Job Discussion Forums

[lostinparis]

?????

To reply to the poster's original question:

I'm American and currently legally working as an English teacher in Paris, France. When I arrived here two years ago, I had no EFL teaching experience - just a degree in English and two years doing marketing presentations for a European wine importing company.

My advice to you if you don't want to pay fees to companies that promise to find you a job (first i've ever heard of this by the way) is to do a little research into government sponsored programs. I got into France through an assistant teaching program run by the French government. The program sets you up with a working visa (which gives you access to French medical benefits and other social services while you are working in France) and lets you teach 12 hours a week in a French public elementary, jr high, high school, or teacher's training college.

With all this free time, you can look for another job in marketing or theater (or at least see how the job market is in the country once you get there). Especially since you don't have an EFL certification, you'll be competing with people who already do have one, speak the local language, and are already working there legally because they have figured out how to do so. (I know, i'm one of these people here in Paris!)

anyway, look into being an assistant language teacher (try the Spanish or Italian embassy websites), as I met a French woman teaching Spanish here in Paris who had done the same thing (an assistantship) in barcelona before she did her teaching certification. I'm sure Spain and italy have similar programs. For me it was really an ideal way to get a foot in the door, just to see if i even liked it.