I am a male U.S. citizen who met a wonderful Turkish woman this summer. She was here on a work visa and we spent a month together before she returned home to finish her last two years of college in Izmir. We promised to see each other in the time before her graduation and then hopefully marry in the U.S. I understand it is difficult for her to return to America right now for a personal (non-work) visit, so I have proposed that we meet somewhere in Europe and have a mutual vacation and time to see each other. Does anyone have a suggestion for a country? We were thinking Germany because they seem to be "Turkish friendly" but we are open to any place in Europe. As a student, what is her best course of action to get a visa approval somewhere over there? Is this easier than her trying to visit the U.S. to see me? Any advice is much appreciated ! Thanks...

I am not sure how long the germans will stay 'turkish friendly' if turkish people are going on to chase kurds with machetes through the city of Berlin.
I think the germans are the same way 'turkish friendly' as the americans are 'mexican friendly'. The situation is similar and it always depends...

If you want to see her in the near future I would recommend a country in the mediterranean. Like Italy or Croatia. There the weather is better and the temperatures are higher.

what? i did not know the Germans or Germany were biased against the Turkish...

not been there lately have you? there is a bit of backlash towards the turks due to the increasing numbers in germany.

I was there in 2004 but indulging in too many german beers and do not remember seeing a turk

You know what the name is of the 4th largest Turkish city????


Berlin

Well you know I would not say Turkish friendly,you could not say that America is Mexican friendly cos their not.
Germany tolerates them and thats it.

Sounds about right.




Damn, Dean. How much beer did you have?

He doesnt remember

he was too busy entertaining the strassenmadchen's

Im not terribly familar with that region, but you might try seeking help in this forum http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showforum=95 . I think you might find what you're looking for there. Good luck!



Do you remember seeing anything except perhaps the barroom floor, bro dean?

America doesn't like Mexicans?

It depends on who you ask. My husband gets seriously irritated at the large population of illegal Mexican immigrants around here because (in his words) "they dont speak the good English"

I m not sure about visas for Turkish citizens but here my recommendations for romantic vacations - each country inspected by us carefully
Italy – beside everything no doubt the greatest food ever, they know how to live to enjoy life
France – south especially, and wine selection OMG
Spain- Barcelona- place to live, Andalusia - people dance flamenco on the streets
Croatia – great cost, you may be able find beach only for you two, also nice place for scuba divers, much cheaper than Italy
Greece – we would definitely be back there

Anyway why don’t you move for a while to Europe?

You get racist ppl allover the place and no not all Americans like Mexicans.
I have heard alot of people that live over here and are always complaing about them taking their jobs away etc.
Thats just something you will get in every country.

In Germany its the Germans complaining about the Turkish ppl
In England its the Brits complaning about the Pakistani and Indian ppl
etc

I have lived in places where alot of Turkish people lived all around us. i have never encountered what you are saying about being turkish friendly as americans are mexican friendly. When I lived in Bavaria though, the people in my town were not too fond of Russian people.

you know me too well..and i had only 32

my stepdad is an idiot and told me that I shouldn't learn spanish because it contributes to all the mexicans taking our jobs. lol

I lived in El Paso, Texas from 1983-2002 and I gotta admit, I was annoyed with the job situation there a few times. i mean, there I was, abandoned by my ex-husband with a newborn baby, trying to find a job to support my baby, and for EVERY job I applied for, I was told I needed to be 100% bilingual in English and Spanish. Yet, I could walk into Walmart and the cashier who rung up my items, couldn't speak one word of English, not to mention, understand what the hell I was saying. I was more than annoyed. I felt like if I had to be bilingual and couldn't get a job because I wasn't, then it should be like that for everyone, including hispanics who can't speak both. I mean afterall, I was living in freaking America.

My daughter is half Mexican so I have nothing against Mexicans, obviously. I do however have a problem with the lack of equal opportunity and discrimination that I felt just because I couldn't speak Spanish. I felt like i was living in freaking Mexico. I did complain several times but their excuse was always "Oh, well we live in a border town." I can completely understand but why did Mexicans get jobs without speaking English?

American constitution doesn’t recognizes any official language. Nowhere states that in America people should speak English.
This is funny for me actually.


But this is OFF TOPIC

A lot of countries in Europe are difficult for Turks to get a tourist visa. Your girlfriend should know where other people have gone. I thought about doing the same with my husband this winter break, but he told me that unless you were a student, Europe was difficult for Turks. Watch too, we had difficulty in Turkey too getting a hotel room together before we got married. We still have to show our marriage certificate sometimes!

Fortunately, there are still many cities and towns where you can communicate solely in English without having to feel guilty and even land a decent job if you only speak English. Or English and another language other than Spanish. Those cities really still exist.

A few countries are like that but you're obviously missing the point. It has nothing to do with the constitution, but equal opportunity which was non-existent at that time. I stated I was living in America where English IS the primary language, not spanish - DUH, ding - ding! Perhaps you have not ever lived in a place where you were denied a job because you couldn't speak a certain language, which shouldn't have been that way unless you were trying to be a translator.

You're from Poland? So let's say you live in Poland and are trying to get a job but you get denied because you can't speak German. Yet, you go to a store with German workers who can't speak polish and you can't communicate with them. Would you still find it funny?

You have got to be kidding me. Yes, your dim-witted response did drift off topic. We were on point until you decided to drift off on the stupidity subject. You're welcome to buy yourself a clue and try again next time.

You are right! I live in one of those places now and am glad that I no longer have to deal with that. It was very frustrating for me because that is what forced me to return to Germany, which caused me to lose permanent resident status which I have had since the age of 7.

Wow. That's some strong stuff. Come to think of it: Since I didn't know about this stupid "Beibehaltungsantrag" that one has to have approved by German authorities prior to taking on another citizenship, I am no longer German (though I think I could regain that status somehow) and wouldn't have the opportunity to just go back if I can't support my family here anymore only speaking English. That would really suck. Big time. Maybe I ought to look into the process of re-establishing German citizenship w/o having to actually move back over there right now.

I think that as long as you never move to El Paso, Texas, you should be okay

I had applied everywhere I could think of, including McDonalds. Even there I got that whole bilingual in english/spanish stuff.

I ended up not having an easier time in Germany either though. Before leaving the US in 2002, my mother told me how I would have an easy time finding a job there. I had no idea how it worked over there because I had not been there so long so I trusted my mom. No one over there would hire me because I was not fluent in German anymore. I couldn't write it or anything. They did not accept my American college degree either - said it did not count for the field I was in.

I'm telling you, the past few years of my life were the worst I had ever had to endure.

Don't feel bad for not knowing about the Beibehaltungsantrag. When I left here, I had no idea i needed a re-entry permit. I got my visa when I was 7 and I always asked my mom if there was anything I needed to do or what. She simply told me that it never expires and I didn't need to do anything. When me and my husband planned on leaving Germany together in 2005, that's when I found out about the re-entry permit and that I was officially out of status.

Sweet magnolia before getting all hot and angry will you be so kind and check what is this thred about or suppose to be about.
You are certainly right that I have no clue how to not getting a job corresponds with having vacation in Europe.

But if we have to continue our little off topic chat....
Nation for me is the culture, history and language I think constitution should establish that and when doesn’t from formal perspective unfortunately you have not right to fusses about. I pointed absurd situation.

In Poland to get decent job you have to be fluent at least in two languages beside native language of course... and be pretty Glad that you are. At least.

I'm not angry, but it's natural for me to be sarcastic when I have to deal with ignorance.

I don't know what the rest of what you wrote means because your sentences are incoherent.

It's not really off-topic either and I know what the thread is about. However, someone else mentioned Mexicans and jobs so I gave my input. Hopefully you can comprehend that.

Magnolia
I started learn English two years ago so obviously I can’t word - play with you. HELLO!!!

What I learn from posts above you are
German, yet not even able speak this language
Went to Europe and expected your American diplomas be fully recognize there
Live in UE and haven’t be able see parallel situation in American job market (jobs are given to those who meet criteria for market needs, and yes sometimes it have be non English speaker)
I can only draw conclusion that either you not very bright or most likely just going through very difficult time in your life and taking all opportunity to blame everything and everyone you can.

Over all wish you the best and I’m not ironic on that.

calamitka, she speaks english quite well, i'll let her explain to you why that is so.

meanwhile,

Hi, I am from Bulgaria and just have read your post. I do know so it isnt easy for non european countries go to contries of EU. If u decited to come to my beautiful country :-))) it wont be easy for her and thats not about so we are not frendly about turkish people. So better is to think about country where she can go free ... maybe u already know this .. best wishes and keep the love :-)))
Diana

Hi,

thanks for the response. Are you saying it would be easier for her to try to visit Bulgaria? Is your country more friendly towards the Turkish people?

thanks