We Call It Home: Istanbul Dialogues - Exploring Istanbul

Yabangee is an English resource and community platform for Turkey’s diverse array of internationals, as well as for globally-minded locals. Having been active in the country since 2012, the project has continued to grow over the years, expanding in new and meaningful directions along the way. The project has numerous components that work together to provide the whole Yabangee experience. Our website is an online English destination that offers readers regularly updated content in regards to: Advice & Information – This covers various content related to local culture and customs, comprehensive guides to bureaucratic processes, useful lists, and more. Some of our most popular articles include: Getting Married in Turkey – Frequently Asked Questions Getting Your Residence Permit Having a Baby in Turkey Turkish Wedding Dress Guide Essential Turkish Films Recycling in Istanbul Opening a Bank Account 10 Forgotten Historical Sites in Istanbul How to Make Friends as a Foreigner A Guide to Earthquake Preparedness 10 Must-Have Apps for Istanbul City Life – This covers essential, timely content related to what’s happening in the city, reviews of restaurants and other establishments, job listings, columns, hidden gems, and more. Yabangee is proud to have strong relationships with organizations around the city including Salon, Babylon, ATÖLYE, Zorlu Center PSM, SALT, Pera Museum, and many, many others which helpus to stay up to date on the latest happenings. Commentary – Offering much needed perspective from foreigners who now call Turkey home is one of the cornerstones of our content. These first-hand accounts offer a unique view at life here. Photography – For the more visually in-tune among us, our photo pieces offer some aesthetic insight into the country at large. Interviews – These personal accounts provide new insight from distinct individuals in our greater community, with a scope that includes arts and culture, start-ups, NGOs, humanitarian workers, and more. Travel – As a community of people living in Turkey, rather than just passing through, our travel content provides a more nuanced understanding of weekend getaways, adventures abroad, hiking, and other means of the occasional escape from city life. Our volunteer team of contributors share wide-ranging perspectives and experiences that proves invaluable to our readership. With over 70 writers and 20 photographers, our team represents a number of nationalities and backgrounds. Within Turkey as well, our team’s scope has them involved in a number of sectors. Our team is the most important element of Yabangee, the fabric on which we depend and continue to grow. Our community events are one way in which we really set ourselves apart and interact with our readership. With the aim of building a welcoming, open-minded community, we continue to host events that include social gatherings, picnics, trivia nights, art tours, lectures, holiday celebrations (like Halloween), networking events, pub crawls, and so much more.