Questions about Turkey

WiseTeach · Post by **WiseTeach** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 7:11 pm

THanks for help. Has anyone taught at MEF/ Istanbul? Can you tell me a bit about the smaller apartments in Ulus? I have a dog and am wondering how feasible it will be to take him there. Also is package good? I know a bit but am hesitant... Turkey wasn't even on my radar but looks like a possiblilty now. HAPPY MLK day.

figure8 · Post by **figure8** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:05 pm

Istanbul is GREAT. Don't know much about MEF, but check the ISR reviews. Great culture, night life, restaurants and cafes. You won't be bored. Lots of locals have dogs (and you will run into street dogs too). There are places to walk, just not a lot of greenspace. Apartments in Istanbul are a good size..spacious with high ceilings. If your dog is small- to medium sized it shouldn't be a problem. Just confirm commute times and distance of housing to school. Traffic can be brutal some days, which would not be fun for the pooch waiting for you at hone. For a city its size it's surprisingly open and spread out, so you shouldn't feel too closed in. Don't know much about Ulus.. You can get decent apartments in several areas.

dreamgiver · Post by **dreamgiver** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:15 pm

I am also wondering about MEF Istanbul. I hope someone has some input!

Mr.Cake · Post by **Mr.Cake** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:34 pm

I'm another great fan of Istanbul and would love to have the opportunity of teaching there sometime.

My first trip there was back in 1991 when a friend was teaching ESL with a private school in KadÄ±kÃ¶y on the Asian side of the city.

I too know nothing about this school but the starting salaries of $22.800 to $31.200USD (Tax free) don't appear particularly high for the city.

WiseTeach · Post by **WiseTeach** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:01 am

Right about the salary. Housing is provided hence the question. I've a feeling there would be no savings in Turkey. I am also in a quandary in that I have a skype interview with a school there yet the fair is 3 weeks later. I don't want to lose out on what may be a great opportunity, but I dont' want to sell myself short either on any positions that may come up via the fair.

dreamgiver · Post by **dreamgiver** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 1:27 am

[quote="WiseTeach"]Right about the salary. Housing is provided hence the question. I've a feeling there would be no savings in Turkey. I am also in a quandary in that I have a skype interview with a school there yet the fair is 3 weeks later. I don't want to lose out on what may be a great opportunity, but I dont' want to sell myself short either on any positions that may come up via the fair.[/quote]

I am in the exact same situation WiseTeach. Hard to know what to do. I just do a lot of praying for guidance! Otherwise I'd wear out the lining of my stomach! :)

yeshko · Post by **yeshko** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 10:34 am

I do not know much about the school, but I am from Istanbul (though living in the US for years now) and can give you "insider info" about Istanbul.
If you are single and adventurous from heart, that is a city/culture that you might want to spend a few years, which will enrich your life experience tremendously. There is no time to get bored in Istanbul and you will have a lot of occasions to see the other parts of Turkey from Aegean/Mediterrenean coasts to Cappodocia, for which people spend tons of money to travel there. You'll have those within an 8-10 hours bus trip.
Turkish people are very friendly and helpful towards foreigners, though sometimes to the degree that you might get annoyed.
Turkish students who can go to such private schools come usually from wealthy families and they can act like brats, but they are bright and I do not think that you'll have to deal with serious behavior problems.
Ulus is an upscale neigborhood and the rents are high. If they give you housing allowance or provide housing, that should not be a problem. However, I do not think that you will be able to save, because there are so many interesting things/activities to spend your money on.
I hope that was helpful. Good luck:)

WiseTeach · Post by **WiseTeach** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 1:58 pm

Thanks to the posters. Pray I will! I would jump at the job NOW if I could be sure of the housing situation. Of course it hasn't even been offerred yet. Dreamgiver... keep me posted if you take a job at MEF. We may be colleagues! Also thank you so much Yeshko.

dreamgiver · Post by **dreamgiver** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:23 pm

Yeshko, the Search Associates website gives the salary for a person with a Masters and 8 years experience as $33,000 USD. And a housing allowance monthly of $1,000 USD. Although I think they actually provide the apartment for free. We only pay utilities. I've learned the salary posted on the SA website is not always accurate. But based on that, how could a person live in Istanbul on $33,000? Could they travel a lot and save? I'm not sure I can swallow the idea of that gigantic of a paycut. But if the cost of living is drastically less, then it would even out.

yeshko · Post by **yeshko** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 10:59 pm

$ 33,000 means $ 2,700 per month and to my understanding your housing is covered. So you will only pay for utilities, which will be ca. $150-200. if you are single with no dependents, you'll have enough for traveling. I am not sure about saving though. An average person earns around $ 1000-1500. That might give you an idea about where you would be in terms of your income.
Traveling is cheap in Turkey. Bus transportation between cities is great and you pay less than $ 40 (one way). Food and Bed&Breakfast type of places are very reasonable. So, I think traveling is the most appealing part of working in Istanbul. Europe is also very close and price-wise similar to flying between states in US. You can easily spend a 3-day weekend in Athens or Rome or where ever you desire.
If you do not go out often in Istanbul while you are working, you may be able to both travel and save, but I tell you, it is not easy not to go out in Istanbul since there is always something interesting going on. It is such a vibrant city.
I hope that helps.

PsyGuy · Post by **PsyGuy** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:13 am

Sounds like a kind of low package....

WiseTeach · Post by **WiseTeach** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 9:55 am

Yeshko - Thank you. You need to work for the tourism board for Itanbul! You almost have me convinced. Psyguy - yes it seems low to me as well. But may be a small price to pay working with a pleasant team - Interview went very well... and they were somewhat apologetic re pkg, but shoot... the hiring fair is 3 week away.... do I jump or wait?

dreamgiver · Post by **dreamgiver** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:06 am

WiseTeach - be sure to come back and post what you decide to do. I am also trying to figure out whether to take some bait in a different location or hold out for the fair. If only the fair weren't 2 1/2 weeks away. A lot can happen in the meantime - good or bad! I don't think I can go from $70,000+ to $33,000. There's not THAT big of a difference in cost of living!

yeshko · Post by **yeshko** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:47 am

Lol! I should -may be- consider a change in career.
For you, Dreamgiver, going from 70, 000 to 33,000... yes, it is a tough decision. As Psyguy says, it may be a low package compared to others. It looks like he/she is very knowledgeable about IS deals.

PsyGuy · Post by **PsyGuy** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:42 pm

33K to 70K??? So 37,000 isn't a "significant" motivating factor for you???

I mean 33K needs to be within a context. 33,000/month RMB in China is pretty good. 33,000 Baht/month in Thailand is really, really low. 33,000â‚¬/year in most of europe is "around" average.

One thing to keep in mind at an IS is that a lot of the "environmental" factors such as students, co workers, admins, parents, weather, family, marriages, kids, transportation, safety, your attitude, etc, lots of those things can and do change over the course of a year. What does and should stay constant over the next two years is your compensation. The really, really, really, good thing about money is that its not anything else, money is money. Its good your doing this for all the right reasons (like making a difference, and the kids, and contributing to the future, and the hugs, and smiles) but this is a job, its about the MONEY. For NO teacher anywhere in any school, no matter what happens "payday" is always a little bit better of a day then any other day of the month. Doesnt matter what month, doesnt matter who hates you, or how many papers you have to grade, what they have on the lunch menu, or if there is a 4 hour meeting after school about the dynamics of using colored chalk in student achievement. Doesnt matter if you have to stand on the bus or train in the morning, you spill your coffee or you didnt get your Red Bull that morning. The line at KFC/McDonalds could be an hour long, and your tie and jacket isnt nice enough for Pizza Hut. It could start raining the minute after its too late you forgot an umbrella, PAYDAY makes any day "BETTER". Your school might have permanent storm clouds above it all year long, and your principal a blood sucking vampire, the students all Hogwarts rejects. The school down the street might have a year long rainbow above it and little blue song birds that bring you something to drink when your thirsty. The students can all be angels and pixies, and their principal the good witch from the east, but if your making 70,000 and theyre making 33,000, I promise you on PAYDAY, the suns shining brighter at your school.