by:Myriam, Esra, Dilan

Do you think you know what Turkish and French cultures are like? In case you don’t, we would like to inform you about the differences and the similarities between both. First of all learning about cultures means respecting and tolerating differences. Anyone can try to learn about a new culture but how can you make the best out of something new if you don’t look at it open-mindedly. We believe tolerance and respect are the keys to visiting a foreign country intelligently and in getting to know its people.

For one thing

Anyway, I digress. So what are these differences that I keep talking about? For one thing, the environment in France is absolutely beautiful. There are lots of parks and open spaces. At least there are in Grenoble, anyway. However in Turkey, especially in Istanbul, there are lots of concrete boxes called buildings and then the traffic! In Grenoble, it’s easy to get around. For example, students go to school in ultra modern trams or busses. In Turkey, people are suicidal on the road. Hey, if you have a Mercedes, you can speed as much as you want and nothing must happen to your prize status symbol. Life is very easy for teenagers in Grenoble but unfortunately I can’t say the same for Turkey.

Funny, huh?

Traffic and environment are not the only differences between both cultures. The food is very different in the two countries. Food in Turkey is more spicy while food in France is lighter. The cheese in France are famous all over the world but the kebabs in Turkey can not be found anywhere in any other country of the world. One other thing is that not everyone in Turkey eat pork. Don’t get me wrong, some do but nearly all French people love it. A very bizarre difference between us is French people like to sleep around 9 or 10 when most of the Turkish people like to stay up really late. Funny difference, huh?

Hey, what about some similarities?

I have been babbling about the differences of both cultures but don’t they have any similarities? Of course, like any other culture, French and Turkish, have similar aspects too. One similarity is that every teenager in both countries like to hang out at malls, cafes, and in the city after school. In both countries there are similar trends and stores. All teenagers in both countries can’t live without technology such as the internet, Tv or cell phones. MSN messenger plays the most important part in our lives.

Beauties that the differences create?

In conclusion, the most important thing in tasting a new culture is being able to look at it in a observative point of view. Every culture has its own beauty and being able to sense this is the main objective of our Comenius project. Anyone can try to list the differences and the similarities between two cultures, but not everyone can respect them. The most important thing is to realize the beauties that the differences create.