Job Discussion Forums

[phantombedwetter]

Big Cannon wrote

[Will.]

Which brings us back to the OP post and the fact that anything, especially digging the septics into the grouind, is more interesting than talking about Bydgoszcz.

[Big_Cannon]

[biffinbridge]

Never been to Thailand, never been in the army and I certainly don't go to Dragon to impress people like you...I go there because my friends go there, it's cheap and it's open very late. I never met you as I haven't been there for the past 2 summers. My comments about unqualified teachers apply to those of every creed, colour and nationality...it's just that most who fall into the aforementioned category have been U.S. in my experience. Back in the mid 90s there were a lot of Peace Corps types over in Poland and they didn't do anyone any favours;the students got Krap teachers and the wages were kept down because of the over supply of 'teachers'. The visa thing is sorting all that out now anyway. So we'll thankfully see less of the European vacationers from here on in.

As for my job? I was the private tutor to one of the wealthiest men in Poland. He created Alma and a host of other companies.

Americans?... well travelled older ones tend to be great and are amongst some of my good friends. In Europe and now much of the world, being a Yank aint cool. It's not a Brit ex-colonial thing...it's just a sign of the times.

Nothing wrong with your patriotism mate, just your arrogance, lack of perspective and general inexperience. Nuff said.

BTW, now that Poland is in NATO there are a lot of military types in and around Poz, especially when the airshows are on. There are 2 Gulf vets that I know of who are teaching in Poznan.

[Kymro]

Don't bother replying to Big Cannon, Biff.

He slags off 'Brits', yet writes long, whiney, self-justificatory p.m.'s to Brits every time he is shown to have a poor grasp of English.

He claims to be making massive petrol bucks in the Gulf, yet posts exclusively in the Poland forum.

He informs us that Americans are the preferred option in Polish schools, yet told us previously about how badly treated he had been at the hands of middle-aged, female school bosses during his short, and presumably spectacularly unsuccessful, sojorn in Poland.

He makes out that he is a Jewish American Ivy-league graduate, yet posts in the ponderous style of a pretentious, poorly-educated, non-native South Asian.

I'm curious to know who or what exactly Big Cannon/Prospect Ave is, but judging by the enormous chip he has on his shoulder, and his pathetic need for acceptance and approval from his peers, it would not appear his TEFL career has been a great success so far.

[Big_Cannon]

[Big_Cannon]

[Sgt Bilko]

Going back to IH Bydgoszcz salaries. 1575 with free flat and no bills seems pretty good compared to an ad for a job at IH Katowice - 2350-2550zl (lets assume the lower scale) but an expected 700-750 for a shared flat (ie 1600-1650 left) but you also have to pay bills which I would imagine would add up to at least 200 and probably 300+ a month (not sure of apartment block costs now). And they don't give you any travel allowance either.

And they've put their basic hours up to 21 clock hours (used to be 20). Still, Katowice would make it all worthwhile...

[biffinbridge]

When I worked at IH Bydgoszcz (96), the standard contract was 24 hours a week. The DOS scheduled those in between Monday and Thursday, so every weekend was a bank holiday. Happy days:). Needless to say I spent many of my weekends in Poz with my then future, now ex-wife. I couldn't live on what IH paid and that was long before I ever went to the Gulf.

What I do remember though is this; Polish students then and now are the best I've ever taught. I thoroughly enjoy teaching them but have never been able to get on with the bosses, most of whom tend to be neurotic women....and boy, Polish women are neurotic.

So, yeah the wages are a bummer and management does leave a lot to be desired. Most private schools there seem to be bums on seats operations....the teachers are therefore a minor inconvenience.

I'll be in Poznan after the 24th March.

[Kymro]

[nocturnalme]

What I do remember though is this; Polish students then and now are the best I've ever taught. I thoroughly enjoy teaching them but have never been able to get on with the bosses, most of whom tend to be neurotic women....and boy, Polish women are neurotic

Possibly the best thing I've read on here for ages! Spot on! certainly sums up my experience of Polish schools.

[Big_Cannon]

[Big_Cannon]

[Kymro]

[biffinbridge]

Wow this thread got a long way off Bydgoszcz.

For what it's worth..I've done a lot of time in Poland and a lot of time in the Gulf. These days (and still in my 30s), I have a Gulf salary but spend 18 weeks of the year in Poland on paid leave, so I guess I have the best of both worlds. Working in the oil field is much better than living in a place like Dubai or Doha although the first few months in places like that are pretty interesting. You soon get bored of brunching at the Sheraton, paying $10 for a small can of beer and spending half your day in traffic jams. The tennis was ok the first time but the next year and the one after that......it was the same for the rally, the rugby,etc etc. The expats in the Gulf are largely complete freaks. The Gulf can be good if you have your family there...ie it's good for kids....swimming every day and all that stuff.

Poland is a special country undergoing a lot of change, most of which doesn't really make it a nicer place than it was in the 90's. It's losing its character bit by bit and morphing into something else. The really whacky cool bars are being replaced by airport lounges style affairs and the good old watroba and golonka places are turning into fast food joints and pizzerias. Old buildings are being replaced by house of cards style housing and the place is really getting costly. It's cheaper to hire a car in London than it is in Poland now, flat prices are insane for most Poles and it really has become a battleground for western consumerism.

So let's face it...why DO people go to Poland to teach? Every male I know is there because of the crazy, beautiful, complicated women or because of just one of them. Are we all losers? Nah... just horny adventurers looking to escape the humdrum existence of 9 to 5 and annoying gits who should be applying for a 15 week interview on'The Apprentice' and not posting here.