AFYONKARAHISAR (AA) - "Emirdag 9, Ankara 200, Berlin 2579, Copenhagen 2953, Brussels 3089, Amsterdam 3134, Paris 3222 km," writes a sign posted at the entrance of the village of Karacalar in the Turkish district of Emirdag.
Ali Nurettin Sahbaz, the mukhtar (head) of the village, told an AA reporter that at least one person from each family in the village lives abroad and the population of the village jumps from 250-300 in winter to 1,500-2,000 in summer.
"A young villager living in the Netherlands suggested that we put up a sign at the village entrance which shows the distance between the village and the various cities villagers have emigrated to. We thought it was a neat idea and put up the sign. It drew a lot of attention from people. The current sign has worn out though, so we will make a new one and add more cities," Sahbaz said.
Sahbaz also talked about projects they had in mind to reverse the emigration trend and encourage people to move back.
"We have a big reputation for growing grapes, and we aim to promote this business in order to encourage expat villagers to move back. There is a lot of money in this business. Much more than what they would earn abroad. Living conditions in other countries are not what they used to be. Most people have a hard time living on their income. We would like to reverse the migration trend both for our children and the future generations, and to preserve our own culture and traditions," he explained.
Sahbaz also said they built a co-op in the village to provide living spaces for fellow villagers living abroad.
by Mustafa Gungor
englishnews@aa.com.tr
