Job Discussion Forums

[Caterinamh]

Ok, I�ve been here almost two years now and still can�t get over the absolute chauvinist pig behavior of some Turkish men. I�m so sick of being told that I hate kids because I don�t have any. That my country is nothing compared to Turkey. The complete total disregard for my culture and the absolute suffocation of theirs pushed on to me at every turn. Don't they realize that learning the language means learning a bit about the cultures of the people that speak it? God help me today. I know this will never change but I just have to say it. " oops maybe I will offend the 301 statue". Whatever.... lead me away in handcuffs.


Ok, I�m finished. Bad day!

[windstar]

You don't like the country, who forces you to teach or waste your time? G. Warmonger Bush? Come on.

[Caterinamh]

Actually, I never said I did not want to teach. I do my best to teach, engage my students with chances to think �outside the box� and to analyze things that might be outside the ordinary �cookie cutter approach�. I think what I did say was that part of teaching the language is also providing opportunities to learn the culture along the way. I also do not appreciate being ridiculed at every turn by men in this culture who feel I should be subservient to them and their little egos. Maybe something you have not experienced but many of the women here have.


Enough said.

[CECTPA]

In Istanbul you would expect them to be a little more cosmopolitan but that's not always the case I guess.

I also get that "poor thing, why aren't you married, why don't you have kids?" and I say, I don't know. Maybe it's unlucky, and maybe I've been spared from marrying the wrong man (which can ruin or even prematurely shorten your life). "Kismet!" is the short answer. Then we go on to talk about something else.

I have had classes where all the students were male, by some accident. I take these as opportunities to learn and challenge stereotypes about "macho, chauvinistic Turkish men." The range of personalities and life experiences among them is really interesting sometimes. Once in a class of 4, two of them were in their 30s and the other two were still at university, and the older two told them what they could expect in the Army; that was classic.

Very rarely do I get a strident male chauvinist. I usually put that in check with "Oh, really, all women? Even ME?" Sometimes they come out with that nonsense to get attention.

One thing that bugs me is that in a mixed class the women are often all too happy to sit there and let the men do all the talking; they have to be encouraged to speak up.

Many of the Turkish people I have encountered still think the US is paradise on earth, and any American who chooses to live in Turkey is crazy.

And it is kind of maddening that the most interesting topics of conversation, i.e., much of what's happening in Turkey right now, are "off limits" -- if students themselves bring them up and they can talk without getting touchy about it, that's great, but they seem to know their classmates' limits.

[Listener]

not all turks are sexists. I work in an all male environment and I would say that there are a lot of guys who are ok. THey may have different ideas, but they are quite respectful too. DOn't fret, there are still a lot of cool people in this country! There's also some real losers back home, don't forget!

[scot47]

There must be a formulaic Turkish sentence like in Arabic (there are hundreds). Something like "This is the will of the Almighty !"

Just say that and then get on to some other topic.