Hello,

My husband and I both have job offers in Istanbul. We are carefully considering moving. We are English teachers. We have been offered jobs at Ozel Yuzyil Isil School. I have found very little information concerning this school. We met the founder, director, and high school principal--all very, very friendly and excited to have us both teaching high school. We have been offered a furnished house and transport to and from school, heath care, and a nice salary. We also have two daughters who will be in the third and fifth grades next year.

What should I be concerned about? I have traveled and lived abroad: China and Hungary. However, I have never had a husband and two small children with me. Is Istanbul a place to raise a family? I have read every thing I can get my hands on about Istanbul. Some people seem to love it; others hate it.

I would like some advice from people who are really living in Istanbul. I appreciate your help. And I know if we do move to Istanbul, where to find a good expat forum.

[quote user="Caroline" post="110738"]
Is Istanbul a place to raise a family? I have read every thing I can get my hands on about Istanbul.[/quote]

Caroline,

Welcome and obviously you haven't read "everythying". The posts of the motley bunch here alone may cause the jury to be out reagrding Istanbul - a family environment. Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see and you'll be alright.

Good luck.

Well...I used a bit of hyperbole, but I really have found very little information concerning Ozel Yuzyil Isil--except in Turkish.

We're just trying to make to an informed decision.

Thanks for the welcome.

hi there

although am not a teacher maybe i can help you.

putting in bluntly if they dont offer you housing in a decent area you will not like Istanbul - it will be like living in the arseend of shenzhen. Alright if you are single and can get the hell out of the place but if you have two small children then you need to be able to live somewhere where you dont have to look at slums and you can actually go out for a walk along the street and go to the shops. Some people think it is kind of romantic... or at best interesting.... well I dont. It is clearly a city that has grown from massive immigration without the appropriate infrastructure (ie housing) to support it. I have been in Turkey (with a break - because I needed it) for four years. I used to be positive about Turkeys future before I lived here. Now I am just skeptical.

I have had a look at the school website. It is near Belgrade Forest and hopefully near Zekirakoy or within a close distance of it, which is a nice enough area although you will need a car.

on the upside Turkish people are warm and generous but they can also be pathetically shallow, and self serving pretty much like anyone else in the world. The food is excellent, the summers rock. However dont get interested in politics or the economy or any of the other sheit that goes on here that will be likely to do your head in.

All the best of luck with whatever you decide to do anyway and I am sure that there will be other teachers around who either teach at that school or know people who do teach at that school.

Hi Caroline

A school near Zekeriaköy and Belgrade Forest sounds good if you are raising kids. As LAT said, you will need a car, and cars are expensive here. Importing your own without a severe tax is tricky. For a car, allow twice the cost than in the UK!

All will depend on the following: That your contract is in place before you arrive, that the school is seriously willing to honour the contract. That you have a work permit, that they provide you with sufficient housing, in this case close to the school. Can you agree a budget for the hosing with them beforehand? May be others can offer their views but 2.500 $ budget would be the minimum for the 4 of you.

Are they paying relocation? Agree the budget and get them to pay some of it before you leave your home. Get in writing that they will provide you both with work permits before you start working or else you can leave at their account.

As for the school: to undetand their curiculum would be good and if they follow some ideology.

Have fun in the prparition. And once you arrive, people here will help making you feel at home in Istanbul

LAT and Jonathan thank you for the information. Very helpful.

Jonathan, they will pay airfare for teachers--not children. Plus, we get around $350 a piece for moving. The furnished house is completely paid for by the school. I think our house will be somewhere near the school, but not in exact area.

We will be driven back and forth to school. Our children will be transported to their schools as well.

They will help us get our working permits, but we will have to go to Washington DC in person to get them.

It's a big decision. Right now we are seriously thinking yes, especially with all the helpful info from the forum.

Thanks for the PM's too!

What you mention is quite standard for teachers at private schools in Istanbul. or lets say on the more generous end. that school is fairly far from the more central areas and I have heard that the kids at that school are quite a handful.

[quote user="yakamoz" post="110829"]What you mention is quite standard for teachers at private schools in Istanbul. or lets say on the more generous end. that school is fairly far from the more central areas and I have heard that the kids at that school are quite a handful.[/quote]

Thanks for the info.

What do you mean a handful? In what sense? The principal said there were no discipline problems. Hmmm... I think they are probably rich kids, which can be a problem with motivation sometimes.

Has anyone else heard about discipline problems--particularly at this school?

Thanks

Hi Caroline

Welcome to Istanbul. It is a great place to live but not to work.

I understand from your message that School is bearing the school expenses to your kids. Does your kids will study in Ozel Yuzyil Isil or American/ British School. If your employer is sponsoring for American/ British School is great.

You may also clarify with your employer presently how many foreigners are studying particularly your kids grade in Ozel Yuzyil Isil.

Also you said relocaition fee will be paid by employer but restricted to USD350. It is Peanuts. Try to get actual expenses. You may carry some of your own / kids belongings and favourites which may not be available in FURNISHED ACCOMODATION. Also, you better clarify what extent of furnishing will be provided. At least they should meet your demand / expectations. Generally the reputed schools are providing free accomodation ( Apartment) to the teachers with basic furnishing ( generally used products) but they will not provide home computer, video games etc.

Why dont you first take a chance to visit the place / school/ accomodation area / environment before you taking up assignment.

All the best for your relocation to Istanbul and our hearty welcome.

Hi Caroline

I agree with Raja that you pay a visit first and see for yourself before accepting.


All the best

Def worth the investment: just imagine you arrive and hate the place.

Sure there will be one or two people here who will take you around a bit if you come for a long weekend or so ...

agree

and a good employer wishing to attract the right calibre of expat employee may stump up the costs for a familiarisation visit for both potential employee and spouse (though not normally kids)

no harm in asking

[quote user="raja" post="110873"]Hi Caroline

Welcome to Istanbul. It is a great place to live but not to work.

I understand from your message that School is bearing the school expenses to your kids. Does your kids will study in Ozel Yuzyil Isil or American/ British School. If your employer is sponsoring for American/ British School is great.

You may also clarify with your employer presently how many foreigners are studying particularly your kids grade in Ozel Yuzyil Isil.

Also you said relocaition fee will be paid by employer but restricted to USD350. It is Peanuts. Try to get actual expenses. You may carry some of your own / kids belongings and favourites which may not be available in FURNISHED ACCOMODATION. Also, you better clarify what extent of furnishing will be provided. At least they should meet your demand / expectations. Generally the reputed schools are providing free accomodation ( Apartment) to the teachers with basic furnishing ( generally used products) but they will not provide home computer, video games etc.

Why dont you first take a chance to visit the place / school/ accomodation area / environment before you taking up assignment.

All the best for your relocation to Istanbul and our hearty welcome.[/quote]

Thanks for the information Raja.

Yuzyil Isil will be paying most of our children's tuition to either the American or British International school near our school.

It's a good idea to ask about "furnished" housing. Thanks

Fatboytim, Jonathan, and Sheri thanks for your help. I would love to visit the school before we accept. But my husband and I just returned from the London job fair, and we spent a great deal of money to find out that our American teaching certificates and AP teaching (for several years) were not what most European countries wanted. Everyone wants British trained teachers--at least the schools we encountered at the job fair. The best offer we received was from Turkey. We are looking to teach internationally, but want to make sure we are making the right move.

Plus, I have already missed several days of class during the job fair. Don't think I can really leave my students again.

We plan to give the school our decision on Monday. I guess we will have to make a LEAP of faith here.

Thanks everyone for your help. What a kind welcome.

If anyone knows a teacher at this school I would appreciate getting in contact with him/her.

Thanks again!

Hello Caroline. [I'd like to write something cheerful and positive now, about life in Istanbul and all, but can't think of anything right now. Sorry.]

Utube,
may be you could mention dinner parties ....