What are the employment opportunities, job requirements, etc. for people
who want to teach English in Turkey?

Do I need a degree to get a job? If so, does it have to be related to teaching English,
or is any degree OK?

What about getting a visa? Will the school supply me with one?

Would I get housing/insurance through the school?

What are the means of locating prospective employers?

Oh, another thing I forgot - don't work for any school which won't pay your airfare to Turkey and
return fare on completing your contract. Some of the better schools will also give you a return airfare
every one or two years.

Are there any cowboy schools?

What is the pay like? What's the cost of living? Will I be able to save money while I'm there?

Can I give private lessons?

Can I buy a car in Turkey? What's the traffic like? How about public transport?

Buying cars in Turkey is expensive unless, as a foreigner, you buy a car from another foreigner.
This is cheaper, especially if you bargain-hunt at embassies (for example a friend recently bought a
Cherokee jeep from the American embassy). However, the bureaucracy is a nightmare -- unless
you speak fluent Turkish and have the patience of a saint, you should get an agent to sort it out for
you. You also need to deposit a bond in a bank, which you will get back when you sell the car or
leave the country permanently. Unless you feel naked without a car, though, you'd be best off using
taxis (which are cheap) or public transport, or rent a car for short range excursions. Since the traffic
is truly terrifying, especially in Istanbul (Turkey has more accidents per kilometre of road than any
country in the world). Professionals vehicles are driven amok. In case of a frequent accidents maniac
drivers will take advantage of you being a foreigner. So avoid driving in Istanbul because it is rather
a personality battle than mere transportation.Public transport in cities is cheap, but crowded and
uncomfortable. For travelling around Turkey, there are plenty of good bus companies. It's worth
paying a bit more to travel with a reputable company, since you will have a more comfortable ride
with internet access on board and limitless refreshments and snacks and are more likely to arrive
in one piece. As the average daily death toll on intercity roads is about 25. Quite a few drivers act
like crazy behind the wheel. Red light violations are a life style. And watch out even as a confident
pedestrian on a side walk. Many people are killed while waiting at a bus stop or walking on sidewalks
occupied by cars. Double check left and right before walking across as Turkish drivers tend to speed
up even in the shortest distances.Very few drivers stop for pedestrians even at zebras. Turks are rude,
reckless and bad tempered drivers. Apart from the Istanbul- Ankara line, trains are very slow but safe.
Domestic flights are good, and safe as well.

Any tricky government rules/regulations?

Turkish bureaucracy is exceedingly cumbersome, so insist the school handle anything to do with
work/residence permits etc. There are hundreds of regulations pertaining to schools, but that's their
problem, not yours. You may always face the unexpected at the customs and in government offices.
Practically you need to get half a dozen different and irrelevant people to stamp the appropriate forms.
Most bureaucratic regulations can be got round with large quantities of charm and "consideration".

What about "Midnight Express"?

Isn't the human rights situation there really awful?

Is religion a problem?

Note for the missionary-minded: attempting to convert people to another religion is technically illegal in
Turkey, and doesn't work in practice anyway. Forget it.

Is there anything I might do that would be considered really rude?

Turkish society is pretty easy going, and in general European standards of politeness will do fine in Turkey.
As the interaction between the sexes is ruled by eyes rather than verbs be careful where and how to initiate
conversations. Some Turkish women may be very agressive or malicious when you want to talk to them
especially in the streets where they feel utmost defensive.
Blowing your nose in public is considered rude, and belching and farting are a social disaster. Being clean
and presentable is important, especially at work or when visiting someone's home. Stinginess is considered
r eprehensible, so when the bill comes in a bar or restaurant, you should insist on paying. In practice,
Turks usually won't let you pay anyhow. A few other things which are considered unseemly:

 eating, drinking or smoking publicly during the Ramadan fast,

 sitting legs crosed or listening to loud music at time of call to the prayers (Aezan)

 there are a few rude gestures which are not found elsewhere e.g. placing the thumb between
      the first two fingers,or slapping one hand down on the other fist, both of which have sexual       connotations.

Do women get hassled a lot?

Yes and no. It depends on where you are, how you dress and how you behave. If you walk into a poor,
conservative area wearing shorts and a bikini top, then expect the worst; otherwise you may get some
unwelcome attention, but no serious hassle. Don't forget Turkish men are always alert and in expectation
of sex with any foreign women anytime and anywhere. Most female friends came up to me and told me
how they were mistaken for a "Natasha". In everday language a "natasha" is a whoring Russian or Ukraine
girl. So avoid places like Aksaray,Laleli in Istanbul where hundreds of these girls or practicing the trade.
As the society is suffering real sexual turmoil because of religious pressures. Avoid magandas -- men
with moustaches, open shirts and lots of gold jewellery -- as they consider it a point of honour to sexually
harass as many women as possible. Generally, though, harassment is purely verbal, Basically, it's like
Italy, but with less bottom-pinching. Do not forget Turks excommunicate gays in their immediate
neighborhood, but there are gay bars and other facilities in Istanbul. Google for them. Anyhow never ever
go to Beyoğlu, Istanbul as a foreign woman and mix with the crowd at a new year's night. Dozens of male
hands may feel and explore almost all parts of your body, a practice which is ironically televised and
broadcast live by local TVs. Remember that if a man is staring at you, it's probably as much because you're foreign as because you're female. Due to shortage of sexual practice with women and restrictions of Islam
most Turks are believed to lack basic sexual skills, and their love life is restricted within the boundaries of the
marital bedroom ! The outcome is millions of sex-hungry and horny men roaming around.

What's the nightlife like?

Depends on where you are. Istanbul has excellent nightlife, with plenty of good bars, clubs and concerts.
Izmir is also pretty good, though tends to slow down in the winter. Ankara is somewhat duller, though there
are still some reasonable bars and discos. In smaller places the best you'll get are cinemas, restaurants
and the occasional pavyon - a Turkish nightclub where you will be charged exorbitant amounts of money.
Avoid dark places with dirty look and populated with single male patrons,make sure you know the prices
before you eat or drink anything. Before you enter a place see if it is attended by local people.You can
always bargain for simply anything in Turkish culture. So do not hesitate to make a deal at every instance.

What about food and drink? Is the food and water safe?

As for safety, you can expect to get mild diarrhoea shortly after you arrive, as your system tries to adjust to
new intestinal flora. Apart from that, don't eat any food from street stalls until you are well used to Turkish
micro-organisms, avoid cig kofte (raw meatballs - actually delicious!) unless you're totally confident about the
cleanliness of the establishment, and never, ever eat kokorec (sheep's intestines). It is true that Turkish kitchen
is made up from junk food but it is where the great taste is.Watch out your kilos. Türkey is a food paradise.
Most Turks drink bottled water or have drinking water delivered to their homes as drinking tap water is quite
controversial.

What's the weather like?

Aegean coast: hot summers, mild winters, though sometimes rather damp and miserable.

Istanbul: Similar to the Aegean but can get quite cold and foggy in winter.

Mediterranean coast: Very hot summers, usually warm in winter. Air-conditioning a must.

Black Sea coast: wet, wet, wet. Like Ireland but warmer.

Ankara: Long hot summers, long cold winters, short rainy Spring and Autumn.

Are Turks easy to get on with?

What are the students like?

For the most part, Turks are a joy to teach - friendly and enthusiastic. Do not forget the young people
are under the adverse influence of Islamic traditions as well. As a male avoid young women unless
you know them from your class or staff room. In the private High Schools and universities you do get
some "rich brats", but they're no worse than rich son of bitches from many other countries.

Do I need to be able to speak Turkish? Is it an easy language to learn?

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