Job Discussion Forums

[scot47]

I STILL get inquiries from people who refuse to believe that salaries in BG for teachers are so low.

In one case from a teacher who has moved to Bulgaria, convinced that he knows better than I do.

When offered 200 to 250 Euros a month (400-500 Bulgarian leva), he expressed surprise.

PICKINGS IN BG ARE SLIM !!! Believe me !

[Chasgul]

Sadly, people find it hard to deal with the fact that in BG the average salary is 350 leva/m, which means that most people earn less than that and the lucky few earn several times that.

[andrejwout]

Hi, does anyone know if there are any callan schools in Sofia. Or for that matter any other good english schools to contact for work.either short term or for longer???? Any help would be great,

thanks

andrej

[scot47]

Have a butcher's hook at
www.mybulgaria.info

[Bebsi]

Scot47,

You seem to be like a friendly, helpful sort of guy who knows BG very well, and maybe you can help me: wave a magic wand, so to speak.

I am a EFL teacher, with 6 months experiance of teaching English conversation to young bar women in a country in south east asia with lots of beaches. I won't say where, but there was a coo there recently. I don't have a degree or any EFL quals, but I feel that they are not really necessary in places like BG.

I would love to work in BG, not for money, but to learn the language and experiance the culture for myself. Can you tell me all about Bulgaria, and if you could find me a job their it would be great. I would be happy with about 2,500 euro a month, and accomadation if possible. Is Sofia on the beach? If not, a villa with a pool would be realy nice, but if not I wont mind. Im not like the other brits who expect everything.

I learnd Russian from a girlfriend so I will have no problems with the language as they seem to be similer.

can anyone help me?

[Bebsi]

Better add a smiley, just in case some out there who don't know me think I'm being serious in the above post.

So, here's a smiley



On a more serious note, Romania isn't very different in terms of EFL pay. Many jobs here in Bucharest, that actively seek native speakers, pay in the region of 300 euro a month. They provide "free company transport", i.e. a bus pass!! Accom is usually a one-roomed hovel in one of the city's cheapest areas, or a shared two-roomed (very small) apt. From what I gather, they actually get people, mostly young naive types who believe the crap that you can live well on the "good local salary". It's more than the locals get, but it really is all relative.

Not all jobs pay this, there are a few more reputable outfits too. The problem is, the cheaper operators provide lessons (mainly very poor quality) at such ridiculously low rates that anyone else...apart from maybe the BC, who manage to survive on their reputation...has to struggle to keep up. And in Romania, the only criteria in many cases is price, not quality. Can anyone tell me if it's the same with the EFL scene in BG?

As Scot says, to work in most EFL jobs in eastern Europe, is to get a taste of real poverty.

[scot47]

Bebsi

For your crimes you SHOULD be forced to spend long periods in Arabia Deserta. However you are probably busy establishing your Empire in Wallachia !

[Bebsi]

Well, people do strange things when the eastern European winter sets in and a desire for hot sunshine develops. Actually, there are indeed times when I miss KSA and the central desert.

Temptation......

[scot47]

And they keep on asking me. "But surely there MUST be jobs in Bulgaria that pay enough to live on !'

No there aren't. And you won't find a job in Norway or Holland either. Or Tralfamador or Ultima Thule.

[mistael]

what about The Republic of Macedonia?

[spiral78]

ditto

[scot47]

Or the Faroe Islands.

[grahamb]

The Faroe Islands? Are they near Port Said?
Note for backpackers: I'm only kidding.

[scot47]

....but we could fix you up with a challenging post in Utter Slobistan.

[spiral78]

That's where they're calling from already...