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English Teaching Center in San Francisco:

TEFL Job Market in Central and Eastern Europe.

Our graduates have taught in Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine.
    It is easy to find TEFL jobs. Teachers with the CELTA can arrange jobs in advance; other teachers usually have to travel to the target country to have interviews, give demonstration lessons, etc.

    The best working/living conditions are in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, but there are some good jobs in Russia and elsewhere. Most jobs offer short working hours (25 per week) and several weeks of paid vacation. Employers normally provide housing, but most teachers have to pay their own airfare.

    Salaries allow a comfortable lifestyle but rarely permit savings.

TEFL Job Tip: Central & Eastern Europe

    Unlike most other areas of the world, there is a definite job cycle in Europe, and so you need to think carefully about when to train and when to look for work. About 70% of jobs start in September/October, and 20% in January. If you miss those times, it will be very difficult indeed to find a good job.

    Many of the best jobs are in schools belonging to UK-based groups, or in colleges/high schools (often through the Peace Corps or SOROS).

LETTERS FROM GRADUATES

    "Greetings from the Czech Republic, where I'm just finishing a year as a SOROS Fellow. Working for the SOROS Foundation is great. The students are absolutely wonderful! Eager and fun. I've been able to travel extensively. I've made lots of trips to Austria. I spent 6 days in Venice at Easter and several days in Budapest last fall. I've also made countless trips around the CZ on weekends to visit folk festivals, castles, museums, etc. I just wanted to let you know how successful your training has been for me and to encourage your new students. Every high school here seems to want a native English speaker. It's been a great year and I wouldn't trade the opportunity for anything. Thanks so much!"
    Dixie Johnson, Czech Republic

    "I've been at International House Krakow since September, and I love the city. Krakow is gorgeous and fun. A historic university town. Poles are friendly, gorgeous, and warm once you get past the no-smiling thing. I got a great apartment from IH. The pay is pretty good, but it's easy to run through it, as there are lots of great ways to spend money in Krakow. The job is stressful, but I am getting the hang of it, and the people here are always available to help. I'm finally feeling confident and at home in the classroom. Sarah Smith, Holly Henke and Charles Salwierz are all EI graduates working with me here, by the way."
    Kate Hallgren, Poland

    "I've been here for two months and yes I love it. There are scores of schools here, most of which seem to be awful. I'm working at English Link, and it's a great environment for a first time teacher such as myself. I teach about 23 hours a week, Monday - Thursday. Prague is not a cheap city and the pay isn't great but I'm certainly getting by. (The rumor about not getting rich here is absolutely true!) All in all, I love Prague, I love my school, I love my roommates, and I love my 3-day weekends. Thanks for turning me into a teacher."
    Brad Christensen, Czech Republic

TEFL Job Tip: Central & Eastern Europe

    If you finish your TEFL course in the spring, you could do a short term TEFL job somewhere else until the European recruitment season starts in September/October. You can often find work in the USA/Canada; or you could sign a short contract to teach in Mexico, the Mid East or Japan.

    "After graduating, I taught in Budapest. I had a great time traveling around Eastern Europe - Poland and Romania were especially interesting. I really enjoyed my life in Budapest and was happy to be teaching for International House. It was great to work with such experienced and talented teachers. I've enclosed a general letter about life in Budapest that you can keep in your job files. While I was in Hungary, Sandy Swing and Chris Stubbs (who were in my EI course) were living in Slovakia. We saw each other a few times in Hungary. I know that they loved coming to Budapest to get their fill of movies, bookstores, and other cultural yearnings."
    Amy Schwenkmeyer, Hungary

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