Job Discussion Forums

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

A few months at home in BG has just reminded me of how tough life is here. And if you are thinking about coming here to work - forget it, unless you are brining in lots of capital to live off !

ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

So why have you (Scott) elected domicile in that place?

Ok, the place is relatively cheap, but not for much longer when it joins the EU, but most people are keen to leave the place, rather than stay there.

It would be interesting to hear about the positive points about Bulgaria, because these are not usually talked about.

In the past, Bulgaria had a notorious reputation for robberies occuring on the trains which passed through. Not sure if this is still the case now.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

GHOST

I married a Bulgarian while teaching here. I now work in the Middle East and return to BG for holidays.

The place has its pluses. Certainly a hundred tiomes better tha n living in the Yookay !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

travellingscot · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 64 Location: UK/Eastern Europe

Hello,i'll be contacting scot47 and meeting for a chat,then perhaps we can agree about just how bad Bulgaria is.Despite being here for over 1 year i still see some positive things,but financially it is a waste of time unless you work for the BC,although things will perhaps change soon.
With regard to trains,i've only travelled that way once from Varna to Sofia and wouldn't recommend it alone--dirty,undesirables everywhere,no refreshments,and friends warned me not to leave my bags when going to the toilet (Small toilet,large suitcase-forget it),so unless you are in a compartment with people you can trust it isn't a pleasant 8 hours.Buses are good,and the new bus station in Sofia is like something alien here,with heating,lighting,security,non-stop food etc (Better than most hotels i've stayed in here !)

preston · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Posts: 107

Been to Bulgaria 4 times to renew my tourist visa and had a fab time always. Go to Plovdiv and drink real beer and pizza and the people are lovely

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Plovdiv is good. For a change try VELİKO TURNOVO. Former capital. Universıty town. Traın from İstanbul to Bucharest stops there.

Leave İstanbul at 22.00. Arrıve about 10.00. Take a sleeping berth. About 60 Euro round trıp

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Bulgaria ! It seems that in the new property boom every reader of the Sun and every watcher of Sky TV is headed to Bulgaria to buy property.

Some are searching for gainful employment. Lo and behold some of them have thought of TEFL-ing in Bulgaria.

scot47 is trying to discourage this unhappy development.

for more see

www.mybulgaria.info

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Sun readers TEFLing? Imagine a typical vocabulary lesson: knockers, boobs, bonking, frogs, wogs, krauts and stick it up yer junta. And for aficionados of lexical chunks, "Oi! Another twelve beers, now!"
An unhappy development indeed.

preston · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Posts: 107

How come I never see any tefl jobs advertised in Bulgaria? (apart from the dreaded nuclear power plant)? What's the score? Anyone out there working in Bulgaria? What's it like?

preston · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Posts: 107

How come I never see any tefl jobs advertised in Bulgaria? (apart from the dreaded nuclear power plant)? What's the score? Anyone out there working in Bulgaria? What's it like?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

The British Council has a few jobs. There are jobs in private language schools - especially in Sofia. 200 Euros a month okay for you ?

I would love to work in BG but have accepted the harsh economic reality and earn my shekels in the Middle East.

meowmommy2 · Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 1 Location: USA

I would like to teach in Bulgaria this September. I know the pros and cons about Bulgaria because I have been there before. Does anyone know how I would go about finding schools in the Plovdiv area? I have looked online, but I haven't found any names of schools. I don't really know where to begin to look for jobs.
-Beth

Chasgul · Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 168 Location: BG

Major positive: half-litre of beer costs 1.20 leva Smile

My comment on the positive side of BG is this: if you can invest in some property, then you can usually live on your earnings, if you have to pay rent as well then things get tricky (unless you're DINKY) as the 'standard of living' and the 'standard of pay' aren't exactly aligned. The other problem is that to earn well you need to give private tuition to people who can afford it - that means that outside of the major cities (of which there are 3-5, depending on your definition of 'major') life is not easy.

The other major problem is that very few jobs are advertised internationally, if you want any chance try jobtiger.bg, or else go through dir.bg or abv.bg.

For more advice post here, in the other BG thread or contact me.