World Collide is the podcast where I talk to people who moved abroad

>> Viktoria: Hey, listeners, welcome to another episode of Worlds Collide with me, your host, Viktoria. This is the podcast where I talk to people who moved abroad. So before we start, I wanted to talk to you, frequent listener. I would love it if you would give me a five star rating at wherever you listen to this podcast, or even if you listen to Apple podcasts, then maybe even you have a minute time to write me, like, one short sentence, why you love this podcast so much. I think this would help me immensely to be more recognized and also to gain a wider audience. And of course, don't forget to push the follow button in the corner of your app so you never forget to listen to the newest episode right when it drops.

This week's podcast features Pavel from Belarus who is now living in Turkey

Okay, enough of that. So now to this week's episode. My guest is Pavel, and he is from Belarus, but now he's in Turkey. And I have to say, in this episode, you learn so much about Turkey. I really enjoyed this. Also, you learn about taxi boxes and what he loves so much about Turkey and what he really likes. And then what brought him there in the first place? Depending where you listen to this podcast in your car, maybe you won't even notice it. But if you listen in a more quiet environment, then you will hear the noise of the city outside of his window. And I think that brings a great charm to this episode.

How do I say your name, correct? Pavel. Pavel. All right, I just go with Pavel. Is that okay? Yes. You

All right, I don't want to take away too much. Here it is.

>> Viktoria: How do I say your name, correct? Pavel.

>> Pavel: Pavel.

>> Victoria: Pavel. I guess I think people say Paul or, Paul.

>> Pavel: You can use whatever you like. Maybe Paul. Because if you have an experience visiting Starbucks, they never write your name in the correct way.

>> Victoria: That's true.

>> Pavel: Every variations, they call me Marvel, partial, whatever. I don't know why.

>> Victoria: All right, I just go with Pavel. Is that okay?

>> Pavel: Yes. Yep, that's okay.

My guest today is Pavel from Belarus. Hi, Pavel, how are you

>> Victoria: Okay. So my guest today is Pavel. Hi, Pavel, how are you?

>> Pavel: Hey, I'm good. Thank you for inviting, me to this podcast.

>> Victoria: Yes, I'm glad that you reached out to me. So tell me, where are you calling from right now?

>> Pavel: Right now I am in Turkey. from. Not big city, Alanya, the name of the city, it's in the district of Antalya, much bigger city, like 2 hours from Antalya. So major flights, comes to Antalya. And then you need to take a car or bus and go to this, Alanya. But it's, kind of very touristic city.

>> Victoria: Yeah, it is very touristy. I know it. Like, when you told me that you are in Alanya, I was like, wait, this is where all Germans go on vacation. At least they used to.

>> Victoria: A lot of them. I see them. Yes. Sure.

>> Victoria: Yeah. And, where are you from originally?

>> Pavel: I am from the Belarus. From Minsk. So I was born in smaller, city in, grodno. It's, on the border with Poland. But, during my university time, I moved to Minsk and stayed there. So I, live in Minsk during maybe 20 years.

>> Victoria: Okay. For a long time. 20 years?

>> Pavel: Yes, for a long time.

>> Victoria: Okay. And then why did you decide to move to Turkey?

>> Pavel: Oh, it was not easy decision, but it was pretty quick decision. So maybe, you know that in 2020, we had a political crisis in Belarus. After that time, we already hesitated about our future and where we want to live and raise our kids. But after war started, we made our decision, pretty quick, actually. When war started, I was in Moscow. Oh, business opportunity for like, business purposes.

>> Victoria: Yeah.

>> Pavel: And I remember I called to my wife and told her that, we need to go because I didn't, know how things could escalate right to what direction and so on. We have two kids, so I, someone to care about. So we decided to move away from the danger. Now we are here. Now we are in Alania. More than two years we live here. And pretty like to be here because we appeared here, actually, it was like in my, in my thoughts, I was able to imagine, me in such a place during my retirement.

>> Victoria: Okay. Yeah.

>> Pavel: But my retirement happened much quicker than I was expecting.

>> Victoria: Wait, are you already retired?

>> Pavel: No, I don't. But I'm, in the place.

>> Victoria: Yeah. Okay.

>> Pavel: I see them themselves when retired.

>> Victoria: Right. And why though, did you choose turkey?

>> Pavel: actually many people from the Belarus, they choose other countries, like Poland to move. but, but, I choose turkey because I didn't have a visa. So in turkey, it's a, ah, visa free country.

>> Victoria: Oh, it is a visa free country.

>> Pavel: Yes, yes.

>> Victoria: Just for Belarus?

>> Pavel: Not just for Belarus. I think for many, nationalities. So as a Belarusian, I can stay here, for 30 days, then I need to leave for one day. Then again, 30 days. And three times like this I can spend 90 days without visa in turkey, but with one day leave.

>> Victoria: okay.

>> Pavel: So that's why I decided. And, because one, once we were here with my wife during some holidays.

>> Victoria: Yeah, but do you now still have to do the border run every 40 days?

>> Pavel: No, no, I don't need, because, now we have a residence permit.

>> Victoria: For two years. You need to renew it every two years.

>> Victoria: Okay.

>> Victoria: Now you don't need.

>> Victoria: I see. Okay.

>> Pavel: And now it's, much more complicated to get such a residence permit because before, that, you, only need to have, how to say, you need to just rent an apartment. And, this was the purpose that you can apply for residence permit. Now it's only possible if you own an apartment.

>> Victoria: Okay, so that changed.

>> Pavel: Yes, it's changed. And, that's why many people lived turkey who was there. So we just, sold our apartment in Minsk and purchased it here.

>> Victoria: Ah, I see. And why did you choose Alanya? Because you were there on vacation before and you liked it.

>> Pavel: Yes.

>> Victoria: Okay.

How soon did you move to Turkey? Maybe in three days

Okay. And has your wife been there as well before?

>> Pavel: Yes, she was there with me.

>> Victoria: I see. Okay. And when you, decided. Okay, we gotta pack up our stuff. How soon did you move?

>> Pavel: Maybe in three days.

>> Victoria: Oh, my God, really?

>> Pavel: Very quick.

>> Victoria: So did you just leave everything behind? Took the next flight?

>> Pavel: Yes, yes, we left, all our stuff. but it's not a problem because, I have left the power of attorney to my friends. So they were able to manage to sell, for instance, our vehicles, to sell our apartment. It's a problem. Not big problem.

>> Victoria: Okay, so you were pretty. You didn't put too much thinking into it. And what about your kids school?

>> Pavel: They go to local schools. So I have two kids, two boys. One is eight, another one is five.

>> Victoria: Okay.

>> Pavel: they both. So, the youngest goes to turkish kindergarten. They learn, only turkish lesson. Older one goes to international school.

>> Victoria: Okay.

>> Pavel: learn both English and Turkish.

>> Victoria: All right.

>> Pavel: Kids like Turkey.

>> Victoria: Okay.

>> Pavel: That's great place for them.

>> Victoria: Okay, that's great. and what about you? so you are self employed and this is why it was okay for you? Or did you also had to think about finding, new work or something like that?

>> Victoria: I'm not self employed. I'm a co founder of software company. We do, custom software development for logistics. Because I am from software work, from tech world. I am able to work from whatever I like.

>> Victoria: Right.

>> Victoria: Of course, it's not, sometimes convenient, because I need, to visit our clients. I need to do something from business development perspective. but still, it's totally possible to work remotely for me.

>> Victoria: Okay. All right, so that was not the problem.

>> Victoria: Yeah.

>> Victoria: And, okay, and then going back when you first arrived, did you get a hotel, or how did you, settle in? In the beginning?

>> Victoria: So it was step by step. We actually had, some connections here, so they were able to, rent an apartment for us for one week. During that week, we, found some apartments for longer period, for one month. And later we found an apartment for one year.

>> Victoria: Okay, I see.

>> Victoria: This way it was like, managed.

>> Victoria: I see. Okay, that sounds doable.

>> Victoria: So it's easy.

>> Victoria: Yeah. Since Alanya is so touristy, is it also easy to make connections? Because I imagine, like a lot of people come and go, so it.

>> Victoria: Depends on the purpose of making such connections because, tourists, they like, come and go. So you cannot get a lot of value from, those connections. So we are trying, of course, to make more, long running connections with people who stay here. For instance, right now I am in a co, working in lanyard. Here you can go to working work, together with other people, like, and here you can find some business sections.

>> Victoria: Sure. And you mentioned also your wife, she started a book club.

>> Victoria: Yes. She, is a, big fan of reading. And, she had a book club in Minsk before, popular and established. So here, when we, we deployed, she also started session activity because she liked to read books and, communicate with other people. Mostly, I don't know why, but, here mostly women attend, their meetings.

>> Victoria: Yeah, I guess. I guess it's like here, I would also think only of women who go to book clubs.

>> Victoria: Yes, yes, yes. So, yeah, she, provide these book clubs and also this, provide us, with, good local connections.

>> Victoria: It's like place where you can meet people who are here for, like, for a long time.

>> Victoria: Right.

>> Victoria: And they don't have a lot of things to do. Everything, is boring because when you're a tourist, you come and you, look left, right. Whoa. So many interesting things.

>> Victoria: Yeah. Yeah.

>> Victoria: But when you're a long time here, you became, like, bored about these, entertainments in general. Alania, it's like, how to say, it's, kind of huge Luna park here. There is a lot of entertainment for. And you can, of course, you can enjoy like swimming, some activities on scooters. Many things.

Do you speak Turkish? In many cases, yes. Do you can communicate or get what you need when you talk English

Many. For instance, here, it's really beautiful. And ancient castle, on the mountain. Okay, so you can walk several times here, but at the end, for every day, time spending, you need to pick something that could also, develop to your mind.

>> Victoria: Right. You know, what about you? Do you speak Turkish?

>> Victoria: Now, unfortunately, I have a high load on my work. So I know some words that stick to me. So I can ask some simple, questions. I can order food in restaurant, I can count. So only simple words. But my kids, they now know, Turkish pretty well. So they're like my our translators.

>> Victoria: Okay, sure.

>> Victoria: I can ask them to communicate with some complex questions, but in general, it's really touristic place, and people here are very open, for communication. They, like, don't, deny, you, because you don't speak Turkish.

>> Victoria: Right.

>> Victoria: So they are trying to help you. They're trying to speak one german word, one English, one Turkish.

>> Victoria: M. Do you can communicate or get what you need when you talk English?

>> Victoria: In many cases, yes. if you come to some place and, one of, one, from the staff supposed to, know English so they can call. Oh, like, Hassan, please come.

>> Victoria: Yeah. Okay. It works. And if you go to, like, an office, you know, for example, where you had to get your, residence, the residence permit. Yeah.

>> Victoria: They also try to communicate.

>> Victoria: They try. Okay, it works. Yeah.

>> Victoria: like, this side of, turkish people, I really like. They are trying to, as much as they can.

Do people know where Belarus is? Mostly, it's a small country

>> Victoria: Okay. And how do they react when they hear that you are from Belarus or from Minsk?

>> Victoria: Actually, majority of people here, they don't know or, didn't hear. A lot of belarus, they, first, they are trying to guess where you from? Are you from Russia? No. I from Ukraine? No. Oh, Poland? No.

>> Victoria: Okay. That was it. Right?

>> Victoria: Some other options do you have? I don't have option. Okay. I'm from Belovos. Ah. beloved.

>> Victoria: Okay. But I'm just asking for the translation because first, when I, heard Belarus in English, I also didn't know where it was, because in German, it's. If I translate it, it's white Russia.

>> Victoria: You know, so I was like, maybe in Turkish, they also have a different.

>> Victoria: Pretty same. They, they have it like, Biaz Rosli, also white, Russian.

>> Victoria: Okay. And so I actually, I wrote this down. Like, do people know where Belarus is? Mostly, it's a small country, but you also mentioned they always think it was really cold where you are.

>> Victoria: Yes. This is, first fort that they might can ask you. Is it now cold in Belarus?

>> Victoria: Yeah.

>> Victoria: Yes, it's cold.

>> Victoria: It's cold. Do you like the climate change for the area? I mean, not climate change, but you know what I mean.

>> Victoria: Yeah, yeah. I like, because not, everyone I know many people suffer from, this climate because it's pretty warm here. It's hot here.

>> Victoria: What does hot mean for you? Hot is 40 degrees.

>> Victoria: no, it's not 40. It's when it's already dark and, you keep sweating.

>> Victoria: I know it's right. It's just hot. It doesn't go away.

>> Victoria: It doesn't? Yes, it doesn't. But I like pretty well. I like hot is pretty well for me. And this gives, comparing to Belarus, comparing to, cold climate, it's much easier, especially when you have kids because in Belarus it was a nightmare to go outside because you need to wear so many clothes, so many layers of clothes to go outside. It's pretty different. Like, t shirt and shorts, you can go.

>> Victoria: Yeah, yeah, that's true. And probably like also in Belarus, it's like, can we go in? It's so cold. And then it gets, and then after time it probably gets. I mean, you only have so many options that you can do inside.

>> Victoria: Yes, yes. And here I even, ah, have a, theory about turkish weather comparing to, Belarus and how people, how local people who live here, how do they react to, this weather here. I believe that, seasons are swapped, like during summertime, people feels like people feel Belarus during winter time, it's difficult, it's warm, people feel tired. Many diseases happens during wintertime, people here enjoy and relax. They go to the coast, they put chairs and spend hours watching to the sea, under these light, sunlights. because, for instance, during, summertime, starting, from 09:00 a.m. like, uv high level shows, like highest 14, like a very huge pressure from the sun. But during winter time, it's really relaxing here.

>> Victoria: It's really nice. So it's like the opposite, right? So, yes. So the, the winter in Belarus is like the summer in.

>> Victoria: Yeah, for local people.

>> Victoria: Yeah, for local people. Yes, yes. I, understand that 100% because that's also my theory because I live in Texas. It's also really hard, you know? And then, like, I remember there was this friend I had in the beginning when we moved here, and she was like, because I was always like, oh, my God, it's gonna be so hot. It's gonna be hell. You know, it's like I'm painting the devil on the wall because like, I hate hot. And then, she's like, imagine how nice it is here in summer. I'm like, people in summer are not going outside. It's like the winter in Germany, you know, it's like, just be inside because otherwise you die.

>> Victoria: Actually, once I was in Texas, in Houston, we have a company actually, ah, in the United States. So I wasn't there.

>> Victoria: Okay, so you went there in summer?

>> Victoria: no, it was autumn.

>> Victoria: Okay, so probably still hot and humid.

>> Victoria: Still hot, yes, but I like hot.

>> Victoria: Oh, you're in the right place. That's great.

>> Victoria: Yes, yes, definitely.

When you move from Belarus to Turkey, earthquakes are unpredictable

Can you share one idea? that also reminds about moving to turkey. So one thing that I didn't expect here, it was, it's really confusing because when you move from Belarus to Turkey, I didn't thought that, I didn't think that there is earthquakes here.

>> Victoria: Right.

>> Victoria: When you live in Belarus, earthquakes, of course, they happen somewhere.

>> Victoria: Somewhere, but not right somewhere.

>> Victoria: But when we moved here, we realized that earthquakes are there and they can come at any time.

>> Victoria: You were there when the big earthquake happened?

>> Victoria: Yes, yes, I was here.

>> Victoria: How far is it from you?

>> Victoria: It's pretty far. And, later I found out that we live actually in pretty safe, place, from this perspective, from earthquakes, we live, pretty stable, place. So everyone please, if you are choosing some place in Turkey, Alani is a good place from earthquakes perspective, but still, sometimes it can shake you.

>> Victoria: And, it's really surprising because you never know when it happened, how strong will it be and when will it finish.

>> Victoria: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. I remember being in an earthquake. It's like, what am I doing? It's like by the time you're running outside, it's already done and then maybe it comes back. Who knows?

>> Victoria: Who knows? Yes.

>> Victoria: Yeah. But, at least you're in a good place for earthquakes. Is there anything else that is hard for you to get used to?

>> Victoria: Yes.

>> Victoria: I want to make actually, a disclaimer about this because this is like, not that I hate, but this is, local specialities. And, this makes, turkey special country because if it will be like I, used to deal with some things, it will be like regular country. But here, what will surprise you is, taxi buttons.

>> Victoria: Yeah. What is that?

>> Victoria: Taxi button. So I used to mobile applications where you can. Mobile application where you can, order a ride from point a to point b. Yeah. It works in a different way. I have never seen even before mobile applications error. So here you need to find a yellow box. I don't know, I will later like put some, images to video recording or not. But you may find it, look in Google, it's yellow box, that may hang on the tree or on some fence. Yellow box with a, small antenna and a button. You come to it and you press the button and signal goes to one of taxi stations.

>> Victoria: In this way they understand that someone order a taxi and they come, come, to take you. But you never know will they come or not. Because at taxi station there could be no drivers at the moment. So you just need to wait. Some people who, don't know how the system works, they come to this, box, press the button and try to speak.

>> Victoria: Yeah, it's like ordering, a taxi.

>> Victoria: Yes, because they think it's kind of intercom. No, this is not a kind of intercom. So taxi comes and another step of confusion is that you need to guide the driver where to go. Like literally all the way here to the left here straight.

>> Victoria: Oh, really? Don't they know the address that you give them?

>> Victoria: for some reason they don't use navigators. I don't know why.

>> Victoria: Yeah, but also, don't they know the area?

>> Victoria: Of course, you can like say about some well known place, uh-huh something big, like five things. Five things in the city they definitely know.

>> Victoria: But if it comes to some special address where your friends live or some hotel. Because there are so many hotels here.

>> Victoria: Right, right.

>> Victoria: They don't know everything.

>> Victoria: They don't know all the names.

>> Victoria: Sure, you need to say how to come.

>> Victoria: I see. But they, but it's not that they have to let you out on the yellow box, you know, because I was already thinking that is almost like a bus stop. Or you just wait.

>> Victoria: You can out. Yeah, you just need to wait. And when you come, you can, they can let you out whatever they want. But this system, it's also not efficient because, I talked to taxi drivers, so they cannot, take orders, orders from, any point of the city. For instance, they take you to.

>> Victoria: Some place, so you cannot wave them down.

>> Victoria: And they need to come back to their office to take next order. Because, all city is divided between these taxi offices. and one, office will, not let you take their customers.

>> Victoria: Okay. So they want to keep it fair.

>> Victoria: Yeah. Actually you can, stop, a taxi on the road.

>> Victoria: But if a taxi from local office will see this, it could be some argue about.

>> Victoria: Ah, interesting. I never heard that before.

>> Victoria: Yes, but this is like, this what, happens under the hood of local taxi business.

There are not so many tech events here compared to Minsk

>> Victoria: But is there anything that you miss besides friends and family? Of course.

>> Victoria: yes, I think here, because this is touristic place and I'm from tech industry. There, are not so many tech events here. Compared to Minsk, there are like a lot of things happen. A lot of events. You can come, you can speak to tech peoples here, mostly tourists and or events around entertainment.

>> Victoria: So you are the only tech person in the whole area?

>> Victoria: Not only, but the density of tech persons is, low here.

>> Victoria: Right.

>> Victoria: We are not able to make a lot of events.

>> Victoria: Right. Where would you go to the closest event?

>> Victoria: Sometimes. Really? It happens in Antalya, but, mostly, you need to go to Istanbul because Istanbul is huge city there.

>> Victoria: Istanbul is huge city.

>> Victoria: Million population.

>> Victoria: That is huge. But is it also very far?

>> Victoria: You need to go there by plane?

>> Victoria: By plane? Yeah, because turkey is huge.

>> Victoria: Yes. Turkey is huge. I don't remember, how much time do you need, to go by plane? Maybe not so long. Maybe 1 hour. But you know airports. You need to spend a lot of time in airports. Yeah.

>> Victoria: No. So the whole trip will be 5 hours?

>> Victoria: Yes, at least. At least 5 hours, maybe.

>> Victoria: Do they have trains?

>> Victoria: Yes, they have, but not here. Not in Olania. They just have plans to make a railroad to Olania. But I see.

>> Victoria: I see.

>> Victoria: We don't have it.

>> Victoria: And do you get by? Did you have to buy a car or something, or. How do you get around?

>> Victoria: Oh, this is pretty interesting, because minsk, we had to use, vehicles. We have two cars here. We don't have a car. We, only have bicycles, and we use, public transport and taxi. It's not a big city. And, totally manageable to just use, this kind of transports. When we need to go to Antalya, we rent a car, because my. My, wife, she takes courses about Ebru. Do you know what is Ebru?

>> Victoria: No.

>> Victoria: It's, authentic turkish art. it's painting on the water. When you, put, a paint to the water, and then you, put a leaf on top of it, and in this way, picture transfers to the,

>> Victoria: To the paper.

>> Victoria: To the paper, yes.

>> Victoria: Oh, I gotta look it up. No, I haven't heard of it.

>> Victoria: It's very beautiful and authentic. So my wife uses this opportunity to study.

>> Victoria: Oh, that's nice.

How else did your life change in your day to day life after moving to Volania

How else did your life change in your day to day life? Not work like in turkey versus Minsk?

>> Victoria: I don't know. Maybe I spend less time going, to the office because here, everything is closed. Only in this way. And as I told you, it's, It's about more time spending outside because of good weather.

>> Victoria: Yeah.

>> Victoria: Whether maybe these things here, I also start taking more, start doing more sport. I attend, Yes, I attend muay Thai.

>> Victoria: Because what is.

>> Victoria: What is muay Thai? Muay thai?

>> Victoria: Muay thai.

>> Victoria: Yes.

>> Victoria: This is like some kind of martial arts. Okay. Uh-huh. Yes.

>> Victoria: Yes. It's like boxing, but when you, use not only hands, but, legs, uh-huh. But for me, it's more like, really intensive fitness.

>> Victoria: Okay. do you think you just do more because. Or you have more time for these things because, I don't know, the weather is better, you want to go out more, and also maybe you need have the urge to meet more people. Something like this, maybe.

>> Victoria: I think that, in general, this, our move here, to Alania, it made our, family stronger, closer to each other because we had to overcome some issues.

>> Victoria: Right?

>> Victoria: Yes. In this way, I now spend more time with family, more time, for myself, more time for, some outside activities in general. This, move to Volania was very good for.

Would you consider also moving back to Belarus, or do you have plans

>> Victoria: I wanted to ask, do you think you're gonna, like, stay there for a long time, or do you have plans?

>> Victoria: so for now, we are going to stay here. We don't have some particular plan about moving, somewhere else. So, we have, an apartment here. It's a pretty convenient place, to, travel, because it's also, this is a plus of, being interesting place. There are a lot of, communications with other part of the world. So you can go by plane and visit, your customers somewhere, visit your friends, spend, for instance, two weeks before we were in, Poland, Warsaw, together with my family. Maybe two months before we were in, the Netherlands. So we are traveling.

>> Victoria: So. Yeah, because there are a lot of planes from there going to.

>> Victoria: Yes, yes.

>> Victoria: Your friends also come visit you all the time.

>> Victoria: Yes, yes, actually, yes. Our friends, come to visit us because, yeah, it's a touristic place. They come here as tourists.

>> Victoria: So many things to do for them. Yeah. That is nice.

>> Victoria: We, of course, visit them when they come to some hotel. We rent, an apartment in the same hotel, stay some time together.

>> Victoria: uh-huh And do you, would you ever, I mean, who knows what's going on there, in the future, but would you consider also moving back?

>> Victoria: I don't know. Right now we are not considering this. That's why our kids, because when people, we have a lot of examples here, when people, come, for some time to keep, together their thoughts, with kids, but they send, their kids to some kind of russian school, so they study remotely, learning russian language. We don't have such a plan. So our kids already go to international school because, if we will even go somewhere, but I think we will go to not the Belarus, but to some other place in the world.

>> Victoria: Yeah, yeah. I was wondering in Minsk. But you also would have the possibility for the kids to send them to an international school, probably because it's a big city. Yeah.

>> Victoria: I'm not actually aware what is now. I think there is maybe one or two international schools in Minsk, but not many.

>> Victoria: Yeah. Okay.

>> Victoria: So, yeah, I can also like, say you feel,

>> Victoria: Yeah, sure.

>> Victoria: Uh-huh what? I think, are important.

>> Victoria: So, I really like, for instance, when I spend some time here, it's part of the culture to drink, black tea. Yeah, they do small, small glasses. And when I go abroad, I really miss it because now, tea is, like, within my, it's inside my blood and I feel like lack of tea. I'm trying to find it, when I was in Warsaw, but it's not so good as turkish tea.

>> Victoria: Did you drink tea before?

>> Victoria: Yes. But here, I realized, that it's totally another dimension. It's separate dish and part of culture. Because people all the day drink tea here and it's prepared in, in different way and it's kind m of different tea because I was not able to find the same taste when I was abroad.

>> Victoria: okay. Because I also have a good friend here from Turkey, and she always has tea, all about the tea. Like, she even goes to the turkish store just for the tea. Yeah. are there other cultural things?

>> Victoria: Very good cultural thing, which I really love is that all turkish people, they really like kids. Not their kids, but all kids. Okay, they like, put a lot of, attention to them. Then they allow kids to do everything. They try to treat, kids with, some sweets all the time. They shake the, heads, hug them all the time. So if you have kids, it's pretty safe place for them and all.

>> Victoria: Ah, the kids. Or is it. So you see that on the street, they're like, whatever, change their moods and smile.

>> Victoria: Yes. You can go with your kids on the street and like, totally strangers can just come and give sweets to them.

>> Victoria: Okay. I wonder what age does that change?

>> Victoria: Maybe at some age it will change when they will consider them like adults. But, for now, this is so, because comparing again to other countries, sometimes when you, go with kids to some cafeteria, you can hear.

>> Victoria: From others.

>> Victoria: Yeah. Yeah. I also think, I mean, especially if I think of older people, you know, they're more like, like, mean, you know, and serious and they're like, whatever. Lifting their walking stick towards kids.

>> Victoria: Yes, yes. And, one other cultural thing is, that here is, it's still. So people smoke. Smoke here everywhere. Yeah, cigarettes. Because in Belarus, maybe 1015 years ago, we also had a lot of people who, were addicted to smoking here. I see a lot of people, local people who smoke. And you can smoke here like everywhere. Also in, even in hotel room you can smoke.

>> Victoria: So does it bother you?

>> Victoria: No, not me. Totally. I'm totally okay with it. It bothers my wife sometimes.

>> Victoria: Yeah.

>> Victoria: But I'm totally okay with it. And I, as I see it, it's kind of freedom. They still, have a freedom to smoke everywhere.

>> Victoria: I understand, but I'm also like your wife because every time I go back to Germany and a lot of people smoke there.

You need to change your legal status to work in Turkey

Here, not a lot of people smoke. But there, for example, you go outside and you sit in an outside cafe and whatever, eat some ice cream and the table right next to you, they start smoking and it all blows into your face, you know, while you're eating. I find this always really annoying. Yes, I hate it.

>> Victoria: Yes, I'm okay with it.

>> Victoria: You're okay with it.

>> Victoria: No problems. Yes, for me. But my wife, yes. She doesn't like, she say me, let's move to other table.

>> Victoria: Right.

>> Victoria: And of course, of course turkish people, they are really emotional. They show their emotions on the street. you can hear sometimes like someone yells to another person and in opposite they can show, you a really good mood. They can smile outside. So they are really emotional because one of my friends who is turkish, he spent some time in Belarus.

>> Victoria: Before I m know how many years before. And his opinion was that belarusian people, they are very sad. Very sad.

>> Victoria: They're very sad because they're always so like stormfront m m I sometimes wonder if that has something to do with climate, you know, with the weather, if it's like colder regions.

>> Victoria: I believe so according to my, according to my overview, yes, I believe it's so because of, climate.

>> Victoria: Yeah. I mean, also like when it's really cold, it's really hard to make like a friendly face. Whatever, wrap it up.

>> Victoria: that's correct.

>> Victoria: And did your wife, did she started working as well or she was the kids and doing her project?

>> Victoria: Yes, she spent, her time with kids and right now she studies remotely in the university. She wants to be a psychologist. Before that he has accomplished, a medical university with a, how to say, pediatrician degree. She's pediatrician now she want to be a psychologist.

>> Victoria: Okay. All right. So now I was just wondering if like I don't know, for turkey, in Turkey, she has also all the possibilities.

>> Victoria: We cannot work here because we, our permits, they don't allow us to work here. you need to change your legal status and then you'll be able to work.

>> Victoria: Okay. Do you think you will do this eventually?

>> Victoria: I don't think so. Maybe we'll have, Or you're asking about me? Are you asking about me?

>> Victoria: Both.

>> Victoria: My wife. Yeah. we think that we will have third, kid, so she'll be busy.

>> Victoria: Okay. Okay. Yeah.

>> Victoria: Time.

>> Victoria: Uh-huh. And so, but for the status, because she asked if I'm asking for you or for your wife, are your visas not connected then since you are married, if you have the connected. No, that's why I was wondering like if you change your status for you it doesn't matter because you can work anytime. But maybe for her, she wants to in the future at some point.

>> Victoria: Yes. If she would like to start go to work.

>> Victoria: Yes, it's totally possible. You just need to do it to apply some necessary papers and so on. Just now we at the status when you cannot work. And you can be like deported if you start.

>> Victoria: Right. So yeah, just for now. That's how it is. I know it's like sometimes it's complicated. All the visas are so different. You are allowed to do this, but you're not allowed to do that.

>> Victoria: Yeah, but yeah, for now she doesn't have an intention to work.

>> Victoria: When she'll change her mind, she'll start. No problem.

>> Victoria: Yeah. No, I did not mean it in any bad way. I was just curious how, how the system works.

>> Victoria: Yes.

Pavel: Very good place to live in Alania

>> Victoria: all right, I think, we got it. And I don't have any more questions. That was really nice to hear.

>> Victoria: Thank you. Thank you for good questions. Thank you for opportunity to share my thoughts about, this place. And I totally invite, any person to come here. It's very good. Very good to live in Alania. Many sporting events happens. Triathlon, m, some, cycling. A lot of things happens. A lot of entertainment for kids you can find here. Yeah, very good place.

>> Victoria: Very good place. Well, it shows really well.

>> Victoria: Yes, yes.

>> Victoria: Yeah.

>> Victoria: Yes.

>> Victoria: That was this week's episode with Pavel.

>> Victoria: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and I hope you will tune in again next week for a new episode of worlds collide with me, your host, Victoria. And if you would like to reach out to me, then please do so at worldscollide. One, two, three. Potmail.com. or you can also find me on instagramorldscollidepod.

>> Victoria: Just one word.

>> Victoria: Or also on threads or on TikTok. I hope you will be in touch and reach out with whatever you want to. Yeah. Until then, bye.