Job Discussion Forums

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

My pals in Poznan, a couple of whom you have met, have done extremely well to stick it in my opinion. They have done so by getting involved in non-TEFL related income streams like health tourism, journalism and video production. One IH DOS turned it in to become an excellent local DJ. Talk of EFL just brings frowns to the old lags' faces. The really well-qualified CELTA, DELTA, MA+ mob mostly moved onwards and upwards to enhance their 'careers'. Don't re-invent the wheel. Teaching privates is the road well travelled. It's uncertain, exhausting long-term and often produces teachers who lack experience and are in need of serious development but who talk like they know it all. My old British Council boss used to tell us not to be complacent as it would take 5 years just to know what we were really doing an I think he was right. 18 years in and I still wonder, especially teaching in the Middle East and North Africa.

I eat and drink all over Poznan from Stajenka an old fave, to the old 'Zez' and and Stary Rats down to the hotdog stands. Yep, I recently moved from Rataja to Swarzedz on the edge of Poznan and I'm bloody glad I did. It's lovely and quiet and we have lots of our Polish friends as neighbours. We also have family in Bogucin, a stone's throw away. IT'S COMMON SENSE. So too is using Wizz Air to get directly from Poznan to Luton. How else would you do it? What infantile jibes. If I want to live a champagne lifestyle, I can. If I want to munch on a parowka and sip Warka I can. It's got sweet FA to do with the price of fish.

Ask my fiancée where home is. I think you'll find she answers 'Poznan'. First arrived 95. Know the current prices and costs. Know what my friends get paid and what they charge. Unlike you, I have a very long-term perspective. Now go put your dummy back in.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

Harrumph.

You're a troll.

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

And just so all can see how pointless your trolling is.

1-http://www.entfernungsrechner.net/en/distance/city/3084130/city/3088171

2-
That EU funding thing? Lots of schools do it and many a DOS has done it. Not new sonny.

I'll not toast to your health next time I'm in Heising.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

What's wrong? Don't like the fact that people living and working in Poland full time are flying full service airlines, eating in more expensive restaurants and living in cities rather than in incredibly dull commuter towns? I'd be pretty upset too if I had to live 2/3rds of my life in a dangerous environment to live a worse life than those actually living in Poland.

For someone who talks so much about money and so on, you certainly don't seem to be walking the walk when it comes to this sort of thing. Did you spend everything buying everyone drinks again?

As for the EU funding thing? My point is that most 'native speakers' barely know their arse from their elbow when it comes to this sort of thing. Schools certainly have got money, but it's all done by Polish administrative staff. And this is what differentiates those working for Profi Lingua to those who have real jobs. I'm paid to sort out such projects, but at the end of the day, it means being dedicated and not spending my life in the pub.

With your constant references to "mates', what you fail to mention is that these people are all from the pub. They're not a fair reflection on Poland at all.

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

Buying a round in a pub on the rare occasions that I go out is not going to clean me out. I save and spend more than you earn a year pal even with Sterling at its historically low rate.

Those mates are actually friends who I've known for years. They tell me you're not too popular.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

I dunno, for all your boasts about money, one would expect you to at least be able to afford to fly proper airlines with tasteful colour schemes and to be able to hire something more than a shoebox to drive. Oh, and to eat in restaurants that have slightly higher standards than Fenix. And given that you live in a cheap commuter town rather than Poznan, just what gives you the right to boast?

Seems to me that the real skinflint cheapskate here is you, not us. No wonder you hate Poland so much if you have to live a cheap lifestyle here. Certainly ecocks (to name one poster) seems to live a far better lifestyle than you.

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

Grow up.

Janek · Joined: 25 Sep 2006 Posts: 79 Location: Krakow, Poland

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

Sorry Janek, my post wasn't aimed at you at all. The question you pose is a good one. Honestly speaking, these days the Polish English teachers can be so good that I don't think there's any reason for there to be a native Vs non-native differential. Basically, people charge what they can get away with, with any given client. The beauty of matura prep is that there's a huge demand for it and its results can change a student's life, so people will pay 'top-Dollar'.

And yes you are right. There are some atrocious jobs and recruiters in the Middle East too. However, a few years in the Middle East with the right job can make the rest of your life in Poland much easier. There are plenty of Polish English teachers doing it too, which may or indeed may not surprise you. I'm not a native speaker purist by any means.

ecocks · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 899 Location: Gdansk, Poland

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

Pretty much. Everyone I know that has succeeded in Poland got there through hard work and self discipline. On the other hand, the ones who have failed all have something in common - a lack of discipline and problems with their work ethic. It's not rocket science.

I know one chap here who started off teaching German for 25zl an hour. He hated it, so what he did was ask every single student to give him three phone numbers. He specifically asked for the numbers of German speakers, then he called them and asked them straight out if they could help him find something better.

What happened? After a few phone calls, he got through to the director of some company - who told him to come for a chat. The guy owned a Polish company that was thinking about expanding into Germany, so he told him to go hire a car for 2 weeks, gave him a laptop and mobile and told him to go and sell the products. 5 years on, he's now responsible for sales to Germany/Austria/Switzerland and is earning a considerable amount of money in the process. No bullshit, no excuses, just plain old fashioned hard work. The thing is - he doesn't piss his life away down the drain.

Some people will never get this, as they need to spend Friday night in the pub or Sunday afternoon boasting in crap restaurants about their salary.

Meanwhile, I've just returned from a little trip to the Czech Republic. Rather nice it was too, and a great tip for anyone here is to go and explore Cieszyn/Cesky Tesin. Cieszyn in particular has an incredibly quaint 'little Venice' area that is absolutely charming.

ecocks · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 899 Location: Gdansk, Poland

Back to vacation ideas:

I was thinking of running down to Krakow this week. It's been a couple of years since I was there and I could at least refresh my pictures.

The other option might be Vilnius again.

What to do?

Master Shake · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1202 Location: Colorado, USA

I'd go with Krakow. I was just thinking it's been too long since I took a trip there. Just be sure to check the weather first.

I liked Vilnius ok, but it will probably be a one-off for me. It was nothing special and the Lithuanian 'cuisine' was greasy and made Polish food look delicious in comparison.