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CELTA/ Teaching ESL in BUDAPEST

 
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veraclaire



Joined: 28 Jan 2013
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:58 pm    Post subject: CELTA/ Teaching ESL in BUDAPEST Reply with quote

Hello!

I am an American planning to take the CELTA course in Budapest, Hungary this coming March. My father is from Hungary and we have an unoccupied apartment in the city. I am also eligible for Hungarian citizenship (in the middle of the loads of paper work now) and hoping to finish this process as soon as possible. For these reasons I have decided to take the course in Budapest. I was wondering if anyone has taken the CELTA in or around this region. If you took the CELTA at IH Budapest what did you think of the course etc?

I am very concerned about finding work in Budapest after completing the CELTA. I understand that it is becoming increasingly difficult for non-EU citizens to find work in Europe. Of course, I am in the process of obtaining my Hungarian citizenship, but this is estimated to take up to 8 months and I will be looking for teaching jobs long before it is completed. From what I understand, most teaching jobs are on a freelance basis and it is very rare to find any full time positions at institutions.

I was wondering if anyone has experience teaching in Budapest or central/eastern Europe or taken the CELTA in these regions. What sort of advice do you have for me? Anything you can share with me is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
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General Disarray



Joined: 23 Jun 2010
Posts: 58
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I was wondering if anyone has taken the CELTA in or around this region. If you took the CELTA at IH Budapest what did you think of the course etc?


I took it just over 2 years ago (wow, that went quick!!!!)

Was a well run course, with decent students and support. Every Friday would go out for a beer or 5 with the tutors on the course as well.

Quote:
I understand that it is becoming increasingly difficult for non-EU citizens to find work in Europe. Of course, I am in the process of obtaining my Hungarian citizenship, but this is estimated to take up to 8 months and I will be looking for teaching jobs long before it is completed.


I did know Americans in Hungary who had work, but they all have their stories on how to get around teh VISA/have children there/right to abode in UK/boarder running (virtually doesn't happen now).

You are right that it is not ideal and the quicker it gets done the much easier life will become for you.


Quote:
I was wondering if anyone has experience teaching in Budapest or central/eastern Europe or taken the CELTA in these regions. What sort of advice do you have for me? Anything you can share with me is greatly appreciated! Thank you!


be prepared to be pushed out of a queue by a frail looking old lady. Don't expect customer service. Get ready for the winter but enjoy the summer. Visit the kerts in district 7, enjoy the scenary over in Buda. Visit the baths at least once, I liked Szchenachi (spelt wrong) the best.

I had fun and miss the city loads, caters for everyone. Great party life if you want that, but also many places to relax.

I don't know if you want to know anything specific, if you have any direct questions, just ask.
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veraclaire



Joined: 28 Jan 2013
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:08 pm    Post subject: CELTA Budapest Reply with quote

Thank you for your response! I have a few more specific questions if you don't mind helping me with these...

Were most of the students taking the CELTA in Budapest Hungarian? Did you have the International House in Budapest help you find housing?

Did you teach at all in Budapest? If not where did you go after completing the CELTA?

I am hoping that after completing the CELTA I will be able to find some freelancing jobs in Budapest. As I mentioned earlier, I wont have my citizenship probably for quite some time. I've had mixed responses about non-EU citizens finding work in Budapest varying from its impossible to it just takes time to find enough work to create a full time table. What do you know about employment opportunities for non-EU citizens after completing the CELTA in Budapest? In your experiences is it possible to find at least some freelance work? Are Visa requirements very tedious?

What time of year were you in Budapest and how long did you stay? Do you speak Hungarian? Was the language barrier discouraging?

That's all I can think of now, thank you! I appreciate your help!
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General Disarray



Joined: 23 Jun 2010
Posts: 58
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was there from October 2010 - July 2012 (I have been back 3 times since to visit, anything to get away from England for a little while).

I speak enough Hungarian to order a round of drinks in and to tell homeless people that I don't speak Hungarian or English or Spanish or French or German but Japanese (always confuses them that one).

If you live in Budapest, speaking English is fine, it's a very international city and due to the small amount of people who speak Hungarian in the world, the majority of people learn English, especially the young people who think that there is no future in Hungary for them due to the political situation. They are all looking to work in other European countries so learn German and English with the more talented lingustic also mastering Spanish.

I ended up learning Spanish while living in Hungary thanks to a Mexican girlfriend.

Quote:
Were most of the students taking the CELTA in Budapest Hungarian? Did you have the International House in Budapest help you find housing?


Yes with regards to the students. Most of them are housewives/retired with nothing to do during the day so this is a hobby for them.

International house do help with the housing but it wasn't necessary for me as I moved in with an American friend who was on the fulbright course who had 2 rooms spare in his flat (It's amazing how life turns out, if it wasn't for his stupidity in getting a flat he couldn't afford I would never have gone there and my life would be completely different!!!!!!!)

Quote:
Did you teach at all in Budapest? If not where did you go after completing the CELTA?


This is where it'll get confusing for you, I never worked a day in Budapest. I knew someone who knew someone who got me a job in Austria where I'd travel to on Sunday and come back Friday. I wouldn't advise this for you, it took me about a year to work my way up to the company where I got enough money to live a decent lifestyle, first 8 months I was living off about 400-500 euros a month, if I had a good month though it would go up to 1200 euros which I'd save for the weeks where I didn't get work.

I did have many friends who worked in Budapest though and there is enough work to rack up the hours. Will be split shifts though at the beginning with different companies travelling around the city.

It'll take about a month to fill up a time table (I believe this is the same for most countries though). You can find privates easily enough, lots of students, Hungarian and international for you to advertise for. Advertise in a free magazine that is handed out all around the city once a month.

You have to be pro-active though, and time it well. You'll finish in April, that gives you April - July for work....August you will have no work at all, that is almost certain (unless you can get work on a summer camp but even these will require a Work permit in Europe.)

I wouldn't be able to offer you any advice on EU/Visa/paperwork though.

It wasn't something I had to go through and the Americans I did know who worked there weren't exactly the most legal of people I suspect. Having a child with a Hungarian seemed the way most of them was there.
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PeterBar



Joined: 20 Jul 2006
Posts: 145
Location: La France profonde

PostPosted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marry someone with a passport from an EU country.
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bingbing223



Joined: 15 Jan 2011
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey- I would definitely recommend taking the CELTA at IH Budapest. The school is great, the teachers and students are awesome and it's a fantastic way to spend time in Budapest. Just be prepared to have very little time to explore the city because the CELTA is a little time heavy.

You're biggest problem will be invoicing and taxes. If you can get a residency permit (or you mentioned being able to get citizenship) then you can go the legal Hungarian route, but be prepared for an almost 50% tax cut on all your pay. There are 'creative accounting' ways of getting around it, but it's hard and kind of awkward and a huge hassle. Being from North America won't stop schools from hiring you but they'll foist the issue of invoicing on you, and they might not be able to offer a whole lot of assistance.
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Archie Rice



Joined: 13 Feb 2013
Posts: 45

PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the CELTA and 2 years experience and have found work very easy to come by. I work for two schools here and it has been a painless experience. This isn't my first position however, but the way the schools value native speakers here, I doubt you would have any problem as long as you get the CELTA. Good luck!
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zeddy



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 11
Location: Northern Territory

PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 2:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Archie Rice wrote:
I have the CELTA and 2 years experience and have found work very easy to come by. I work for two schools here and it has been a painless experience. This isn't my first position however, but the way the schools value native speakers here, I doubt you would have any problem as long as you get the CELTA. Good luck!


Hi Archie, I'm also keen on living and working in Budapest [have also posted in the newbie section].

Looking at 2014 at this stage and just wondering how you found your experience, in particular working for two schools, working hours etc.

Cheers! Z
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Archie Rice



Joined: 13 Feb 2013
Posts: 45

PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Zeddy,

What qualifications and experience do you have, are you a native speaker ? I have the CELTA and 2 years experience and it's been no problem at all.
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zeddy



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 11
Location: Northern Territory

PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Archie,

Plan is to do the CELTA at IH BP next April or May, and look for work whilst there.

I've got a degree in Tourism Management [been working in educational attractions] and also got the EU passport as I was born in Budapest!

My current wage is good here in Australia, so aim is to pay off the credit card and have some savings before I go over.

Z
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