Learning Turkish body language

As in any country, Turkey has its own body language. It can be funny or even strange for a person from another culture to look those gestures and try to understand what the other person is trying to tell. Understanding body language is also to understand the culture of a country.

Consider the most common of this body language you see in Turkey elements:

• The shake hands is the most common greeting among friends. People greet Giving kisses on both cheeks. The man greets a woman also in the same way. If two religious people, especially if you are a man and a woman, hands are not tight and they kiss.

• In Turkey it is very common to see men walking down the street holding hands or arms, this does not mean they have other sexual orientation as one would think in my country, which means they are good friends.

• If you see someone take your hand palm up and fingers bring in, this is a compliment and it usually means that something is “good”. It may refer to a food that is rich, a cloth or other object which is nice.

• Thumb up hitchhiking is meant, as in the United States.

• Move your head from side to side means “do not understand".

• Raise the chin, raising his eyebrows and simultaneously flicking tongue means “NO". This is one of the most common gestures and body language of steam can also be seen in Greece. For tourists this gesture may be confused because his head up mean SI, but little by little you beginning to understand.