Job Discussion Forums

[coffeespoonman]

I'm getting ready to head over to Prague for a conference in March, and I've decided I'm not coming back. Now, I know that I can get a pretty good job in Korea, and I'm thinking seriously about that, but I was wondering--what are my options with an MA in English Lit? Can I score a uni job in Eastern Europe? If so, where should I look? I'm not married to CZ; I'm willing to work just about anywhere in Eastern or Central Europe. What do you all recommend?

[Chris_Crossley]

Hi, Coffeespoonman!

Since this was your first posting on this forum (welcome, by the way!), you did not say what your present line of work is. I take it you are not teaching English as a foreign/second language right now? I have no experience of teaching in central or eastern Europe, though I would certainly love to do it in the future, even if I do not know exactly when.

As a three-year veteran of teaching English abroad, I would say that your options with an MA in English Literature are quite good, though they would be even better if you had a recognised certificate to teach English. If you do not have one, there are plenty of places in eastern Europe where you could take one.

I am sure that any university would be happy to consider someone with a graduate degree related to English, though it would be best to surf the web sites of individual universities to find out exactly what their requirements are, as they may vary from uni to uni or even from country to country.

Now that the Czech Republic and most of the former Warsaw Pact countries are part of the EU, I am sure that, if you are an EU passport-holder, you should have no trouble in working in countries outside CZ. It might be an idea to check out the General Europe forum on Dave's for info and anecdotes about fellow posters' experiences of teaching in countries like Poland and the Baltic states. There is also a separate one on Russia. You can also use the "Search" function here.

If you have any questions about working in TESL in eastern Europe, you could always PM any poster who has posted any message, which may be of particular interest to you as regards finding work in teaching English.

Good luck!

[coffeespoonman]

Hi Chris, thanks for responding. I am an English teacher, though I've only officially taught native speakers. I've been teaching composition to University freshmen in Ohio for the last two years.

Unfortunately, I am an American citizen, so no EU passport here. But, I've got publications (a couple), so that should help.

In what country(ies) do you think I'd stand a better chance of making a decent salary?

[Chris_Crossley]

Hello again, Coffeespoonman!

I would imagine that Japan would be your best bet at least as far as receiving a salary comparable to that in the U.S. would be concerned, especially if, for example, there are financial matters back home to take care of such as student or other bank loans plus credit card debts.

I myself have been in China since October 2001, and the salaries payable by a lot of public- and private-sector schools are not really comparable to those in the Western world, although it is perfectly possible to have a very decent standard of living for what one does get, provided that one either does not have to siphon off too much salary for repaying loans and other debts back home or else is fussy about the money in particular. A straight conversion from local currency to U.S. dollars may be misleading, as one must then account for the cost of living, food, transportation, and so forth.

It all depends upon what you mean by "decent", really, because it is, after all, a relative term. If you mean relative to back home, then you may be disappointed if you are totally new to teaching ESL abroad.

If, on the other hand, you mean decent as far as the locals are concerned, you should definitely be fairly well-off. For example, my former colleagues at the primary school I taught at until recently were in receipt of a monthly salary over four times that of their teaching assistants, who were themselves teachers. Hence, they could consider themselves as receiving a "decent" salary.

There are many countries in the world where you can do a TESL job and many threads in these forums which you can consult. It is up to you to decide which country you would be interested in going to, although Hong Kong can be incredibly tough to get into, especially if you are a U.S. citizen. If you are interested in mainland China, you should not have any problems in teaching here.

[denise]

If you're concerned about your salary (a very valid concern!), then I'd agree that Japan is good, or at least better than the Czech Republic. As far as whether or not you can get better jobs--I taught in the CR prior to getting my MA, and now I am in Japan in a job that I would not have been qualified for without an MA. My job in the CR was at a standard private language school, and my job here is at a satellite campus of an American university. Japan typically requires publications (my current job doesn't, but it's kind of an oddball in terms of what is typically available here), but you mentioned that you've already got a couple. There are a couple of Japan experts (Glenski and PaulH--and surely many more!) who regularly answer questions about job requirements.

Assuming you can find legal work in the EU, I think you might have a tough choice to make: go to a country that interests you (in Central/Eastern Europe) or go to a country that pays a decent wage.

d

[zaneth]

If you can stand living there, it is possible to make decent money in Moscow. Not for the faint of heart.

[coffeespoonman]

Zaneth, really? I'm very interested in Moscow. I've been studying Russian for about a year. (Learning interesting but nearly useless languages is a hobby of mine).

Where is the money in Moscow? Most of the jobs that I've seen pay 450 USD a month. Sure, you get an apartment, and I bet that 450 goes a long way, but that still doesn't sound like good money.

Why is Moscow not for the faint of heart?[/quote]

[zaneth]

That figure you gave is the established Moscow private school McSalary. Some do better. I've heard of 1 or 2 thousand for established hard working teachers. There is money and power in Moscow and a need for teachers. Some do worse. University salaries are miniscule. All university instructors must supplement their income. But you could definitely get a university gig.

Why not for the faint of heart? Aforementioned money and power for one thing. Also the poverty and the rather tangly beauracracy. Visa hassles are myriad. Cops can stop anybody at will and check visa registration. They're always changing rules and upping prices. Last I heard there's a bill going through the Duma to enable the authorities to revoke the visa of any foreigner who "disrespects" Russian law, customs, or religion. How's that for vague? They're expecting a veto, but still, just that it's gotten this far, you know?

There are pluses of course. And Petersburg is a wonderful city. Really world class. And mellower than Moscow. Some people really dig it here. Just don't get married too quickly.

Good luck.

Russian: 4th (?) largest language in the world but nobody YOU know speaks it.

[Deconstructor]

First, Russian is a beautiful language. I ought to know; I speak it pretty well though I have ways to go still.

If this thread is still about the advantages of MA's, then let me add that most countries don't care about it. If you're going to teach EFL, than a CELTA (for better or worse) should be enough. Get an MA if you're planning on teaching in US/Canada, otherwise save your time, money and energy.

Dosvedania, daragoy tavarish!

[coffeespoonman]

I already have an MA, or rather, I'm getting it in a month. I'm really interested in Russia, but it seems like the money would just be pitiful there. There's a school in Samara offering 450 USD a month, and that seems pretty standard. Of course, I'm not trying to get rich, but I do want to have fun. I've been living on 9000 USD a year through grad school, and I need to make up for years of half-life.

O, e ya toje govoryu po-russkie ochen mala.

Having said that, I'm thinking about Jinju. Plus, it sounds like Uni jobs in Korea are where it's at, and you need a Masters for that. Any thoughts? Can I get CELTA certified in Korea?

[Deconstructor]

[zaneth]

Come to Russia if you've grown accustomed to the half-life and would like to continue with it indefinitely. But then, I don't think I've actually tried to have any fun since I've been here. I hear some people manage.

Good luck in Korea. My secret dream is to visit North Korea. Something about having to have permission from the State Department to visit makes me think it must be worthwhile.

[coffeespoonman]

My dream is to go out drinking with Kim Jong Il. I've heard that man can party.

[guangho]

I took three years of Russian (back when we were all going to be good lil Commies) and to this day know bupkus.

Though my dad does know how to say "go *beep* your mother *beep*" which is very handy indeed.

Korea is a decent place for an M.A. you just have to do your homework. Don't take a single won under 3.0 million/month.

[zaneth]

Wow, I've been LIVING in Russia for three years and don't know how to say anything bleep-worthy.