Teach English in Gaziantep, Anatolia, Turkey WARNING

[RosaArbil]

I INSIST ON ISSUING A WARNING AGAINST GOING TO ILS IN GAZIANTEP. It turns out to be a major scam. The director of the school has sent already many foreign language teachers on the run with his very bad behaviour. Also, he refuses to pay the money he promised the teachers, like travel expenses and pocket money. Furthermore, the director turns out to be single on arrival and happens to be living in the same flat as the foreign language teachers (although this was announced otherwise). He is making life impossible for all employees, both foreign and Turkish, both at school and in the flat. He dismisses Turkish staff according to his whims, but also many times it is them who decide to take leave. As for the foreign language teachers, many of them have fled after just a couple of days or weeks. There is only one person now that is staying on for a longer period because, "she needs the experience for her cv", but this person absolutes loathes working and living with the director because "he has been treating very, very badly".

The director is not at all interested in the process of language teaching, but only wants to make money. Even though he has received substantial amounts of money from third world development institutes, he has wealthy students only that have to pay a lot of money for the classes. Foreign language teachers most of the times have only very, very few students and classes. The director of the school instead wants the teacher(s) to "cook spicy food" for him, "iron" his clothes and dress in sexy clothes. On the other hand, he has also dismissed an Australian teacher for "too sexy dress". On top of all his misbehaviour he refuses to pay agreed sums of money like pocket money, etc.

He does all this and more. Like receiving women in the appartment (he insists on sleeping in the living room so that we have nowhere to go!!). Like phoning us in our free time (he insists on us having a mobile phone and on him knowing the number) and asking what we are doing and with whom we are ("are you with a man?"). Like lying about EVERYthing continuously. Like not wanting to order books for the language courses, so we have to teach without any books. Like charging lots of money for the courses and denying us pocket money. Like leaving his clothes (underwear!) everywhere. Like showering (and leaving clothes) in the ladies' bathroom. Like telling us about all the women he "has". Like flirting with the secretaries (who usually do not stay more than 2 weeks). Like stealing all our food from the fridge. Like wanting us to spend all our pocket money on groceries and cook for him and his guests (we refuse this). Like phoning and emailing us in our free time that we have to come to the school rightaway to give an unexpected class.

I ESCAPED after 3 weeks, even though he was guarding the door of the flat..........
Had to come back in secret to "steal" my own suitcases from there: sneaking in with big sunglasses, different coat, scarf around face, walking next to the walls so that neighbours could not warn him, with taxi waiting with open doors and trunk......

[clare]

I worked at ILS in Gaziantep and also had a negative experience there.I agree with a lot of the comments Rosa made .However one bad egg should not be allowed to ruin the reputation of the whole town. I found the people friendly, honest and hospitable and I made some very good friends there.Avoid ILS but do go and visit or work there and you will not regret it .

[Merrylee]

I cant believe it! How could there be such an imperitive and unhuman boss on the earth now? The boss should be sent to the jail!

[SRbasha]

Thanks for the info you've shared about ILS Gaziantep. I was very close to accepting a job here, but several bits of correspondence with the director over my coming did not sit well with me and made me a little suspicious, your story has confirmed my uneasiness over this man.
I'm sorry to hear you were in such a difficult situation and I hope you have had better luck TEFLing since, but thank so much for sharing, you have saved me a lot of stress and hassle!