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New teachers thinking of coming to Poland
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ecocks



Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Posts: 899
Location: Gdansk, Poland

PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

simon_porter00 wrote:
Eff me for all the bs written on here, this tops it. I've two kids and i'm far from destitute. Christ, there's someone i know who has 4 is the sole earner and had to pay for his house to be reroofed and he's doing well as a teacher.


Some make it, some just whine about how difficult it is.
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delphian-domine



Joined: 11 Mar 2011
Posts: 674

PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

oipivo wrote:
In my opinion, it's pretty ridiculous to think that you could raise a child easily on a teacher's pay. I live pretty comfortably here and travel quite often. If you plan to have kids, do it when you've finished your teaching career.
Depends what kind of teacher, surely. I keep saying it, but those at the bottom of the ladder in *any* profession are going to find it tough, not just in teaching. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, shop workers, all of them are going to find it hard. That's why it's so important to progress and progress quickly - anywhere. A teacher in language schools has the ability to make a lot of contacts quickly - there really is no excuse to be sitting in an entry level job after 2-3 years.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

delphian-domine wrote:
Depends what kind of teacher, surely. I keep saying it, but those at the bottom of the ladder in *any* profession are going to find it tough, not just in teaching. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, shop workers, all of them are going to find it hard. That's why it's so important to progress and progress quickly - anywhere. A teacher in language schools has the ability to make a lot of contacts quickly - there really is no excuse to be sitting in an entry level job after 2-3 years.
No excuse at all.

Problem is that lots of teachers do the entry level jobs for a few years and then leave Poland. They then complain ad nauseam on this forum about teachers salaries and the cost of living in Poland, never having sought out better jobs.

There's a huge gap between the teachers who earn top dollar and those just scraping by in Warsaw. I don't believe you have such a gap in most other professions, like doctors or police officers. I mean, some teachers earn 2,000 zloty a month and some earn 10,000 doing basically the same job.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 7:08 am    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

In 1997 I was making 7000 PLN/month here net with free accommodation. In 2005 when I returned for 6 months, 7.5k net with 1 client. Each of those situation was down to luck. It didn't matter that I was qualified or not or had an MA or not. It was a domino that fell in the right place each time. Some people get lucky here and others don't. Outside of Warsaw, I'd wager that the vast majority of EFL teachers here are pretty skint. Granted, it's often because they hang out with other EFL teachers.

Poland isn't cheap nowadays and that's a fact. Is it better? Sure. Does the place have some lovely attractions? Sure. Is it a fact that language schools dominate the market and pay terribly? Sure.

However, there's a world outside of this goldfish bowl where you can make a much better living in much better surroundings once you've found the way-out-of-your-league wife in good ole Polska. People shouldn't forget that as an option. As long as the 'health' domino doesn't topple, you'll get by working your ass off here. I'd rather have some money in the bank when that day comes. Meanwhile, the son's off skiing today.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't disagree with anything in your last post. sketchy McEngrish schools predominate and often employ less-than-stellar teachers.

I do believe, though, that in Warsaw any good, qualified teacher can live comfortably on a tefl salary.

Yes, it may mean earning less your first year or so, but after that there's only yourself to blame; you don't have to get incredibly lucky, IMHO in Warsaw. And you don't have to work your ass off or work horrible split shifts either.

You talk in general terms about a better option, and we both know you're referring to the middle east. Assuming the ME wasn't an option (for many it isn't), can you think of another country that offers wages and a quality of life that puts Poland to shame?

I can't. I'm based in Tokyo now and earn about what I did in a very good month in Warsaw here (gross). But the much higher cost of living here eats through my funds pretty fast. The rest of SE Asia is cheaper, but wages usually scale down proportionally. South America pays peanuts.

So my point is that, outside of the middle east, Poland (and especially Warsaw) isn't such a bad option for someone who knows the ropes there.
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Infinite



Joined: 05 Jan 2013
Posts: 235

PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

simon_porter00 wrote:
Eff me for all the bs written on here, this tops it. I've two kids and i'm far from destitute. Christ, there's someone i know who has 4 is the sole earner and had to pay for his house to be reroofed and he's doing well as a teacher.


I'll drink to that hahahaha... I keep coming back here from time to time [as you do] and the amount of drivel is unbearable. Just last year I was helping a UK based construction agency relocate to Poland. I sat with Irish and British construction workers who make more money here than they ever did back home. The main question was - why do Poles come to the UK?
If played right, one can not only pay off a nice piece of property here [especially if single] on a teacher's salary but also invest abroad. If you're a qualified teacher, once you earn some experience, you may travel abroad and teach there for a year or two, maybe even invest in property there, flip it, etc etc... no matter what you do, be it here or elsewhere, if you're just thinking about work - home routine, then that's where you'll be for the rest of your life. Buy - rent out - flip - invest - build - rent out - retire... or... work, work, work, work... die.

The main issue that I see with EFL is age. The older you get, the less of a chance for employment. Schools, agencies, companies and gov't agencies look for young professional teachers who are "with it" so once you hit that 40 mark, you should already be thinking about your next career more... as it is in more work places. If you're not, then you just may find yourself struggling to keep your head above the water when you least expect it. Not because of your lack of skills, but because of your age. This isn't anything new and it applies across board in every industry.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Landlordism and Property Speculation !
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:06 am    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

British and Irish contractors probably get a per diem and living expenses ie food and beer are much cheaper in Poland. Western salary + Poland =happy life. I know as it's my situation.
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Infinite



Joined: 05 Jan 2013
Posts: 235

PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scot47 wrote:
Landlordism and Property Speculation !


Actually I'd like to remain mobile for as long as my health allows me to. So, no landlordism, just vaca rentals and some small "tings" here and there. The market is still pretty nice... although, just like the EFL "ting" it's starting to be over-saturated with... well, you know.... "elements".
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scottie1113



Joined: 25 Oct 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Gdansk

PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The main issue that I see with EFL is age. The older you get, the less of a chance for employment. Schools, agencies, companies and gov't agencies look for young professional teachers who are "with it" so once you hit that 40 mark, you should already be thinking about your next career more... as it is in more work places. If you're not, then you just may find yourself struggling to keep your head above the water when you least expect it. Not because of your lack of skills, but because of your age. This isn't anything new and it applies across board in every industry.[/quote]



Simon, I agree for the most part. You know that I'm an exception to this generalization. I've been here for eight years, and for an old fart, I'm doing just fine.
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Infinite



Joined: 05 Jan 2013
Posts: 235

PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scottie1113 wrote:


Simon, I agree for the most part. You know that I'm an exception to this generalization. I've been here for eight years, and for an old fart, I'm doing just fine.



No, no, not Si... 'twas I. Of course there are exceptions. I can't see myself losing clients simply because of the niche that I tapped into. However, I also can't see myself enjoying teaching once I hit 50. I'd like to stay with language consultancy for international clients as long as I'm able to keep my marbles together. Literary work is fun too; creative writing for mobile text games is also a blast. Having said that, I still would like to retire early.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 10:55 am    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Scottie, I agree but I'd also add that as you get older, you put up with less crap. When someone offers you 50 an hour, you tend to get up and walk. It's true that schools prefer young mugs ideally who can play a guitar, sing and increasingly, paint. Old folk are too wise for them and don't put up with balls. I recently got a lawyer to write to Empik. Shut them up immediately. I was only there for a holiday job in between 2 contracts elsewhere. I earn in a month what they would have paid me in 18.
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chuckMC



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Posts: 75

PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TEFL in Poland is a Hustler's game. To thrive here you have hustle from morning to night for 9 months. And the wages are so low. Polish wages are so low that most of the migrants from Syria and Africa don't even want to come to Poland. Laughing I can see why Poles are shocked when they see an American or a Western European working here.
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simon_porter00



Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 505
Location: Warsaw, Poland

PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A hustler's game. Is it not a hustler's game anywhere else in the world? Can you give me a single example in all the dribble you've written on this board which is unique to Poland? You seem to think it's ridiculously easy pickings elsewhere, so off you shoot then. More money in the states/elsewhere? Good bye. Think, you'll feel so much better when you come back as a millionaire and you can Lord it over us idiots.
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chuckMC



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Posts: 75

PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Simon, I didn't mean to offend anyone. But I just think that working as an EFL teacher in Poland is considered a "small job" by the locals here. We, teachers, go around the city, from morning to night, doing a "small job" and then afterwards we count our earnings from our daily hustle. Its considered a side job from a person's serious job/career.

The EFL industry is not as respected as in Middle East, Asia, or other parts of the world. If you are very happy living in Poland, great!! But realize that Polish people are always asking themselves: "Why is he in Poland and not in the US or UK?"

They are very suspicious of foreigners from the rich world, and rightly so..
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