Job Discussion Forums

tekirdag · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 505

This is inpired by a dmb post.

I, Tekirdağ, being of sometimes sound mind and body, am still here in Turkey because I am waiting for my Turkish husband to finish his masters in business and then, sigh, military duty. Then, with rocket propulsion, we'll fly to Canada.

After earthquakes, bombs, and dershane drama- I'm curious- what keeps you here/coming back?

That's a question for anyone on this board. Who agrees with me that life in Turkey is harder than where some of us have come from?

What keeps you here/why did you come? Rolling Eyes

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

That reminds me of being in a taxi in Besiktas with my father in law and after the driver asked where I was from he said

''If I was English I would go back to England on/like a rocket. In Turkey there is no humanity.'' My father in law changed the subject.

Don't believe the replies you are going to get about how terrible poster's home countries are and how happy they all are. Some of the real reasons are:

There are no jobs for TEFLers in their home counties that you can make a living one.

Fear of getting of their backsides.

Being married with kids.

Partner who won't can't leave.

House prices

Too old to start again.

Reverse culture shock

Poor/no qualifications

No capital

No friends back home

Still running away from their problems.

All of the above are my reasons

tekirdag · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 505

Some people weren't driven away from their countries but were drawn to Turkey. I know a German lady who came to Turkey 25 years ago and just loves the place.

I wouldn't expect all replies to my post to be negative.

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

Stockholm Syndrome

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

When I came here I had no idea what it was like. I was going to stay for 2 years and then go somewhere to make good money. My kids were grown up so I could go where I wanted. I have been here 8 years now, I've bought a place, and I expect to live here as long as I can. I lived in Canada, the US, and Japan before I came here, but Turkey resonates with me. In some ways it is harder to live here, but I have grown personally a lot since I came here, which shows that you never stop learning or growing Confused

or being made to. I love it here. I can go elsewhere if I choose to, but this is where I choose to be. I have dealt with earthquakes, bombs, court cases, deaths, you name it, but life (or death) happens no matter where you are. I live in beyoglu, and I love the energy and dynamism of the place. I am much more part of the neighbourhood here than I would be "back home", wherever that might be. This is home, living on the edge and being comfortable with it. I have made great friends here, real dost as well as interesting acquaintances. I have had visits from 60 of my old friends and acquaintances in the time i've been here, all of whom have fallen somewhat under the spell. One arrived today on his 6th visit. Thus the full answer...

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

I first left after 18 months and came back. I left again after a decade and came back again. I guess you get some sort of elasticated umbilcal(sp? i never studied biology) chord and get drawn back. there are more highs here than lows.
I guess now that approaching middle aged I like the known, unlike my reckless youth when I first left.
Interestingly my friends back in the uk are jealous that I left.

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

If you keep repeating that your friends are jealous of your TEFL life(?) style perhaps you will one day actually believe it. Amazing that exactly none of them jacked in their jobs and joined you. I wonder why.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

haha a couple did, and are still doing it. Others are too frightened to leave the debt and chavness if old blighty.

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

Sure. The fact that none of them left must be because they are scared. Can't be because TEFL is deadend. You yourself had to leave to get a little capital.

Cut out that Old Blighty crap.

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

Sure. The fact that none of them left must be because they are scared. Can't be because TEFL is deadend. You yourself had to leave to get a little capital.

Cut out that Old Blighty crap.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

when were you last back? I go back every year, and each time I go back i like it less each time. Sure i enjoy meeting up with friends and family, and stuffing myself with pork products. The hoode culture puts me off the Uk. If you like it fine. I dont. Can you not just accept, that some people enjoy efling in Turkey? btw you have no idea why I left Turkey for the Gulf, so stop saying it was because it was crap or skint or whatever.

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

You left Turkey to go to one of the worst paying jobs in the Gulf for the pay and no other reason.

Hoodies in Edinburgh-must be really scary. Entrailicus is afraid of chavies and you are afraid of hoodies in Edinburgh.

Keep saying it and eventually you will believe it.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

mental note for dmb, just ignore 31, he is beginning to get personal.
btw I mistyped. I left Turkey to attend matters in the Uk, then ended up in the Gulf.

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

The Qatar job is/was one of the worst paying jobs in the Gulf. 1300 pounds a month.

Other reasons for going?

No.

Niste · Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 73

I left for the UK two years ago after six in Turkey & six months in Malaysia. Eventually (probably next summer), we will be back in Turkey. The following points are worth bearing in mind:
- The teaching is more interesting in the UK due to multiculturalism.
The work is better paid, but not sufficiently to cover the massive difference in living costs & tax.
- There isn't a Council Tax in Turkey, which is almost enough of a pull in itself. A hundred quid a month to have your rubbish removed ? F**k off !
- There's a functioning welfare / health system here at a level way beyond Turkey's wildest dreams, whatever the Daily Mail would have you believe.. That is why patients can be flown out to Turkey to have their ops done in the private hospitals there.
-Wanting kids ? The state here would like its citizens to have kids and will pay for them any which way if you can't afford them yourself. An erstwhile colleague of mine abused this to great affect recently: pregnant, got a job in the UK, had the kid, claimed maternity leave, went back to Turkey just in time for holiday pay at her old job...
-As EFL / ESOL teachers in the UK, you have minimal rights (thus the functioning and partially effective welfare state assumes great importance). In Turkey, however, you have virtually no rights.

I could go on, but I can't be a**sed. You get the picture. The UK is better in so many respects, but also has disadvantages equally numerous. We live in a 60,000 populated town on the sea which is way more dangerous of a weekend than anywhere in Istanbul. The natives regard Brummies with suspicion, never mind Turks. We've found it hard to make friends, and the friends we have made are all foreigners / anglo-foreign couples. The only thing to do at the weekend is go shopping (eeeughhh).
We will be back in Istanbul, curse its vast foulness, for my wife's family and job, neither of which she can pursue over here. Maybe we will live on one of the Islands for the peace & quiet. Probably we'll end up in some dreary concrete box just off the Taksim -Bostanci dolmus route.

I think I'd better stop now.