Want to move to Poland.

Hello all,
This is my first post on here.

After my first visit to Poland this weekend I am now pretty sure I'd like to live there for a year. But, for now my Polish is limited to bare essentials, but I am learning quickly.

I am looking for an English speaking job in Poland. Ideally, keeping my chosen trade of Computer Programmer, but trying to find a job where only English is needed is quite difficult.

My other option is to do a TEFL/ESL course and teach English in Poland whilst learning the language. Has anybody had experience of teaching English is Poland? Are the jobs easy to find? Where could I look?

many thanks
Tony

there are not too many English native speakers hanging out on this forum.
You might try www.polishforums.com but there surely are some other sites for expats teaching English here.

Few inches above under the title of 'szkoly jezykowe' (on the left of the British School advert) is a list of almost all the schools in Poland. I suggest arming yourself with a good CV (and I assume you have a degree etc) and knocking on doors. Unfortunately, most will want some teaching experience, although some will take you on with a good degree and Tesol or Celta.

No degree I'm afraid but intend to take the appropirate TEFL certificate. I do have 10 years experience in software and have a very successful career in England but really fancy a change of country.

English teaching would be a stop gap until I learn enough Polish to get back into programming. Also, I very much enjoy teaching English to my friends.

Many thanks for the advice, I will be doing plenty of research.

You might have trouble without a degree. Still, the other option is to teach privately, for that you would need to advertise.
Try 'Daves ELS cafe' on the web, some good pointers about Poland and teaching.

sorry 'Daves ESL cafe'

Well,you can try at Berlitz.
They train people with no previous teaching experience (as they have they own teaching method) and they usually seek native speakers for total immersion programs.

You can e-mail your CV to them to this address:
[email]

Check their website (its in Polish) but you will see on a map in which cities they have schools- www.berlitz.pl

Dear Tony,
My name is Mark, from cheshire UK and I currently run a private school of English in Pruszków which is around 16km from Warsaw.
''Little Britain '' as the school is called, is a well develpoing language school and we are recruiting new staff for the comming year 2008/2009, for full and part-time posts . We mainly employ teachers from the uk but have 2 polish teachers for the younger age groups.
Our webpage for any further contact is www.littlebritain.com.pl Unfortunalely it is all in polish, so if you can't make heads or tails out of it, please feel free to contact me in person ''Mark, on [tel]''
Thank oyu for your time.

Regards, Mark Kropielnicki

I don't believe you're gonna have any problems with getting a job as a Engl.teacher, no way. there's still lack of native speakers in Poland, you should really start looking for it in English schools ,like Empik etc. and you will surely find something. People find it very attractive to have contact with Real Am. or Br. English, not only Polish one. ;D Good luck

Hey Toad

Could I ask where are U from and why U feel the need to try living in Poland...
Anyway, I feel forced to inform U that Polish is soooooooooooooooo incredibly difficult language probably the hardest one in the whole world-according to sciencist...
Whatever, good luck and don't give up !!!

I don't agree. I've heard some Thai, Hungarian and one Indian language and they proved to me that Polish isn't the hardest language in the world blah blah as a lot of Poles think (I also used to think that way :P)

Yeah Claudii
I understand your point but hear something and trying to taste something on your own is two completely different things......You haven't tried to learn those languages maybe then U would change ya mind.........

PJ, no offence intended, but I think that using "u", "ya" and this sort of language doesn't correspond with your knowledge of English. Personally, I think it sounds awkward when people making such mistakes as you did try to use "cool" catchy slang words and abbreviations...

No offence it's just my opinion... you don't have to agree with me... but if I am concerned I try to avoid it to not sound funny.

Hey Artur!
Yeah, obviously I'm not keen on slang as well but basically it's a part of every single language. Maybe very specific but still...When I talk quickly I use slang phrases to express myself, yeah maybe 'ya' is not so apropriate and I should avoid words like that just because it's me, a person who tries her best to represent style of a diva-which suits to my personality.But In fact, You're right I even try to escape such expressions as 'Oh my God' so thanks for calling my attention to that but still I can't see nothing wrong in 'U' instead of 'You'. It just saves my time

Hi,
You might be right about "u", it doesn't count as slang word at all, it's just lazy way of writing... ;)

I hope you got me right, I didn't want to be offensive in any way...

Hey
Artur, of course, I didn't take your opinion as an offence. That's ok

Well, as a matter of fact I tried to learn some phrases or single words from all of those languages, but it was really hard for me to even repeat them. Modern languages come to me easily, so I reckon that Asian languages are much more difficult to learn than modern ones and Polish as well. I tought those people some Polish and they really amazed me. They catch it very quickly and their pronounciation is surprisingly good. All I wanted to do was to comfort our guest that Polish isn't that hard as everybody says and I know some foreigners speaking fluent Polish, who admited that it's a difficult language but which foreign language isn't? :)

Hi mark,
Thank you kindly for your reply and apologies to all for my not replying. Had a busy time recently.

Firstly, the question 'why'? I can respond with 'why not'? Becoming single recently and discovering a passion for all things Polish, I keep thinking that maybe it's time for a mid-life adventure. I have a good career I can always come back to after a break. As people keep telling me, "Go do it, otherwise you'll regret not having taken the opportunity".

I'll look again at the English teaching. But ideally, I'd be looking for an English speaking computer programmer job, which is what I do best.

As for the learning Polish, thank you so much for the encouragement saying it's the hardest language to learn. In fact, many people say that, which just makes me all the more determined. So, I study everyday on the train to and from work, at lunchtimes and in the evenings. My Polish friends say I am learning alarmingly quickly.

So.... now all I have left to do is build a lot of courage and take the plunge.

Tony

You are a computer programmer? :) That's cool. I study computer programming but i don't believe i'll find a job as a computer programmer in the uk...

Hi,
If you speak English then I am sure you will find a programming job in the UK. In fact, I have seen adverts on Polish job websites advertising such jobs.

I have made a dream come true for myself and became a well paid programmer having started with no qualifications. So, if you really want something and you have a dream, you can make it come true.

Now, an update. I have just been accepted for a course to become CELTA qualified in Krakow, starting 25th July. Leaving my IT career and keeping it as a 'safety net'. I want to get away from the screen and start dealing with people instead.

So, watch out all, I could be coming to an English school near you!

Tony