Story of an Alternative Life on the Camping Site

Last spring, before we began our travel, we stopped over at the Guzelbahce camping site in Izmir and met Duygu. When we dropped by the same camping site again, we looked around for her and she was there! How nice : ) Now, Duygu is our neighbor in the camping site.

1 – Duygu, you are living in a caravan at the camping site, how long have you preferred to live here?

- First of all, I’m glad for seeing you again. This place becomes more cheerful with the neighbors like you. : ) Welcome, again. I’ve been living on this camping site for two years.

2 – Does your family agree with your lifestyle? What are their opinions? Do they visit you?

- My family lives in a different city, so, they have not visited me yet, but they respect my lifestyle.

3 – The camping site here is different from most of the ones in Europe. This camping site reminds the settlements that searching for new ways to live together in Germany. Why did you choose this kind of lifestyle?

- The most important reason for my choice is my love for the animals, warm approach of the camp manager to the animals and his tolerance for us on this issue. Unfortunately, behaviors and perspectives of people against the animals are not healthy. Whereas, our camping site is one of the exceptional facilities that accepts even one-day guests with their animals in the accommodation rooms and this situation is rarely encountered in our country. Our camp manager Ozkan Guler is an animal lover and a sensitive person. We especially adopt the helpless and handicapped animals. Our manager helps and supports us so much that he even allocated a private area for us. In short, our facility is a real animal lover and animal-friendly.
Apart from that, it is an international facility. We have the opportunity of knowing very special friends from all over the world that come by motorcycle, bicycle or caravan. Here, I meet countless interesting people and spend a different life with nature. I am really happy.

4 – By the way, you are living with your sister and your boyfriend. You are not living exactly a traditional life. Is it normalcy in your family to spend different lifestyles?

- If we use the country conditions as a base, my lifestyle is not very ordinary in my family. We can say that I am the first one.

5 – You are very open-minded person with your lifestyle in contrast with the retrogressive traditional life in Turkey. Is your lifestyle a kind of rebellion to this order?

- I describe it as an aspiration to the normal. In fact, if we evaluate with the universal measures, we are the normal ones because world progresses and advances as days pass. But, as you’ve mentioned, it can be said that it is a rebellion to the traditional life that goes back day by day. Consequently, what is universal is normal for me and in a rapidly developing world nothing can go back. Even though it looks like marginality, I say development, west and world norms, and I specify my choices in this direction.

6 – How do you earn your life? What are your expectations from the future, Duygu?

- I left my previous job without any hesitation and started to work in the camping site that I stay. I love this camp so much that I thought not to leave this place even for a job. I preferred to link up my world and job, I am very happy, I love my job, working here is as pleasurable as living here for me. In the meantime, my university education continues. For now, my expectations are to arrange my life for international travels and to visit my friends in their countries that I met here.

7 – You are living with your boyfriend and he seems okay with your lifestyle. Do you have original and different plans for the future?

- Helping to the destitute animals is our primary mutual plan for the future. Besides, we expect to enhance the camp that we live in. We hope, if it is possible, bringing several international festivals that are yearly organized in our camp.

8 – You really concern for the dogs, we know that you have a new dog in addition to your other five dogs. Why do you care about them so much?

- All of them are handicapped and destitute dogs. All six dogs that we adopted were disabled or needed to be cured of their illnesses and they were destitute. As I’ve mentioned, unfortunately, the attitude towards the animals in our country is extremely bad and the authorities are insensitive and unsuccessful on this issue. It is obvious that animals are in despair. There are scarcely any animal lovers in the country. This situation pushes us to be more sensitive. Ultimately, these animals are not being able to speak and they are poor defenseless living creatures. We have families, beloved ones, doctors, lawyers and laws, even though they protect us deficient. Yet, these creatures are lonely in this huge world. For me, this is exactly our answer.

9 – Maybe you would like to mention your ideas about the modern world. What do you think?

- Even though the modern world looks comfortable with the technological advancements, it brings huge pollution, endless risks and most importantly a stressful environment. Briefly stated, when I calculate profit and loss, I realize that what it gives is a small amount besides of what it takes. The companies talk about the environment, future and nature, they act responsibly and support countless campaigns, but they continue to manufacture huge jeeps with twelve cylinders. Celebrities, who become the faces of these campaigns, are the galvanizers of the consumption frenzy in the first place. This is the disingenuous side of the modern world for me, sorry.

10 – What’s our opinion on the pollution in Izmir? Traffic and air pollution! Did these form a basis for your denial of the urban life?

- If we consider the country-wide, Izmir is one of the lucky cities on this issue. In comparison with the other metropolises, it has even a little advantage. In other words, Izmir is the best of a bad bunch. But, the pollution in the city has a strong effect on me and my decision on staying here. Izmir already has a structure that allows immigration irregularly and the lack of substructure has made the city life more unbearable. I believe that one day all the people in the world will prefer this lifestyle because intense stress and increasing health problems will push people in this way. After all, the interest in the ecological products in the recent times, is the apparent indicator of it besides worldwide. It’s not just that, the increasing crime rates and security problems in big cities pull people in the small settlements. Day by day, people miss the past, old friendships, neighborhood relations and cooperation. Nobody feels secure completely in the metropolises.