The Case of 1989 Emigres from Bulgaria in Tekirdağ

This article examines the social integration of ethnic Turks, who were forced to migrate from Bulgaria to Turkey in the summer of 1989, within the framework of migration and settlement in Turkey, the efforts to find job, and the experiences of "building life" and survival strategies in Turkey. It is based on a qualitative research about the migration and integration of the ethnic Turks of Bulgaria and Ahiska (Meskethian) Turks. The article has two arguments: first, one of the major ways to understand what migrants experience while migrating and settling afterwards is to examine how they see and narrate the process of migration; and second, the concept of integration is insufficient in explaining what migrants experience after migrating. The 1989 emigres put emphasis on "starting from zero" and "building life". When they came to Turkey, they were faced with many hardships. Yet, they "built a life" in their "homeland" and this is much more than settling. They continued their lives in Turkey where they felt free and secure and where they belonged. It was difficult and some of the emigres were disappointed however they were happy to come.