Job Discussion Forums

Varney · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 1

I have been offered to teach in Bratislava with the Caledonian School, teaching business adults. Does anyone know much about the school??
Thanks...

Harry Swindells · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 39 Location: Warsaw,Poland

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scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Since when was Bratislava in the Czech Republic ? Has there been a war between the Czech Republic and Slovakia that I did not notice !

Why are so many geographically challenged people tempted by a "career" in EFL outside their home countries ??

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

[quote="Varney"]I have been offered to teach in Bratislava with the Caledonian School, teaching business adults. Does anyone know much about the school??
Thanks...[/quote]

What kind of English is this ? Are you sure you are going to teach ? Sounds like xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx !
[Edit by Harry]

[Play nice here please people - Harry]

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

Regarding Varney's post,I agree with you,but you do not actually expect him to use proper English,do you?Wow,that is asking a LOT...that these people who are going to "teach"English actually know how to use it.Anyway,I agree with you.I would really like to know the words that Harry x'ed out...but I guess I will never find out about them.Life is full of mysteries, like why Harry likes Warsaw.Only joking this time,Harry.

Also,Varney calls Bratislava "basically Czech Republic".Ah,no.It is in the Slovak Republic,which has been a separate country since The Czech Republic and Slovakia went their separate ways,in the so-called Velvet Divorce in 1993. At one time in history,however,Bratislava was part of Hungary.

Yes,Scot,I agree.Well,you see- there are too many people out there who suddenly decide to "teach" English.They think it is an easy way to solve their problems.It often turns out they create more problems than ever for themselves.But then,of course,I am not an expert.Only my opinions. Rolling Eyes

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Maybe shame has forced Varney to go and hide ? Or is he in the Library checking out the location of Braitislava, Slovakia and Europe ?

Felix · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 34

I worked for Caledonian in Prague, and they were definitely a good and honest school there. I coulnd't imagine that it would any different in Bratislava.

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

! suggest that anyone contemplating teaching at Caledonian take a look at the Job Journal Forum under Czech.There seem to be some very mixed reviews.I taught in Czech but not at Caledonian.What I heard while I was in Czech concerning them and read on the Job Journal definitely scared me off.Maybe they differ from branch to branch.

superscott777 · Joined: 09 May 2003 Posts: 10 Location: the T-dot

bnix says, at some point in history, bratislava belonged to hungary, as well.true that!this period lasted about a 1000 years until hungary lost 66% of its territory when the shameful trianon treaty was signed in versailles, in 1920.bratislava, or better to say pozsony - one of the former capital cities of hungary - still has many hungarians inhabitants.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Yes. Well the continent of North America used to belong to the Red Indians. The whole of Slovakia was part of Austro-Hungary but so what. Are you planning to reinstate the Habsburgs, or give North America back to the First nations ?

superscott777 · Joined: 09 May 2003 Posts: 10 Location: the T-dot

the austro-hungarian monarchy existed till 1867.there was no such a thing as an independent slovakia that time.on the territories, taken away ,there were hungarians living with a slovakian minority.
the fact that in 1920 france and england forced hungary to sign a shameful treaty like the one in versailles is humiliating and inmoral.by the way, before that, slovakians and hungarians lived peacufully together.now, thank to this unfortunate agreement, the situation has changed.slovakians are victims, a bit, too as now their people live in three different countries: the present hungary,former yugoslavia and slovakia.
similarly to the red necks, hungarians were kicked out of their land, too, from a town, Pozsony, e.g.,where hungarian kings were crowned for hundreds of years.just check out the BENES declaration if you want to read about some horror stories of how slovakians planned to eliminate the hungarians from there.unfortunatelly, they were pretty succesful.
lets not forget one more thing,all this happened in the 20th century and interestingly enough,until now the treaty has not been approved by the us.
JUSTICE FOR HUNGARY!!!

superscott777 · Joined: 09 May 2003 Posts: 10 Location: the T-dot

sorry, the monarchy existed till 1920.it started in 1867!!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Like I say, you give Manhattan back to the First Nations and we can then negotiate the return of Bratislava to Hungary.

The question of nationality in Eastern and Central Europe is complex. Once you start re-drawing borders there is no end to it.

Incidentally it was not "england" that signed the Treaty of Trianon. It was the United Kingdom. If you are a student of International Relations I think you might be sophisticated enough to spot the difference.

superscott777 · Joined: 09 May 2003 Posts: 10 Location: the T-dot

once you start re-drawing borders there is no end to it.you are right.why was it so necessary in 1920 then?and im sure you remember what happened to germany.wasnt it a big re-drawing?
im not a student of international relations just a thinking human being.also, i might not be as sophisticated as you but have seen and experienced a few things.
the treaty was an obvious mistake based on false politics.
you have probably never been to any of the territories taken away from hungary.
have you ever heard about the tortures of hungarians living in transylvania?(now belonging to romania)
have you ever seen riports on tv about how hungarians are treated,often badly beaten (father tokes, e.g.)or even imprisoned for speaking in hungarian in the streets of these areas?
do you think its right to close hungarian schools and universities in slovakia?or to force people with various means to leave their home so that slovakian families could move into their place, increasing the amount of slovakians against the hungarian population this way?
by the way, hungarians would be happy to gain autonomy for the territories taken away so that their people could keep up their tradition and preserve the over 1000 year old hungarian cultural heritage.

jonney · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 28

the poor guy asked a question on the internet - a place where proper english usage is not expected by even the most stuck-up losers - except here. teachers are notorious for looking for any reason to savage another human being for what they perveive as an inadequacy.

ok - he got the geography wrong.
ok - he neglected to check his grammar refernce books before posting a question.

all the guy wants is a response that will adequately inform him of whether or not the caledonian in bratislava is a good place to teach - is it really necessary to crucify the guy as if he'd just made claims of messianic greatness.

get off your high horses - get lives - and treat other people with a bit of respect.

and before you compose your responses pointing out my ommision of the correct forms of written english in this post, might i just add that i don't care.