Job Discussion Forums

[hfaye80]

Is there anyone attending Canterbury English for the June Program? I am looking for a few people who may be attending or not to room with and experience Madrid. Canterbury English does not accomondate. Are there any suggestions as to where I should stay? Hostels?

[ihaveitchyfeet]

I was considering it. If you've already signed up I have a few questions for you. Did they tell you what it will be like to work there for the remaining summer months after getting your certification? I'm worried that if I get certified before or during the summer I should have another job lined up to make a living.

What kind of a living situation are you looking for or what kind of living situations have you heard of? Do people make enough as teachers to rent a two bedroom, each with their own room? Or do people end up sharing rooms (not sounding so great to me!).

I've just started looking into all of this, but since it sounds like you already took the plunge I was considering your feedback would be appreciated!

[Spainish]

Hey there Itchyfeet,

I did Canterbury�s TEFL course back in June of 2002 and something I think you have to keep in mind is that all though the number of classes are much lower, so are the number of teachers to teach those classes (many leave in the early summer months and sometimes you can pickup their private classes too). So finding work is not impossible, but obviously not as easy as October for example. August is another story, try to find work at a bar or do one of the many English summer camps that are available outside of Madrid (Canterbury usually has a good sized list of them and will help you find one if you so desire) because Madrid pretty much shuts down for this month.

As far as accommodation, I don�t know anyone who shares a room, you most definitely can find a room for yourself in a flat rented or owned by someone else though. You will not, however, be able to rent a flat yourself and share it with a fellow teacher etc., or at least not easily (nor would you want to really as far as costs, paperwork and responsibilities).

Pick up a copy of Segundamano when you get here and start calling ads for rooms/locations/prices you find interesting, it's pretty much what 90% of the teachers here do anyway. The summer months are also the best time to do this as all the foreign exchange students and many teachers head home leaving many rooms available.

I don�t post/visit much so my apologies if you ask me something directly and I don't reply!!