Teaching in Croatia

[xenomadic]

I'm not sure if this is the forum to post in but I couldn't find one about teaching locations. I'm considering teaching English abroad next year - I am graduating from college next month with a degree in linguistics and hope to get a CELTA sometime in the next few months. I've done a fair amount of research on language schools and TEFL but I have found very little about the situation in Croatia, which is where I would most like to be (I have a basic command of the language), and I was wondering if anyone here had any information or experience with teaching there (or in the rest of ex-Yugoslavia). I have found several language schools, mostly in Zagreb, but they seem to hire mostly local teachers and didn't respond to my inquiries. Would I have better luck job hunting in person, or is that risky? I am also interested in Portugal, Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, and Latin America (to various degrees I speak/study Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian; I'd prefer to spend time in a country that speaks one of these languages). Should I stick to a country that I'm more likely to find work in (Russia, Brazil, etc) for my first job, or try my luck in Croatia?

Also, does anyone know how difficult it is to get hired at a different time of year than the standard beginning of the academic year hiring time? I'm thinking of getting certified in February and would like to start as soon as possible afterwards rather than waiting until September... Thanks...