EFINST Bursa

Bursa is Turkey's fourth largest city and it is nestled on the north-west slopes of Mount Uludağ. The city is known as "Yeşil Bursa" (meaning "Green Bursa").  The green refers to parks and gardens, as well as the vast forests that surround the area.  Uludağ Mountain, which towers behind the city, is also a famous ski resort. The mausoleums of early Ottoman sultans, thermal baths, several interesting museums, and orderly urban growth complete Bursa's overall picture.  Bursa is also home to Uludağ University, and its student population attains one of the highest overall levels of education in Turkey.
The school is located close to the City center.  We are housed on the 4th  floor of a modern building.  We have  three classrooms and a large resource room that doubles as the teacher’s room.   Adjacent to our offices is a nice canteen.  Two efficient and different types of public transportation systems are also adjacent to the school. (Metro - Bus)
The school presently offers a wide range of , General English courses from Beginner right through to Upper Intermediate , but it is anticipated that Business English and TOEFL courses will start in September 2010.  For the upcoming academic year the school anticipates employing 1  full-time teacher and 1  part time.

The managing director is Aydan Atalay.  Aydan hanim  is a former administrator  - she held a managerial post for many years in the private sector -  so  she fully understands all the intricacies involved in running a business and is really super to work with.   She is aided by a fantastic young man called Bora (nickname, Bora Bora) who is an absolute whizz kid on the computer.   In addition to his computer skills he also has the art of persuading people to sign up for English courses and enrol on our popular York Trade program; in short , he is the good all-rounder student adviser always ready to lend an ear and sort out any problems which the students may have.   And then there is Elfide , the secretary and receptionist, who when asked her name on the phone frequently has to spell it out as E-L-F-I-D-E  in order to be understood.   Elfide can always be found with her ear to the phone giving the low-down on our courses and prices to potential customers and never seems to tire into the bargain!   She is at her best in the face-to-face discussions with people who pop in unexpectedly to enquire about this and that and always has an extra big smile on her face as she goes about her job.   The potential customers notice this and seem to sink into the sofa in reception as they chat merrily away, forgetting the stress of the day which they have put far behind them the moment they enter reception and are greeted with a great big SMILE!.   My name is Carol Kesim;  I am British and have been living in Bursa for many years.   I won’t say how many ‘cos you’ll end up trying to calculate my age and that is definitely TOP SECRET!   I have worked in both the state and private sectors here in Bursa;  I was a lecturer for many years at Uludağ University.    Therefore, knowing the Turkish people really well, I feel, helps me to understand their psychology and aids infinitely in the classroom setting.   I try to tailor-make the courses and how they will develop to meet the requirements of each individual student and guide and encourage them all the way.   In addition, as each grammatical point or tense comes up I endeavour to teach them a few basic rules or guidelines which help them to find their way amidst the thick fog which has lingered on from their high school days.   Once the “fog screen” lifts, I believe, students feel more relaxed and comfortable and then can get down to the  nitty-gritty of  learning a language but in an extremely enjoyable way, thus enhancing their progress.

So, that’s the set up in Bursa.   There’s an old saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”.   It took time to construct everything and it’s the same no matter what.   Here at EF-INST we need some more time to really set things up and spread the word around that we are in business.   I feel confident that our present students will pass the message word of mouth and that in the forthcoming months our numbers will increase.  Everyone in EF-INST should take heart in knowing that the Bursa branch is very much alive and open for business, that all of us are working hard and are committed to a common goal: that of promoting EF-INST throughout Bursa and Turkey in general and providing English courses of a high standard and professional level.. To this end we strive tirelessly!