I've seen Mick & Trudie videos before and I think they are fun to watch and provide good objective information. I agree with almost all of their points:
Likes:
- Weather - Mostly agree though the coast is unbearably hot
- Beauty of Turkey - Indisputable. Many, many places to see.
- Historical - Prevalent throughout the land
- Food - Renowned
- Outdoor Markets - Not too unique but nevertheless a lot of fun
- Cost of Living - No need to discuss
- Transport - Hadn't really taken note of it being special but it's reliable and hassle-free
- People - The warmth of the people is the most mentioned positive amongst visitors
- Crime - Prominently noted by visitors/tourists as they feel very secure moving about
Dislikes:
- Smoking - Nearly 100% smoke, but personally does not bother me much. My wife is highly concerned
- Rubbish/trash - Yes and such a shame some people don't see the importance of maintaining orderliness
- Car Purchase - The high cost of cars balances out with the low cost of living. My personal angst is the limited HP/engine displacement i.e. slow acceleration of cars
- Street Dogs - Hadn't given it consideration as an issue
- Drivers - One of my biggest pet peeves; how could such gracious people be such maniacal monsters behind the wheel?
- Music - I do recall slight amount of irritation with the volume in some places
My Personal View:
Likes:
- Liveliness of the streets and places of commerce. Even at 10pm during midweek, places are boiling with activity.
- Impressive infrastructure particularly the major highways and rest stops. The buildings in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir are very impressive. I was in awe of the landscape and buildings driving from Antalya to Alanya. The Istanbul airport is tops in the world.
- Unlike the U.S., shopping is an adventure because of the uniqueness of stores throughout the country from city to city.
Dislikes:
- I hate that all potable water is purchased in plastic jugs. Not good environmentally.
- I don't have any direct experience since I haven't moved to Turkey yet but have heard of the hassles of bureaucracy in dealing with governmental affairs
- Lack of bathroom access in public
- Parking
- Tourists getting hassled by shopkeepers, though I have empathy in their daily economic struggles.
I had read a comment on a discussion board that's stuck with me. The poster stated that in the U.S., people live to work whereas in Turkiye, people work to live. This matches my experience in the U.S. All places have their positives and negatives but Turkiye has many enchanting characteristics which I think outweigh the negatives.