Job Discussion Forums

lorna · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 7 Location: Glasgow

Hi

My fiance and I are hoping to do TESOL/CELTA courses here in the UK and then move out to Barcelona (primarily because we can't afford to do a month overseas without any salaries coming in!).

Before we do this I'm trying to research the financial side; I read a website that said the average salary is 1000Euros/month. Dave's sticky from 2002 says renting a 2 bedroom was about 500 Euros which must have gone up by now - is there any way to live on 1000Euros?
From what I can gather it will be very tight and summers are obviously not paid - so does everyone have a second income or how do you survive?!

Also, would there be any chance of work in smaller places (ie not Barcelona) for both of us or is Barcelona the best bet?

Finally (!) with no experience and only the CELTA/TESOL cert - is there any chance of work in Barcelona? Everyone seems to either do their course there or move there once they have the experience...

I've tried to search through the various forums to find out before posting this but apologies if my questions have already been answered!

agentcooper · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 13

Hey Lorna

. I'd just like to point out that if both you and your fiance make around 1000 euros a month, you'd still have a combined income of 1500 euros after rent is payed. That doesn't seem so bad. When I lived in Spain (I wasn't working at the time, just living off of savings), I only spent about 800 euros a month and that was including rent (which was about 250 a month for me).

lorna · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 7 Location: Glasgow

Thanks agentcooper!

Just from using the amazing Google, I can find apartments - 1 bedroom - that are going for 800 Euros per month and more. I presume there are cheaper places once there (I hope... or there goes my plans and dreams!).

That seems a lot to me - that only leaves 200 Euros per salary?! Is that really enough to live off? I'm not talking about beer guzzling or anything but basic necessities surely amount to more than that?

agentcooper · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 13

One option that I'm looking into (and I'm in a very similar position...I'm moving to Madrid with my boyfriend) is sharing a flat with a roommate or two. As long as we have our own room, I think we'll be fine. I have seen fairly big rooms with their own bathrooms for under 400/month.

agentcooper · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 13

lorna · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 7 Location: Glasgow

The apartments I saw advertised were one bedroom for 800 euros a month as a minimum - I only saw one that low so I took an average - sorry, didn't metion that part Embarassed

agentcooper · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 13

I'm still not understanding....are you and your fiance going to be staying in separate apartments?

If you and your fiance can stay in the same apartment and the rent is 800eu/month...then wouldn't both you and your fiance pay 400eu/month? unless your fiance is a lazy bum Wink

and isn't going to help out with rent.

lorna · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 7 Location: Glasgow

The ad said 800 per person - I did think it was weird....!!

agentcooper · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 13

Oh my gosh! That is really weird and very expensive!!! Have you guys thought of going to Madrid instead? Or if you want to be on the Mediterranean, you could think about going to Valencia. I lived in Alicante for a few months and it was a great city!

lorna · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 7 Location: Glasgow

Glad it's not just me that's shocked by that!!!!

I'd really like Barcelona as my fiance knows the area --- but we will be looking around. We're also going over in July so we'll have a look then at average apartment rates I guess. Hopefully once you're there it's cheaper than any places that advertise on Google! Smile

CMB · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 46 Location: Barcelona

There are lots of job opportunites just outside of Barcelona, either in the suburbs or costal towns. Have you researched any certs in Barcelona? From what I understand they're very pricey in the UK, so it may not be much more, plus the better cert. providers here have good contacts with language schools to help you get a foot in the door when you start your job search.

lorna · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 7 Location: Glasgow

Ooh! Thanks CMB - suburbs etc of Barcelona would be perfect - so long as both of us could get jobs!

CMB · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 46 Location: Barcelona

You'll be fine! Most teachers want to live in the center of Barcelona and complain about always having to travel outside the city.
Good luck!

teflexpert · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Rochester, UK

DON'T DO IT! I used to run a language school and teacher training centre in Barcelona, and our trainees, straight off their certificate courses, could not get work for love or money! The Barcelona market is saturated with experienced teachers and there is fierce competition for jobs. Everyday at least 10 poor teachers would wander in to our school with their CVs, and unless they had at least a year's experience, we weren't interested - we didn't have to be with so many teachers turning up on our doorstep just begging for work.

Out of our last 40+ trainees, only 2 of them managed to find enough work to get by on, and one of those went home after a year because it was just to too difficult to make ends meet.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I would say go somewhere else for a year to get some experience under your belt, and then try Barcelona.

Good Luck.

londontobarcelona · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

Hi,

I'm moving to Barcelona this August with my wife. She will be studying there. I am a fully qualified secondary teacher and will be doing a Celta course when I arrive. The last message has startled me somewhat! Does full UK QTS put me above most candidates?

Many thanks