Job Discussion Forums

burdik · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 33 Location: izmir

Maastricht, I am a Turkish citizen, and an EFL teacher, and where I work (Izmir) I have helped countless foreign teachers with finding flats and doing their contracts. In my cases, we have always signed 12 month contracts, but I have always warned the landlords in advance that the people renting the flats might want to leave before contract expires. They were ok with it so long as the tenants would give them a notice at least one month in advance, and we've never had any problems with it.

maastricht · Joined: 11 Feb 2011 Posts: 38

Burdik,

Thanks. Sounds like there are some really nice people in Turkey.

coffeespoonman · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 512 Location: At my computer...

There are. Very Happy

gloomyGumi · Joined: 29 Dec 2010 Posts: 353

If I merely SAY Im enrollingin a CELTA, that would be enough to get a uni offer/work visa?? TYhis is good news as right now I am NOT in the mood to study at all. Only got 2 years 8 mos. teaaching exp. in Korea and a BA English, and a Masters of Int'l Business.

gloomyGumi · Joined: 29 Dec 2010 Posts: 353

p.s. hope i dont need to get any docs apostilled......? i did it once to come to korea but iwas in the US .........now to get docs apostilled is pretty much impossible for me from an overseas location. I got 1 original BA diloma left, and cant get any more .....do i have to permanently surrender this thing? Do they take photocopies??

kotobuki · Joined: 17 Feb 2011 Posts: 27

I've also been thinking about working in Istanbul, though I'm not as daring as I used to be to just pick up and move to a foreign land and hope for work. I was in Istanbul about 11 years ago and loved it. I went, rather unexpectedly, to a beautiful dinner with a fairly poor family in Taksim. I had done some shopping in the area and liked it. Later, when I told my Turkish friends about it, one said I was lucky not to have been mugged--that Taksim was a bad area. He said they probably thought I was a Russian hooker. I wasn't on my own (luckily?). Could much have changed in the past 11 years, or do women just stay in after dark? Coffeespoon is very encouraging about getting a decent job with a BA and teaching experience. I'm not young, though. I am tired of the silly pettiness that goes on at language schools (including not teaching too well so the students don't progress too fast--ya know, keep 'em in the "system.") When I worked in Japan in the early 90s, I just went and pounded the pavement, but my first job and best jobs still came through introductions. What's Turkish culture like in that way? (Happy to be pointed to other postings if need be.) Thanks!

kotobuki · Joined: 17 Feb 2011 Posts: 27

PS: and not to distract from gloomyGumi's discussion that's very interesting...is anyone concerned that Libya's right next door?

If a lone female were to stay for a few weeks in search of work for fall, which side would you all recommend? Tnx again.

gloomyGumi · Joined: 29 Dec 2010 Posts: 353

a lone female in Turkey, not sure how the US invasion of Libya would effect her. Its about 600 miles from say, a mid-point along the Libyan coast to, say, Istanbul. I dont see much risk directly from the Libya thing.

kotobuki · Joined: 17 Feb 2011 Posts: 27

Ha! The two paragraphs were meant to be unrelated. Libya might be 600 miles away, but Turkey and the US are both involved. But, life is so unpredictable anyway.... As far as the lone female thing, I've heard the Asian side is nicer. Just looking for what might be considered safer in general--again, unrelated to Libya.

gloomyGumi · Joined: 29 Dec 2010 Posts: 353

i see.....i'd say euro side is safer.

coffeespoonman · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 512 Location: At my computer...

Lol, the Libya thing? Wouldn't it be more fitting to refer to the Iraq thing? Or the Syrian thing? Really, don't worry. Turkey's the same as it has ever been. No crazy protests here - it just couldn't happen. There isn't the oppression here that there is in other countries of the region.

About getting docs certified/notarized. No. Nothing like that here.

If you say you're enrolling in a CELTA, make sure you know when the next program is starting... And then have a good reason why you couldn't do it. (money or something)

kotobuki - Turks are preoccupied with safety, and super paranoid about it. I think this has to do with the fact that, generally speaking, Istanbul is so safe. For a city of 16 million (give or take), it's amazing how little violent crime there actually is. I guess we Westerners are quite used to hearing about/seeing that kind of stuff, so we have different ideas about danger. I don't think you were in much danger. Stuff does happen in the Taksim area, that's for sure, but it's more likely that you'd be annoyingly solicited than mugged. I have friends who live all over that area, and nothing has ever happened to any of them (Allah korusun).

Gloomy - I think it would be difficult to say that either side is safer. Both sides have their "risky" areas (though I hesitate to call them risky). In general though, I'd say the asian side is safer - more residential and more middle class (though the poor areas are usually WAY safer than they appear).

kotobuki · Joined: 17 Feb 2011 Posts: 27

Coffeespoonman: That's just what I wanted to hear, thanks. I wasn't concerned with Turkey having any uprisings of their own. What had concerned me was that Turkey has taken in escapees (can't think of a better term). I know there have been some attacks, some killed, many injured during infrequent incidents. What I was thinking about was that taking the Libyans in might give someone fodder for more. You're right though, why bother thinking about it? I guess I'm so spoiled by the safety I lavished in, in Japan. From everything you've said, it's sounds quite doable. I wish I could get away now to start looking for September. Tnx. I'll follow the posts.