Job Discussion Forums

[gharwell1]

Does anyone have information about teaching in Estonia?

Thanks

[crookedcrow]

Hi,

I lived and worked in Estonia for two and a half years. I LOVED IT! I moved there from the Czech Republic and before I visited, I thought that I wanted to work for ILS. After visiting ILS and IH, I prefered IH. It is so hard to make those decisions from far away.

Estonia has wonderful people, a beautiful capital (Tallinn), and easy access to Helsinki. It is still an "Eastern European" country in that you don't make a ton of money, but that is quickly changing. I still have friends there. PM me and I will get you in touch.

As with every place, there are challenges. It is not a huge country (pop. 1,500,000), so it can seem a bit clautrophobic. Nevertheless, there are a surprising number of cultural events and interesting restaurants. The winters are long . . .

I had a very active life outside of IH -- worked as a singer in a professional choir, and dated a Finn . . . so I was often travelling to Helsinki. I think these factors kept me happy.

Hope that helps.

--Andrew

[supertraveller]

Just wondering, can you get by on 600 usd a month net including the apartment? How expensive is Estonia? Thanks. Take care.

[crookedcrow]

I was there two years ago. I paid $225 USD a month for an apartment near the old town -- it was a one bedroom and I had a roommate -- I slept in the living room. You could find cheaper accomodations farther away from the center. If you aren't picky about your food you can eat affordably, but if you aren't a fan of potatoes and cabbage, you may need to teach a few privates on your own. . . I was lucky -- I got a guy who wanted a private lesson 5 days a week . . . it made it possible for me to eat better.

[poro]

[GF]

$600 comes out to 7369 kroons at today's exchange rate. Poro is right that it is close to the statistical average. Estonians can manage on it but most expats will find that it limits their lifestyle choices. If you are frugal, then you will have no problem. I make far more than that and I go through my money pretty quickly. And as for rent, it's good your school provides a flat because rents are soaring thanks to the booming real estate market.
Supertraveller, from the figure you quoted it sounds like you may be working for ILS. Is that true?

[supertraveller]

So i guess you can't save any money on that salary or do some travelling, i assume? And by living standards, would you still be able to go out and eat and go to the pub or would it mean staying at home a lot? Thanks. The salary doesnt sound like much.

[poro]

[supertraveller]

What about Latvia, is it a lot cheaper than Estonia? If you made the same amount in Latvia, would you be living a lot better? Thanks.

[GF]

You will be able to go out and eat and drink but your choices will be limted, especially in and around Old Town. Quite a few places are getting pricey since they are aimed at the cash-rich tourists and not local teachers. A night out with my friends can easily cost me 500 kroons. Nobody comes here with the intent to save money. However, you will be able to travel around Estonia because bus fares between cities are quite reasonable. A final note about money. If you don't make a lot of out of country calls and shop at the cheaper (and lower quality) supermarkets, then you should have more than enough kroons left over to party with.

[poro]

At least they've got cheap booze in Estonia. I'd go and get some myself, but it's just too far.

[GF]

Yeah, but we don't have those big Finnish salaries either!!! What part of Finland do you live in? From the sound of your last post I am guessing it is not Helsinki or else you could be in Norde Centrum buying up our cheap swill in the next two hours.

[poro]

Yes, it's a long way from Helsinki. I live in the East, in the north of Lakeland, and a round trip to Tallinn would be about 1200 km (including about 18 hours of travelling). Even for booze, it's not worth the hassle

Btw, we don't overpay ourselves, despite what you may think. The median wage is around �2400, but taxes on everything are so much higher, as are prices generally. (Did you know the tax on a car can be higher than 100% of the normal purchase price?)

Our stats office tells us that the average Finn has a house with a mortgage, a 12-year old car, and not much else besides. I believe them.

How well-off are average Estonians?

[GF]

Those are some fearsome taxes. And I thought our 23% flat tax was high!!! Most of my Estonian friends earn less than $1000 a month (some a lot less), live in small flats and take the bus. Those who have cars own older ones. On the other hand, I work in a private school and see how the other half lives: expensive cars, name brand clothing and frequent holidays abroad. The good news is that wages are growing much faster than inflation.
By the way, do you ever get in to Tallinn? Finns come here in droves to shop for all kinds of things. Just today, my wife said the pharmacy in Viru Keskus was packed with them.

[poro]