Job Discussion Forums

[chokdee]

Hi to all you EFL teachers with experience living in Turkey,

I am considering a position in Istanbul. My daughter will have just turned 1 year old when the contract starts. The last time I taught overseas it was just my husband and I--and it was so easy!!! With a kid in the mix, there is a lot more to think about that I never thought about before when considering a position: safety, good and affordable childcare, parks, availability of diapers/baby food/baby products, baby-friendly housing and transportation, etc. etc.

Also, for my last job I had one backpack and suitcase for my clothes/personal items and one suitcase for teaching materials. Now, we sure don't travel light anymore. There are strollers, sippy cups, toys, and books and the girl sure has lots of little outfits. Do positions in Turkey usually offer some sort of shipping allowance? I sure didn't have any sort of shipping allowance in Thailand (but of course I didn't need one either!)

What is the general attitude about children? Are they welcome in restaurants? Are there green spaces and places for children to run around? In Thailand, people were so thrilled with babies and children and extra-friendly and helpful to teachers or travelers with children. Children were welcome everywhere. They really rolled out the red carpet...

As for my husband, do you think he will have any luck doing some private tutoring? Are there any visa issues with this?

Thank you for reading the post. I really appreciate any information!

[Mike_2003]

Hello,

Turks are generally very kind towards children, probably in a similar way to Thais. Kids are normally accepted in most places without resentment.

However, the city isn't really geared towards children. Pavements are mountainous and there are a lot of steps and stairs. Many apartment blocks don't have lifts, so bear that in mind when flat hunting. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be lugging a kid, a pushchair and three bags of shopping up four flights of stairs every day! Parks are very thin on the ground although you do find many small children's play areas (but these are often rife with filth).

Your husband could easily find private tutoring although I'm not aware of any visa for this.

Regards,
Mike

[refazenda]

In the same vein, are there other cities that are better for children? What about Izmir, Izmit, and Ankara? Are they more child-friendly than Istanbul? What is daycare like in these areas? Again, any answers would be greatly appreciated.

I am glad to see another woman whose husband and child are following her! I'm not alone!!

refazenda

[FGT]

As far as Izmir is concerned, read as above.
Turks love children but the system isn't there to make life easy for a parent.

[JM]

I hope the school you are going to pays a lot of money, because with a non-working partner and child, you are going to have a very difficult time making ends meet in Istanbul. Baby stuff (clothes, formula etc) isn't cheap...the innoculations and routine health checks will also cost a fortune and are unlikely to be covered under any insurance scheme your prospective employer will offer. And Istanbul is very expensive: I'm talking about rent (mine has gone up by �100 a month in 2 years%) and utilities. I'm not trying to be negative, but it will be a struggle. I hope it works out for you

[chokdee]

JM,
Thank you for the reality--this is the kind of thing I need to know BEFORE going. I appreciate it...perhaps Istanbul is not the best place for us right now.

[scot47]

I too query the possibility of supporting two adults and an infant on one EFL teacher's salary. One of my main concerns would be health care. Who is going to pick up the bill for health treatment for your non-employed spouse and for the infant ?

Better to think about these things now and not six months down the line when you find that you can't afford the treatment that one of you needs.