There is no doubt that Istanbul has a "checkered past" in regard to international schools. One only needs to read the long list of horrendous, nightmare stories on this review about contracts being ignored and salaries not being paid.

Part of the problem has been the reality that most of them are run and operated by small business entrepreneurs who have nothing to do with education and who see international education as a means of making a better profit margin than alternative businesses.

The second part of the problem is that when democracy returned to Turkey after a brief military take over in 1981, most of the labour laws that had been temporarily withdrawn, never returned. Which means that there are few laws that protect teachers and workers today.

Given that reality, there are a few good schools in Istanbul. The American school is quite respectable but physically quite isolated in the western corner of the city. Istek is excellent although they are officially not an international school, but a Turkish billingual school. Bilkent Preparatory School is quite well run but they are based in Ankara and are linked to the university in the capital.

All in all, you need to be careful wherever you go, but Turkey is such a nice place that you will soon forget your problems and learn to adapt.

$30,000 with no tax, no housing expenses, and no transport to worry about, sounds fair. You would get a better salary in Saudi Arabia or in some of the SE Asian schools, but it does not mean that you will have a better teaching experience. Money doesn't really mean much if you are miserable at the school, but on balance I would say that $30k with fringe benefits is okay.

Don't forget to ask for the health insurance and the yearly flights home?

Nice campus, high taxes, no housing allowance, no savings, friendly staff, very British environment. Very few non-British staff.

I have been offered a teaching position at Istek School in Istanbul and I was wondering whether any members of this forum have taught there or had any experience with the school.