September 20, 2005

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

This was a popular game show a couple of years back in the Philippines and around the globe. Being here in Istanbul, I couldn't help but think again of this game. If this show was held here in Turkey before January of 2005, for sure no one will want to participate. Do you want to know why?

Look at the old Turkish currency --> the Turkish Lira.

As you can see and count the zeroes in each currency, you will notice that the money goes by the millions! The smallest amount in paper is one hundred thousand Turkish Lira ( 100,000) which is equivalent to approximately 8 cents. The first time I got here, I was so confused counting all the zeroes in their money. Since I was not acquainted with this kind of currency I always panic when I pay. One time, I went to an "Eczane" or pharmacy and bought a nail polish remover. I was thinking it would be less than five milyon lira so I gave the guy my five milyon lira. He started speaking in Turkish telling me something obviously I couldn't understand that I ended up paying by credit card instead. When I got home I realized what he was telling me. The item I bought costs 1.50 YTL or 1.5 milyon lira but I gave him 50 milyon not 5. He was asking if I had a smaller bill but since we couldn't understand each other and I was panicking I ended up using my credit card to pay for approximately one US Dollar!

Ahhh the joys of discovering things! Good thing, Turkey just implemented the New Turkish Lira or what they call Yeni Turkish Lira which got rid of all the zeroes in the money. The old ten milyon lira is now just Ten Lira and the five hundred thousand is simplified into 50 cents. Easier, no? Imagine working in a bank here with all those old system of currency. You go by the billions counting money! Whew!

For the first time in my life I am millionaire here in Turkey (through their money) together with the rest of the population. The thing is, I am just a mere millionaire in a billionaire's lair..

So now, who wants to be a millionaire here in Turkey? Be my guest...

*Photos of the YTL are snippets from Turkey Travel Planner.

Posted by duke at 9/20/2005 09:23:00 PM

16 Comments:

Analyse said...: Now you give me an idea, i was long wondering how it feels to be a millionaire hehe...makabisita nga dyan one day..or is that YTL already implemented? sayang, late na yata ako a..; 9/20/2005 06:55:00 PM
Anonymous said...: This is a good piece of information.

You are right, no one would participate.

The title should be change to "Who wants to be a trillionaire". to attract contestants.; 9/20/2005 10:03:00 PM
Anonymous said...: haha..at least kahit sa panaginip naging milyonary :) pwede bang ipang stuffing sa unan yan? feeling lang naman, hehe; 9/20/2005 10:56:00 PM
Anonymous said...: OMG how funny it is to find your post similar to mine after hitting my "published" button and clicked yours.

I'm talking about Game Ka Na Ba?

Hahaha. What's in the word again?

I wanna be a multi-million dollar person. How I wish.; 9/21/2005 01:14:00 AM
JO said...: wow! I used to collect different currencies from different countries... maganda siguro i-add ang 100,000 Turkish Lira to my collection or even the 10 million lira! :-) Para na akong milyonario na hindi pala...; 9/21/2005 03:06:00 AM
duke said...: ana- the YTL is implemented but the old one is still in circulation! punta ka dito at you will know how it feels to be a millionaire. Your transactions will always be in millions :)

rolly- thank you for passing by my site!

True. If that would be the title I am sure people here will be more willing to participate :)

sunshine - puede no? puede mong sabihin na milyonaryo ka dito sa turkey :); 9/21/2005 10:47:00 AM
duke said...: knoizki- hahahaha!how interesting naman!
come over here and know hot it feels to have "millions" hehehehe...

jo -really? you collect? my aunt used to do this as well. that's an exciting hobby. You need to force yourself to go and visit different countries... hehehehe; 9/21/2005 10:50:00 AM
Anonymous said...: wow. if only i had the psychic power to turn the Turkish lira currency to dollars or euros... hehehe. it's a bit like that in japan too, right? must be surreal to pay for a Mcdo meal --- "that'll be 5 million, ma'am..." hehehe!
-kala; 9/21/2005 01:37:00 PM
Anonymous said...: oisttt pautang!; 9/21/2005 03:24:00 PM
Dr. Emer said...: Mabuti naman at mas madali na ngayon. :); 9/22/2005 02:28:00 AM
JO said...: Hi Duke,

Actually I'm not a "traveller", i started my collection from my penpals (in the 80s) all around the world... I would send them our P2 or P5 bill and they would in turn send me the smallest bill they have... madami dami din ang naipon ko and I still have all of them.; 9/22/2005 04:05:00 AM
dreaming-neko said...: you guys sure have a lot of different bills! go millionaire :0; 9/22/2005 08:14:00 AM
silentmode_v2 said...: hi duke!

naranasan ko rin maging millionaire when i was in iran. just like turkey's currency, iran has a lot of zeros in their money...and the cost of a mobile phone there is also millions! :); 9/22/2005 04:39:00 PM
Abaniko said...: interesting stuff. i'm curious why they had it that way before. it's easy to assume that in your place you may have a quadrillionaire. hehe

(cut and pasted from your tagboard. hehe); 9/22/2005 07:34:00 PM
duke said...: hey isay- I actually do that in my first few months here. First I convert to USD then to HKD then to Philippine Peso! My gosh! I got so confused I ended up not wanting to buy anything!

kala- so true! If only we have that power ( wishing and hoping lol)

knoizki- sure .. puede na 1 million YTL?

doc emer- at least now it's better but the old ones are still in circulation so sometimes I get confused still, counting the zeroes ;); 9/23/2005 11:18:00 AM
duke said...: hey Jo!

How nice naman? di ba mabigat yung mga coins sa mail?

neko- we sure do!feels weird to be called a (pseudo)millionaire!

hello Jeff! it gets confusing at some point, no? I bought groceries and neede to pay 50 milyon! jeez!

abaniko - this I do not know.. hmmmnn. that is an interesting thing to research. The business reports here in turkey normally has figures that are in hundred millions and above.. so surreal!; 9/23/2005 11:23:00 AM

Confessions of an Expat's Wife

September 20, 2005

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

16 Comments:

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