Do you speak Polish?: The validity of blogging

Earlier this week, I was sat having a conversation with other language teachers. All four of us where from different countries and not all of us were English teachers. What amazed me was how different our perceptions of Poland and other countries were. We all have experienced teaching in different countries, we have all visited many of the same places yet our ideas, opinions and observations were all different.

If you take four language teachers, you'll get five opinions. So what's the point in reading this blog or any other blog? When probably none represent the reality. Originally when I started I wanted to provide a resource of life as an ESL teacher in Poland for others thinking of making the transition, mainly as such things were lacking when I was considering the change and I had to rely on Russian based TEFL blogs such as ETX.
But if my opinion, or ETX's opinion or any other opinion doesn't represent the median, why read?

Well, on one side there is a much more lively expat/Tefl blogging scene connected with Poland now so you don't need to base your opinions on mine, you can find your own average by reading many points of view.

Chilean Antarctic Flag

My biggest realisation is that where blogs can present a valid, in depth and cogent observation of life and work in foreign lands the best thing is to experience it yourself. If my blog can help the decision making process of just one person thinking of TEFL or becoming an expat, it'll all be worthwhile.

Once you've made the decision to move abroad you may be thinking where? Well I can heartily recommend eastern Europe and the results of the last poll on this blog would confirm this as the most loved destination drawing 28% of the vote. It's generally easy to find work as an ESL teacher with plenty of language schools and private students. The real question is how much you'll get paid and that will depend on where you live exactly and also how much experience you have. It's really possible to do quite well in eastern Europe if you have a good qualification and growing experience.

French Antarctic Flag

The second most popular destination amazingly turned out to be Antarctica. At first it sounds crazy but when you realise there are between 1,000 and 5,000 residents at any one time, with not all colonies speaking English you may do well as a Tefler. There's a church on Antarctica with two priests so I'm sure the continent could support one English teacher. Better still, If you can teach two or three languages your improving your probabilities.
The real difficulty will be getting a visa.

10 comments:

Jeremy24 February 2011 at 21:32
Firstly, your Antarctica idea is interesting :) Why do you need a visa though if it is not a country? Who do you get a visa from?

Seriously though, your motivations for blogging are entirely different from mine even though it appears from our recent cross blog postings that are attitudes are similar. While yours was motivated positively by EFL and a wish to provide a resource for potential TEFL teachers mine was motivated negatively by EFL.
Let me clarify negatively, I wanted an escape from the entrapment I had found as a teacher. When I moved to Poland teaching was the best option with my skills and 7 years down the line I think I have made a fair go at it and sometimes surprise myself with my abilities as a teacher; yet teaching was never my passion as it appears to be yours. Blogging and discussing politics and interesting facts and tip bits allows the true spirit to breath.

Perhaps though that explains your observation regarding 4 teachers and 5 views. People just get into teaching for very different reasons and this reflects their relationship with teaching also.
Eve25 February 2011 at 01:17
you make a good point about every single teacher's experiences being totally different. that is so true, so true, so true.

what KILLS me is when some teachers insist that they're experience is the "right" one, and other people's experiences are just "wrong" or invalid.

In my case, I started writing about my TEFL experience in Russia because eslcafe was 100 percent negative and I felt for sure, there had to be some balance and I wanted to provide that balance.

now, i mostly just blog to "hear" myself "talk."

but I'm in Korea, and there are 1001 blogs about what to expect, how to teach in Korea, blah blah blah and so there's no use here for the type of blogging I did in Russia.
English Teacher X25 February 2011 at 09:58
I think in general you can't change people's minds -- they sort of cherry pick information off blogs that supports what they want to believe or do.

As for me I always tried to write more clearly about events and experiences rather than just offer my opinions. I am amazed how many blogs are just like:

"I had a great day today (why?) my students are so wonderful (example?) my life is SO much better here than it was back home (uh, why?) and the people here are SO friendly (for instance?)"

It's the dilemma of the 21st century, whether too much information is a good thing or not.
TeflSecretagent26 February 2011 at 11:26
Wow, I'm impressed by the collective reputation of the first three replies to my humble little post.

The idea about 'Cherrypicking' is spot on. I did it with your blog X before I became an English teacher.

Eve- It kills me too, like you wouldn't believe. I just avoid expats like this that I meet.

Jeremy, let me make a correction you don't need a visa but you would need an invitation to whatever research station you planned to call home.
Fox bay26 February 2011 at 13:25
If your serious, this site will help you cos it's the part of the easiest route to the Antarctic.

http://www.falklandislands.com/

I did it!
Anonymous27 February 2011 at 10:15
Why do people become gardeners, or accountants, or website creators, or self-employed, or teachers, or ... or ... or ... ? Many different reasons. TEFL overseas is not all that unique or special - it's a service industry job. I like the job and the environment, most likely for different reasons to you. And blanket statements are always dumb.

Antartica sounds interesting?! The stupidist thing I've read today.
TeflSecretagent27 February 2011 at 11:39
Hey 'Anonymous'.

I'm not entirely sure why your comment has any relevance to the original post. Originally, we were talking about the contrasts you can find throughout the blogosphere, not why become a Tefler.

and one more thing anonymous posters... why don't you post under your real name before insulting other readers?
Eve27 February 2011 at 18:50
@SecretAgent - And then of course, there are the anonymous commentators ... sigh.
Jeremy28 February 2011 at 22:42
The main problem with blogging, as anonymous so aptly demonstrates, is that irony does not translate well into type. Then again perhaps anonymous was calling my bluff. If I take his comment seriously, I assume that he took mine seriously. However, if he did not take mine seriously then perhaps I should not take his seriously, oh we could be here all day ....

Basically, I agree with SecretAgent, Anonymous If you dont post your name we can not keep track of you and hence your attempts at witt or indeed perhaps dare I say it wisdom go un-noticed as they make bugger all sense to the general reader.
T5 March 2011 at 10:34
Blogging has most value as entertainment. I found this blog last year from gazeta wyborcza and i still read it now only because it is interesting to me and makes me laugh.

I agree that the issues and ideas from this blog and other blogs can be debated but isn't that part of the unjoyment?

Everyone is welcome to make a comment. It's a free world after all :) the only thing I ask is that if you're going to write something nasty please have big enough balls to include your name and email address.