Job Discussion Forums

[yaramaz]

Indeed, it is contract renewal time again and poor Yaramaz is out pounding the virtual pavement in search of greener pastures. So far I've applied to a lot of B's- The above Bilgi and Bilkent and TED Bursa. Also ventured into other parts of the alphabet with IH Istanbul (is it true they are changing into a non-IH school with lower pay etc?) and the English Academy in Izmir.

Any suggestions, caveats, inside tips?

Where are you working? Are you happy? Are they hiring?

o, and dmb, if you are here.... here is the bira I promised you. Serefe. Sorry about its invisibility.

[ghost]

Based on what FGT has told us, the 'English Academy�in Izmir sounds like a reasonable place, but you should move early in your application as it is a popular place to work, and there is not much attrition of teachers there.

Since you are free on weekends, you should travel there for a weekend and see the �real deal.�

You will miss your friends in Kayseri, and you really have to weigh up the pros. and cons of moving, because your teaching hours will be greatly increased from a present 18 hours a week to close to 30 hours a week...think about that.

The nice thing is that in Izmir you might be able to rent your own place giving you more privacy for your extra curricular activities.

Decision time is very stressful, because you presently have job security and status in Kayseri....in Izmir you would just be another �yabanci� teacher.

[yaramaz]

I know what you are saying, ghost, and trust me--- I've weighed my options so many times and have emerged baffled and banging my head against the walls (again with the B's...baffled, banging, bewildered, etc). I even opened up Exel and did a spreadsheet. Kayseri wins on so many levels that I feel it's impossible to leave: co-workers, students (not all but enough...), place in the community, familiarity with the local environs and being known around town simply as Hocam and not as Hey Lady You Want Buy Carpet? Today, in the pouring rain, one of the ice cream sellers called me over (Gel, Hocam!), gave me a lovely vanilla cone dipped in chocolate and nuts for free because he sees me every day and we say Hello and he wanted to be hospitable. Really low key. I don't feel exploited or ripped off here. My department wants me to stay. My students want me to stay. Professionally its a good and nurturing place to be. Also, I have a budding new relationship which seems to be moving along promisingly... but he may be moving to Istanbul in December anyway so I can't stay or go based on that at all.

However, it's a tough place to live as a single, yabanci woman-- conservative, povincial, very materialistic, very religious....vey limited. I have been looking around with an eye to stay and I ask myslf constantly what I'd stand to gain from ANOTHER year here. I somehow feel as though I've used up my usefulness here, that my learning curve has peaked...

I miss a normal life... not that EFL teachers have such things as a general rule... but I want to be able to go out for a drink after work, go to the theatre, sit in a cafe where there are single women present (not just headscarves attached to their boyfriend's arm), walk in beautiful areas, talk to other foreigners and not just to the very very few that live here (5 in total).

I was thinking I might find such things in Istanbul or Izmir or Ankara... even if its just a one year trial run to discover that maybe Kayseri was ok after all...

[FGT]

Glad to hear you are considering Izmir and even Academy. If you do want to come one weekend to have a look, get in touch.
I think you're very wise to consider a position in another city and, at worst, you can then return to Kayseri having dispelled the doubts. Of course, you may find yourself hooked, but then you also dispel doubts. Sounds like a win win situation.

[Otterman Ollie]

Hi Yaramaz

Good to see you might be coming in out of the cold ,this place seems to have it all ,true you will be one of many here but at least that could do wonders for your social circle .
I have been checking out the new Uni in Izmir ,you may want to click onto the web site ieu.edu.tr cheaper than travelling down ,they also operate at the weekends and have dormotories for students so the place is more or less open 24/7 . I have received a few pms from those already employed and the picture they paint is pretty positive so far ,20 hours a week is the norm , a decent free midday meal ,air conditioned classes ,22 max to a class,and the salary seems to attracting a bit of interest ,working in a uni even if only for a year or two has to look good on the old cv,sorry FGT no put down intended . I have heard they are recruiting for the next academic year so what have you got to lose ,if you check out Academy give this place the once over too .

[yaramaz]

Ollie, I actually have checked out the Uni and have applied. Waiting waiting waiting... Mind you I only applied yesterday so I must be patient.
I am really quite torn about all this, as my director here has pretty much begged me to stay, even offereing to give me a solo flat (not in the contract-- we share as a rule) and asking me if I'd be a co-author in a text book he and one of the wonderful women in my dept are writing..

I think... if this school were somehow airlifted up and out of this city and plunked down somewhere more agreeable, I'd be a very happy camper. What they give me is better than any of the other packages I've come across from other schools... good pay, short hours, lots of holidays, supportive and kind co-workers, spacious sunny flats...

But it is in Kayseri...

Sigh.

[lucy k]

Hi! I'm an American currently working at Bilgi in Istanbul. This is my second year here, and I'm planning to stay for a third. As with any school, there are postives and negatives. But I am happy here. The teaching load is 20 hours per week, plus two hours in either the learning center or CALL center. There are also optional workshops and insets for continued teacher training. Bilgi is nice because it's located near the center of town, with frequent shuttles form Taksim Square. The pay is fine, and foreigners are given a housing allowance.

I probably haven't told you anything you don't already know. But you can contact me directly if you want more information (I think that's possible? I'm not sure how everything on here works! )

Good luck!

[dmb]

Cheers for the Efes,Yaramaz.
BTW whıch virtual pavement are you pounding. I really should get off my a$$ and meet you on it