Job Discussion Forums

[Grevil]

Can someone help me please. Virtual newbie to this.
I'm planning to come to Istanbul in the next few weeks and hope to find some teaching work.
It seems that many language schools have teaching sessions in the weekday evenings.
Do the women teachers out there find it a problem getting back home after these sessions?
Is there plenty of public transport in the evenings (say at 9pm or 9.30pm) and do you feel safe travelling alone?
Are some districts okay for travelling and some not? Which are the districts to be avoided?
Is there a district/s good for both for the amount of teaching jobs likely to be available and also is a good (quiet, safe and reasonable price) place to live?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Bogazicibaby]

To start with, Turkey in general tends to be much safer than the US. I can't compare it with other countries. There are some problems in Istanbul with purse snatching and the glue sniffing boys/ boy gangs but if you're careful about watching yourself and the surroundings, there are few problems. I have't seen anything in the news lately about these problems. There was a big problem 3-4 years ago with people in cars snatching purses off shoulders of pedestrians.

When I first started teaching in Turkey, I was in a language school and I had classes in the evening. I only had one problem. I was followed from the town center, when I got off the bus, to my house by a drunkard who wanted to play grabby games. This kind of problem is easily preventable if you know how to handle it. Simply make a big fuss and go to a well lighted area with many people. This kind of behavior is not condoned and people will help you.............but you do have to make a big fuss and noise, which depending upon where you are from, may be contrary to what you know as normal behavior. Don't walk around with maps and guide books visible. This makes you an easy mark for undesirables.

My husband used to say that the Aksaray area at night was a place to avoid if you are alone. I don't know how it is now. His concern was that I would be taken for a prostitute in that area at night. I personally don't care to hang out too much in the Sultanahmet area, which is the biggest touristic part of Istanbul because of all the tourism guys. I have a lot of friends who don't mind them.

I've lived in a lot of different parts of Istanbul on the European side. I don't know that I would really call any of them quiet, but I considered all of them to be safe, especially when you get to know the people on your street. I wouldn't rent a ground or first floor apartment without bars and or locks on the windows and balconies. The number of break ins are increasing.

As for jobs, look at some of the previous posts. There was one on language schools versus primary/ secondary schools and or universities at one time. The jobs are there for those with the right qualifications.

Good Luck

[molly farquharson]

B-bay, I think you did a great job of touching (no pun intended) on the issues that many women coming newly to istanbul ask about. I have rarely felt unsafe here, and I second the suggestion that you get to know the people in your neighbourhood. They are going to notice you anyway since you are foreign, so it is better to be friendly with them so you become part of the 'hood. However, it is better to be only superficially friendly with the men (shopkeepers, etc) because some men will take friendliness to be more than what you intend. This is more true with uneducated men, I think.

I also agree that Istanbul is pretty safe if you are sensible. I actually did have my bag snatched several years ago, but other than that, no problem. I wear a shoulder bag across my shoulders and I pay attention when I am walking by myself at night. You should do that anywhere in a big city.

I think Istanbul is probably more comfortable for women than many other cities for a variety of reasons.

[corall]

absolutely...except for the occasional butt grab, i haven't had too many problems. much more safe then being back at home...bag snaching is a big thing though and pickpocketing but keep an eye open, and use common sense which i am sure you will

[bron]

I've had curb crawlers a couple of times when walking home from evening class in Bakırk�y, and twice I've had men walk along beside me speaking to me. The first time I just kept saying "No thank you" to all his invites to tea, etc, in Turkish, and then finished up with "I'm going home and my brother is waiting for me," because I knew my male roommate would be there... and he vamoosed. The second time I ducked into a pastry shop, announced to the suprised workers inside that there was a man outside and I was frightened, sat down and waited five minutes for him to go away while they all looked concerned and gave me tea!

I've recently heard that there are a lot of prostitutes in Bakırk�y who tend to dress completely normally, and so the curb crawlers do their thing because they think you are one! Then when you don't respond to them, they realise you're not and disappear. Not sure of the truth of this... but then, if the prostitutes dress normally, I suppose I wouldn't notice them. I have seen them in Aksaray after an evening company class, but I was always driven home from there due to the fact that my students thought the neighbourhood unsafe for me.

[31]

One of our women teachers used to have to change buses in Topkapi and had to walk a few minutes to the bus stop early evenings Monday to Friday. This was about 10 years ago and she used to get cars stopping and blokes winding down the window and saying:

''bes dakika bes milyon.''

[Bahcevan]

OK. I am not a woman- but my female flatmate would often
come home irritated (but safe!) from too much unwanted
attention. (She was a redhead, so she was very noticeable.)
It seems as though lots of Turkish Men are really just "boys
in men's bodies" (aren't all guys like that though...?) and
they seem to respond to public Shaming pretty well. As the
ladies have written here, it's a good idea to make a public
announcement of a man's misbehavior toward you. My flatmate's
easy and effective way of coping was to say "ayip" (Shame!)
in a bold and audible voice. This both addresses the man himself
and people who are around, letting them know that somebody
is doing something they're not supposed to. Turks LOVE a public
spectacle- they will gather 3 or 4 deep to crowd around a good
sock or tie salesman. The prospect of being able to watch or
participate in the saving of a Distressed Women should be
an irresistable pull for most people.

One thing that my flatmate used to do, which I have not read
about here, was to cover her hair in the manner of the Turkish
women. This would make her blend in a little more, and make
her look a little more "matronly." (or whichever word describes the
power of the headscarf to remind men of their mother, quelling the
flames of passion...)

I have heard conflicting accounts among women about whether
it's a good idea to be openly rude, and/or curse at somebody.
My general sense is that women should not "stoop" to the lower
level of cursing somebody out or insulting them. I think Turk
men tend to take that kind of thing pretty badly, and it could
escalate the situation. With that said, I have also heard of
women who were really being pestered and NOT left alone-
just turning around and looking the guy right in the eye, and
saying "F--- OFF" (in Turkish). A real show-stopper;The guy
would generally be in complete shock that he was just verbally
bitch-slapped by a woman who he didn't think would even stand
up to him, much less turn right around and tell him off in his own
language.

[31]

[ghost]

You can also try this in Turkish....to puzzle and curb the behaviour of the offender: "Sevgiliniz sizi birakirsa, aglamaya degmez!"....

They will usually walk away with a sense of shame....at least those with half a brain...

[TeachEnglish]

Maybe Istanbul is safer than US cities but it does not change the fact that there is crime in Istanbul and it is on the rise.. You do not hear about it because Istanbul does not want this fact publicized. I heard about recent purse snatchings, cell phone snatchings even while being used.. snatched right out of the user's hands, someone being held up at knife point for money and cell phone. People working together to conduct muggings, and creative ways of stealing from others. You have to be on your guard at all times in Istanbul, especially the tourist areas. Recently a famous soccer player's wife was mugged by a kid on Bagdat Caddessi during regular business hours in a popular part on the Asian side of Istanbul.
About 4 or 5 of my students.. in one class.. have gone to their cars at night after class and found their windows broken and things stolen. And the usual, cars stolen, apartments robbed at night while people are there asleep and they did not live on the ground floor. These are some examples of things I know about and yes, some have happened to me. There is more I can say..but I think I have said enough. Maybe Istanbul is safer than the US.. but always be aware of your surroundings..

[calsimsek]

In the past I have often come to the defence of the city against thoses who feel that the city is becoming more violent.
I can no longer do so The fact is that crime is going up. It's less safe here than it use to be.
On the bright side violent crime is still far less than in other big cities. Yet something has gone wrong. I can only hope that balance is found between the less than fair means the cops used to use and letting people get away with things.

[justme]

I'm really careful about swearing at annoying men in either Turkish or English, though English often slips out if I'm really pissed off. It's bad in Turkish because women so rarely swear, it makes you look course-- like only a hooker would do that anyway, and passersby may be less sympathetic. It's bad in English if you use the F word, because they all know what the F word means and they're likely to take F off as an invitation, rather than understand it means the opposite...

I once got curb crawled for such a long time in Bakırk�y-- I even tried stopping at a house and pretending I was going in but he just went around the block and found me again. So I started shouting and swearing, I spit in his face several times, keyed the hell out of his car, seriously dented the hood, and cracked 2 headlights (in sandals, at that!). Yeah, I was mad. But he continued to follow me, saying things in German and English, til I reached the turn for my house that was inaccessible to cars. He didn't see me go into my house, but I saw him trolling the street for awhile after that.

Beyond idiot. Inexplicable, actually...

[dmb]

[Bahcevan]

[corall]

if you look really different you get a lot of attention - and really, i mean a lot. basically if your a foreign woman you're going to get attention - and lets not forget that a lot of turk men think foreign women are easy, money pits, tickets to other countries etc... catcalling is a problem. lots of little annoyances like that...

yes there are incidents of crime in istanbul (and crime is going up) but in a city this big it would be impossible not to have that - still i think it is much safer then other big cities though...