anakkale Onsekiz Mart University Intercultural Communication

Eitim Fakltesi

Turkish vs. Romanian customs

This paper focuses on the experience that one Romanian student had while on a study program in
Turkey. These are the difference found:

Shoes in front of the door vs. shoes in on a rack in the house

In Turkish culture, it is mandatory to take your shoes as you enter someones house, so the front
door immediately turns into a shoes store. In Romanian culture, it really depends on the person you go
to, but usually, if you are required to take off your shoes, you will do it inside of the house, and your
shoes are stored on a special rack. The only other alternative is that you leave in a house, not apartment;
only then, your shoes will be stored outside of the door.

Tea customs offer vs. coffee offer

In Turkish culture, you will usually be offered tea or coffee as a token of someones gratitude if
you go in visit, no matter the weather nor the time. In Romanian culture, it really depends on the
moment you are going to visit someone; you can have coffee during morning times, but you are offered
tea if its afternoon or simply you are asked if there is anything you would like to drink.

National day with people vs. national day with authorities

In Turkish culture, the national day is celebrated with big feast, with a big crowd of people, and
you can just see citizens walking everywhere, unlike Romanian culture, where the authorities take care
of celebrations: solemn marches, a kind of fair where you can go and buy Romanian souvenirs or foods,
ending with an artistic show, culminating with fireworks.

Spicy meals must vs. seasoned meals

Turkish meals will usually be something really spicy, that consists of a dish, next to a liquid
drink (algam, turu suyu or ayran). The Romanian meals would stick to just really seasoned dishes
with some of them being spicy and water, or depending on the meal, wine.

Embracing international aspects

Turkish people tend to be more conservatory to their culture and customs. The ingredients, the
way of being, the way of thinking, tend to respect old traditions and generally you can find just Turkish

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anakkale Onsekiz Mart University Intercultural Communication
Eitim Fakltesi

related ingredients, clothes (mostly conservatory) and way of acting; TV series are doubled in Turkish
and what comes from outside of Turkey is exotic. Romanian people (most of them in the urban areas,
tend to embrace everything that comes from other cultures (you can find Italian, Asian, or Northern
ingredients in the markets; you can also find different types of clothing and people usually do embrace
new types of attitudes).

Traffic rules
It may seem that Turkish traffic rules are optional. You should be extremely careful when
crossing the street or when you are in a car. Policeman usually comes at the last minute (when an
accident took place). In Romania, you may try at your own risk to overrule traffic signs, but be sure that
you get caught, the consequences are costly. If you are a pedestrian, in most of Romanian cities (except
Bucharest), you own the pedestrian zebra.

Street food
Street food in Turkey consists of a wide variety: fish, corn, kebabs or sweets. In Romania it takes
a big festival to find street foods on the street and its usually made on the spot: sweets (cotton candy,
pastry, popcorn or ice cream).

Greeting: 2 hugs vs. 2 kisses

Turkey version of a greetings involves two hugs that makes you feel at home with anyone that
you meet. You may additional add kisses that can be combined with the hugs. It is said that a firm
handshake is also recommended here, but I seldom see that happening. Romanian greetings involves
handshake with in between males and females, but when it comes to male meeting a female, the 1 st
should kiss the others hand. In between good friends you can also kiss on the both chicks.

Creamy soups vs. chunky soups

It is a custom that in Turkey you will eat creamy soups, but in Romania soups usually have
chunks of vegetables and some kind of pasta. Romanian soups have 3 different names which usually
indicates the texture and taste of it (ciorb: semi-sour, sup: sweet and bor: sour similar to Russian
one but different composition).

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anakkale Onsekiz Mart University Intercultural Communication
Eitim Fakltesi

4 meats vs. multiple meats

In Turkish stores, you can usually find just: chicken, beef or lamp, sometimes turkey. Romanian stores
hosts multiple types of meets: chicken, beef, pork, turkey, duck, goose, rabbit, deer, wild boar, goat,
sheep and some other). A variety that you can adjust according to your tastes. Also, if anything, you are
free to grow your own animal for which meat you prefer.

Turkish sweets vs. house sweets

Turkish sweets are out of the galaxy for tourists. They are sweet and gooey, for most part. Romanian
sweets focuses more on combining the dough or batter with the fillings and the only syrupy sweet is a
birthday cake.

Similarities
Country or rural life is similar between the two countries: both cultures involves woman
covering their heads and legs and man having hats on their heads while they are outside, working; for
man it is not mandatory though. Also, the way that houses are being set, with a fireplace as a worming
and cooking place. The walls are covered with carpets with a pattern on it (handmade have colorful lines
and flowers, while the ones that are bought have famous paintings on them). The shoe store in front of
the door are also present in both cultures. Last, but not least, both cultures share a number of common
words: capac, bilet, cearaf, han, halva, etc.