Rookie Vagabonders

Hey VBs, so as promised, here is a little Q&A with my friend Sophie, who is currently teaching English abroad in Zilina, Slovakia!

VB: How did you find your program and what made you go with this particular one?

The lovely Sophie in Bristol, England

Sophie: I am not actually taking part in a program while I am working in Slovakia. I found the school that I work for on the internet, and applied for the position directly. This was my first teaching position, and so I had to take that into account when I was looking for a job. I knew I wanted to work in Europe, as I have an EU passport (She’s from Bristol, England originally) and it would make everything a lot easier.

Western European countries usually want experienced teachers, while eastern European countries will more likely hire new teachers. I was also interested in this area of Europe because of my Polish heritage. I applied for jobs in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Slovakian schools were the ones that seemed most interested in having me work for them and offered jobs quickly. The school I work for has three different branches throughout Slovakia, however I did not have a choice about which city I would go to.

VB: What was your training like? Did you need certification?

Sophie: It was necessary to have a degree and a TESL/TESOL training certificate. My training was with Oxford Seminars; it was three weekends long, and just covered the basics of what needed to be done in the classroom. Most of my own learning, however, has been done in the classroom on the job…the best way to learn how to teach English is through trial and error. You don’t know if something will work until you try it, and furthermore, it might be very successful with one class, and disastrous with another!

VB: If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the salary like and have you supplemented your pay with additional lessons or tutoring?

Sophie: The salary for a teacher in Slovakia is very low, and considered virtually minimum wage. However, it is enough to live reasonably comfortably here. It is possible to earn and save money in other countries, for example Japan and Korea. I do not do any private lessons, although people always request them. I work 34 teaching hours a week…which is a lot for an English language teacher, and so I don’t have enough time to teach anyone else. It is also, technically, against my contract.

VB: Did your employers offer accommodation, and if not, how did you go about securing your own place?

Sophie: Part of the deal for working for my school is that they find and offer a small apartment within walking distance of our school. My apartment is very small, just one room and a tiny bathroom. The apartment block itself is not nice and looks worn down and tired, however the inside of my apartment is newly furnished, and acceptable. The area of Zilina is not the best, however I have never experienced any problems.

VB: You have definitely had a lot of opportunity to travel: Where are some of your favorite places you’ve visited so far?

Sophie: I have seen more than I ever imagined I would, and have enjoyed seeing practically everywhere I have visited. It’s fun to go to big tourist centres to see the sites, as well as visit smaller places to see how people in Slovakia / Czech Republic actually live. Highlights during my year were certainly Vienna, Budapest, Krakow and the mountains in Slovakia. There’s too many to name!

VB: What do you like most about teaching English abroad (and your program)?

Sophie: My favorite thing about teaching abroad is definitely the students. Generally I teach adults and am able to communicate them much more easily than with children. I have made friends with lots of the students and spend time with them socially as well.

VB: What do you like least?

Sophie: Unless you are firm about your contract, English Language Schools will try to give you too many working hours. In Canada, a 35 hour week is normal in an office, but no teacher would be expected to work that many hours and to plan their lessons successfully. Working hours are also antisocial hours…for example I work every morning, have the afternoon off, and then work most evenings.

VB: What advice do you have for those looking to teach English abroad?

Sophie: If possible try to get a contract before leaving your own country, so you know exactly what you are getting into! You don’t want to find yourself flying to a faraway destionation only to be faced with a contract different from what they promised you in their emails.

Sophie has been teaching since last July and her one-year contract is almost up. She plans to do a bit of traveling (she’s going to Croatia…so jealous!) before heading back home to Canada. Like I said last time, travel is definitely a perk of teaching English abroad and the Soph-ster has taken full advantage of it! Checkout some of her pictures from all the amazing places she has visited this past year!

Thanks Sophie (Miss you IVORY)!