Job Discussion Forums

soapdodger · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 203

It would be interesting to hear what people think are the worst possible places to take up a teaching position, be it a country, city or town. Of course everyone has prejudices but try to be objective. It could generate some useful information that might prevent people from taking decisions they might later regret.
My personal choice would be Warsaw, Poland. It has a magical mix of a phenomenal number of badly-run, unscrupulous schools; architecture which is distinctly painful on the eye; very inclement weather ( winters have been known to go down to -30C); very high criminality; locals who themselves admit that their rudeness is unacceptable and worst of all, probably because of the aforementioned properties, it seems to attract an incredibly high number of dysfunctional individuals to teach EFL.
I'm sure there are worse places.........

some waygug-in · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 339

I've read that Uzbekistan can be sheer joy. Wink

I'm sure there are all kinds of crappy places to teach though.

JonnyB61 · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 216 Location: Japan

Glasgow!

kaw · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:26 am Post subject:

Jakarta!!!!!!!! For lots of reasons,

Shonai Ben · Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 617

Fukui.....

FemaleNomad · Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 58 Location: Poland

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

tedkarma · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:21 am Post subject:

I spent five years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Wouldn't do it again - but was able to stash a very nice sum of $$$$ during that time.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Pohang, South Korea. Now that is a dump, second biggest steel smelter in the world, what a claim to fame. Pollution is so bad, it can't snow there. I think I was sick about 80% of the time there.

Judging from what was washed up on the beaches, Jesus would not be the only one who could walk on water.

basiltherat · Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 952

I'll have to third jakarta. It embodies (?) just about everything that's wrong with urban life; filth, crowds, impatience, high costs, poverty, general chaos and injustice on the grossest scale, high unemployment, high crime rate, corruption, flooded streets (wet season), sweltering temperatures (hot season) ad nauseum.

I havnt been to a lot of cities in the world but every one i HAVE visited has far less of the above than Jakarta.

Glad I left.

best
basil

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

Libya has to be up there.No transport,e-mail,phones,one blanket,no legitbooze/bars,no women,no computers in the office,very few ex-pats,early starts,crap food,poor medical facilities ....the list is endless.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Ahchoo · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 606 Location: Earth

tedkarma · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:22 am Post subject:

soapdodger · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 203

How many blankets in Libya? At least 2 or 3 I'd say. I used to work in Sudan, just next door, and the night watchmen whose job it was to sleep outside shops used to wear army greatcoats. It really does get chilly at night down there. Ah, Sudan...sort of off-limits these days, but I'd be loth to include it in a list of dud destinations. Although it had the lot in terms of hardship, I think most people going there ( except aid workers) didn't expect anything else and it was all made up for by the people and how interestingly unwesternised it was.