Moving and working in PL as a teacher (near Zory/Katowice)

hi all,
Im looking for work or advice, im moving to town called zory outside katowice.
i have been offer somewhat of teaching post with school in zory where they will teach me how to teach only thing is slary is restricted to filling in for other teacher and private lessons

i am limited as i have no courses done
so any advice would be welcome

Hi, iam not being negative here, but why move to a country where you don't know the lingo. Why is a somewhat type of job? You should maybe do a TELFe course in Dublin while you attend a Polish course in Ireland(I think they are around 250euro for a 4 month course.

im moving there as my wife wants to go home i intend to do celta course
also work here in ireland is scarce

First bit of advice: even though this is an internet forum, pay attention to your grammar, spelling and punctuation, especially since you want to teach English.

Second: do the CELTA, preferably in Poland since you want to live here.

I'm not being negative. Would you write that like on a whiteboard in a room full of your students? There are some other teachers here who will rip you to shreds for that. Tread softly.

thanks for the advice and correction on my orginal thread
i intend to complete the CELTA course
i need as much advice as i can get if anyone can help

The economy in PL is already starting to slow down, 2012 will be difficult for all. Feedback:

1. Turn up with as much money as possible.
2. The move to Pl should be based on opportunity over emotion.
3. Expect a culture shock, being on vacation is very different to living in it.
4. When all else fails don't hit the bottle, booze is very cheap and it is no substitute.

Thanks wedle
I have bout 15,000zl there in savings and have been offer a job with teaching school in zory, they will help me teaching skills and i will get paid for and private lessons i conduct and for filling in as replacement teacher hopefully by june they will offer me a contract for next september and i have an interview arranged for a school in Katowice.

I know its not much but i think its a start

Honestly, it's not a start. Schools in Poland are renowned for "offering" things, only to turn round and not follow through with their promises. 15,000zl is nothing in today's Poland when you consider all the costs that you'll incur in moving and establishing yourself here.


This is the worst reason possible to move here. I've been discussing this recently with someone, and such moves are almost certainly going to end up in divorce - she wants to move, but what can you do here?


Absolutely. It is insane to move just because the wife is homesick. I'd quite like to live in Switzerland and take home 100-200CHF an hour for classes. But being pragmatic, there's no way that I'm going to get a similar/better job than now - maybe in a few years, but I'll be seen as far too young to do the job I'm doing now in Poland.


Tom, it's insane to move here on the basis of this. What they'll 'teach' you will likely be rubbish.


My advice is to show your wife this thread and tell her that it's going to be much harder for you to survive in Poland than it is to survive (even on the dole) in Ireland. I've been in Zory once when driving through, and there's nothing there - it's a backwater. If the school doesn't have anything for you, what are you going to do? That 15,000PLN will soon go, and there's not going to be much work there for your wife as well.

Don't come here because of an ultimatum, unless you like the word "divorce".

Tom you would be better off on the dole as previously mentioned and learning Polish in Ireland for 4-6 months.
If you don't have to pay for accommodation and the Mrs has a guaranteed salary that will support you both, then maybe take the punt.

15 K PLN will not stretch far these days are prices are shooting up, especially as the PLN is getting crushed.
Once you speak Polish you could contact some of the Irish companies moving over here.

I only make assumptions, but if she's been in Ireland for years (long enough to find a husband) - would she really be moving into a decent job back here?

If I was to make a guess, I would say she is pregnant pressuring Tom to move to PL, so she can have the kid at home next to her mum.

I rest my case.

Oh yes, that common situation. Then the mother starts interfering and doing things her way, and Tom is stuck in a foreign country without anyone to back him up. He'll be stuck wasting his time in Zory, and he'll soon find that they sit at home night after night with a baby and Babcia (who knows best and doesn't speak a word of English) keeps on interfering.

She'll then pressure him to do more and more, but in Zory, there's not much to do - and the bad rows start.

Tom, for your sake, stay in Ireland unless you can offer your wife a secure future.

i wouldn't say certainly, but i would say that some events here are likely to put a strain on a relationship. it's not so easy for some. on the other hand, if you don't expect too much and put in the graft it's possible to make a success of things. making and keeping contacts should be a priority. making use of other skills also helps. it can be done.

That's pretty much it.

A lot depends on the relationship with the in-laws too. But given his posts on here, I wouldn't have much faith on him making much of the teaching lark.

contrary to the views expressed here let me set the record straight
im married 2 years yes we have a baby
as for some saying my wife came here looking for a husband total b.s.
also no pressure has been applied to move
im in no doubt it will be tough as everyone knows ireland is on its knees and i dont want to be on the dole

we have place to stay rent free major bonus
and i have a good relationship with my inlaws thankfully
also my father in law knows the guy who runs the school and this guy seems genuine my father inlaw is a cop so i would trust his word

my wife worked as a social worker and wants to return to her profession

i think he has time to sharpen up. a true understanding of what is required and meeting that standard is all that's needed.

tomjustyna,
the first thing a novice teacher needs to do is learn grammar and spend some time with the text books used in the classroom. don't assume you know these things in a way that you think you can teach them from day one.

the celta will help, but make sure you are prepared for it.

some students make a habit of being one step ahead. learn how to deal with these people in a polite fashion.

thanks wroclaw,
I know it will be tough, but i'd sooner take a chance with that then be stuck here in ireland on the dole i don't want my kid to see me as a lay about taking from the state

i know i have to be cautious about this move given the fact i'll have no back up but i believe with hard work i may get by

To all many thanks for your comments to my thread and please feel free to comment further.
I know such a move to some may seem insane even stupid, none the less it is better to take this chance rather then stay here struggling.

True my savings are limited but i'm sure we will survive.
Again many thanks and merry christmas to all

don't be too cautious. take a few chances and see what happens. it seems you have the right father-in-law. he might be able to put a few things your way. you may well find yourself doing something completely different when you get here. that's how it works out for some folk, including me.

Kudos to you! I wish more people felt like that where I'm from.

FGS Delph, why do you continue to be so negative about anyone else's plans, especially if they involve teaching English. It's hardly brain surgery is it? You do sound really bitter.

I say good luck to Tom and his family, and fair play to him for being brave enough to make a move and try something different.

Tom, I have loads of TEFL resources, books, ideas, etc., and many years of experience (before DD jumps down my neck) so please feel free to contact me, although of course there are plenty of free resources and info online. Besides as Wroclaw said, you might find something else to do, and just have the TEFL cert. thing as a back-up.

DD if I have misplaced any punctuation marks etc., please forgive me..;)

Because I know the market in Poland pretty well?

Look at his posts - and then compare to the typical Polish learner who expects perfection from their teachers. He wouldn't get away with spelling mistakes or dodgy grammar in the classroom - they would be straight to the director to complain - and he would be out on his ass. I remember being interrogated as to why I had to check a word in the dictionary during a class - Polish students simply aren't forgiving at all. Even worse - they will smile and pretend everything is ok, only to stab you in the back.

The problem is that in a big city, you can get away with a couple of *******. In a place like Zory, quite the opposite.

(and - honestly speaking - most people seem to think that they can come here and teach English, when in reality, the market has more or less wised up)


Are you sure you'll be able to provide properly for the baby? How about the inlaws? Are you certain that there won't be personality clashes over how you bring up the baby? Are you happy to accept Babcia wrapping the baby in endless clothes in the middle of summer? That's just one example among many...


Are you certain of that? You're already saying that she misses home...


What makes you think Poland will be easier? It's likely to be even harder, especially in a small town without much money.


Sharing with your in-laws?


Trust me - Poles put business first. The guy might be genuine, but if you don't cut it (and the students are unhappy) - he'll ditch you regardless of any verbal promises made.


It's a rather poorly paid profession in Poland, why not move to the UK? Still plenty of jobs there for social workers, because they can do quite a lot of different things.

Tom - if I can give you one bit of advice, it's to make sure that you have something to return to in Ireland.

OK you are a self appointed expert, good for you. There are plenty here who know that market as well or better than you do, but they do not find the need to be sour, negative, and patronising.

I'm struggling to see anyone on here who doesn't say the same things.

I've seen several very similar cases end in tears here - all of them broke apart after the female realised that the man simply wasn't living up to her expectations. The family expected more, the wife expected more, etc etc.

Honestly, his biggest problem is not work, but the mentality.

That I could agree with....and your point about the babcia taking over the kid and putting him in a woolly hat and fairy tights in August is certainly valid....;)

See - I don't mean to be nasty to him, but this is the kind of thing that can destroy relationships. Babcia knows her way and doesn't want to change from it, but he knows it's utter nonsense - but he can't say anything to Babcia because she's giving them a place to stay. So - human nature - he gets into a row with his wife, and his wife refuses to say anything to her mother - because it's her mother.

It can even be as simple as what the child eats - we're told that salt is a big no-no, but Poles throw it in food by the bucketload. Father gets annoyed that Babcia is feeding the kid salt-laden food, but the mother won't say anything because "it tastes better and never hurt me". Again - big row.

Tom - take one piece of advice from me. Never trust anyone in Poland until you know them well, not even your own in-laws.

Even people who put up posts on this forum lol, Mr D the gentleman has nothing now, so whether he lives in Ireland or Poland it makes no difference? He is doing what you did in moving to Poland, another case of the young gentlemen with no means seeking to make his fortunes abroad!!

I lived this scenario myself for 4 years. I got through it unscathed, so will our OP. Tomjustyna, just stay positive. Don't sweat the small stuff. Let Babcia have her way. WHO CARES! At the end of the day (and everyday until you die) YOU are the dad. Not even the all-powerful Babcia can match that. Relax and enjoy the fact that your child is surrounded by so much love and attention :)


No it's not!


Ludicrous! I had wonderful in-laws; I trusted them completely. It was their daughter I shouldn't have trusted ;)

People from where you are from are unemployed simply because they've outsourced jobs to China for cheap labor and than they wonder why people are unemployed. The fact is, everyone is on the government payroll. Corporations get government contracts, doctors receive medicare payments, it's all from the same pot. In the USofA everyone's on welfare.


This sounds like a grand idea. If you're going to move to the continent why not find a place where the average salary (40k-50k CHF) is a heck of a lot higher than where your from? Or what about the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden)? These countries have low unemployment and high salaries.

Tomjustyna, here ya go:
bfm.admin.ch/content/bfm/en/home.html

There always has to be a balance of opinion, DD shoots from the hip, some may see it as condescending others see it as constructive. At least Tom will be better prepared now.

Whatever your decision Tom, all the best for you and your family.