Job Discussion Forums

[workingnomad]

Are there many people working on the SW Coast of France, in particular the Basque and Toulouse / Pau region?

Are you currently teaching there and are there many schools?

This area does not seem to get mentioned much on Eslcafe.

Thanks.

x posted on Spain forum.[/u]

[MKR]

Hi!
I have lived and worked a long time in Toulouse. As far as availability of work options in teaching...there is not a lot. There are quite a few language schools and a large student population. But because of the large Anglo-Saxon community there due to industries such as Airbus and others the competition is high. It is an excellent place to live, and very beautiful but also difficult to integrate. Sending out your CV to the schools is more, or less useless. You need to be there and walk around and give your CV in person.

[workingnomad]

Thanks for your feedback.

Can you explain why it is so hard to integrate in Toulouse? Are you talking about integration with locals or expats?

I am more concerned about feeling isolated there than the lack of employment opps. I am going to visit anyway but any further inside information into life in Toulouse would be much appreciated as this was one of my target locations.

Why would a larger number of English speakers working in a different industry affect the teaching opps?

I have friends in Barcelona and Madrid who say the social scene is great for expats / teacher but ideally I'd like to be in SW France. I do fear about the total lack of a scene....

[MKR]

Hi!
Why is it hard to integrate? As far as for the French goes, that's a bit of a given. Also, people, especially in the Southwest are more family oriented, and even though it has a huge student population (the largest in France besides Paris I think)...unless you are apart of those groups-you are a outsider. But with luck and social savvy you will be able to find friends...after some time. As far as the expats (American, English German) who work in the industries there- they live primarily in their own little cliques in the outskirts of Toulouse. If you join their little clubs you will have quite a few little events to go to mingle (but not in the summer). But that does not help you integrate with the 'natives'.
As far as work is concerned-Because there is a large Anglo-Saxon community-including students who come to study there, of course they are always looking for tutoring jobs for extra money...and the wives of the expats sometimes look to teach.
But like any European city-there is work and you will have to dig it out. If you are a little ambitious and creative...a good income is private tutoring...but as you probably know, it takes a few weeks to establish that, and it also very fluctuating.
If you have any more questions about Toulouse I would be glad to be of help if I can.

You mentioned Madrid? I was actually thinking of moving there. Any insights to give me?

[workingnomad]

Thanks for the advice. I am somewhat reluctant to accept what you say (because I wanted to hear all good things!) but it all makes sense and I don't doubt you are right about integration, family orientation and the expat thing with the aero industries.

The city would be great for me more for the location than anything, being nearish the Atlantic / Med and the mountains for summer and winter sports. I have also heard the climate is very good for long periods of the year. It certainly was last September when I was there.

The social side is very important to me though and ending up somewhere difficult to make friends would be a nightmare for me. Despite being pretty outgoing I don't always find it easy to make friends if the going is hard. If there are plenty of other like-minded folk about then no worries. I just fear that SW France might not have that many people around in my boat, so to speak.

Anyway Madrid is somewhere I found very easy to meet people, even in the short time I was there. Lots of networks of expats and I have heard the Spanish tend to be friendly there as well although I am sure some may disagree!

My friends also found it very easy to find work there and it is very cosmopolitan with people from South America / Africa / Europe which is cool.

Again a worry about SW France is that it is not that cosmopolitan other than Airbus expats and french students.

Madrid was a consideration for me but I am put off by the geography (too far from the sea and big mountain ranges for winter sports) and the fact that the summers can be unbearably hot and lacking in work as everyone clears out.

Has anyone ever tried near the Atlantic, pehaps Pau, Bayonne (BAB) or Bordeaux? Again these would be areas I would love to locate.

[quoi_de_neuf?]

Hi,

Don't know if you're still looking for a job in Toulouse, but I know of one that's going - start date is, however, VERY soon (i.e a week or two). I had an interview for the job and got it, but turned it down as I got offered a job in another city which suited me far more (mainly as I have mates there already, which is very important to me!)

If you are interested, send me a message and I'll give you the details.

Cheers,

Quoi de neuf