Job Discussion Forums

curious&wiser · Joined: 07 Oct 2011 Posts: 8

Thought I'd join in because I've just moved to Istanbul from a smaller city and I've got 3 kids (and yes - no savings!!!)

Istanbul is as expensive as you want to make it. I work at a private school here and the conditions are pretty decent but where I worked before (also a private school) they worked me to death. It was all those 'extra' duties like school shows, banquets with parents, breakfasts with parents etc.... thankfully I've got very little of those delightful things here.

MORAL of the story... ask everything, take NOTHING for granted and get EVERYTHING in writing. I've had a REALLY bad experience but a lot happier now.

Living close to the school definitely helps with the travel time but it often goes along with higher rent. It depends on how much you want to sacrifice in which area.... time or money.

As for pay.... I'd like to know where that 4500TL job is my experience is that 2500-3000 with housing allowances seem to be the going rate for MA teachers I keep hearing 'native speakers are easier to find now' maybe true but I'm not convinced.

lucia79 · Joined: 18 Jun 2011 Posts: 156

happyman · Joined: 20 Sep 2011 Posts: 20

I would like to ask those with a wife and family in Turkey, why do you chose to live in Turkey? Is it because you like the Turkish way of living? Is it because your Turkish partner is not willing to leave Turkey and live in another country? Is it the fact that you can't get a job back home? Or is it other reasons?

I am curious, because by the sounds of things many teachers here are highly qualified in ESL and could be teaching in many of the Gulf countries making a great salary. But instead decide to live in Turkey with some of the worst jobs paying peanuts. I know peoples relationships may complex but I always ask myself why so many people go to Turkey with the work opportunities looking so bleak.

Lucia79 Thank you so much for your help and suggestions. Food for thought. Please don't read this the wrong way, but with you being a female with a Turkish partner you might see things in a diffeent light to Native teachers with female partners.
I say this because us males like to be the "providers" for the family. I don't know, but maybe your partner is on a good salary and you can rely on him for financial support. To me it seems very very problematic for me to make the decision to live in Istanbul. We would be happy for a few years but come family time, the money troubles would affect our happiness and damage our relationship leading to big problems.

That's why it makes more sense for me to get set up in New Zealand or Australia. As others have said it is expensive to live in any big city these days, but the important thing is that we can make a better salary that will let us have a more comfortable lifestyle.

IMO for my situation, we are content to life a smiple life with the basics. In saying that...
I really don't want to live the rest of my life working my arse off, year in year out for little finiancial gain, minimal contact with gf/wife/children, stress of making ends meat and the fear that our relationship will go bust.
To me that is not living.

I want a situation where we can both work and live be happy, have a more comfortable life with more pleasures, not have to live at work.
More of a work to live rather than live to work.

lucia79 · Joined: 18 Jun 2011 Posts: 156

No problem Happyman. And I hope I didn't seem rude or pushy/snobbish to you. I understand if you feel that it's better to start a family elsewhere. My husband and I both have good jobs respectively and I have a house, car, savings etc., in the U.S. and my husband has those things here. We aren't starting out in life, so our situation will be different. And as no one's situation is ever exactly the same, what will work for one couple might not necessarily be the best for another.

And why Turkey, you ask? Turkey is an interesting country and it just draws some people. Even if they come and leave they eventually return. It has that charm.

I wish you the best in your future endeavors. Smile

gloomyGumi · Joined: 29 Dec 2010 Posts: 353

THIS IS ALL SO VERY CONFUSING. 1 poster saying its not too bad, another saying its pretty tough and not long-term material. I know they are both right Thats life. Everybody is right from their perspective. I too dont wanna bring my wife and daughter to a place that you have to constantly watch out for cheats in pay or housing setups or contract terms, etc, and on top of that it looks like from the aggregate opinions of posters over the past 6 mos. or so that there is little more than a 33% chance you will get a legal job meaning sponsorship for a work visa. Even if 67% of teachers are working off the books, there is always that chance of arrest or deportation......cool and exciting when a fresh new graduate of 22 years young (I know I would have taken that chance all those decades ago), but quite different when a wife and child are involved.

Trying to decide betwixt Turkey and Malaysia.........not an easy decision.

lucia79 · Joined: 18 Jun 2011 Posts: 156

Reputable, good schools will get your work permit for you and provide insurance. The pay will vary from school to school (I'm talking about k-12 private schools). Other pluses to the job will again vary according to each school. Housing can be a pain to set up, but more than likely someone from the school may be able to help facilitate things. There are people who come to Turkey and have lots of difficulties getting situated and then for others they don't have much of a problem. I think it's just chance.

PC Parrot · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:23 am Post subject:

gloomyGumi · Joined: 29 Dec 2010 Posts: 353

yes this is starting to become a bit wondrous. Could recruiters from schools sometimes pose as happy prosperous teachers? Maybe. Is this the case with this one? I dont know. But those are quite some acquisitions I may say so myself. Don't think its the norm in any way, shape or form.

lucia79 · Joined: 18 Jun 2011 Posts: 156

No, some of my assets were not acquired TEFLing in Turkey since I had a different job in the U.S., but my savings were acquired in Turkey by TEFLing. Whether a person is a secretary, office worker, teacher, civil servant etc., if they are into saving and planning then they can acquire assets over time. My husband is a big saver and planner too, so he has done well for himself. When we combine both of our assets then it is even better.

My point is whether you're working in New York, Istanbul or somewhere else, if you save, plan and spend your money reasonably then you can have a nice/comfortable/enjoyable (or whatever other adjective you'd like to use) life. Of course you may attain your goals sooner working in lucrative areas such as in U.A.E. or Saudi Arabia, but it doesn't mean that it isn't possible in Turkey. Turks acquire a lot of things and most of them aren't teaching English. So, for English teachers who have good paying jobs (and they are paid a lot more than the average Turk is) then they should be able to save and acquire things.

lucia79 · Joined: 18 Jun 2011 Posts: 156

PC Parrot · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:35 pm Post subject:

curious&wiser · Joined: 07 Oct 2011 Posts: 8

I find this all a bit 'academic' in a way because having worked in America and worked in Britain before coming to Turkey I can honestly say that you NEVER have enough money when raising kids.

The question was can you raise a family in Istanbul on a teachers salary?
To me the answer is 'yes'... I'm doing it and all 3 kids are in private education. Is it expensive? Yes, but I chose to have these kids and I live up to that responsibility. Could I do more if I had more money? Yes, of course I could (I'd like to hear anyone say otherwise). Did I know that teaching was universally one of the worst paying professional jobs BEFORE I went into it - yes - but I love teaching and am happy doing so. Does my partner have a better paying job? No and my kids still go to the shopping mall with their 'rich' friends WITHOUT feeling inferior (but perhaps that's because of the way I've raised them).

To me the crux of the matter is you have to honest with yourself.... What exactly is important to you. If you want a big pay check then go after one - but remember that could include you living somewhere where your wife will have all sorts of restrictions put on her (e.g. Saudi) Or do you want to make it work wherever you are? My kids have now lived in 3 different countries and they would be the first to tell you there are good and bad things where ever you live but how you deal with them is up to you!

happyman · Joined: 20 Sep 2011 Posts: 20

Turks like to save? In my experience that's not what I have found.
While having the discussion with my girlfriend about living in Turkey, saving money didn't really seem a top priority for her.

She has told me that generally Turks are not big on saving money. They live for the day and don't look too far into the future.
I have some savings in my home country and she thinks why have all that money saved? I think she thinks it is enough to live happily ever after....It certainly is not.

I have a hard time explaining to that generally westerners like to save for retirement, raising family, buying a house, the odd holiday. God bless her but she seems to think money grows on trees.

It is a cultural difference I guess, but kind of an important difference. She is a modern Turk. We usually take turns paying for dinner when we go out and it all is good in that respect. I am a good saver and quite careful with money. She is in a way but very Blazay about it.

Anyway I have derailed my own thread. Really good posts here guys. At the end of the day you have to sum up the pros and cons of living in Turkey. For me there are too many cons. Yes, I might get lucky and find a good k-12 job. But we all know how easy it is for things to go pear shaped. We are both 29, have done our travelling and are ready to settle down.

I will work back home in NZ or Australia and if she can make the move, which is hard for her to leave her life and family in Istanbul. We will have more prosperous future. There is a chance she will decide not to come and I will lose her. But I would rather lose her now, than in a few years down the track in Turkey, in a near bankrupt situation with a kid.

PC Parrot · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:36 am Post subject:

lucia79 · Joined: 18 Jun 2011 Posts: 156