Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Turf Wars

Things work a lot differently here at Incirlik-I am still trying to get a good hold on how business runs and so forth. A perfect example: hiring domestic help.

When you first move in to your house, various people knock on your door asking you to hire them to cook, clean, garden, so on and so forth. We had already decided that we wouldn't need a housekeeper or nanny-but we thought a gardener would be nice. Ryan had already hired one before I came. He told me the first guy, Ilhan, wanted more money than the second guy, Mehmet. So we are using Mehmet.

We have just recently discovered that these 2 men-Ilhan and Mehmet-head up the two "rival" gardening services. Mehmet doesn't actually do our lawn-one of his employees does. Apparently, they are very competitive and each have certain areas of housing that are their "turf" historically. I think we must have been an Ilhan house that is now a Mehmet house. Drama, drama.

To add to the soap opera, guess who is our rental car guy? Ilhan. He reminds me very often (and very nicely) that we are NOT using him as a gardener.

And so are the Days of Our Lives...........

3 comments:

  1. HA! I guess people aren't that different, even on the other side of the world. If only Ilhan had said "War Eagle", he'd have been a shoe in. I also say, get the housekeeper!

    Is there are report yet on the formal dress? I want pictures- am fascinated! Glad that you are settling in and learning the ropes. Now I'm off to to tell Dan that you have a gardener and I want one.

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  2. Hi Sarah and Ryan
    I think you need to go for the housekeeper since Ryan has a gardener :)
    I've really been enjoying your blogs - you are a great writer.
    Take care
    Aunt Eunice

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