Job Discussion Forums

[dmb]

goodnes me. what a varied thread. One minute it's beer the next it's tampons.

Corall, you said you get into town 4 times a week. Where do you usually go? As it's summer I am normally to be found on Nevizade

[yaramaz]

I'll be rolling in to town at 23:30 on the 3rd of September, and so can go for beer any time after that...

As for what to bring. Goodness, that's a tough call-- in the past I packed for Central Anatolia where anything unTurk is very hard to find. Since you are going to Istanbul where a morediverse selection is fairly readily available I'm not sure my recommendations are valid. I usually pack unusual foodstuffs that I like: vindaloo paste, tom yum paste, Thai red and green curry, coconut milk bricks, Italian espresso, etc. Also I packed tampons- not because they arent available but rather because they cost twice as much as here in Canada (Kayseri: nine bucks for 16. Vancouver: 6 bucks for 40). It may be different in Istanbul-- Kayseri girls tended not to use tampons anyway because they are bad for your virginity. They use the aforementioned Orkids, which I've never tried so cant vouch for them.

O! And clothes--- Turkish winter boots for women tend to be pointy toed, high heeled, and slippery. You might want to bring yours if you already have a good pair. And if you have a large frame- wide shoulders or non-tubular hips/waist, you might want to bring work trousers or skirts with you. A lot of foreign women in Turkey have a hard time fitting the clothes-- Turkish women are small and narrow usually, with not much hip-waist definition. Trousers and skirts always hung loose around my waist if they fit my hips.

[corall]

yes i know dmb, beers to tampons...i have a short attention span, which is probably why i can teach kids... this is my first time in istanbul. i am so excited i can't sleep, feel like a little kid or something. i'll be in istanbul on the 19th. very fun. just looking for cheap airfare now...

gomez, so i think that you are a guy only because of the fact that you don't see the difference for a girl between tampons and pads!!! i had a little giggle about that, but it's understood. but i am greatful for all your input.

i didn't mean to make it sound like you were asking a "bad question" by the way, (the term for blacks) i was giving my reasoning, which might sound a little anti american - but it's not meant to be.

yaramaz, thanks for the heads up on stuff, sound just like korea, everyone weighs 80 lbs soaking wet and you gotta search like crazy for clothes - i will definitely be bringing boots.

[Gomez]

You got me. I knew I'd slip up on the tampon question. Another thing I thought of: you won't need much music. I brought a lot with me, but you can find copies (CD-R copies actually) of pretty much anything you'd want. I've seen everything from Frank Zappa live at Duke University to Maria Callas Arias to any House/Chill Out compilation to Roberta Flack to John Coltrane. Besiktas is good for that stuff. And you can get movies everywhere as well. We don't have as many concerts as in the US and Canada and of course Britain, but a couple weeks ago I saw Macy Gray and last year's Massive Attack was fantastic. You'll have a great time. Oh, and I guess you'll be teaching. Yeah, yeah, that work thing, right, right.

It must be exciting. Just under a month, huh? Nice. See you then.

[corall]

sounds like fun, can't wait to get there. maybe you can show me around??

27 days left til departure..no.. i'm not excited at all what ever would give you that idea?

[ash]

So, as someone else said, when is this auspicious gathering to take place? And can I come?

[Gomez]

"27 days left til departure..no.. i'm not excited at all what ever would give you that idea?"

When I was coming here I had these stomach pains that I couldn't get rid of. It was like a tightening of muscles and I couldn't breath right. I went to the doctor and he said everything was fine. "Maybe it's stress," he added. "Stress? I'm not stressed." "Are you planning anything big in the future?" "I'm moving to Turkey next week." "For work?" "No, I don't have a job yet." "So you're leaving the US, moving your entire life around the world and you have no job and not much money. Next week. And you're not stressed. Right." "I'm stressed aren't I?" "You tell me Columbus. I'd be on a rooftop with a rifle, petting it, calling it Shirley, drinking liters of Diet Rite." "Diet Rite?" "Don't laugh, it's low sodium. Anyway, get there and this stuff will go away. Or not." "Can I use that Diet Rite line?" "No. Now go."

Once I got here they went away. I found a job, I had actually saved money and I had some family here to make it easier.

[ghost]

The doctor was right about stress.

Any major change can be stressful, even if the change in life is perceived to be positive. Your body system is going to go into overdrive with anticipation, and that creates stress on the system...even though it may be positive.

When foreigners actually get to Turkey, the level of stress can go up, because the culture there (in Turkey) is quite a bit different from what we are used to. How about turning up for meetings with teachers and administrators and being kept waiting for hours at a time, all the while drinking little glasses of Turkish tea - stressful for some....especially those who like to organize their days on time lines.

People like Yaramaz, DMB and FGT have adapted well to Turkey, and are able to roll with the punches, and that has helped them to stay for a long time. Other teachers find the people and the country frustrating and irritating and do not stay, for even the length of their contract.

If you tell yourself that nothing will be perfect in your new adopted country, then you will be better able to put up with disappointments and frustrations when you meet them head on in Turkey.

Living in a country is entirely different from going there on vacation, as many teachers on this forum have found out.

[corall]

diet rite? can i use that?

i am nervous and excitied, i'm not sleeping very well. i over plan everything!

even though i am not new to living in a foreign country, i love this kind of experience though...and i am looking forward to it.

ash, of course your invited the more the merrier for sure, i'll be there in august and i'll be sure to put up a post.

so i'm not petting my rifle yet.....but give me a week...

[dmb]