Mosaic making vacation in Turkey

Planet

To protect the environment we:
- Reduce as much waste as possible, avoid buying styrofoam or plastics and use recyclable products whenever possible
- Have solar panels to produce hot water
- Use environmental-friendly products: cleaning products, dishwasher tablets, soap, shower gel, shampoo...
- Ask guests to use the ceiling fans rather than the aircon and to make sure to turn them off when leaving the room
- Ask guests to consider the environment and water waste when using towels and bed linen
- Mattresses are made from bamboo or aloe vera fibres
- Most of the food is seasonal, very fresh, locally grown and organic
- Have a lovely garden full of flowers and fruit trees: lemons, oranges, peaches, apricots, avocados, bananas to name a few - all organically grown
- The garden has no lawn; it has natural stone pebbles and we have our own underground water source for watering the whole garden
- Don't own a car and get around on foot or by bike. For longer distances we use public transport or our local taxi
- Participate in beach and forest clean-ups with volunteers in the area
- Regularly donate to the Sea Turtle Sanctuary on Iztuzu Beach (Dalyan) and several times a year we help release recovered sea turtles back into the sea
Last but not least:
- Mosaic is one of the oldest and most sustainable art forms in the world

Unfortunately, protecting the environment in Turkey lacks behind Europe, although things are improving slowly. By encouraging local people to follow the above, we try to make them more aware so that they too can start to make a difference.

People

To support the community we:
- Employ local cleaners, gardeners and local businesses and no longer own a car = we use local taxi drivers
- Buy fresh food from local people, who grow their own produce
- Buy fish from the local fish market (we don't eat farmed fish!) and honey directly from the beekeeper
- Help harvesting the olives with the local people, take them to the press and then buy our freshly pressed olive oil there

I strongly believe that when living in another country it is imperative to learn the language and integrate into the population. Turkish people are very appreciative and honoured that as a foreigner you want to become part of their community. They welcome you and enjoy sharing their homes and their lives with you. My friends and neighbours are mostly Turkish. From weddings to funerals, social and religious events – I have been part of them.
I share this experience with my guests so that they feel part of it too.

During winter, the village council in Gocek gives us a meeting room where local women meet twice a week to make local crafts; mainly knitting & crochet. Some of them also make mosaics with me. My goal is to create a large mosaic together with local people that will be sponsored by local businesses and installed in the village square. A lasting and beautiful memory to all of us and donations will go to a local cause.