Job Discussion Forums

[asromacalcio]

I'm trying to get some basic information on Latvia with regards to teaching there from September. OK, long way off yet, but a few ideas would be helpful.

If I have any specific questions they are:

Are there any schools that I should avoid?

Is it true there is a smoking ban in public bars and restaurants etc?
Is it enforced?

Can you easily get vegetarian food? I don't mean Linda McCartney or Quorn, I mean the natural stuff, rice, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds etc

Is road cycling popular and are there a lot of cars?

Can I get by with Russian or will I need to learn Latvian?

Hope somebody can help me.

Thanks

asromacalcio

[jonniboy]

Are there any schools that I should avoid?

None that I know of here. I have heard a rumour about one or two but it's been on other web boards and has been one off and uncorroborated, so could possibly be disgruntled ex-teachers with a grudge against their ex-employers. There is a serious shortage of native speakers here so finding work and private students isn't a big problem. You can find some schools in www.117.lv (English/Russian options available.)

Is it true there is a smoking ban in public bars and restaurants etc?
Is it enforced?

Yes it does and yes it's enforced. However it's not a completely total smoking ban - if bars can have a seperate walled off area then people can smoke there. In practice that means that well over 95% of places are completely no smoking (ie take your cig outside). It's a happy compromise. Those of us who like the odd ciggy with a beer (i.e. me) can go to the few bars which do have such areas. Those who hate eating in smoky environments or coming home with clothes reeking of second hand smoke (ie me) can do so.

Can you easily get vegetarian food? I don't mean Linda McCartney or Quorn, I mean the natural stuff, rice, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds etc

Yes - readily available in the larger supermarkets although for some of it you'll have to pay a little more. What I will say is that in common with other ex-Soviet countries you won't be spoilt for choice eating out if you're a veggie as a lot of places are meat dependent.

Is road cycling popular and are there a lot of cars?

You're out of luck with this one I'm afraid. Although there are a few cyclists around, there are no cycle paths that I've seen at least in the city and it does seem to be a pretty car dependent culture. I suspect that part of that is to do with the climate and part to do with public transport being very cheap and reliable - about 8 euro for a month pass and 40 cents for a single journey.

Can I get by with Russian or will I need to learn Latvian?

Unless you're planning to hang out with teenagers or work in one of the more ethnic Latvian cities in the West, yes easily. Virtually everyone over the age of 20 speaks it and it's a popular 'foreign' language among the younger generation.

p.s. Latvia isn't part of the CIS so you'll find a lot more Latvia threads in the 'General Europe Forum'

[asromacalcio]

Sure, but really as your post was so informative, for the time being I have no need to look further. When it is closer to decision time I'll post some more detailed questions, but for now, thank you for your time and I can tell you that I am very seriously looking at Latvia as my next destination, in spite of my yearning to go back to Italy and try Japan.

That's the downside of TEFL, we just have so much choice, and we have to be selective.

Thanks again


asromacalcio