IICS New Teachers' Handbook 2011-12 - Istanbul International ...

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IICS New Teachers’ Handbook 2011-12 Page 28 of 72 4.5.13. SINGLE MOTHER IN BAHÇEȘEHİR (TEACHING AT MARMARA CAMPUS) “I was highly encouraged to live in B-town because it is considered a safe place for children/families. I did not decide until the last possible day (by email). I was shown flats in the Spring but flats shown in town were already taken and the other flat in B-town was 2 bedroom/1 bath. B-town is closer to school, therefore shorter commute time. Probably safer than the Cihangir/Taksim area. Some of the disadvantages: It is not Istanbul. Entertainment, culture, and history are not available in B-town. Public transportation into Istanbul takes time (waiting and driving). I would prefer to ride school-provided transport during the week and be in town living on the weekends (not living on a bus on the weekend). I am not happy with my choice. Not all the B-town flats are created equal. A ground-level, northfacing, older, less secure (part time guard), with no balcony or oven is not quite what is advertised as a modern B-town apartment and not safe. The electrical and plumbing problems with my flat might be expected with an older flat in town, but not B-town. There is quite a discrepancy in the quality of apartments—there is my flat and then everyone else’s flats of higher standards and amenities. Would I recommend B-town? It depends on the individual and the specific apartment provided. I would have a hard time recommending B-town after my experience.” 4.5.14. TEACHER AND NON-WORKING SPOUSE IN BAHÇEȘEHİR (TEACHING AT MARMARA CAMPUS) “As a teacher with a non-teaching spouse and not being much of a city dweller at the best of times, I did not have a choice but have to move to B-Town. When given the choice at the end of 2007 school year I decided to stay because: Less travel time to and from work; Nice and roomy apartment (some flaws, e.g. badly stained carpets but otherwise excellent); A park down the road and all amenities now including much takeaway food if you want/need it; Rail and bus travel are not far away and it does take one hour to get into town and back; Miss out on many social activities but I do not usually do much Mon-Thurs anyway; Very modern and un-Turkish like, but you can run and walk safely in the dark; I do not regret not moving into town, not everyone would agree however.” 4.5.15. SINGLE FEMALE LIVING IN BAHÇEȘEHİR, THEN TAKSİM (TEACHING AT MARMARA CAMPUS) “I live in the downtown area of Istanbul and commute on the bus to Marmara campus every day. If I stayed in Bahçeșehir I would not have lasted 4 years at IICS. Some days the commute is long but it more than makes up for it on the weekends when I have the freedom of the city to walk around. I can get to the main shopping and restaurants and even to Sultan Ahmet in 10-40 minutes, walking or on the public transport. During the week I can pop out to the movies, shopping malls exhibitions, etc.” IICS New Teachers’ Handbook 2011-12 Page 28 of 72
IICS New Teachers’ Handbook 2011-12 Page 29 of 72 4.6. TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM SCHOOL The school provides shuttle service between B-Town and the Marmara campus. Overseas hire teachers living downtown who work at Marmara campus are transported to/from school providing they live in areas on the school’s approved bus route. 4.7. SETTLING IN Upon your arrival to your new home, you will probably want to settle in and adjust to the “first day” changes. Keys to your new apartment will be provided by the person who takes you to your home. If you have any questions, ask them before he/she leaves you or you can also look up the contacts provided in the back of this booklet. 4.8. UTILITIES All Bahçeșehir apartments have telephones, ADSL internet connections, and central heating. Teachers must pay their own utilities, heating, telephone and maintenance costs, unless they live in Bahçeșehir, where heating, water and maintenance costs are paid by the school. Depending on the location, central heating may not be turned on until late October or early November. If you are in an apartment that was occupied by an IICS teacher the previous year, you should find a working telephone. You can make long distance calls by dialing 00 before the country code. If your phone is not working, the logistics office at school may still be in the process of opening a new line. Be aware, though, that long distance calls here are quite expensive and it quickly adds up. 4.9. FURNISHINGS Depending on the apartment’s available space, the basic furniture provided includes: living room set; dining table and chairs; coffee and end tables; 1 single and 1 double bed; writing desk; refrigerator; washer; gas stove and oven. There will not be a television or stereo. You may purchase these in an electronics store, or you may choose to wait until there is a shopping excursion organized by IICS for all the newly arrived teachers. You will find basic bedding, towels, dishes, and cookware, but you will need to bring or buy extra if you plan on having guests. You will probably want to buy more of these items. There will also be some basic food supplies in the fridge and cupboards as well. Make sure you have a battery-operated alarm clock. The IICS settling-in allowance of $1000 is provided immediately upon arrival to help meet the costs of establishing your home in Istanbul. It is up to the teacher to provide the extras which make the difference between an apartment and a home. Turkish import regulations, though they change frequently, usually make a clear distinction between personal effects and household goods. Under present Turkish laws and regulations, electronic equipment brought into the country is registered in your passport and kept in the custom office's files. You will be asked to take all of these out of the country when you finally leave. Therefore, you cannot sell or otherwise dispose of any of the articles which have been registered in your name. These regulations are strictly applied. The operational services department offers assistance and supervision of the customs broker, but the actual clearance is handled by a broker at the teacher's expense. It is very important that you seek advice before you take any action (contact Pınar Demirkan at pdemirkan@iics.k12.tr). The cost coverage of either your personal or household shipment is specified in the Board's policies. IICS New Teachers’ Handbook 2011-12 Page 29 of 72
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IICS New Teachers' Handbook 2011-12 - Istanbul International ...

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