We are supporting our family budget by selling our own hand-made products to the boaters at the Göcek marina with my sister-in-law Rabia.
Women's jobs are much harder at sea, but life has always been a struggle for me. We are from Kaleköy. I graduated from middle school. My family isn't wealthy, and because of that, I couldn't continue schooling. When I was a student, I had worked every summer, in fact all of our family members were working. My daughter is 11 years old; she is a fifth grader. My son goes to kindergarten. My boy doesn't like school; he always make up excuses to not to do his homework, which I think is typical man behavior, but my girl is a hard-worker, and I think she will gladly continue schooling. I wish my daughter could have a job that will make her happy. Money doesn't mean happiness.
My husband has a greenhouse at Demre, Antalya. He is working there with the children. They come here at summertime and return to Antalya when the schools start. Once, there was citrus; now everybody turned to greenhousing - they grow tomato and pepper plants.
I want to keep up with the changes of life. Now everybody could know almost anything, thanks to technology. I don't want to be in poverty, I want a better life for my children. I don't want too much, the standard level is more than enough for us, but we have to work very hard for it.
We make embroideries and sew them onto various fabrics. Every night, we complete colors and missing patterns, and in the daytime, we sell our products by docking the tourist boats with our caique. They are very interested, especially the women. I like my job. My husband also supports me.
Dilek Gökbelen, Entrepreneur, Boat shop owner
Göcek, Muğla, 21 September 2018