Phillip and Rebecca Mefford

Old Ottoman art shows how Turkish people used to look more Asian. Although their history is clouded by the passing of centuries, the original Turkic people are generally thought to have begun as a nomadic conglomeration of tribes residing in ancient China and Mongolia. Chinese archives contain antique Turkic literature as well as historical clues about the Turkic peoples, such as their presence on the Silk Road trade route. In these documents one of the first mentions of Turkic peoples refers to the Gokturk Dynasty of the 6 th century, a group of shamanistic, migrants who have left an indelible legacy on the world of Turks today. Even legendary leaders of the Mongolian plains, such as Genghis Khan were thought to be Turkic ancestors. In our current day, China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, known colloquially as “East Turkistan” is home to a number of ethnic Turks, chiefly including the Uyghur people. The Uyghur have a long history, tend to look Chines

yes, there are turkeys in Turkey. Be prepared to get some interesting reactions to your plans to move to Turkey, including a plethora of “original” jokes related to Thanksgiving, gravy, and gobbling. You may not be an expert yet, but it doesn’t hurt to be ready to answer some of the frequently asked questions that are bound to come your way. Oh, and work on your forced-but-doesn’t-sound-too-forced laugh in response to the hilarious witticisms about oversized fowl. Is it safe to live in Turkey?   Yes, it is quite safe to live in most areas of Turkey. Most Turks are very opposed to the fanatic forms of religion that have given this part of the world a bad reputation. As long as you are wise and kind, you will find your Turkish neighbors to be welcoming, helpful, and respectful. What is the population? According to the World Fact Book, Turkey’s estimated population is 80,274,604 (July 2016). What type of government does Turkey have?   The Republic of Turkey maintains a R