Lady in Embassy cannot speak Turkish?
Friday, July 7, 2006 11:59:17 AM
The questions are;
1. What is she doing at Turkish Embassy, if she cannot help Turkish citizens?
2. Who has employed her there, if she cannot speak Turkish?
3. Why there is no Turkish greeting BEFORE another language?
4. Why do they think that I should talk at least either of Norwegian or English?
4. lots of similar questions.
Normally, when you call an Embassy, the first greeting message is in Embassy's native language. Because primary purpose of Embassy is to represent the country and help citizens living/visiting that specific foreign country. The homing country's native language can come second, which is to help that country's citizens (e.g. for visas, trading, etc). Third, if caller does not speak either of these languages, which frequently happens, then a third greeting could be in English.
I, however, will investigate above questions, as it sounds awkward. I am calling my country's Embassy, most of them are from Turkey. I do not have to speak neither Norwegian, nor English - not even to live in Norway or in another country (human rights?). Speaking Norwegian is mandatory, if you want to be a Norwegian citizen, and a foreigner has to wait for 7 years under some conditions (e.g. never leaves Norway longer than 6 months, or something like that).
I think I got a bit angry about this or I am over sensitive...








Dan Alexandrudantesoft # Monday, July 10, 2006 8:11:34 PM
From my experience, the Serbian embassy in Bucharest and the Romanian embassy in Belgrade work as you desire.
However, on both occasions, I was looking for the respective consulate service, not the embassy, so a protocol of syncing languages was required. And speaking of skilled embassy workers, the one answering the phone of the Serbian embassy in Romania didn't speak Romanian at all.
Ismailismailp # Tuesday, July 11, 2006 3:20:56 PM
I mean, for example, a Norwegian who wants to know about "family integration" or "do I need a visa to visit Turkey" can just press, 2, 4, 5 and that's it! But my question is specific to Turkish citizens, so I need a real person answering me in Turkish. On the other hand, I'm 100% sure that lady answered phone has no idea about what I am asking for, as what I was asking applies only to Turkish citizens leaving Turkey (well, Turkish citizens pay some stupid tax when leaving country for "vacation", or, say, "without official documents saying that you don't need to pay it").
When you, for example, call Norwegian Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, an IVR answers phone, first in Norsk, of course, second in Turkish. When you call Spanish "consulate general" - not Embassy, it answers first in Turkish, second in Spanish, same for French, Belgian and Italian consulates.
I don't think this has anything to do with Norwegians, but has everything to do with Ambassador of Republic of Turkey in Oslo...
Fatimahzenya # Thursday, August 10, 2006 3:20:37 AM
The have no clue, even the Egyptians who have lived in USA a long time refuse to talk to them they ask for an American ..
I know the countries in which the embassys are located allocate so many workers per embassy however, their choices of employees are way out of whack
Just my 2 cents
Fatimah