Job Discussion Forums

[DrVanNostrand]

Hey guys and gals,

Like a lot of people that come to this forum I'm seriously considering a plunge into the teaching market overseas. I have three questions that I couldn't find an answer for while reading over the first 6 pages or so of this forum. Hope a couple of you don't mind helping me, so here goes:

1. I just read that you're living on subsistence wages in Prague. If true, can you reasonably expect to generate adequate retirement funds while living in the Cz?

2. I currently teach middle school Social Studies, so I have a BA and a teaching license. I assume if I were to take a TEFL or CELTA course, then I'd be able to get a job. Correct? Does my teaching license give me an edge over others in that market and should I be able to command a higher than average wage?

3. Would you willingly recommend this sort of venture to someone that is pretty introverted and admittedly not the most independent person in the world or is that a formula for disaster?

Thanks in advance for any responses. I look forward to hearing what you guys have to say.

[spiral78]

1. I would say that, no, you would not be able to generate adequate retirement funds teaching English in the Czech Rep. Primarily because the cost of housing is relatively much higher than the pay earned by all kinds of teachers here. It would be virtually impossible ever to buy a place to live, so you'd be facing paying rent forever - and this just eats up too much of your salary to allow for savings.

2. Your teaching license plus a CELTA will indeed give you some edge over many other newbies. However, business is business - if the school's clients are content (as they are) with newbies with lesser quals, the school is not going to pay substantially higher wages for a teacher with more qualifications - unless they are demanded by clients, and those clients are willing to pay more. This just isn't the current market here.

3. You don't say what form your 'non-independence' takes. But it generally takes a LOT of independence to live in a foreign country, where you can't expect any extensive support system early on. It can take a couple of years to develop local language skills, friendships, and to really know your way around.

Quite honestly, you might qualify for international school positions, which pay better than the general market. However, openings are pretty rare and usually go to people with local contacts - but it might be worth checking into.

[spiral78]

Have also sent you a pm with an idea or two.

[DrVanNostrand]

Thanks for the insight, Spiral.

I sent you a reply.

[ITTP]

Hi DrVanNostrand!

Whilst teaching English in Prague can bring you a very good local salary and ensure a comfortable local level of living, it isn't really feasible to expect to generate enough income to allow for a comfortable retirement plan.

Opinion is mixed on the level of comfort which English teachers enjoy in Prague; some say it is low while others (the ones who put in the hours) say it is high.

When I was teaching English full-time in Prague I was able to afford to live on my own, travel to Sinai every Christmas, and travel to either Asia or S.America every summer and still manage to lead a comfy lifestyle for the periods when I was in Prague and actually needed to teach
I was though teaching between 30-40 hours per week (which is considered a high amount of hours).

You CAN save money in Prague but, as Spiral so rightly wrote, you will need to search carefully for your accommodation option.
I was lucky as I had a 1 bedroom attic apartment at I P Pavlova for under 10,000 CZK per month inclusive. It was a bit like a glorified shoe box but still, it was my own place.
I think it all depends where you search.
If you are into shared accomm then the following link is a real gem: http://www.spolubydlici.cz
for longer term accomm this link will provide you with a good general idea of accomm costs:
http://www.czech-properties.cz/?lang=en

Saving money in the Czech Republic to live comfortably here in the Czech Republic on a short-term basis is possible.
Saving money in the Czech Republic to live comfortably in Western Europe or N.America definitely isn't possible.
If you want to do that then I suggest S.Korea or maybe even Taiwan.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville
ITTP Prague
Jungmannova 32
Prague 1

[Aussie Chick]

[ITTP]

Hi Aussie Chick!

It of course depends on who you are teaching for and how many hours you r teaching.
Our grads are put in touch with reputable schools which pay above average.
20,000 CZK per month full-time is low.

All the best!

Neville
ITTP Prague
Jungmannova 32
Prague 1

[DrVanNostrand]

Thanks for the replies ITTP and AC.

It come to my attention today that I possibly qualify for Danish citizenship, so that could lead me further west if an opportunity arises and I find the courage to make the plunge across the Atlantic.

I have to find out if Denmark recognizes dual citizenship (my mom wasn't sure) and how all that stuff works, but if I do qualify as a Danish national then that could open a lot of doors for me in that country and possibly in others.

We'll see.

Thanks again to everyone that has taken the time to reply.

[spiral78]

This 'very good local salary' issue really needs some clarification.

1. 'Local salary' usually means country-wide. The average salary in Prague is substantially higher than in most of the rest of the Czech Rep - AS ARE COSTS OF LIVING THERE.

2. 'Salary' versus 'income' stats also distort the figures. If you take only the LOCAL SALARIES OF WORKING PEOPLE IN PRAGUE as a comparison (leaving out pensioners, who normally have very low housing costs), English teachers come out solidly at the low end of the pay scale.

3. Few Czechs living in Prague have to pay as much as 10,000 monthly for housing. They live in places that have been owned or held by their families for years and their housing costs are SUBSTANTIALLY lower than 10,000 monthly. Those Czechs who are buying new places are usually two-income families with established jobs and families backing them. NOT equivalent to the English teachers in Prague!!

4. GROSS vs. NET is often used as a distortion. Aussie Chick's figure of 20,000 is normal as a NET wage, at the upper end of what English teachers earn in Prague. As a GROSS figure, it would be very low.

Aussie Chick is right- teaching in Prague is a great experience. But dont' expect to live 'comfortably' by western standards on a teacher's wage.

[spiral78]

Just to be really clear, I've read recently somewhere (tried to find link, but was unsuccessful - think it was in print media or national news) the average Prague salary across the board is now in the mid 30's monthly.

[ITTP]

It really depends on how much you are willing to teach Spiral.

I do disagree though with your point that by Western standards Prague English teachers have a low standard of living.

An average 45 minute lesson NET is approx 200-250 CZK (more of course for private lessons).

A meal in a restaurant with a beer = approx 100 CZK
If you are a smoker then a pack of ciggies is anywhere from 35 CZK to 80 CZK.
A monthly pass which enables you travel on all Prague transport options is approx 650 CZK.
Food is still very affordable and the following link illustrates current supermarket prices for goods:
http://www.z-market.cz/z-market/english/index.html
Accommodation DOESN'T have to be expensive:
http://www.spolubydlici.cz
It can be expensive getting your own place but with help you can find an affordable place and somewhere not so far from the center.

Incidentally, it isn't only English teachers who are searching for rental options.
Lots of Czechs now also flood into Prague and are in a similar boat and if you don't head to the notorious expat accommodation agencies then you will tend to be offered the same priced rentals as local Czechs.

OK, electronics are terribly over-priced here as so are books and clothes but for day-to-day living Prague still offers a potentially affordable option and based on a salary between 20-40,000 CZK per month it also represents a comfortable local level of living.

YES, some teachers are earning 40,000 CZK per month by juggling language school teaching lessons with private students. It CAN be done. Choosing the right school is important and without naming names generally speaking the schools which charge the most for their Czech students tend to pay the least for their English teachers.

Have a wonderful day!

Neville
ITTP Prague
Jungmannova 32
Prague 1

[ITTP]

I just wanted to add that I'm not saying that you can come here to Czech Republic and live like royalty. However, compared (for example) with a TEFL teacher in the UK and the CZ the teacher here will tend to have a higher standard of living.
As an example.
Yes, costs are increasing but if you know where to go and don't eat in expat sports bars every day then you will soon find that it is VERY affordable here still and on an English teachers salary you can find that your earnings go a long way here.
You must be prepared though to put in the hours and housing will make a massive difference of course to your cash flow levels.

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville
ITTP Prague
Jungmannova 32
Prague 1

[spiral78]

I'm not saying it isn't feasible. I think Prague's a great place to start out as a newbie. But realistic expectations are important.

Coming here thinking that you're going to be without concern for budgeting on a daily basis is unrealistic.

For example, 100czk for a restaurant meal including a beer is actually pretty tight, even far from the tourist centre - I know where to go and I usually pay more like 135-150 with tip.

And those teachers making 40,000 juggling regular contract jobs plus reliable private students are the ones who have built up local contacts and a reputation. This can't happen overnight, regardless of how hard a newbie is prepared to work.

Finally, while I don't wish to imply that ITTP is providing slanted or biased information at all (I actually think he's doing a good job being both realistic and optimistic), I will point out that neither Aussie Chick nor I have a personal financial interest in newbie teachers coming to Prague.

I've been around for ten years and have friends both in teacher training and in language schools, so I have some current info about the teaching scene in general, though I am employed by a university in a different country.

Aussie Chick is living it. Neither of us has any reason to be other than openly realistic in terms of what we post here.

[ITTP]

Hello Spiral.

Thanks for your reply.

As I wrote in a previous post, ITTP provides international onsite and online courses and the majority of our trainees are actually online so I also have no ulterior motive in my posts other than to provide correct and up-to-date info.

I disagree completely with your point.
There are literally hundreds of restaurants in Prague where you can get a main meal and beer for 100 CZK and downtown is the same as they cover the office lunch crowd and need to cater for Czech office workers.

Having been here for over 12 years and being a regular Prague 1 diner in such places I do feel as though my authority on the subject is both objective and factual.

As I understand it Spiral you live outside of Prague so you might not be aware of all the great hidden restaurants right in the center of Prague which offer these prices.

Of course, I agree that to earn 40,000 CZK then you will need to have been here for a while.
Still, my point was that the value of Prague as an affordable city is still very much valid and that the local teacher's wage (English teacher's wage) is a good local wage.

Once again, you won't get rich here but you will immensely enjoy and probably fall in love with Prague's atmosphere AND enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.

I would suggest, that instead of this banter that current teachers who r working in Prague add to this debate so we can hear the feedback direct.
Or is almost everyone on this forum somehow connected with the TEFL business?

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville
ITTP Prague
Jungmannova 32
Prague 1

[spiral78]

I'm not connected with the TEFL business, nor is Aussie Chick. Just you, Neville.