If you’ve decided to start a new life in Turkey, you might be experiencing mixed emotions. You’ll be excited about your adventure, of course. You’re looking forward to settling into your own home in Antalya and embracing the Mediterranean lifestyle.

But it’s also natural to have a few anxieties. It takes a while to adapt to a new culture, and you’re bound to miss friends and family back home. First, don’t set yourself unreasonable expectations. Give yourself time to settle. Second, embrace the help technology can give you. A few well-chosen apps for your smartphone or tablet can make a world of difference – try these to start with.

1. Google Translate

Unless you have a decent level of Turkish before you move, a translation app is vital. Google Translate has its critics, and it’s true it’s not the best when it comes to longer sentences. To be fair, though, the same can be said of many other translation apps.

For short phrases and the key words you need, however, it’s fine. It’ll help you work out your shopping list, understand road signs, ask directions, and generally make life easier.

2. Skype, Facetime and/or Zoom

Video calls are a great way to keep in touch with friends and family back home. Which one you choose will depend on whether you’re an Apple or android fan. All three support group calls, so they’re ideal if you want to talk to multiple people in different locations at the same time.

3. WhatsApp

You can call any other WhatsApp user free of charge wherever they are in the world – you just need to be on wifi or using cellular data. There’s also a text chat or video call function, and you can set up groups too. It has been in the news recently due to a privacy policy update and some users have decided to jump ship; however, in our view it remains one of the best and easiest to use communication apps. Alternatively, you could look at Skype – as well as free calls between Skype users, call charges to other numbers – even those overseas – are very low.

4. Xe.com

If you regularly need to move currency between your home country and Turkish bank accounts – or vice versa – then a foreign exchange service such as Xe.com tends to work out cheaper than a bank transfer. Xe.com offers a slightly lower rate than some other popular services, such as TransferWise, but the upside is there are no fees. The app also includes a handy currency converters.

5. Browsec

A good VPN is important if you’ve decided to buy property in Antalya and make your home in Turkey. Television stations often can’t be viewed outside their own country, for example, or occasionally websites may be blocked. With a VPN – or virtual private network – you can appear to be in a different country while relaxing on the balcony of your luxury sea view penthouse in Kalkan!

There are many different VPNs, free and paid-for. Some are blocked by certain broadcasters, while others are incompatible with specific anti-virus software, so do your research before splashing out. Browsec has a free option but upgrading is inexpensive and gains you access to faster servers – which means less buffering.

6. Duolingo

If you’re going to live in Turkey permanently, you’ll want to get to grips with the language. Duolingo breaks learning down into different topics with bite-size lessons – so it’s easy to dip in and out when you have a spare ten minutes. There are five levels to work through in each topic, as well as practice options, and the app tailors lessons to suit your learning style.

7. Facebook

Even if you’re not a fan of social media, Facebook is one of the best ways to connect quickly with businesses and other expats in Antalya. There are numerous groups where you can seek advice, find services and share information – all invaluable when you first arrive. You’ll find discussions on everything from the best places to eat out to the most effective way to treat mosquito bites – and likely make new friends at the same time.

8. Skyscanner

Planning trips home can be expensive, so if you’re on a budget make Skyscanner your first port of call. Enter your starting point, destination and travel dates, and the app will list pretty much all available flights. You can filter by price, ticket type and whether you want a direct or multi-stop flight.

9. Moonpig

It can be more difficult to send cards and gifts when you live overseas, so online shopping is your friend here. As well as a wide selection of editable cards, you can create your own using personal photographs and images. Moonpig also offers a selection of general gifts, such as chocolates or flowers, so it’s a useful one-stop shop.

Can we help you?

If you’d like more information on buying property in Antalya, then please get in touch to talk about your options. Our team has vast experience in buying and selling Turkish real estate and is happy to help. You can also view our current portfolio of properties for sale on the Turquoise Coast here.