10 culture shocks from Turkey to small-town America: what still surprises me after four months
· 4 min read
I moved from the center of Izmir to White Hall, a small town in Arkansas, in the summer of 2026. Before I came, I had watched a lot of "culture shock in America" videos. Most of them were about big cities.
Small-town America is different. These are the things that surprised me most, in the order I noticed them.
1. You can turn right on a red light
In Turkey, red means stop. Here, at most lights you can turn right on red. You stop, you look, and if the road is clear, you go.
The only exception is a sign that says "No Turn on Red". If you see it, you wait.
It sounds small, but it means you almost never sit at a red light when you only want to turn right. I wish we had this in Turkey.
2. The middle lane is for turning left
This is the thing I love most about driving here. On many roads there is a lane in the middle, between the two directions. It is only for turning left.
You move into it, wait there, and turn when the other side is clear. Nobody behind you has to stop. No line, no honking.
Some lights also let you turn left on a green light without an arrow. You yield to oncoming cars and go when it is clear. If there is a green arrow, the turn is yours.
3. Everyone actually stops at stop signs
At a stop sign, people come to a full stop. Every time, even when the road is empty. At a four-way stop, cars take turns in the order they arrived.
Drivers also stop for people at crosswalks and in school zones. Coming from Turkish traffic, this was the biggest change. I wrote more about why people follow the rules here in what to do when police pull you over: police cars have radar, and they use it.
4. You buy a cup, not a drink
At Subway and many fast food places, you pay for an empty cup, about $2. Then you fill it yourself at the machine, with whatever you want, as many times as you want while you are there.
In Turkey, every glass of soda is paid for. Here, refills are normal.
5. The price on the shelf is not the price you pay
In Turkey, the price you see includes tax. Here, sales tax is added at the register. In my town it is around 9 percent.
And at a sit-down restaurant, you add a tip on top of that. This one deserves its own post: sales tax and tipping in the US for newcomers.
6. Same brand, different menu
I knew Subway from Turkey. The menu here is not the same. The breads, the cheeses, the sauces, even the way you order is different. You walk along the counter and tell them each thing you want, one by one.
Do not assume you know a brand just because it exists in Turkey.
7. Everything is a drive away
In Izmir, I walked out of the door and was at a shop in 30 seconds. Here, even Subway is a two minute drive. Nobody walks to the market. Without a car, you cannot really live in a small town. That is why buying a car was one of my first big steps.
8. The bread is sweet
This is still the hardest one. Almost everything is sweeter than in Turkey, even the bread. Four months in, I am still not used to it.
9. Wild animals live next to you
Deer come to the edge of our yard in the evening. I saw my first raccoon and my first armadillo here. Squirrels are everywhere in the park. Nobody keeps them out. You just live with them.
10. The mailbox matters
Like in the movies, you check the mailbox every day. In Turkey, we almost stopped using mail. Here, it is how important things arrive: my USCIS letters, my Social Security card and my work permit all came in the mailbox.
A reverse culture shock: Turkish food in Arkansas
Three months after I arrived, on October 3, 2026, I went to a Turkish food festival in Little Rock. It was my first Turkish event in America. Hearing Turkish music in the middle of Arkansas felt unreal.
Then I saw the prices. Manti was $10. Adana kebab was $18. Baklava was $3 to $4 a piece. I spent half the day looking for manti, and by the time I found the right stand, it was sold out.
You can find home here. It just costs more.
What I would tell someone moving from Turkey
- Read your state's driver manual early. Turning on red, the middle lane and four-way stops are all in it. I built a free practice test from the manuals at dmvexplained.com.
- Expect to add tax and tips to every price.
- Plan for a car from the first week.
- Give yourself time with the food.
More about my first weeks here: my first month in small-town Arkansas and why I love small-town life in America.
Summary
- Right on red is allowed unless a sign says no.
- The middle lane is for left turns only.
- People really stop at stop signs and crosswalks.
- At fast food places you buy a cup and refill it yourself.
- Prices do not include sales tax, and restaurants expect a tip.
- Small towns need a car, the bread is sweet, and deer are your neighbors.
Going through the same thing? If you are stuck on this step and need help, send me a message. I read every one.
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I am not a lawyer or an accountant. This is my own experience, written down as it happened. Rules change and every case is different, so check with the official source or a professional.