Anthem on Monday morning.
 On Friday, school finishes at 3.20 pm.after the ceremony
of singing the Turkish National Anthem and weekend
holiday starts.

30.  Lesson periods last forty minutes and there are seven
lessons in a day totally.
 Break times last ten minutes and lunch break lasts fifty
minutes.

31.  Except for lessons periods, there are many free courses
to support students' academic, athletic and artistic
developments in our school.