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EF, ET or Berlitz |
EF |
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76% |
[ 10 ] |
ET |
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15% |
[ 2 ] |
Berlitz |
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7% |
[ 1 ] |
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Total Votes : 13 |
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yenkima
Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 3
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:38 pm Post subject: English Time vs English First vs Berlitz |
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If you had a choice between these three schools (ET, EF and Berlitz) which would you take and why?
We are thinking about taking the English First position as we have heard the least bad things about them.
Which school has the most potential for money and which one for sanity?
Also, is it easy to gain private lessons outside your working hours?
Is i easy to gain employent when you arrive? |
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FGT

Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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I've not worked for any of those schools. I voted as a result of received wisdom/hearsay. I'm also happy to continue to not work for any of the above. I'm happy with my lot. I've lived and worked in Turkey for fourteen years and never yet taught private lessons, I haven't needed to.
Anyone with a pulse can gain employment on arrival. You might not be thankful for it, though. |
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yaramaz

Joined: 05 Mar 2003 Posts: 2384 Location: Not where I was before
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:08 am Post subject: |
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Aside from my stints in a university and kolej (which still make up most of my experience in Turkey), I've spent about a year or so at EF, in two separate stints- once in Suadiye a few years ago for 9 months, and now at Levent/Vodafone for about 4 months. As far as language schools go, it's pretty good. I'm still working much longer hours than at the other jobs and the pay and perks are a bit lower, but the work is certainly more pleasant. I feel a lot less stressed. We get paid a salary, which I like, with well paid overtime. I've had no experience at the other schools but there have been quite a few refugees from them (as well as English Centre, Inlingua, etc) who came to EF and said it was more professional and more enjoyable to work for. It's not perfect but it seems to be trying to be better. |
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thrifty
Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:29 am Post subject: Re: English Time vs English First vs Berlitz |
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yenkima wrote: |
If you had a choice between these three schools (ET, EF and Berlitz) which would you take and why?
We are thinking about taking the English First position as we have heard the least bad things about them.
Which school has the most potential for money and which one for sanity?
Also, is it easy to gain private lessons outside your working hours?
Is i easy to gain employent when you arrive? |
None of the schools has much potential for money.
It looks like EF is slightly better.
How will you do private lessons when you are likely to be working when potential students are not working or studying?
It is easy to obtain crap employment. |
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billybuzz
Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 219 Location: turkey
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:22 am Post subject: |
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I am at a bit of a loss to understand why these types of establishments are your only choices . True they may be less stressful and there may also be a sprinkling of professionalism about one or more of them but, will you be paid on time ? Will you receive a monthly salary ?Do you get paid holidays ? Do you have social security contributions paid ? Is there a sickness or healthcare scheme? Will they do your papers ?Are they likely to offer you a rent allowance or a fully furnished apartment that is not a dog kennel in size or condition . PERSONALLY ı FEEL THESE QUESTİONS ARE THE MOST İMPORTANT . Unless of course you are just another backpacker then it makes no difference . Having great students does not make your life great ,a decent salary ,work conditions,and a nice place to come home to at the end of the day are the factors that will keep you here or not .The rest of it is just connected with the job . Its how you earn your crust ,its not your life . |
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yaramaz

Joined: 05 Mar 2003 Posts: 2384 Location: Not where I was before
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:02 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
will you be paid on time ? Will you receive a monthly salary ?Do you get paid holidays ? Do you have social security contributions paid ? Is there a sickness or healthcare scheme? Will they do your papers ?Are they likely to offer you a rent allowance or a fully furnished apartment that is not a dog kennel in size or condition |
EF gives most of these (though admittedly my salary was 3 days late over the weekend). They offer the healthcare scheme but because I wasn't sure how long I'd be here this time, I didn't go for it. I'll be taking it when I get my next contract.
I do have SSK. I also have my papers.
When you say its just a way to earn your bread, its not entirely correct- the work environment is a huge factor in the rest of your life, not just in your finances. When I was at the kolej and uni, the stress and exhaustion affected the rest of my life negatively. I am making the same salary at EF as I did at the uni but I'm working longer hours for it. I feel a lot happier though. The money isn't everything.
Also, I had more holidays at my other jobs... but I really needed them! I enjoy my time off more now because I'm not trying to recover from my job (and I only work 4 days a week now) |
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Golightly

Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 877 Location: in the bar, next to the raki
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:23 am Post subject: |
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FGT, you must have arrived in Izmir the same time as me! |
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justme

Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 1944 Location: Istanbul
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:42 am Post subject: |
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I also voted based on rumor and hearsay. I heard tell that EF is trying hard to raise the dershane bar and specifically not go the direction of ET by offering salaries that compete with uni prep pay, and by getting rid of split shifts... |
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FGT

Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:18 am Post subject: |
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FGT, you must have arrived in Izmir the same time as me! |
September 1993. English Fast and Sembol! You? |
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Golightly

Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 877 Location: in the bar, next to the raki
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:48 am Post subject: |
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Cinar Ingilizce, Konak & Bornova, October 93! Also Sembol; though generally you'd find me in the Quartz Bar. |
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dmb

Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:18 am Post subject: |
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Around that time wasn't there a place called 33(or another number) on birinci kordon? |
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Golightly

Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 877 Location: in the bar, next to the raki
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:57 am Post subject: |
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There was indeed. Sold G&T's that glowed bright blue under UV light. |
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dmb

Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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I have (very) vague memories of that place and it snowed bubbles from the ceiling. |
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misterkodak

Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Posts: 166 Location: Neither Here Nor There
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know. These choices are kind of like asking someone if they'd prefer being held hostage in beirut, or taken to the desert and left for dead, or selling their soul to satan. The point is.. they are all pretty much bad. Do you prefer bad or worse? |
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FGT

Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Cinar Ingilizce, Konak & Bornova, October 93! |
Was Andrew Pardue (or ? Pardew) there then? I worked with him later at Fast, and would like to know what happened to him. Any idea? |
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