1552 Looking for TEFL work

I am desperate to leave the UK with my 8 year old son for a better quality of life in Italy. My family is of Piemontese origin and I have visited Piemonte and others areas of Italy many times.

I am looking for work, preferably in Piemonte or Liguria. I am a qualified and experienced teacher of English as a Foreign Language. I speak Italian and French, both to a good standard.

As my finances are very limited, I am terrified to make the move and rent something without having an income secured by way of a job! It's a difficult decision to make, particularly as a single parent, but a decision I am very serious about.

Can anyone offer any advice?

Regards

Sarah

Category
General chat about Italy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/10/2005 - 06:01

Sarah, I wish you the best of luck when making your decision, there are many threads on this board regarding TEFL, if you use the search facility in the blue bar at the top of the page, searching "TEFL", then "English" it will find them for you.
Good luck :)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/10/2005 - 06:23

Hi Sarah

I'm not a TEFL teacher myself but I've been on the lookout for that kind of work and salaries seem to range from 800 - 1100 euro per month. (although I believe a lot of people do private lessons to supplement that - if you've got the time). Rents for a "monolocale" are around 350-400 euro where I am (on the border of Tuscany and Liguria and not a big city). When you move in you'll probably need to have two months rent up front plus a months deposit. Bills here are not cheap either - on the whole about the same as the UK with some a bit higher and some a bit lower.

A 1000 euro in Italy would be quite an average monthly salary however the big difference is that a lot of families have rent/mortgage free accommodation passed on by previous generations and they have family support.

All I can say is that I was earning 700 euro a month with quite high travel costs. I couldn't have supported myself on that wage (I live with my partner who pays most bills), let alone me and a child.

Have a look at this thread in the esl cafe forum:

[url]http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=1944&sid=5f962b0a2db1f1eb568067895b39e7cd[/url]

(if you can't open it let me know and I'll direct you there).

Quality of life also includes having the money to be able to do things. Italy is wonderful for holidays, if you're independently wealthy, retired or have a great business idea and the tenacity to carry it through. If you just want to come and work in a normal job to be honest it's tough.

Really really sorry if that sounds awfully negative :( but I think if you're thinking of planning to do something as big as moving country then you have to have a realistic idea of things. Dreams are wonderful but sometimes it's just a case of the grass being greener :rolleyes:

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/10/2005 - 09:31

sarah...nicola gives a realistic view and something quite sensible....apart from those costs already mentioned tefl work is often paid only on short term contracts and will last from october to june...then you have four or five months to find somewhere else...about e10 max per hour is the rate...its not a living wage here

often those that live here on this forum are retired or independantly wealthy...they will never try or have to live in italy as italians do... they will have sterling pensions or have sold high and bought cheap here... not all ... as nicolas realistic view shows

very few will have children.... so school costs...you have to buy all the books ...around e 250 per year ... sometimes pay for the transport if you choose a school outside your commune...

school trips average out at around e30-50 per trip ... allow 2 or 3 per year..

summer school trip...two weeks at mountain or beach...half days with lunch about e200

school just starting doing afternoons with lunch and activities e200 per month
...this is a state school ...normal not private or anything...

you pay for all health services apart from the doctor...if you have to buy medicines...eg calpol type things or even childrens toothpaste it is double to triple uk prices... dentist bills here since arriving with normal teeth around e150 per year on normal checks for a now ten year old...

requires minor tooth brace... they seem to love them here e1500.. still have to visit optician... might morgage house first...

childrens shoes cost double the adult ones...and i am not talking named brands...

to tell you the honest truth in italy with average wages for a qualified school teacher around e12000 per year i dont know how they survive...well i do... pensions here are good ..grandparents,parents supply a lot of help... and second jobs in the black provide some too...i dont know how many of my neighbours finsh work at five and then start again at five thirty doing it either from home or whatever for cash until eight or nine at night...plus half the saturday they get off and sunday....

generally both parents work to make ends meet

car costs both running and buying are higher than uk...garage costs higher... fuel costs the same

if this has all made things seem much worse ... sorry ... but as someone who lives here with a ten year old now.. and can afford to ...just ... i know i was surprised about the costs of bringing up a child here and the level of income that is regarded as normal... and honestly none of them can do it on a normal wage here...they all have other help... and thats from factory workers up onto professionals as i would call teachers..

here to earn money you have to be a doctor,lawyer or notary.... or best of all or political/civil service person.. top earners are the clerics and trade union official ...but then again you wouldnt fit their ideal profile...

i was lucky... there were two of us deciding to do this and my wife being italian no language or family support concerns... but still its a worry when moving with a child...

i would say if you can afford to live here a year without worrying about money you could maybe fnd something and make a go of it.... but dont look at rural cheaper areas... they will pay even less.. you need to be in the centre/ north near a fairly large population where they are eager to learn english and maybe more willing to pay... you will be reliant on private tuition

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/10/2005 - 09:38

sarah,
I am from Piemonte myself... why don't you get in touch with the Shenker Institute [url]http://www.shenker.com/[/url], they are always looking for qualified teachers.

Do not hesitate to contact me should you need any more help!

Paola

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/10/2005 - 16:10

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply - and so quickly too! I appreciate the honesty in the replies. I will consider the information very carefully and make my final decision.

Best wishes

Sarah

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/11/2005 - 08:44

[QUOTE=SarahLucia]....
I am looking for work, preferably in Piemonte or Liguria. I am a qualified and experienced teacher of English as a Foreign Language. I speak Italian and French, both to a good standard. .....[/QUOTE]

Hi Sarah,

I've been keeping my eyes open for similar jobs but as we're in no rush to move, I'm only observing the market at the moment. Have a look at [url]http://www.tefl.com/[/url] for their jobs database. It's being updated weekly. You can subscribe to a newsletter with updates.

Salary-wise it is as previously mentioned by Nicola and given the rent prices in some areas, it really wouldn't leave you with much. It might be worthwhile offering evening classes perhaps or individual tuition to get more money in. Definitely hard work... :)

Good luck!
Stephanie

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/14/2005 - 16:57

The advice given by Nicola is spot on and realistic, however, you speak the language and have roots here, so it should be easier for you to find work, but beware, TEFL teachers do not get paid well and it is hard work at times, you will be travelling to do your lessons, you will not always be in the school, you will have to go to companies and teach for an hour at their convenience often, sometimes the school allows money for you for this, sometimes you may have to pay it yourself as you will be "employed" on a self employed basis.