Job Discussion Forums

[7H]

Hello everyone!

I am a 25 year old Canadian woman, with a bach. degree and a TEFL course. I have no ESL teaching experience, but lots of leadership and workshop facilitator/educator experience. I am wondering if anyone can give me some info about working anywhere along the Adriatic Sea, in Croatia, or even Bosnia-Herzegovenia. I haven't seen many postings for jobs, but I heard somewhere that it's a really interesting place to work. (Mind the landmines!) I found one job to apply for in Sarajevo, at the Interlingua Language School (http://www.interlingua.ba/) but there's not much info to go on, just the appl. form. Does anyone have experience in those areas? I'm also wondering if I should stick to a more Northern country like Poland or Latvia since I don't have experience abroad. My partner is coming with me...he's got similar credentials, but did live and work (not ESL) in Niepolemitse (sp?) in Southern Poland in 1997. Oh yeah, I speak English and can get by in French.

(10 mins later...)OKAAAY! Just found a thread under Macedonia/Balkans warning to bring vaseline if intending to get "taken advantage of" at Interlingua....Thanks for that!

Thanks all!

Cheers

[EnglishBrian]

This comes second hand from a former colleague who went to teach in Sarajevo (aka Paddy's private fiefdom) for (I think) a Soros or IH connected school - which only offered shared accommodation by the way. The place is expensive. All those UN personnel are on big money. Possibly the most xenophobic people on Earth - without exagerrating. This can come through in the classroom. Rampant crime and a population where many people quite literally have nothing to lose so if they take you for all they can get, it's only natural. And expect to have some post traumatic stress cases in your class - many people there are still living the war. As I say, this came from my mate, not me though - and I'm painting the bad side. There are good sides to it I'm sure, but maybe best avoided for a first teaching gig..

Croatia doesn't have a hugely developed TEFL industry. Mostly a casual teaching to give you some pocket money kind of a deal.

In a first TEFL job I'd recommend looking further north, or, if the EU business proves a problem, further east.

Best of luck whatever you go for.

[7H]

Thank-you for your info. I appreciate individual experience. It's hard to figure out who is telling the truth when you're looking for work...lots of the tourist pages are painting a rosy picture - presumably to attract much-needed money, and ESL schools are just trying to get teachers, even by "overlooking" the bad side of things. These boards are great because you get the good and bad....although it can be a bit questionable when it seems like someone is planted by the school...any thoughts on that one?

I'm not sure how the EU issue will pose problems for us. Some employers seem to be willing to deal with the VISA issue for us, but maybe it's because no self-respecting EU citizen will work for them? (Sigh.) I just want some experience and to try this out without it being a nightmare! Can anyone suggest places where they still are open to Canadians with no experience? We would prefer to be in a smaller city/town, but want to be able to travel out from that place with little difficulty.

Thanks!

[EnglishBrian]

The EU shouldn't be too much of a barrier to you in Eastern Europe. It's not that it's any easier for them to get visas for you there than in the West, but that because they're new EU members, until recently everyone needed a visa, so the schools still know all the procedures and have all the contacts in the right govt. departments. Poland in particular has huge demand for teachers. Also since most EE jobs provide you with accommodation as part of the package, they save money when they recruit couples. Don't even consider a school offering accommodation shared with someone else - there is no excuse for this in EE, despite the rising rent prices.

Even with zero experience, if you have an EFL certificate it will put you quite a way ahead of 90% of applicants. If it's a CELTA or 'equivalent' then you're miles ahead and while you won't be able to 'name your price' exactly, you should be able to pick and choose. Look closely at all the job ads - Poland, Czech, Slovakia, Hungary, Baltics, and don't neglect those further east too. As well as Daves and TEFL.com check out the IHworld.com jobs section (though you usually need a CELTA). They have lots of EE jobs. Not all IHs are good, but they tend to be good places for first jobs.

If you can be flexible about the country you go to (which it sounds you can) then you have an additional head start in finding a decent job. Ask plenty of questions of the school - especially about resources and support for new teachers. It's not necessarily the case that chains are better than individual companies, but go for somewhere that 'feels' right. It's a teachers rather than employers market now - it's their job to attract you.

Check out the 'job information journal' pages on Daves too - that has some older posts about the dodgy places to work. But as you've probably gathered, posts here tend to be negative. The people who are happy where they work rarely write about it in case things should change or it just sounds like the company touting for teachers - or because they don't read these forums, being too busy out and about having fun(!?)

Good luck.

[jdc111]

You of course are free to choose what you want to do but my experience with Interlingua Language School and the director Edin Hadzic is documented at the following link.

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=20395

I found Sarajevo to be a facinating city and Bosnia to be postcard beautiful. The people of the city are alive and active with crafts, music, full coffee/beer bars. People speak easily and will tell enthralling stories regarding their war experiences.

The British Council has a wonderful facility. Soros Foundation is active. Shops and resturants galore. Prices are high...western Europe high.

You will, with out question, enjoy Sarajevo and all of Bosnia.