Job Discussion Forums

[jabrda]

And I have about a billion questions! :-p

While I haven't looked at every single post in the last 18 months, I have spent several hours going through the Turkish forums, and still haven't found very much of what I'm looking for . I'm kind of hoping to gather a bunch of these answers and put them in a "go-to" post so all the key information is in one place to save time for newbies. ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

What website(s) should I use to find a place to live (a room to rent)? Any advice on the parts of town to live in?

Are there any Expats in Istanbul type websites, with forums or information and events for English speaking expats?

Where is a good place to get a Turkish cellphone?

What's the deal with public transportation? Is there a long-term pass or card one can buy to reduce costs?

[misskismet]

1 Craigslist Istanbul or Couch Surfing to find a room to rent. Where you want to live depends on where you'll work. Or vice versa. A lot of teachers live in Kadikoy and then another lot in Taksim. However, there are many other nice and cheaper places.

There are facebook groups and couchsurfing groups and the Sublime Portal forum as well as others I'm not familiar with.

Get a phone from any phone shop. Phones are expensive here.

Get an Istanbul Card for public transport. If you get a "proper" teaching job at a school or university, you can get a discount card. Otherwise, not, although I do believe there are monthly passes. Hope that helps.

[wander&teach]

Two other good information web sites worth mentioning are http://www.turkeycentral.com/. (you can also look or post for a room/apt. on them) and mymerhaba.com

Basic black dial in/dial out/text phone is about 150TL plus SIM card and activation. Providers are pretty much TURKCELL and VODAPHONE. They both offer multiple calling plans and fancier models are pricey! It is a good idea to bring a Turkish speaker/local friend with you, especially if you need a phone right away and go to an official company store. You will need a residents permit to register a new phone here, although your current phone will work for a short time before it is locked out.

There are discount transport cards for all public transport available (buses & subway) which will save you a bunch if you use them daily.

[wander&teach]

Another informative Istanbul related forum is Yabangee.com