Türkiye and Greece
More similar than different. More so than you can imagine
Since 2015, I have called Türkiye home and for the last eight and a half years, I have had the privilege of enjoying the hospitality of the Turkish people, marveling at their history, culture, nature, cuisine and so much more. In June this year, I had a chance to spend two weeks in Greece, specifically Athens and the beautiful island of Crete.
This was my first time in Greece and I have to say, after living in Türkiye for so long, it is hard not to develop a feeling that there is this unbridgeable divide between the two countries. That they are more different than similar. That they have polarly opposite political objectives and trajectories. That the two peoples dislike each other. That conflict between the two is just a matter of time. Negative. Negative. Negative.
I blame social media and its unique ability to amplify the negative and suppress the positive. But I also blame my own limited viewpoint. Sure, having been exposed to one of the two countries for a very long time, having had an opportunity to see the good and the bad of Türkiye, having fallen in love makes me biased. But what made my viewpoint limited is not just this — it is that I was not exposed to Greece — what it is like to be there, to live there, to travel through the country, and what Greek people are like.
There are things everyone knows (or should know) about Greece — that it is the birthplace of democracy and the Olympics, that its philosophy is the foundation upon which all the philosophy that comes after is built, that its science, literature, mythology, and art are the foundations of the western civilization and have massively influenced the rest of the world. Think of the names such as Homer, Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, Archimedes, Hippocrates, Epicurus, Heraclitus, and so many others, including the more recent names — Maria Callas, Mikis Theodorakis, Nikos Kazantzakis. Think of all the myths and legends — Hercules, Jason and the Argonauts, Prometheus, Icarus, Theseus and the Minotaur, Pandora’s Box, the Gorgon Medusa, Sisyphus and his punishment, King Midas and his touch of gold, the Trojan War, the Odysseus’ Journey. Think of the pantheon of Greek deities, all of which are part of so many myths and legends — the mighty Zeus, the ruler of the seas Poseidon, the ruler of the underworld Hades, the god of light/Sun Apollo, the goddess of wisdom Athena, the goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite, and others. This is me trying to keep the list veeery short. :)
Spending two weeks in Greece was amazing. But more than the sightseeing, the beautiful beaches, incredible historical sites, and how welcoming and lovely the country and the people were, something that left an indelible impression was how similar Greece was to Türkiye, particularly the western part of Türkiye. When you think about it (and without getting into sensitive political subjects) the fact that for most of the last two millennia, much of Greece and parts of Türkiye have been part of the same state — Roman, Byzantine, and then Ottoman empires, similarities start making sense. Of course, there have been a lot of conflicts between Greeks and Turks throughout history, but I will not be getting into that in this article.
I want to talk about things that were so similar, it may have been (and this is not a political statement) the same country and the same people.
- Climate. Athens is oddly reminiscent of Istanbul and Izmir. Türkiye’s western and southern coasts along the Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean seas have a climate very similar to that of Greece. Abundant sunshine, the humid heat, the proximity to the sea felt through the sea breezes. Similar vegetation — olive trees, citrus fruits, grapes, and so on. Of course, Türkiye is much larger and has a much more diverse climate — the Black Sea region, Central Anatolia, and the Eastern and South-Eastern parts of the country are very different.
- Architecture. The cities, streets, buildings, parks, promenades, cafes, and restaurants, have a very visible likeness. Athens, like Istanbul and Izmir is a coastal city, which accounts for many similarities, but also has a lot of historic structures that go back to the Greek, Byzantine, or Ottoman times. Sometimes entire districts look similar. The Kolonaki district of Athens for example, is quite reminiscent of the Nisantasi district of Istanbul — luxury shopping, elegant cafes, and a vibrant social scene. The historical Plaka district brings some parallels to the Sultanahmet district. The Monastiraki area with its flea market reminded me of the Grand Bazaar. Exarcheia district with its bohemian atmosphere can be compared to the Beyoglu district, particularly Karakoy.
- People. Both are typical Mediterraneans. Almost any Greek could be a Turk and vice versa. Many times people would just speak Greek to me, mistaking me for a local. Granted, I am not Turkish, but an Azerbaijani is not far off. Of course, both Greece and Türkiye have diverse populations with diverse physical features, but for anyone from outside the region, the two people must look very similar. Let’s not forget that there has been a significant blending of genetic elements over millennia. Also, at the beginning of the 20th century, there was a population exchange with at least a million and a half people involved — so while there are Greeks who descend from Konya, Kayseri, Trabzon, Izmir, Cappadocia, or other places in Türkiye, there are Turks originally from Thessaloniki and other places in Northern Greece, Thrace, Crete or other islands.
- Lifestyle. The flow of people’s lives, lifestyles, behaviors, and habits are quite similar. I don’t want to overly generalize, but after living in Türkiye for many years, taking a walk in the streets of Athens, Chania, or Heraklion, did not feel significantly different.
- Cuisine. The food and drinking cultures are very similar. Of course, the shared climate and similar agriculture and food economy is the main reason for this. Extensive use of olive oil, grilled and roasted meat, Greek pita and Turkish pide — flatbreads, widely consumed cheese, especially feta cheese, use of yogurt with various distinct textures and flavors, use of similar herbs and spices, use of eggplant, stuffed vegetables, Greek mezedes and Turkish mezes — appetizers, a range of seafood dishes, even similar sweets — baklavas are but some examples of the similarities between the Greek and Turkish cuisines.
- Music. Listening to Greek music on the radio or just hearing it on the streets, particularly when a song was starting, several times I caught myself thinking — oh, they are playing a Turkish song — only to hear the singer sing in Greek. The instrumentation and the composition of the songs were often quite similar. There are, of course, notable differences as well, however, similarities were striking.
The one noticeable difference is the language. Greek and Turkish languages are quite distinct in origin and structure. But even there, I would first hear the rhythm, pace, and intonation of the passerby speaker and immediately assume the person was speaking Turkish. A second later, I would realize they were, of course, speaking Greek. This happened too many times for it to be because of one speaker’s accent or dialect. I am not sure quite how to express this, but perhaps the easiest way to put it is this — if you don’t speak Greek or Turkish, it would be hard for you to tell the difference. The two languages have highly influenced each other and a lot of borrowing has taken place mutually over the centuries.
The similarities are, of course, not significantly different from those shared between any close neighbors. It makes me wonder if this is how people from other parts of the world see my country — Azerbaijan, and our neighbor Armenia. We have had horrific conflicts over the last century, but similarly to Greece and Türkiye, we have a lot of similarities as well.
These days, diversity is all the rage. It is a fashionable word and everyone rushes to show how diverse their team members, company staff, friends, and family are. But I think we also need to identify similarities. We need to celebrate them. That is perhaps a very effective way to reduce friction and the potential for conflict.
Greece and Türkiye have had a lot of rough times over the course of history. Both have inflicted and carry wounds. And politics tend to amplify these. But when it comes to ordinary people, I saw nothing but smiles and kindness. Every time I was asked where I was from, I would say Türkiye, the Greek person in front of me would celebrate it in some small way. I would get a gift (four walnuts were my favorite :)), extra help, or an invitation of some sort. EVERY TIME. They would tell how much they love Türkiye. They would talk about their Turkish friends. About their trips to Türkiye or that they would love to visit. It was nothing but love. And at the end of the day, that should be what matters most.
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