Tag: Poland

Welcome to 2015…

Jemma Jones

I have been back at work for four days and it feels like I have been back four weeks! I am still down in the dumps about not accepting the job in Poland. I know that I have the finances to get myself over there and I can gain extra money when I am there; as Forever Living is available in Poland.

Work has been busy, so I have not been able to plan or post anything – I have not even been able to job search or contact IC Bilbao. That is my job for the weekend!

Idiom of the Week and Wordle Wednesday will start next week; is there anything else you think I should add to the site? I would love your feedback about these features or even about the entire blog. 2015 is a new year and I believe it is my year…do you agree?

The Holidays are now over…

Jemma Jones

Today is the 27th December and most of the celebrations are over. I have been spending time with my family; but tonight I am back off to work…well, my part time job that it. As you all know I had an interview with Speed School of English in Poland. I wait for twenty minutes on Monday for Natalie to contact me about the position. We were going to discuss about a start date etc; however, I decided that one month would not be enough time to organise everything here. I have enough money to pay for a flight etc but I have to sort my Guide unit out. As I cannot really leave the girls half way through the year.

I am starting to regret not accepting the position in Poland but I am now more determined to remember everything and to improve my interview skills. I am going to finish the modules I have got to do with i-to-i TEFL – I have passed the Teaching Business English module though; I passed it before Christmas. I need to got everything sorted!

I have been in contact with a company called Flying Cows; which is a company that places people in Korea. I have been missing calls from Amanda, the founder and I now have her email address. There are many questions about the placementing. I will keep you all posted about that.

However; I am going to get back in contact with IC Bilbao in the New Year and see if I can start there in September. I really don’t know what do at the moment; any ideas are welcome!!

First ever Phone interview!!

Jemma Jones

On Wednesday; last week, I had my first ever phone interview for a job in Poland as an ESL Intern with Speed School of English and I was terribly nervous about it. I have never had an interview over the phone before. I know that this will be how the schools or companies I apply for will conduct their interviews. However; we had some technical difficulties – using public WiFi is not a good idea (that is a thing to remember) but we ended up using my mobile number. It worked fine but it was a little noisy and I sat in my car. I am so glad that I was unable to be seen. I was interviewed by Andy.

The interview lasted for half an hour and I was surprised by the amount of questions he asked. I had the feeling that I did not do every well when it had finished. There were questions that I did not even think that he would ask about…for example – grammar! I was asked to give examples of Tenses – Past, Present and Future. I was asked to give an example – I could not believe it my mind went blank! It was horrid. This is where I think it all went down hill for me. However; Andy did ask my for the definitions of two words. The words were ‘Century’ and ‘Freedom’. Personally; I think that my answers were pretty lame,  but Andy seemed to like them. At the end of the half an hour, Andy said that he would pass my details etc. onto Natalie and she would call me again after the weekend to ask some more questions on Grammar. He would email me a “Pre-Arrival Study Pack” to read beforehand; which when it arrived I read front to back three times and highlighted the key points of Grammar.

It has been many months since I did my Grammar Awareness Course (and I feel that it is time that I refresh myself by doing the course again!) and I am very worried about the questions the Natalie would ask. Within the email; which to be honest I thought Andy was going to send by it was actually from Natalie, stated that I have a good personality for being a TEFL teacher and I would fit in with the rest of the team (paraphrasing a little). My jaw almost hit the floor when I read that part; I could not believe it. I must have been okay with the interview. I was a little relived. However; today was the second half of the interview. Again I feel that it did not go to plan. I was very nervous. I knew that she would ask me to give examples of all the tenses and what the parts of speech were. I focussed on these sections when I was waiting for Natalie to call me.

However; Natalie did say that she would contact my References by phone (I have had to change my Reference recently as one of them is no longer able to be contacted by the information I have for them) or by email (as one of my current References is Deaf) to discuss me and my ability to teach. At this time I became more nervous; as the Grammar questions she had asked I did not fully answer correctly. However; as an Intern you are being taught how to teach in theory so I would have to brush up pretty quickly! [Note to Self: write a post about Grammar].

 

She did ask me one thing…would I be able to start working with Speed School before the Summer 2015. “All I need to do is to give my current employers one months notice” was all I said; but I know that I would have to discuss the matter with my family.

So, what do you all think? Has she just said ‘maybe’ to me?

Sorry Again…

Jemma Jones

 

 

Hello everyone; I am very sorry again! I have not been well and unable to write anything. Also my internet access (which is currently my SmartPhone) as died a horrid death. I am unable to post anything; so luckily I have found a place where I can write a blog post…

Well, I took the plunge! I have applied to TWO TEFL teaching jobs – one in Spain with MEDDEAS and the second in Poland with Speed School of English. Both these companies I have been looking into for a while. I found the job listings on the Jobs Board at i-to-i. I am all excited now! I have also been contacted by Asia Teaching Agents via FB and I have also sent them CV.

For the next few weeks I am going to be all a bag of nerves waiting to hear back from all three. I need a change of scenery and I know that being a TEFL teacher will create this for me. I am glad that I have made this decision. The job in Spain would not start until September 2015; which would give me just under a year to learn some more Spanish and create MANY and MANY resources. I know that leaving the children that I currently work with will be hard and that the work load of the others within the schools I currently work at will increase; however that all depends on if we all have our jobs by next September. A harsh reality for most people at the moment; I am not going to go into a Political debate or a massive rant about the downsprial of the British system. I am just going to stop and smile and think of my life abroad!

 

Completed another Specialist Module…

Jemma Jones2 Comments

Well, I have completed another Specialist Module from i-to-i!! I have finished the Teaching in Spain Specialist Module; so I am now up to 110 hours (if I have worked it out properly). I have been thinking about what I am going to do when my mum retires…I want to save her as much money as possible and TEFLing around the world sounds like an amazing thing to do and save her money at the same time; as I will be living in another country.

As mum retires in April; I could apply for an internship through i-to-i. There are many places I would like to visit: China, Poland, Thailand and Vietnam. These are the places where i-to-i have internships in.

China is not until August 2014; the monthly allowance is 2,000RMB (which is about 202 GBP) but before I even start the internship I would have to budget 2,400RMB (about 242 GBP) for visa costs; however there will be a 2,500 RMB (about 252 GBP) bonus from the school at the end of the internship. So far so good…but I don’t know if I would work for 202 GBP each month. The cost of living is low in China and I would be all okay with that; as I would bring “British” things with me (like pain killers and tea bags) and only ask mum to send over some other items every now and again. However; I don’t need a degree for this internship, but if I was to apply for a job in China I would definitely need my degree then.

Five and half months in Poland sounds more my things; as it is a short flight and I could still talk to my family on the phone or over Skype. A living allowance of 7500 Polish Zlotys (which is about 760 GBP) split into 5 monthly instalments, and receive a 1000 PLN (100 GBP approx) bonus from the school at the end of the internship. I have been to Poland before with University and I would love to go back again. Five and half months away is not that much; I would gain experience and I would be able to apply for jobs further afield. I have been trying to learn Polish while I am working at my current job – it is difficult as I can only listen (“learn”) at the weekend. A private room in a shared apartment does sound appealing though…24/7 support in the country is also something that I would love as if I had any problems I would go straight to them.

 

  • A reputable teaching placement set up for you You’ll be placed with at least one other intern in your area
  • A monthly spending allowance for your living expenses You’ll receive a 12,000 Thai Baht every month as a living allowance. You’ll also receive a completion bonus of 5,000 THB at the end of the program
  • Accommodation provided You’ll live in a private bedroom in shared accommodation
  • Full in-country support With airport pickup and transfers, a full orientation upon arrival and a school contact to help you get settled, you’ll get all the support you need from the minute your plane touches down!
  • Fantastic 6-day orientation Your chance to mingle with other interns, enjoy a welcome dinner and a Thai cultural show, learn some basic Thai phrases and try some Thai dancing lessons!
  • City tour of Bangkok Visit some of the Key temples in this bustling city, combined with an afternoon in Khaosan Road

This is something more my thing; but I do not know if my mum could handle me being over there…I would be careful of the food but then that can happen anywhere…

  • A reputable internship setup for you 3.5 – 4 months teaching in Vietnam and heaps of practical teaching experience
  • In-country support + local support This is where you’ll see the benefit of travelling on an internship program. TTV are there to support you throughout your placement. You’ll also have a local contact at your school to help you with any issues
  • Monthly spending allowance You’ll receive a monthly allowance of 6million Dong + a further 6million Dong bonus from your school at the end of your internship. This allowance will be prorated (e.g. if you were to work half a month, for example, you’ll receive half a month’s allowance). It’s important to note that the cost of living in Vietnam is considerably lower than that in Western parts of the world – a bottle of mineral water can cost less than 10,000 Dong
  • Accommodation You’ll have a private room in a shared apartment with your fellow interns.
  • Comprehensive one-week orientation in Vietnam TTV will run you through the essentials of living and teaching in Vietnam, including in-depth presentations and workshops to ensure you’re ready to start teaching in Vietnam. TTV will also provide you with all of your meals during this period
  • 2 days of practical TEFL training When you arrive in Vietnam, i-to-i will provide you with the 20-hour Classroom Course during your orientation program – this way you can be sure that these essential, practical skills stay fresh in your mind!
  • Fun Vietnamese lessons You’ll have conversational Vietnamese lessons during your orientation to give you basic language skills to enjoy day-to-day life in Vietnam
  • Explore Vietnam – On arrival in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, you’ll go on a tour of the city with our TTV partners! After your tour you’ll also have one free afternoon to explore – use your time to discover yummy Vietnamese street food and explore the bustling Asian streets – or if you’d prefer you can join our staff on a visit to a local market. If you’re still not tired then get ready for the evening entertainment ‘Vietnam style’, it’s the perfect chance to get to know the other interns (and make some good friends)!
  • Airport pick up and transfers to your school
  • Visa assistance TTV will help arrange your visa.
  • A network of new friends You’ll be joined by interns from the USA, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Europe, and you’ll also definitely be placed with at least one other intern so you’re not on your own – unless you want to be!

Important Visa Information:

You’ll enter Vietnam on a 3 month single-entry visa, for which TTV will send you a letter of invitation from the department of immigration which you print off and bring with you.

You’ll present this letter upon arrival and pay between US-$45-$50 in cash for your landing visa.

After 3 months, your visa will be extended in-country through sponsorship by your TTV program in association with the Ministry of Education and each participating school. The visa extension and work permit cost is US $350. This is payable in cash on arrival in Vietnam during orientation week.

You’ll also need to budget US$150 – $200 to have your documents notarised in your home country before arriving into Vietnam.

Sadly; the additional payments are something I would not be fully happy about. I would sell a lot of my things here in the UK; which I have already done…

What do you all think??