Job Discussion Forums

[Mahn]

I know this a bit of a long shot, but doesn't anyone know anything about job opportunities or schools in Turkmenistan? I know it's a notoriously difficult country to get into, but I've already lived and travelled around Central Asia and there's just something about the place that interests me.

I've been looking around, but I can't find much other than international schools (which I'm probably under-qualified for), and volunteer opportunities (which I don't really have the money for). Surely there must be a at least one or two private language schools in Ashgabat?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[expatella_girl]

You are one serious mad adventuring EFL teacher.

This may be the first post here I've ever seen anyone ask about Turkmenistan?

You mention international schools which surprises me, I wouldn't have expected there to even be an international school in Ashgabat.

Very closed off country. I haven't been there but my husband was sent there by his company for a couple of weeks in, maybe 2006-2007.

Money was a big problem. There is [was] no currency exchange of any kind possible in Turkmenistan, no western currencies could be used or converted, and there were no ATM's. He stayed in a hotel paid for by the company and I believe he took with him all the Russian rubles he expected to need during the stay as he would not be able to access cash in any way once he was there. Wire transfers were not possible. Needless to say credit cards are useless....

And he went there with a ton of company support, visa support, arranged for and paid hotel, everything.

This is a very tightly controlled xenophobic country. I think just getting a tourist visa would be a major undertaking.

If there is a tougher nut to crack than Turkmenistan, I don't know where it is.

Keep us updated. Crazy idea but maybe you can find a way to pull it off. Who knows?