Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

WHere, Oh Where SHould I go?

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Turkey
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
lclaroche



Joined: 16 Jun 2003
Posts: 21
Location: Seattle, USA

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 2:43 am    Post subject: WHere, Oh Where SHould I go? Reply with quote

So, I'm going to push this escapist fantasy that's been developing in my head about running away and teaching in Turkey a little too far...

THe questio is now, where should I go?

I'm an experienced teacher, both ESL and veteran of the American public school system (yes, THAT American public school system!). I'm an 'active internationalist' of sorts, linguist by training, well traveled, speak several languages, etc.

IF I were to go Turkey for a short spell, where do y'all suggest I go?

(Follow-up to that: I have friends/former students in the Caucauses and Central Asia- and have an interest in 'traditional communities'- should I consider Eastern Turkey and where?)

Thanks!

CL
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
SweetOne



Joined: 19 Jul 2003
Posts: 109

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 6:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will be going to Konya. It is the most conservative city in the country, but I am offered a pretty decent job and will go on a bit of faith. Worst case scenario: It is horrible and unpleasant, but I will have arrived in the country with my work visa, permit, etc., and can then look for work in other cities, after my contract is expired. A lot of people have suggested Izmir (a beautiful place) and Kayseri (spelling?). Eventually, I will go to those places and check them out. Hopefully, yaramaz, richard ame and I think scot47 will see this post soon and be of more service. They have the most experience and are VERY helpful and knowledgeable.
Very Happy

It might also be a good idea (if you have the money, time, etc.) to take a trip over there, first. I backpacked all over the place in September and fell in love with the everything Turkish. Well, not EVERYTHING Embarassed but most all of it. Wink This is why I am a bit confident that I will not have a culture-shock-like experience and will be happy.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gelin



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 144
Location: Istanbul, Turkey

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 1:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really think that you need to decide why you're going and what you're looking for. This may sound like a fairly obvious question, but a lot of people don't really think about it. If you're in it for strictly culture and you're not adverse to something way different, then the east is the way to go. I must strongly warn you, however, that you will be in for culture shock, no matter how much you think you won't. I have lived in Turkey for 10 years and I know I would experience it if I were to go.

Another question is how much money and what degree of comfort you're looking for. Obviously you need money to live on, but how well is an important thing to think about. There's more money to be made in the bigger cities, of course.

You also must look at your credentials to see what positions are available to you. If you don't have an undergraduate degree in English, along with a teaching certificate, then you probably have to look at language schools. What age groups would you like to teach, etc.?

Lots of questions to answer and then we can give you more of a directed response.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
lclaroche



Joined: 16 Jun 2003
Posts: 21
Location: Seattle, USA

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 2:41 am    Post subject: The plot thickens Reply with quote

thanks for the replies, and your questions are fair enough.

First, the easiest: I have a BA in Linguistics, and ESL certificate, and nearly 6 years teaching experience (most of it in the US, non-ESL).

As for cultural shock, I'm very well traveled and have visited some fairly 'extreme' places, but I'll take your word that I'm not prepared. Having said that, I'm up for a challenge!

As for comfort level, where I live teachers are paid relatively very, very low. The last job abroad I took was in Cuba cause with housing paid, I figured it was worth the 'pay cut' (it was!). It was pretty rough living, albeit of the tropical, post-soviet kind (unfurnished apts in big ugly concrete buildings with sporatic electricity and water and little relief of the outside elements).

As for pay, if I take home more than $600/mo (that's after rent and basic food) I'm doing better than I am here in the US! (I wish that were an exaggeration, but it's not!)

So, genie, where does that put me?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Judging by your past work experience and travel stamina, I'd say Turkey'd be a blast for you. Qualified teachers can make pretty good money by Turkish standards at the private k-12s. I know one woman at the TED in Ankara who clears 3 billion TL/month with free housing (it's about 1.6 million lira to the US$). I earn half that and very live well in Kayseri, which is in central Anatolia. In spite of the conservative nature of my city, I like living there because it isn't at all touristy. I like Istanbul and Antalya and all the beautiful coastline... but I don't know if I could live there full time. Every time I travelled around the more touristy areas I felt targeted as a tourist, as a rich yabanci. Where I live, I'm one of the few foreigners around. We are treated kindly and with good humour. We are often invited to dinner, to tea, to meet family, etc. Everyone knows who I am, where I work, and they know I'm not just passing through. This is a hugely important fact. Even the tourist haven of Cappadocia empties out from October till late April, and you are given a chance to actually befriend the people there because they don't just look at you with dollar signs in their eyes. I have a rich social life in my region of Turkey. I do, however, miss the bars and cafes of Istanbul...but I don't miss being hassled constantly and I don't miss the crowds and the rush and the traffic.

It really depends on what you enjoy, what you want, and what you will put up with. Turkey is a very rewarding country if you approach it with an open mind and an adventurous step...

O, and SweetOne, let me know how Konya turns out. Which school are you going to? I know one of the English teachers at the TED there. Lovely woman from NZ.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
lclaroche



Joined: 16 Jun 2003
Posts: 21
Location: Seattle, USA

PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 3:55 am    Post subject: getting closer... Reply with quote

Yes, you sorta got me figured all out. I forgot to mention my high abhorance of tourist-drenched locales. I much prefer to be the only foreigner in a large radius (yeah yeah yeah, don't we all...). So, thanks for the heads up on the tourist scene in Turkey. But now that we got THAT figured out, where exactly do I go? Are there small places not too far from a beach that needs EFL teachers?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 5:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Try Tarsus American College, in the South near Mersin. They have a good reputation, and a friend of mine works for them. The beaches are nice in that area but Tarsus is a bit off the beaten track. Also, try Nevsehir in Cappadocia (no beach but beautiful area anyway)- they have a private k-12 there but the name escapes me. An Aussie woman called Claire works there with only a BA and TEFL. I'm not sure where else to recommend as I'm not sure where there are schools that hire foreigners... and I don't know if they are good schools. There tend to be far more options in the big centers, obviously. There are several in Antalya and thereabouts but Antalya kind of annoys me, with its prices listed in Euro, etc. There are TED Kolejis (private k-12s that often hire foreigners, faily good reputations- I teach at one) in the following seaside areas: Istanbul, Bursa, Manisa and Aydin (Aegean), Zonguldak and Eredli (Black Sea), and several inland at Ankara, Afyon, Isparta, Konya, Malatya, Batman and Kayseri. They all have websites so just Google TED Koleji and the name.

Good luck!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gelin



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 144
Location: Istanbul, Turkey

PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unless Tarsus has cleaned up their act, I would steer clear.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you mean the school or the town? My friend says she's had a lovely time there. Did you used to work there? What did they do??
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gelin



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 144
Location: Istanbul, Turkey

PostPosted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm talking Tarsus American. There has been a lot of trouble with the newer administration and how they take the students' "side" of things and that the students run the show there. I have not worked there, but have known people who have and were not at all pleased. There was a big turnover several years ago. If there are current employees who have a different story to tell, then by all means, do. The school used to be one of the best in Turkey and it's a shame for it to fall from its grace. Tarsus, the city, is lovely, but hotttttttt and close to the Adana/U.S. military installation.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
richard ame



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 319
Location: Republic of Turkey

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2003 7:51 am    Post subject: Where to go Reply with quote

Hi Lc

I don't know if you made a decision on your place to teach yet so perhaps my two pence worth may be too late or not .
When I first arrived in Izmir I and my good lady were shipped out to aplace about 80miles away called Salihli, It is a bit if a backwater but not remote and we were the only foreign teachers of English in the area as a result we had plenty of work and made quite a few good long lasting friendships we drop by every once in a while and rekindle old memories . Anyway I know this is an area starved of language teachers as I'm always asked if I can find someone to live and work there for an indefinite time, we were there for a year and well it was great experience for us we learnt a lot about our craft and it stood us in good stead when we decided to move to the city. You may want to consider this option there are very few tourists but your are only 2 hours away by coach from Izmir,the air is clean and the food and water are excellent and imho the hospitality of the people is unsurpassed . If you want any more gen sent me a pm and I'll pass on more about what I know . Salihli is in a province called Manisa btw.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Turkey All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China