Job Discussion Forums

lit46 · Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 18

I'm currently considering travelling to Poland to tefl but I have two main concerns: Firstly, I don't speak any Polish, how much of an issue is this? Secondly, that the pay in Poland is quite low, what is the minimum amount per month that people can get by on? Do most Jobs include accomodation or do I have to pay my own rent?

Any help would be great Smile

Tumteetum · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 144

ktodba · Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 54 Location: UK

I smell irony Tumteetum. At least that's the charitable version. Lit46 if you go to Poland with no Polish you will be in good company. As to how much money you need it depends on where you are in Poland Warsaw and Krakow will cost more than places like Lodz.

Where are you travellng from and what visa requirements do you have? When do you want to get a job? What's your lifestyle? How much do you need to live on where you are now? etc.

When I left Poland I found it easy enough to get jobs that paid enough to keep me comfortable without earning enough to save a worthwhile amount for when I went home but that was just me, you might be different - it may depend on your drinking habits to be honest.

Good luck

lit46 · Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 18

Harry from NWE · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 283

lit46 · Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 18

what do you mean ''If you use the search feature''??

Harry from NWE · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 283

lit46 · Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 18

and search for what?

ktodba · Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 54 Location: UK

I arrived in Poland with no Polish and while I can look back and pick out situations that would have been easier with Polish it wasn't a huge disadvantage thanks to the support I was given. I now act as the main Polish translator in my secondary school in the UK which has a significant Polish population as a result of what I learnt after arriving in Poland. My Polish level now is better than people I know who have spent twice as long in Poland, I'm lucky that I can pick things up relatively quickly and am prepared to put the effort in at the beginning.

lit46 - Sorry but I don't know Warsaw so can't help with contacts. I would argue that attitude is more important than language proficiency at first. If you are ready to work hard to help your students learn English then you're a long way down the road to succeeding. It is quite possible to have a social life in the big towns in Poland speaking only English as long as you accept that you'll be talking to students / teachers who you might not find a good release from work stress.

You could try googling living costs in Poland for more info and checking the exchange rate, 200 zloty is around / over (depending on exchange rate) �35 per hour or in other words more than you'll be paid in the UK for an hour by a long way. Supply teachers in the UK get in the region of �120 per day less than 4 hours at Tumteetum's rate.

If you are still looking though you may find the popular locations, Warsaw, Krakow etc have filled their positions. You may get lucky but it's up to you how much you want to gamble. I spent a lot of time in Lodz where there may be good jobs around and if they still have vaccancies at this time which they need filling which can strengthen your bargainning position but then you need to ask yourself why they have positions vacant?. Sometimes there can be serrendipity.

caramel · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 57 Location: London

Work for IH Bydgoszcz!!! They provide accommodation and training needs and they pay 1400 zloties a months which is too bad but considering that you won't have to pay any bills (except for the phone) and beer is pretty cheap plus the town is fairly close to places like Torun. The other teachers are friendly and so are the students. So I highly recommend it! (Wow I sound like a walking ad for them!)

dynow · Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 1080

hahaha.

i'm a 21 year old british kid who drinks alot, watches and plays sports, and wants to come to poland to teach english.......precious.

if i only had a dime for every time.........

lit46 · Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 18

ktodba, Thanks that's quite helpful. I've got an interview for a CELTA course tomorrow and if I manage to get on it I won't finish until early November so I won't be looking for jobs until then. I'm hoping to get lucky but I'm also considering just going to a big city and looking for a job that way!

I would probably spend all my spare time in Poland trying to learn the language as I feel like some sort of ignorant fool being in a country and not being able to speak the language.

Harry from NWE · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 283