Job Discussion Forums

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

I was wondering what everyone thinks is the best city to live in Eastern Europe. I am not talking about working conditions or teaching English. Maybe I would like to get an international school job in Eastern Europe in a few years and was curious what others think is the best city to live in?

Deicide

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Prague.

sharter · Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 878 Location: All over the place

Prague is ok, but a bit past it. I lived near there in 95 and it was cool then, but now you don't even feel like your abroad when you go there.

I choose Poland over The CSR any time. Wroclaw and Poznan are really nice, Krakow has gone the way of Prague, but is better in my view and then you've got the Tri-city of Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot...all a stone's throw from the beautiful Hel Peninsula and the Masury lake district.

The Czech Republic is cheaper though.

Mike_2007 · Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 349 Location: Bucharest, Romania

Romania has fantastic countryside: hills, forests, mountains, mud baths, the Danube, the Black Sea coast, skiing, cycling, a decent climate, hot summers, short-'ish' winters, a proper spring, medieval citadels, castles, caves, spa towns, traditional villages, reasonable cost of living (depending on your tastes) and so on.

Sadly, it also has a crumbling infrastructure, a lot of dishonest people and a significant proportion of the general populous tend to be petty, rude and inhospitable.

Work-wise there's not too much going on. There are not that many language schools, although plenty of training organizations offer English lessons. If you had some savings and were willing to live in one of the larger provincial towns I think you'd enjoy a year's stint, maybe working directly with local companies or private students. Best pay is at the international schools in Bucharest.

Best,
Mike

Sadebugo · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 524

Not really Eastern Europe, but I'm in Georgia right now and it's phenomenal! For me, it blows Slovakia away for it's beauty and is still undiscovered by tourists. Unfortunately, I will only be here for three months.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

skinsk05 · Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 8 Location: Prague, for now

I was in Trencin, Slovakia (don't recommend small-town Slovakia, esp for single women) and Prague, and after Asia I can't really recommend either. Teachers are not respected and corruption is rife. I've heard horror stories (and could add my own).

That said, it's a great place to travel. As most jobs are found once there, maybe traveling through the region before deciding isn't a bad idea. It'll at least give you the feel for the city/town and country.

parrothead · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 342 Location: Japan

I reckon it depends on what one considers "Eastern Europe". A lot of Czechs, Slovaks, Pols and Hungarians consider their countries "Central Europe".
I would move (back) to Olomouc, Czech Republic in a heartbeat...

willraber · Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Posts: 25 Location: USA

Does anyone have an opinion on Slovenia?

skinsk05 · Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 8 Location: Prague, for now

There are limited job opportunities in Slovenia for native teachers, but it's an amazing little country. It's got mountains, beaches (OK, not the best, but close enough to better ones), dynamic, interesting and clean cities. Art, culture. . . but it's not as easy to find a good job and earn a good living. Prices keep going up, though some might say it's worth it to live there.

johnnyenglishteacher · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 41

I'm flying out to Slovenia on Sunday for my first TEFL job in about 2 and a half years.

I can't wait, as I've wanted to teach there for absolutely ages.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Congrats. I think it's a fantastic little country and location. Hope it goes really well for you!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Slovenia was good enough for James Joyce. That is where he did some of his EFL teaching. Mind you it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire then.

Ah, Emperor Franz-Joseph ! Come back, we forgive you (As Joseph Roth said)

johnnyenglishteacher · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 41

Thanks, I'm working in Koper, so by the sea but not too far from the mountains either. I have my eyes on the ski slopes, cycle paths, caves and kayak rivers already.

The country just looks like paradise for lovers of the great outdoors. Cool

euro2010 · Joined: 20 Jun 2010 Posts: 13

I'd definitely recommend Ljubljana, Koper or Nova Gorica in Slovenia. Anywhere in this small country would be perfect. You're at the centre of Europe's linguistic (meeting place of Slavic, Germanic and Romantic languages) and geological landscapes (Alpine, Planes, Med, Karst). Because of the very high level of English spoken in the country it is hard to find work teaching English but salaries here are just as high (or higher) than Italy and certainly higher than any other ex-communist country. Nothing beats Slovenia.

Also highly rated in my opinion are Polish cities like Wroclaw (for the lifestyle), Poznan, Szczecin (for the location) and Warsaw (for the money rather than the city) and Krakow if you can handle the crowds and competition for jobs.

I'd love the opportunity to live and work in Bosnia Hercegovina, Croatia or Serbia but TEFL jobs in these countries remain scarce but for short visits they're outstanding and mostly free of corruption and hassles that come with visiting other "poor" places like Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.