About
Origin Stroy
WhySoTurkey.site was born in 2022 during a coffee conversation between friends in a bustling Istanbul café. Elif Demir, then working with international clients who constantly asked her to explain “Turkish things,” realized there was a huge gap between how Turkey is portrayed in media and what life here actually feels like.
The “why so” concept came from Elif’s experience with friends abroad who would ask questions like “Why are Turks so hospitable?” or “Why is Turkish food so different from what we get at Turkish restaurants here?” She noticed that every cultural element had a story, a reason, a beautiful complexity that deserved explanation.
Starting as a weekend passion project, WhySoTurkey began with Elif translating Turkish idioms and explaining their cultural context.
Mission: To bridge cultural understanding by sharing authentic Turkish experiences, breaking stereotypes, and celebrating the rich complexity of Turkish life.
Values: Authenticity, cultural respect, storytelling, education through experience, and building bridges between cultures.
The blog’s motto internally is “Hikayeler köprü kurar” (Stories build bridges) – reflecting the belief that personal stories and cultural insights can create genuine understanding between people from different backgrounds.
Author
Elif Demir - Founder & Lead Writer
I'm Elif, a proud İzmir girl who fell in love with Istanbul's chaos and energy. Growing up in a family where my grandmother's kitchen was the heart of our home, I learned early that food tells stories and culture lives in the details. My academic background in International Relations and Turkish Literature might seem like an odd combination, but it perfectly reflects my passion for bridging worlds through storytelling.
