Banking on ATM

We are Americans living in Turkey for a year, and I was quite surprised when a friend handed me a Sept. 29 copy of The Times [with the article “Traveler’s Checks: Going South?” which concerned the use of traveler’s checks, ATMs and other techniques for managing money when traveling].

We’ve cashed only $200 worth of traveler’s checks since we arrived (in Athens) July 5. We are very fortunate to have an ATM in our village (although there is no bank) and use it almost exclusively. Without the ATM, we’d be relying on traveler’s checks purchased at an AMEX travel agency 28 miles away. One doesn’t want to hoard Turkish lira.

Thanks for the great Travel section. The international coverage was excellent.

RAY AND KAREN GILDEN

Gocek, Turkey