Teaching in Turkey is fun. Class sizes are usually big in the private / public schools around 20- 30 in one class, and in language schools around 10 people.
Turkish people are moving towards joining the EU, so they are think it's really important for them to now learn English as a second language. In major cities there is a big demand for Business English, and you will be able to find company work. There is a great demand for private lessons too. You will get approached for this. Check our salary guide on the sample page for more details.
Normal school hours are 8.30AM – 4 PM Monday to Friday.
Language schools times differ with every school, you may end up working a lot of nights but no morning classes. Contracts are for the school year September to the end of June. Schools normally close for 2 months during summer due to the intense heat, especially in the major cities.
When talking to your school about your job, find out if they offer free accommodation, as well as some sort of flight allowance.
There are so many holidays in Turkey. They don’t celebrate Christmas, but your school may give you one day off. But in January/ February time there is a 2 week holiday (depending on when the dates fall), which is a good time to do a bit of traveling around Turkey. Although it is rainy during this time, it’s a great opportunity to explore - as there aren’t many tourist about. I suggest going to Pamukkale, you can get some great photos as there isn’t anyone there. I heard in the summer time it’s like an ants nest, with thousands of people crawling all over it.
Nightlife - Turkish people are very friendly and will invite you out, you will never be lonely in Turkey. I used to socialize with my fellow co workers, they love to dance and go out drinking. As a Muslim country, you would expect the women to cover themselves from head to foot - wrong! Most of the females dressed in short skirts and tight tops (in the cities that is). The men looked, and dressed, like male models. Istanbul is very cosmopolitan. (In some cities it is very dangerous to go out in the night in some areas, so make sure you get the low down before you head off for a night out. I was told of a gang problem in Istanbul, especially the side streets of the Taxim area at night. So, stick to the well lit areas, but that goes for any city in the world too. I would always go out with Turkish people, which made me feel safe. Some times when entering a club you will get searched or even go through a metal detector, but this is a good sign at least you know there won’t be any trouble there). There are many clubs where you can belly dance the night away!
If you are on a 1 + year contract, some schools pay for your 4 week summer vacation. So get down to the coast of Turkey and see the turquoise sea, white sands, learn to dive or you can just hire out a boat for the day/ week/ month.
All the coastal cities/towns have a much more laid back attitude, so don’t expect fast service. Things in Turkey are a lot slower than in the rest of Europe. You can get around Turkey by flying but it’s pretty expensive on a teachers wage, The trains are a lot cheaper, but they take long time. Your best option is the fantastic Express coach service (this is a cheap and safe way to travel in Turkey, they have a hostess service and stop a local service stations to stretch your legs every 2-3 hours.) To travel from Antalya to Istanbul it will take 13 hours on an overnight coach, including the ferry ride to Istanbul (20 min’s) at no extra cost. Price to give you a reference is about $13 one way. The express coaches go all over turkey, and it’s my advice that you travel with a national bus company, and pay that extra dollar for a first class ride. When you get to the station it’s best to check out the buses and decide which one you like.
I loved Turkey and plan to go back there. By Ruby Oshon UK2004
Turkey is a historically fascinating place, very beautiful (especially in the south), it has fantastic food, great wine and a very bad reputation. True it is sexist in almost every case, true you will get stared at if you are female (especially blonde), yet the people are very friendly overall. The private schools, like everywhere else are in it for the money and may in some cases rip you off. If you teach in the rich private schools the spoilt little rich kids are a nightmare. The economy is a rollercoaster, and whether you get paid a full paycheck every month is a lottery. But accommodation is often good, as are the hours, and you can get very good cable TV! Living is cheap, and the pay usually better than Spain or Italy, so with free accommodation you can live well and save a little every month.
Once you get out of the big cities that the experiences that you have in this country change phenomenally. The larger cities can find replacement teachers really easily so they consider you quite expendable. However, in the smaller cities you become a great deal more valuable.
Turkish people are extremely friendly polite and not in the least bit intimidating.
The bad overseas press they receive is quite unjust and unfair to say the least.
On the whole, the travelling, historical sightseeing and the people of Turkey who are very hospitable can be a wonderful experience. Just remember that in a low economic climate more people will try to scam any foreigner and to distinguish these ones very quickly.
In Istanbul, the Bosporus is gorgeous all year round and a ferry ride along it is cheap. Every year there is an international film festival, music festival, and jazz festival. There are lots of cinemas with recent movies, usually in English with Turkish subtitles.
Regarding teaching, if you have only a TEFL certificate, you can find a job only in a language school, which, as in most countries, means you have limited options regarding pay and housing.
Turkey is a country full of charm and cultural diversity. There are lots of bad schools, but by the same token there lots of good schools. Turkey as you know, or may not, is an extremely cheap place to live, and being an English teacher who makes 5 times more than your average Turk who manages to provide for his/her family, you can live comfortably.
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