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Tea & Bee's Milk: Our Year In A Turkish Village

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Living in a foreign country is a fantasy for most Americans, as they imagine life as ideal, easy and unique all at once. This book tells of a year of just such an adventure, as Ray and Karen Gilden discover, to their eventual pleasure, just how simple yet deeply complex is their adopted village of Gocek. In 1996 Ray and Karen Gilden decided to pack up and head for a little out of the way Turkish village called Gocek. Here is their story of the rich, yet simple pleasures of becoming a Gocek villager. Blending in yet always the careful observers they will take you from the local characters to outings in the big city, to hop-scotching around the Greek islands; from leisurely lunches to great local food; from the local paths to the beauty of the countryside. As the year goes by they discover the pace of their village as lived by seasons and not by the day or week and show you how to effortlessly fit in with them. If you've ever thought of "escaping" to some remote place, this book will certainly give you the courage and perspective to live your dream. As you near the final pages, you'll find yourself wising they'd stay a bit longer, linger just a bit more, head out to the islands just once again. It is a book you'll more than enjoy!

Have you ever dreamed of spending a year in some far-flung exotic destination? I've just recently completed an absolutely amazing 12-month epic adventure on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey; well, actually, thanks to Karen and Ray Gilden's remarkable book, "Tea & Bee's Milk: Our Year in a Turkish Village," I've experienced this journey without a visa and without ever leaving the comfort of my cushy American easy chair. But what a trip it's been!

Karen and Ray have actually pursued the big dream that most of us rarely even ponder, by taking advantage of an offer of a fully-furnished apartment in coastal Turkey for just $125 a month. Being the adventurous types they are they couldn't resist selling the house and car, quitting their jobs, and taking off on an exhilarating year-long indulgence of primal wanderlust. Along the way, they took on the task of telling their story, very carefully capturing their rich experiences in photos and in truly golden words that bring their travels and explorations to real life. They've approached their odyssey with wide-open curiosity, living and loving every moment to its fullest.

"Tea & Bee's Milk" savors all the subtle nuances, aromas, flavors, laughter, quirks, customs and culture of the Turkish people in a charming style that puts the reader right there, right now, right into all the sights, shops ("pazars"), restaurants, homes, farms, harbors, antiquities and beyond--right smack dab into the awesome middle of it all. They take great care not to insulate themselves from this exotic place, but instead, to soak it all in. Deeply. With open eyes, open minds, and open hearts.

This is an engaging book you'll want to devour on "Turkish time," or "yavas, yavas," as the Turks say. Slowly, slowly! "Tea & Bee's Milk" once again proves that, in order to genuinely experience a place, it is far better to live there than to simply travel there. And it's not just the length of their time spent, but the intimate depth--from bartering the price of an impromptu massage to luxuriating in a world-class 80-cent haircut, off in this oddly ("different country, different customs") touchy-feely land--that makes the journey all the more delightful, from one fun adventure to the next. No matter how well-stamped your passport may be, definitely read this unforgettable and authentic memoir!

What a great book. Karen's and Ray's style of writing which is so informative and yet fun makes me want to pack my bag and head for Turkey...for just a couple of weeks, though. I have thoroughly enjoyed "Tea and Bee's Milk." Dixie McCay

I just finished reading Tea & Bee's Milk. What a wonderful adventure for Karen and Ray.
If you like reading about the day to day life of 2 adventures into a foreign country for one year, this is for you. Makes me jealous that I still have to work and cannot do the same.

It's too easy to get caught up in the rat race and become consumed by the hectic life around us but Tea & Bee's Milk opens your eyes to the fact that we can be in control of our lives. That it's possible to slow down and experience the richness of life and community - even if it's in a foreign country where you don't speak the language.

This wonderfully written account of their year living in Turkey provides a mixture of humor, history, insight, and education of a different culture along with their zen-like philosophy of how to slow down and take in the world around you. It not only was a joy to read, but an eye opener to fact that if we're willing to take risks of abandoning our job security and predictability, we can be rewarded with the richness and diversity other parts of the world have to offer.

Sometimes tranquility is a reward all its own. "Tea & Bee's Milk: One Year in a Turkish Village" is a memoir of the Gildens, a couple who abandoned the hustle and bustle of American life to live in a quiet and serene Turkish village, bringing little more than the clothes on their back and a laptop computer. Detailing what it's like making such a radical change, "Tea & Bee's Milk" gives a vivid picture of Turkish life through American eyes.