Job Discussion Forums

[elliot_spencer]

Hey guys.. I'm coming up to my second year in Italy, so I just thought I'd post up what it's been like so far to me!

Well, I live on the island of Sardinia and it's beautiful albeit god dam far from 'the continent'

I work for a language school and teach about 25 hours a week, it's never more but sometimes less! I make €1200 a month regardless. I am employed from Sept until the end of July, so the only month I don't have work is August. I have a contratto progetto and I get my 'busta paga' each month.

I LOVE my school and I have great students. My school is big with about 22 teaching staff... 6 of these have a contratto a tempo indeterminato which is kinda rare!

Like I said I like my school but sometimes I get bored. I've found it real hard to make friends with the people of Cagliari and it's only since I met my bf that I've started to make local friends. It's not that I don't speak Italian as I do, both my parents are from Napoli and I grew up speaking both Italian and dialect! But, I don't know, the people are kind of closed and are not willing to invite you out or hang out like the guys in Naples (I don't know maybe in Napoli I am seen as one of them as my accent when I speak Italian is napulitano)!

I would like to know what you guys think of the Italians in your area! Also, sometimes here, I get bored, I mean Cagliari is a BIG city (in Sardinia) but still I find that the city is senza anima! Boh,,,,

So, I was thinking next year to leave and head to Palermo or somewhere with life (and my bf agreeing)...but:

I understand that my salary is high... like I said , I make €1200 NET and I live alone in a nice apartment in town and I pay €500- So, after that I have €700 to play with and pay bills. I am not in debt and have no loans to pay back. Also, I have work (contracted) for 11 months a year... Is there any other deals like this in Italy that you know about?

I LOVE living in Italy.. It's great!! Just wish I could find my job on the boot or other island!!

[elliot_spencer]

I was hoping for others to post their experiences... Is that not possible?

[Il Gattopardo]

No experiences, but a question...

Is the Sardinian dialect difficult to comprehend and pick up? I'm seriously considering widening my job search to include Naples, but am worrying about settling in there with regards the Neapolitan dialect.

When I went to Naples on holiday, I found it really tough to communicate and didn't recognise much of the 'standard italian' I'd learnt every time a native opened their mouth.

So, what was your experience with this in Sardinia? Are you now talking like a local? Extra study or just picked it up along the way?

[elliot_spencer]

Hey, Well in regards to your question.. Sardinian is a 'language' if you're thinking of coming here by no means call it a 'dialect' as well , you will not be popular.

Sardinian people speak Italian with no real accent..I'd say it's the most clear form of Italian that I have heard....

Their own language is spoken in the north but not that much in the south where I am apart from the occasional 'Eja' which means yes. However Sardinian sounds like Catalan that they speak in Barcelona.

One more thing, I am fluent in Italian AND napoleanto so I have no problems.

If you love Naples and Italy I'd suggest you research before coming here. This place is VERY isolated with S°*T connections to the mainland and Europe and the island doesnt feel VERY Italian! More like a mix of Italy and Spain... if youre looking to eat welll... DONT COME!!

Hope this helps

[SueH]

I'm one of those teachers who does bits here and there. I do a day at primary school and pick up nearly 150 net plus extra for after-school teachers' meetings/training. A group class at a local library will net me just over 30 net per hour after tax and INPS - would have been more with bigger classes. Fortunately I have a bit of slack to deal with my current cashflow problems... I paid my extortionate car insurance today!

As for the neapolitan accent - I watched the film Gomorrah at my local cinema and _everybody_ was grateful for the subtitles in Italian!

[acmurray]

I live in Bologna and make something over €1000-1200 only on the good months without too many days off for holidays, like November, February, and either March or April, whichever doesn't have Easter that year, and May. The problem is that in June and September my school has a greatly reduced class schedule, which means I might make 600 or 700 if I'm lucky. October is also slim because the courses are just beginning halfway through, and in July and August I'm desperately trying to make rent with private lessons I pick up through advertising. The other problem is that the big cities anywhere else in Italy tend to be expensive - in Bologna if you make anything less than 800 a month it's a struggle to make it to the end of the month. A single room in a shared apartment here goes for about 300 a month, a place in a double around 230-280, and a tiny studio apartment is probably at least 600, 550 if you're very lucky and spend a long time looking.
So I survive, and I survive well in the good months. The good part of living in a "rich" city like Bologna is that if you have experience, you can ask at least 20 or 25 euros an hour for private lessons. I have a friend who makes a good deal of money that way. The downside is that private students tend to cancel more often and thus is much more risky.
In Palermo I would guess that you could live quite cheaply, but I don't know if you would manage to earn anything close to your current income. €1200 a month is a pretty sweet deal, I've gotta say.

[Mrguay84]

[seagull]

All this time I thought elliot_spencer was in China judging by all your posts on the China board.

[alisonott]

I'm working just outside of Florence. I'm on a freelance contract and have similar problems with finances - when work is flowing in I can do c. 25 a week and am earning around 1100 euros a month net, but with all the bank holidays and holidays for Christmas etc, some months (January, April, June) I struggle to make 700 net...which makes it tough. I also don't really have work between mid June and late September.

Florence is a great town to live and work close to or in though. Loads going on in whatever culture you wish for. Despite the isues I've come across I'd definitely recommend it.

Which school in Cagliari are you working for Elliot? I visited Cagliari in April 09 and went on a tour of schools (I visited 6), meeting people, as I really fancied working there - but the contract in Tuscany popped up first so I ended up here.

Alison

[elliot_spencer]

Hey alison, sorry for the delay. I currently work for the biggest and oldest private language school in Cagliari.. if u've been here then u should know it! wow! €700 for Tuscany is nothing! How do u survive?

[alisonott]

Yeah, now you confirm those details. I know which one you mean. I visited it in April.

The truth is, I struggle to survive the months I only make 700 euros. Luckily, I'm partially sharing my costs with a 50% here 50% UK-based boyfriend. The months when I make 850-950 subsidise the others...but I live in a very small apartment and I'm not an expensive girl!

It's difficult though and the thought of a guaranteed monthly wage is certainly appealling for next year. I might contact you nearer the summer as I'm definitely considering heading to Cagliari next year.

Thanks, Alison

[annunziatam]

I would really like to teach english in Italy, can anyone offer me some advice of great TEFL training program that i could join. I have my bachelors in intnernational business and marketing, i know this wont get me far so thats why ive decided to get my liscense first. Either way any adivce will help

[spiral78]

assuming that you are a US citizen from your location, you'll need to first read up on the difficulties of non-EU member citizens getting legal work permits for Italy.

Your certification won't matter if you can't work legally in the country.