Ayca is from Istanbul in Turkey and both her parents are Turkish. There is also some Greek blood, with some family members two generations back on her mother’s side hailing from Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. Her father’s parents have Mongolian heritage but always lived in Turkey.
Ayca has lived in Australia for six years and is still strongly connected with her heritage. Her family doesn’t practise traditions, but they do share a love of Turkish music. She says manners are very important to Turkish people, along with being hospitable – you’d give up bed for the night for a visitor.
She says Turks use proverbs as part of their vernacular and she often uses them on her Aussie friends. Her favourites include ‘the Ox is dead’ (meaning the partnership is over) and ‘the rabbit has a quarrel with the mountain, but the mountain doesn’t know it’ which means getting angry at the world or the way things are doesn’t solve anything, as we are way too small.
She says contrary to what many Australians think, Turkish Delight is eaten only rarely in Turkey. A distinctly Turkish snack she loves is Simit, a Turkish bagel covered in sesame seeds. There is nothing luxurious about it – just simple street food, but so delicious.
View more of Fast Ed’s photo series by clicking here.
Related Posts
-
Emma – Blackbird PR
-
William Ross
-
Neha – Playfair Visa and Migration Services
-
Dominique Rizzo: What I learnt about my cultural heritage
-
Why cultural diversity is an important workplace conversation
-
Arq Group
-
Matthew – Yoghurt Digital
-
Centre for Multicultural Youth
-
Australia Post – 10 year participant and major supporter
-
What’s your favourite food?
-
What does food mean to you?
-
What’s in your pantry?
-
Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs, QLD
-
Joe – Yoghurt Digital
-
Tammy – Playfair Visa and Migration Services
-
Krisztina – Reach Out
-
Chung Jae Lee: My Korean heritage
-
What makes Australian food culture so diverse?
-
Australian Taxation Office
-
Cristina – Playfair Visa and Migration Services
-
A Taste of Harmony at Harding Martin
-
City of Whittlesea
-
How many cuisines have you eaten in your life?
-
4 reasons to introduce A Taste of Harmony to your workplace
-
How a garden in a Brighton backyard is connecting cultures
-
Gilad – Yoghurt Digital
-
Carly Day: Learning more about my cultural background
-
Caring about cultural diversity – AutoCare Services
-
Newmont
-
Multiculturalism a key ingredient of Melbourne’s ‘happy cafe’
-
Junnan – Yoghurt Digital
-
Mckenzie – Yoghurt Digital
-
Phoebe – Playfair Visa and Migration Services
-
What did you eat today?
-
Pride in Diversity for Major Hotel Group – Accor Hotels
-
Why your workplace should celebrate A Taste of Harmony
-
A workplace champion for harmony – Department of Human Services
-
Petra – Playfair Visa and Migration Services
-
How entrepreneurship enables economic independence for migrant women
-
Maxine – Reach Out
-
ASF Audit’s first A Taste of Harmony celebration
-
What is Australian cuisine?
-
Sally – Blackbird PR
-
Angel – Reach Out
-
A Taste of Harmony brings ‘Besties’ together – Best and Less
-
Kristin – Playfair Visa and Migration Services
-
Melissa Leong – Learning more about my cultural heritage
-
Metro South Health
-
Flourish Australia leads by example, and wins a visit by Celebrity Chef, Fast Ed!
-
Cultural cuisines you may never have tried (and should!)
-
Who makes the best desserts?
-
Tessa – Reach Out
-
Fast Ed’s A Taste of Harmony Photo Series
-
How does your heritage affect what you eat?
-
Mitchell – Reach Out
-
Dave – Reach Out
-
Sukaina – Playfair Visa and Migration Services
-
Samantha – Playfair Visa and Migration Services