Teaching English in Poland
Why Poland?
Obviously you'll have to ask yourself the question - why should I bother teaching in Poland?
I'm not going to preach, nor I am going to say I know it all. However, there are a lot of common themes in what I have read, heard and experienced.
Money:
If you want to earn a fortune, Poland is not the place for you.
If you want to save money, there are many other countries apart from Poland you should consider.
If you want the chance to live comfortably relative to the conditions in Poland, Poland may be the place for you. You have the potential, wherever you are in Poland, to earn well above the national average wage after a year or two. How you spend your wages is up to you but it's possible to live very comfortably and enjoy Poland and most of what its neighbouring countries have to offer.
Lifestyle:
If you're young and care free a teacher's salary will allow for a few nights out a week. In the major cities there's hundreds of way to spend that time. Hundreds of cafes and coffee houses, more bars and clubs then you can shake a stick at. It's been widely reported that Polish girls are lovely and indeed they are. They are however, more savvy than 10 years ago and so unfortunately are the night clubs. 'Face selection' can be random and of course unjustified and the bouncers will be looking out for native speakers unfortunately. If you're in a large group, forget about club or pub entry. Similarly if you hear the phrase "do you have a member's card?" or "what's the password?" you've got zero chance of getting in.
There are some excellent guides to the main cities which tell you everything that's going on. You certainly won't be bored! In the smaller towns you may have to find you own fun as the bars can be few and far between. However, if you get 'in' with some of the locals, they'll show you a great time.
Challenge:
Many teachers have referred to Polish students as demanding. They are. They'll recognise talent and they'll recognise a joker. The days where you turn up just as a 'native speaker' and expect the world to fall to your feet ended in Poland years ago. If you're planning to come to just 'wing it' for a year I'd urge you to consider a different destination. If you want to earn your wings, develop your own skills and work with students who will challenge you, Poland is the place for you.
Country:
Poland is a wonderful, beautiful and interesting country. The renowned historian Norman Davies calls Poland "God's Playground" and history so far has certainly proved him right. Once a European super-power, Poland geographically shifted west after the Second World War. The history, the people, the culture and the aura of 'Polishness' exists everywhere and you don't have to go far to see a different aspect of it. If you're lucky enough to be invited to a Polish family party, wedding, Christmas or Easter you'll get the chance to experience Poland's famous hospitality and parties like you’ve never had before. The sore head in the morning may be all to familiar too some of you unfortunately.
