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Eager2teach · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 1:51 pm Post subject: Newly CELTA certified

I am newly certified and a bit overwhelmed by the prospects or possiblities for teaching. Poland interests me however. I'd appreciate any help or insight I can get. I'm a 47 y/o male with no teaching experience prior to the CELTA. Crying or Very sad

What can I expect?

John, still in the US, but eager to start the adventure!

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Poland is now part of the EU, and so you would require a work visa to work there legally. It is difficult to obtain a work visa to teach English in the EU as an American citizen as the EU contains many English speakers, and efl teachers. Some newer EU members are less rigorous in this than are coubtries that have been EU members for longer, and maybe Poland is one of these.

gregoryfromcali · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:56 am Post subject:

Although I don't think Stillnosheep has ever taught in Poland unfortuantely there is some truth to what he says.

But that shouldn't stop you from coming to Poland as there is still plently of room for more teachers and they are plenty of Americans working there.

Especially since Poland is now part of the EU many young Poles want to go to the U.K. and they know that knowing English can mean the difference between a decent job and a terrible one.

Although it requires some courage the best thing to do is to come out to Poland, find a town you like and start applying for schools. No experience and the visa situation will be an obstacle but as long as you have enough to get by for a few weeks or months, which is relatively easy if you eat at home then you should be okay.

Just don't come in the Spring, the Spring is worse time to come as the school year is winding down and over half the language schools in Poland close for the summer. I came in the Spring and I didn't find a full time job until October.

As far as age I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just tell them that you want to settle down in Poland (whether you want to or not) and tell them you have experience in business, which will good as some teachers don't want to teach business English.

In fact being older may help as the students will probably treat you with more respect.