European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 12, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Kept secret rce these Days events in Libya and Iran have changed things he said. And the air Force is spending a lot of Money on the base. Virtually every facility on base has been the furbished or is being rebuilt housing once mostly trailers is now More like a Well so do Southern California suburb. About 800 o the base s 950 houses arc less than 3 years old. There s a lot of interest in this part of the world  s a whole new locus on South Asia Ferris says. In Ciurlik has done a turnaround. The air Force is Here i to stay the United Stales government is Here to stay " hardships area thing of the past according to pc Opte stationed at the base the commissary shelves Are locked. The base Exchange is Small but the shelves stay full altitudes Are changing Ferris said it s showing in the number of people electing to bring their families in the 1970s, about 30 per cell of those with families brought hem to Turkey he said now. 80 percent Are hiking accompanied hours in Turkey. He has a reason Tor the other 20 percent they i Don t listen to the right people they Don l get Iho fight word. They make a big mistake. This will be one of the assignments they la to their grandchildren  he wants people to bring their families and take the longer Tours the end result will to a payoff in the operational ". Mission he said. Because of the Short Tours we gel too much turnover. It Puls a higher demand on our Mission. I m trying to encourage folks trying to Lei the world know that is is the Best kept secret in the if Force. I want them to sign up Lor the accompanied tour. It s a great place to live and work i want them to bring their  . Ien live High Jse living in Turkey and he thinks it s because they Don t get off the base. That s what s making their hours so bad said Kelley. A Hospital worker if i stayed in the dorm i d probably hate it  there s an advantage to living in a big live bedroom apartment instead of a dorm. Parlin Down is great Laura said you can gel a Boatload of people Here and not be cramped Tor space the five Are taking advantage of one of the biggest bonuses of an assignment to Turkey the Dollar is Strong and gelling stronger rents when paid in turkish lire decline As the lira declines. The same goes for everything bought on the turkish Economy at five say they re saving Money Reidy who works in the dental clinic at in Ciurlik a. Said he s living the Lite people who told him about Turkey said he would t be living they told me i d be living in quonset huts he said. Since he s lived in the Elmo do area of Adana however he has a hard Lime finding any horses and buggies and All thru dirt roads he was told about there Are a lot of other myths that Reidy and his roommates have found out weren t Irue. They say it s not dangerous outside the Gates of the base. I eel More secure in downtown Adana than i do in some pans of the United states he said. And they venture out More they say because they Are away from the base one Day we drove to the syrian Border just Lor something to do Reidy said. We took pictures of it and  . Items at Copper and in a Are especially reasonable in Turkey and popular Ritt american shoppers. Rising Dollar brings big bargains f f love the dust and the Dirl Johnnie Aldrich said As she walked i Hough a sweltering storeroom in Adana. Turkey. Along rows of duly Jam packed ceiling High shelves. Aldrich browses amid the Maze of brass Copper and Meerschaum pipes. It s an almost dreamy sue. Sparkling Gold and Orangis metals gleam in the sunlight that streams in from the outside. T a. Some say. Is the Lulf that makes an assignment in Turkey such an All action Lor americans. Ii is pure economics. There s no doubt about in. It s cheap. The better word is inexpensive. In a place where the Dollar is More often rising than falling against the nation s currency. Americans have a Chance to live Well and in you re like Aldrich a univer isly o Maryland instructor. You can collect some Beautiful works of Art for at american standards next to nothing. It s absolutely unbelievable said Aldrich who has a doctorate degree in Spanish literature a master s in English literature and a life in Turkey Aldrich said her interest in history and archaeology helps to keep her in Turkey she likes the people Loo. She has t lived in the untied slates since 1963. Many who Are stationed at or visit the bases in Turkey leave Wilh brass Gold Onyx leather Meerschaum pipes Copper and quite possibly a turkish Rug or two. They be probably eaten their fair share of five course meals at a fast food Price. Aldrich has lived in Adana. The nearest City to the in Ciurlik base since 1978 she is an expert on the specialities of Turkey and has even written a guide to buying turkish Copper. What should the american visiting Turkey buy ii trends Ore anything to go by brass Shepherd s lamps. One of Aldrich s friends big John  a. Kcal Dat Kimis a Turk who runs one of a couple dozen shops just outside the base in a place nicknamed the  John Sells some 60 of the lamps a week. The brass fixtures come in All shapes and sizes and average about $10 to $30. There in t much in Turkey that in t inexpensive. Americans Wilh Strong dollars in hand can live As they say High on the hog in this Mediterranean country. Some examples Gold Many people buy Gold but they should remember to compare prices. Much of what s in the shop windows is 14-Caral Gold not the More expensive 18-Caral variety. The Gold dealers in Turkey will weigh the jewelry and Bass the soiling Price on Hal Day s Market Price of Gold. Rugs turkish rugs Are always a bargain. They sell in the Stales Lor double and some say up to 10 limes the Price. Aldrich said handmade rugs will last forever. The machine made Lype generally More colourful and the holiest Selling Are cheaper. Shoppers should inspect the handmade rugs carefully looking for slight imperfections which indicate the rugs Are made by hand she advised. Brass inexpensive labor and materials mined in the Eastern Region of Turkey make in a steal. Copper beautifully designed plates pots and functional cookware at a fraction of any european or american Price Pistachios a kilogram 2.2 pounds of Pistachio nuts Sells for $6 to $10, depending on the Quality a 2.5-ounce can Sells for about $3 to s3 in Iho  stores. Fruits and vegetables for those stationed in the country. Turkish fruits and vegetables Are perhaps one of the Best ways to keep the Amity Tood budget Down indeed when american families living downtown run into financial problems the first remedy usually prescribed by financial Counselor is to Start buying More of their groceries from the markets in town. A kilogram of tomatoes in an open air Market will run about 1 scents. Meerschaum pipes the White Mineral Meerschaum a favorite among pipe smokers is cheap mainly because Turkey s average $ 1.300 per capita income keeps Cra Fernen s fees Down. Turkish towels if Charlee gut Helm is any guide these Are the buy of the Century. The department of defense dependents schools teacher has purchased about 60 turkish Lowel Bath Robes since she s been in Turkey people i Don t even like gel them from  she said. The $15 Robes Aren t the same Quality you d gel in the Stales Lor $80, she said but they re warm after a Shower and that is what counts. Onyx another product of mines in Central Turkey a fraction of the Price it would Cost in the . Do. The stars and stripes Page 15