Stay in My Heart is a new Youtube Turkish Drama Series. The first episode of the series tells the story of a Turkish family struggling to make ends meet because of the father’s addiction to gambling and alcohol. I chose this show because I felt it was something different, and I have never watched a Turkish show and wanted to learn more about the culture.

The show had many cultural similarities, similar to my own culture. I found that the character’s wardrobe, extracurricular activities, and food were no different than the type we would have in the United States. The architecture of the buildings was also like the buildings seen in low-income areas. The roads were also like the roads we usually drive on. People in Turkey also drove the same cars, walked, and rode bikes. They gambled, danced, drank, and partied like many adults, young and old.

I found many cultural diversities in the show, beginning with the music. Besides speaking a completely different language, the music was very different from what we usually hear on our radios in the United States. The music is very rhythmic in the wedding scene, often using violins and drums. Another cultural difference I noticed was with the architecture. Almost all the buildings in the locations had bars over the windows. The sidewalks were also elevated higher off the ground, which we won’t find around where I live.

One of the most significant cultural differences that I noticed was the roles of the family members. It may not have seemed as much of a culture shock if we were still living back in the 1950s, but we are not. Many countries still have a culture where “a women’s place is in the kitchen.” It was evident from the show that it took on a patriarchal theme where women were not equally valued. The same went for children as well. The fact that the daughter could not go to school and the brother had to help work at the market shows that women and children are in a class all their own. In the dialogue between the characters, you can see how respectable they are towards one another

The weather in the show was very similar to our falls. Many of the trees had leaves falling from them, and many of the characters wore sweaters and jackets. They enjoyed sports, gambling, dancing, singing, and listening to music which is similar in many cultures, including my own.

Stay in my heart is a great drama series for people looking to view current Turkish culture. Because the culture is very similar to our own culture, we can relate better to what is happening in the show. You can see for yourself by clicking this link.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Until next time stay tuned.

Bayta Owens