Questions/Help! I'm disenchanted about moving to CR in 2006

Discussion in 'Expat Life' started by RoseHall, Dec 12, 2005.

  1. RoseHall

    RoseHall New Member

    I have been looking over the message boards and have become a bit disenchanted about moving to the CR.

    I am planning to teach English after a month-long course. This is not a life-long carer choice, just a chance to live abroad again. I am in the prcoess of learning Czech, but will not be natively fluent.

    Can someone give me honest and realistic answers to the following?

    1. Is it still a good idea to consider teaching English in CR?

    2. Can I make enough to live on comfortably? (comfortable appartment, food, occasional restaurant and other entertainment, internet, public transportation etc).

    3. What are the most reputable English teaching certifications? Particular schools?

    4. If the CR isn't the best place to consider moving at present, any other suggestions? I would still be teaching English.

    5. I am a filmmaker in the US with a notable CV, I was hoping to work on films in the CR. Does anyone know if this is feasable? I am a native English speaker, will have a decent understanding of Czech, and a good production background. I plan to teach English until I can get involved in the film industry. I know that American and UK productions film in CZ on a regular basis.

    6. Do language schools prefer British speakers over American?

    7. What are the odds of being able to sustain a decent salery, comfortable living , etc. in the long-term? What are the odds of moving on to a better paying job?

    8. Is there any other advice you can offer to a CR novice?

    9. I will be coming to the CR with my best friend. In the US she is a certified primary school teacher with training in special education. What are her job options, other than teaching English? (she is also learning Czech).

    Thank you to anyone who can answer any of my questions - I realize that there are quite a few. Any help you can give would be valuable.

    Thank's a million!!!
     
  2. gementricxs

    gementricxs Well-Known Member

    Hi Rose,
    The basic certificate for teaching English is TEFL (Teaching English as a Second Language), it's the basic certificate for teaching english in language school over all Europe, so if you later decide moving to another country, it won't be problem to English there with the certificate. Or another certificate is CELTA, unfortunately I don't know anything more about it.

    You can get these certificates in Prague. There are a lot of schools which provide these certificates. So, you won't have problem with finding school. It's one month long course. You'll teach howto teach people, howto explain new words to them, you'll be writing in phonetic alphabet and so on. And you'll try it on student from beginner to advance level of English.

    Actually I'm Czech and I'm learning English and you know what? I'm going to one of these schools. I'm there like student, who you are trying your teaching skills on. It's very good for me, because it's cheap and I can speak with native speakers. I'm going to the ITC school in Kaprová street (Praha 2). This school is located near Oldtown Square and Vltava River, it's VERY good location in the downtown of Prague. If you'll be interested in knowing more about this school, feel free to ask.

    I think it's ok to teach English in Prague. There are lot of language schools in Prague, you can teach little kids, teens, adults, business english and so on. Or you can try working as a language corrector (Some Czech write or translate something to English and you correct it to be real english without mistakes.)

    As a language teacher you can make around 18000Kc, it should be ok for you. It also depends where you want live, where you want to rent apartment. Apartments in the centre of Prague are very expensive and at the outskirts of Prague is the price way too lower. And if you choose some location which is near subway station, you'll get to the center in 20 minutes.

    I heard that good opportunity to teach English is in Spain and if you speak spanish, it could be maybe better for you. But you can still do the certificate in Prague and them move to Spain. The ITC school I talked above also provides job for their students and it doesn't have to be job in Czech Republic, they even provides job in abroad. So I don't think that you'll have problems with finding job.

    All the English-learning textbooks are written in British English, but what the schools can do with you. US is a such nig country, so it's obvious that there is more American teachers than British. I'm going to the school few months and every moth there are new teachers and there are aproximately 95% Americans. It won't be problem that you are American.

    I don't know a lot about Czech film industry, but as you said there is more and more American movies filmed in Prague, so maybe it won't be such a big problem, but honestly, I don't know.

    I hope that this will help you (at leas a little bit) and as your first English teaching job, you can correct my post. :D Ok, Ok, I'm just joking. (But if you would correct it I would really appreciate it.)
    PS: Prague is waiting for you. :D
     
  3. Viktor

    Viktor Well-Known Member

    RoseHall:

    Your better and wiser option, would be to go to the Czech Republic for a 10 -14 day visit first. See how you realy like it, and if you can adjust to the new/different way of life. To go over on a six month long stay, not knowing the language, customs and economics can turn out to be a cathastrophic experience, since you'll be 5,000 plus miles from the nearest reliable friend/relative!.

    By the way, the reason American filmakers go to the Czech Republic to make their films, is manly motivated by money, since production costs are drastically reduced by then hireing local help where ever it is possible. The availbility of English speaking Czech actors/extras is plentifull, and they are willing to work for a fractionof the going rate in the US!

    The only thing ther Czech's are interested from abroad, is the CASH the visitors/tourist will bring into the Czech Republic...
     
  4. Ceit

    Ceit Well-Known Member

    If you want to make money teaching English, go to Asia - China, South Korea or Japan specifically. Teaching in Europe is something that sounds good to a lot of people, but it's no money-maker. I did the ITC course when they still had a center in Madrid, and it was fine. I knew plenty about language but not a damn thing about teaching and I feel my time was well-spent. They train you to teach an "immersion style" class so you only use English in the class room, but they also offer their student teachers some crash courses in the host language. They don't really provide you with a job, but they have contacts with some area language schools and a worldwide job data base that you can search around in. I'm not sure what you mean by "comfortable", but you can get by alright teaching as long as you're prepared to live modestly. One of the ITC trainers told us that the average lifespan of the English teacher's career is 6 months, so you can see a lot of people don't find quite what they were looking for in the field. :wink: As for Spain, you might be OK if you stay out of Madrid and Barcelona. Prices are outrageously high and salaries are ridiculously low, for everybody. Also, a lot of academies are much more concerned with people being legal now, so it's much harder for us Americans to just come over and find a little niche. I'm not sure how things are in the ČR in that respect now, but it sounds like things aren't as tough for EFL teachers.
     
  5. RoseHall

    RoseHall New Member

    Thank you for your responses. I am still considering my options. Please send me a message if you can think of anything else that would be helpful.

    Having lived overseas frequently, I am aware of the difference between "American" life and those elsewhere. So that doesn't bother me.

    In the end what I'm looking for is a chance to be somewhere I've never been, experience the life, culture, history, make some new friends, etc. If I can do that in Prague, I'd like to.

    My main concern is not having to be "strapped' for cash. I don't mind being on a lean budget, I just want to make sure that I can enjoy myself on occasion (theatre, restaurant, pub, etc.). Is that a reasonable expectation?

    Also, with my best friend joining me, sharing an appartment, utilities, food, etc. will that help the overal situation?
     
  6. player1

    player1 Active Member

    Just do it, ffs!

    Worry about all the problems when you get here...otherwise youre still gonna be wondering in 10years time, "should i have done that prague thing after all?"

    Life's short, and it always sorts itself out somehow.
     
  7. FierceKitty

    FierceKitty Well-Known Member

    You could consider living outside Prague. Of course the capital offers great attractions, but I've been pretty happy in Brno for three years now, and the cost of living is a good deal lower. You're also not competing with hordes of American expats for work, so if you get a reputation as a competent and friendly teacher you will have to fight off would-be students (good for the ego, that).
    Brits have it easier, especially as regards paperwork, but there's also a real demand for teachers of American English, so don't worry too much either way. It helps if you understand both languages and the differences between them well. Anyway, I'm a South African, and even with that I've had no trouble getting plenty of work through my school (Boland TEFL Training Center in Brno); often more than I could really handle.
    Happy to answer any further questions if I can. If not, I'd say that you should go for it. I wish I'd tried this lifestyle years earlier.
     
  8. brook

    brook Well-Known Member

    Much has already been said, but I will add my 2 cents...

    If you have never taught before, teaching may prove especially challenging. For me, it was bittersweet. It was extremely rewarding but also very difficult for me. The first month or so was tough, but eventually I got the hang of it. That's not to say that it got easier, but I learned how to handle it when things went wrong or not quite like I had expected.

    The most important thing I think though has to do with finances. Make sure you have money saved for when you move back. I had to leave the CR because I could no longer afford to support myself (I had some bills in the US that I was still attempting to pay on my modest teacher's salary! What was I thinking??) and didn't have nearly enough for my move back. Perhaps some would consider putting money aside an obvious move, but I was young and naive. If I had been better about saving and about taking care of my debt in the US, I probably could have stayed another year.

    All in all, I say don't be discouraged. There will be difficulties and challenges wherever you decide to go, not just in the Czech Republic. As much trouble as I had I still wouldn't change it - it was (absolutely) well worth it.
     
  9. southie

    southie Member

    Can someone give me honest and realistic answers to the following?

    1. Is it still a good idea to consider teaching English in CR?

    ANSWER: Yes, however, the job market is very competitive. It’s possible, buy highly unlikely that you will receive full-time employment right away. Building up a client base takes time. So come with enough money to live on for a while. Also, I must say that Prague is excellent for new teachers because there are so many of us, and the teaching community here is very supportive. A friend went to China to teach, and it drove him crazy. He had nobody to talk to. He was the only Native English speaking teacher in the community.

    2. Can I make enough to live on comfortably? (comfortable apartment, food, occasional restaurant and other entertainment, internet, public transportation etc).

    ANSWER: Eventually, especially if you have a roommate. And if you can avoid the temptation to spend your money in the Center. It’s outrageously expensive there. Saving money will be difficult and foreign travel to the EU will be nearly impossible. But you can travel within the CR and to the East.

    3. What are the most reputable English teaching certifications? Particular schools?

    ANSWER: I’ll only say this; a TEFL course should be four weeks long and include at minimum six hours of observed teaching with “real” students. Not all TEFL certificates are internationally recognized. Only the TESOL and CELTA are. TEFL is a generic term. Anybody with a printer can issue a TEFL certificate. TESOL and CELTA certificates are issued from Trinity and Cambridge respectively, in England. (Don’t go to Prague Schools; I went there, and I can’t recommend it.)

    4. If the CR isn't the best place to consider moving at present, any other suggestions? I would still be teaching English.

    ANSWER: I would check out Dave’s ESL Café website. I don’t know the URL, but if you Google it, you’ll be able to find it easily.

    5. I am a filmmaker in the US with a notable CV, I was hoping to work on films in the CR. Does anyone know if this is feasible? I am a native English speaker, will have a decent understanding of Czech, and a good production background. I plan to teach English until I can get involved in the film industry. I know that American and UK productions film in CZ on a regular basis.

    ANSWER: If you really can speak Czech, the chances of you getting work in the film industry are excellent. Your title would be “Assistant Director,” but you’d really just be a glorified translator. I know a Canadian who does it. He’s got to hustle, but he makes good money. By the way, most of the foreign film work here is German. But they don’t speak Czech! But they usually speak English. It’s common for Germans and Czechs to communicate in English.

    6. Do language schools prefer British speakers over American?

    ANSWER: No. I worked for a school that refused to hire British speakers. Many Czechs cannot understand a British accent. They want teachers they can understand. As a result, many students specifically ask for American teachers.

    7. What are the odds of being able to sustain a decent salary, comfortable living , etc. in the long-term? What are the odds of moving on to a better paying job?

    ANSWER: It’s doable. Especially if you really do learn Czech. Of course, it really all depends on your qualifications.

    8. Is there any other advice you can offer to a CR novice?

    ANSWER: Make sure you have enough money before coming here! Not only because of the possibility of unemployment, but because it costs a small fortune to become a legal resident here. Don’t expect Czech people to embrace you right away. The curiosity factor with foreigners is long gone. Realize that you may only teach “conversation” classes. Nearly all Czechs prefer to study grammar with a Czech English teacher. With a Native speaker, all they want to do is practice speaking. Really, I do little more than chat, while correcting their grammar and introducing new vocabulary. And I make close to $20/hour. One last piece of advice; the marijuana here is probably stronger than you used to. So take heed. The real stuff; not the crap they sell in the Center.

    9. I will be coming to the CR with my best friend. In the US she is a certified primary school teacher with training in special education. What are her job options, other than teaching English? (she is also learning Czech).

    ANSWER: She can teach at one of the International Schools. The curriculum is in English, and from what I hear, the pay is good.
     
  10. Borntotravel

    Borntotravel New Member

    I too am very disenchanted about coming to Prague, from reading various message boards i get the impression that it is overrun with Tefl trainess and all the TEFL schools are corrupt!. I'm not planning on staying afterwards but i thought i'd do my TEFL in Prague as its a place i've always wanted to visit and it's a lot cheaper than doing it in England. I am supposed to be going to Prague schools this spring to do my TEFL training but am having second thoughts after reading various internet message boards that only say negative things. Does anyone have anything positive to say about doing TEFL in Prague?.
     
  11. gementricxs

    gementricxs Well-Known Member

    You know, when people doesn't like it, they usually tell it, but when they like it, they usually say nothing. That's the way it is. Btw, in what Prague's school you want to do it?
     
  12. Ceit

    Ceit Well-Known Member

    But negative things about what? The training? Or the experience of being a teacher there afterwards? If it's only the life of an EFL teacher in Prague that people are complaining about, then you shouldn't worry since you say you're not planning on staying anyway. It seems to me that TEFL courses are all pretty much the same so you might as well do it somewhere you've never been and would like to see...even though you're not living there, the experience will be different than the typical tourist's. If you're reading bad things about the courses themselves, that's something to worry more about.
     
  13. brook

    brook Well-Known Member

    I don't think you're going to find a "perfect" TEFL school - someone is always going to have an issue with some aspect of the school...That's been my experience anyway (plus, some teflers who complain are angry for personal reasons or feel slighted by the school in some way or another, which may or may not be justified...). I say, do some research on a few schools that interest you, google their names, see what you find. Also, read about the teachers that work there and the Director of Studies and see what they're like. A lot of schools list brief profiles on their websites. From this you might be able to get an idea of what the school is like. Then, go with your gut and pick the one that seems best or meets the majority of your needs. Go with the realization that it may not live up to all of your expectations, but you made the best choice you could make given your options. You might have a more positive experience with this approach...
     
  14. southie

    southie Member

    In my personal experience, and from what I’ve heard from others, TEFL schools discourage their graduates from speaking about their experiences. (Unless it’s a glowing recommendation!) They tell students that a recommendation from the school is necessary in order to find employment. Usually in very strong terms. It’s a veiled threat to keep your mouth shut! That’s why, in my opinion, there’s no intelligent discourse on the Net about TEFL schools here in Prague or anywhere else in the world. It’s always exaggerated praise or bitter criticism.

    I’m a gainfully employed TEFL teacher, and I love living in Prague. And while it has taken me two years, I’ve built up a very nice client base. I enjoy my students, and I make good money. (Twice the average Czech wage.) Teaching TEFL can be a very rewarding career. It’s just not as easy the TEFL school websites say it is.
     
  15. brook

    brook Well-Known Member

    I second that!

    And I think you're right about the lack of information on schools. My friends and I were asked to give feedback on the course we took (this was several years ago). We took them to task and gave them both positive and negative feedback, and they were livid! I thought I had given them very fair, constructive feedback, but apparently they weren't prepared even for that. (We all still found teaching jobs afterwards though!)
     
  16. southie

    southie Member

    I suppose you can't delete a message. Meaning that I mistakenly posted something here, and the system won’t allow you to delete it.
     

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