Jobless yet again

So, to explain my lack of blogging, I must confess it hasn't all just been because of Internet issues. I found out nearly a week ago, just two days after I got to Croatia (and about four days after getting to Europe), that I lost my job before I even started it.

The school e-mailed me to say that because of the current economic situation and how many businesses were canceling their contracts with the school to provide teachers for their employees, my contract would be cancelled as well. They simply didn't have enough hours to offer me and the several other new teachers who got the boot, they said. And the contract I signed gave them the leeway to terminate said contract before I started for unforeseen reasons like this.

It wasn't completely surprising, as I was one of their last hires for the season, so would likely be the first to go. And the situation across the board for language schools in Europe isn't particularly great right now. But it, obviously, stings quite a bit. To come all the way out here for the promise of a job and to not have it is pretty discouraging.

And I'm taking this as the second big sign in a year (the first being all the fruitless interviews I went on after finishing the Oxford course) that teaching in Europe, or at least in Prague, is not what I should be doing. Of course, I have friends in Prague who are on the warpath on my behalf and trying to pull out any connections they have. But, I'm just not sure it's worth it.

In a way, it's weird. I was excited to start teaching again. I was freshening up my skills, pulling out all the notes I had taken at Oxford. During the days leading up to the trip, I found myself idly pondering things I'd teach. I'd read a word like "photography" and wonder how I'd explain its pronunciation to students, how I'd show them the first "o" and second "o" aren't pronounced the same, where the stress fell in the word. And even now, nearly a week after getting the e-mail, I'm catching myself imagining teaching present perfect tense or irregular verbs.

Yet, when I got the e-mail, it was a bit of a relief. I had actually dreamt getting an e-mail like it, and I imagined what it would say if it did happen in real life. So, there was a moment of déja vu and, like I said, relief, because there was a part of me wondering if I'd really enjoy teaching business English to a bunch of professionals for a year in Prague and not getting paid very well for it. I had taken the job because it was the one offered out of the many that turned me down, and it was the only one willing to provide assistance with a work visa. Of course, there was the added bonus of living in Prague again and seeing my friends there again.

But I just didn't know if I'd be happy doing it. There are obviously many more subtleties involved, but that's the gist of it.

So, my move to Europe has become more of a vacation, it seems. I have to say, it helps to be on the Croatian coast when you get bad news like that. Kind of lessens the blow. I've been enjoying Croatia a ton, despite the heat and the tourists and the lack of air conditioning, and I wish I had more time to explore other areas of Croatia, and possibly go into Bosnia and Hercegovina and Montenegro. But I have a huge bag of luggage sitting in a flat in Prague, and I told the friend watching it I'd be gone about a week. I'd hate to leave it there for a month while I bounce about the Balkans carefree.

So, tomorrow, I'm going to start making my way back to Prague. I'm taking a bus to Trieste in eastern Italy, then figuring out whatever's the quickest route north to Prague. I'll stay there a few days and hang out with friends, then get things in order to come home.

I'll update you loyal readers if something changes or I end up finding a different teaching job in Prague or elsewhere. And I'll be sure to publish some more photos from Croatia as soon as I have a chance and a better Internet connection!

Life on the Dalmatian coast

Hey, bloggity blog! So, in about a week's worth of traveling Croatia thus far, this is the first place I've stayed that has wireless. And I think I'm stealing it from the neighbors. And this is also the smallest town I've visited. So, that kind of explains Croatia's attitude toward the Internet. Although, Dubrovnik claimed to provide free wireless across the entire old town. I don't know if that's true, I tried it, walking around with my laptop like I was trying to catch a radio signal. Didn't work.

The Interwebs aside, Croatia is a fantastic place. At first, when I was planning this trip, I was like, "Why don't you hear more people talking about Croatia?" That's because, I've discovered, they are all in Croatia right now. Seriously, it's jam-packed with people, at least in the bigger destinations. Dubrovnik especially. But that hasn't taken away its charm.

Croatia's coast takes a lot of influence from its neighbor to the northwest and across the sea, Italy. Split and Dubrovnik feel like Tuscan villages built on ridiculously blue water. All red roofs and stonework and polished marble streets. Palm trees, fishing boats, fresh seafood. All that. The only thing different on first inspection is the language. Then there's the Austrian-Hungarian influence in the interior, and the more recent connections with the former Yugoslavia, the Serbs, etc. It's got a lot of stories.

I'm on the northern coast right now, on an island and town called Cres (pronounced "Tsres," with a rolled "r" — which brings up another interesting connection, Croatian being a Slavic language, is very similar to Czech), and it's just lovely.

Anyway, I need to get some sleep tonight because tomorrow morning, I'm taking a bus to some hiking destinations on the northern side of the island, where there are a lot of abandoned medieval villages and olive groves. But I wanted to share some photos of the trip thus far.

Here's a few from Split:

There and back again

So, I find myself returning to this blog, as something interesting is about to happen -- in the teaching-English-in-a-foreign-country-again sense.

Oh, blog! So much has happened since I last clicked on you!

Yes, yes! Before I left Prague way, way, way back in May, I interviewed -- on a whim -- for a job at a really great-looking school in the city. It was actually just a few blocks away from my flat so, y'know, I didn't have to travel far in my business attire, and that kinda sold me on interviewing.

My previous entry from May explains a little about my feelings then about how the interview went and the prospects for fall. And so far, those notions have been correct. The school e-mailed in July to say they wanted to hire me for the fall. They sent a contract, I looked at it, over and over again. Considered. Questioned myself and those around me. All that.

The pay wasn't all that good, but this is to be expected in a saturated teaching market in Europe right now. The work schedule is under 30 hours a week, but that's technically considered full-time to the TEFL folks, and there's always the opportunity for part-time work (more about that later).

The biggest draw was that they were willing to help me apply for a work visa. That was enough to get me to sign the contract. After all the problems and stories I'd heard since the spring about Americans getting denied work visas and schools not even willing to entertain the idea of hiring Americans because of this, I was worried I'd hear the same mantra from this school. But fortunately, they seem to be pretty positive about the work visa situation for the fall, as I heard from other sources as well -- most people I talked to were saying the visa-approving bodies of the Czech Republic would start loosening their grip for the fall, when most teachers are hired.

And I've already sent the school all the documents they needed to start the work-visa-applying process. So, fingers crossed everyone's theories and expert opinions and analyses will be right so I can actually fulfill the year contract I signed with the school. They are called Caledonian School, by the way. I'll be teaching business English for them, going to different companies around Prague each day to teach on-site. Lots of running around the city involved. They also offer free Czech lessons to their teachers and have an excellent resource center and computer lab, so I can get all my materials together.

Oh yeah, the other exciting thing about all this is that I leave Monday. Like, three-days-from-now Monday. Holy craziness, I know! I think I'm ready, but actually, I have no idea. It's funny how, even after all this traveling, I still find myself getting outdone and mindboggled by the process of packing.

The next other exciting thing is that, even though I leave Monday (which was the day I booked to return way back in May because it fulfilled the required three-month leave from Europe to get a new tourist visa, plus a few days), school orientation doesn't start until two weeks later. So, two days after I get to Prague, I'm running off to Croatia for a week to squeeze in some Mediterranean sun and pretty coastal towns before I am banned from seeing the sun for a while. Expect pictures!

The some more other exciting thing is that my friend Shannon, who I met at Oxford TEFL Prague, got a contract with the same school and will start teaching at the same time, too. We're hoping to split the rent on a flat in Prague, so I'm very happy about that.

The and even more exciting thing is that, as I said, I may have time for part-time work. And I may even have some of that lined up already in the form of freelance writing. More news as that comes to fruition.

OK, I'll end this here for now. Good catching up with you, blog! I look forward to more frequent visits in the future, and more positive rants now that I actually have a job!

Edit: Spellcheck doesn't like "mindboggled," but I do.

Two days left

Laura left this morning for her flight home. So, now it's just me until Saturday morning, when I leave. I teach my last class this evening and I have some last-minute gifts to buy plus, of course, lots of packing to do. Then there are all the goodbyes with my Oxford friends. I'm wondering if I should be out wandering the streets one last time, but then, it might not be the last time.

I had an interview at a school in Prague yesterday. They are going through fall hiring. I think it went really well and they confirmed this in a follow-up e-mail saying they'd be in touch soon about "terms, etc." It's a really great school and I'd love to work there. The interview also made me feel more confident about my decision to leave for the summer. They said, because of all the visa problems in the Czech Republic, they may only allow new hires to begin work once the visa application is approved. Usually, a school will put out an offer and help the new hire through the visa process while they work. As of late, many of those new hires have been rejected from getting a visa and the school is forced to let them go.

It looks like it will be in my best interest, then, to solidify a job offer at home and start the visa application process before I even leave. So this may turn out to make things much easier. I guess we'll see how it goes.

Until then, the farewell tour continues. Like I said, I'm not really itching to run out around the city today and tomorrow one last time. I don't feel like it will be. What I am sad about is that some of my friends might not be here if and when I come back. Some are sticking around until June or July. Some are leaving the Schengen zone for countries further afield. Some are just not sure.

But I guess that's what happens. And I guess that's what Facebook is for.

Oh yeah, so I'm leaving ...

In all the hoopla planning for Laura's arrival and participating in Laura's arrival and teaching a few classes a week at Oxford, I've forgotten to mention something on here.

I'm leaving Prague next week. And going home.

Yes, I'm nearing the end of my tourist visa and the job hunt has continued to be fruitless for me and every other American I know in Prague. I'm also not too keen on staying here illegally. On top of that, most schools are asking us to put in our resumes now for the fall semester when, they (and we) hope, the Czech Republic will start allowing visa applications through again. That's not until September. Most, if not all, schools here say that's when they'll start hiring again.

I bought a ticket home. A round-trip ticket. It has me returning to Prague in late August, so I'll fulfill my obligation to stay out of the Schengen zone for 90 days. I hope by then to have secured some kind of job offer and it will likely be easier for me to work out the logistics of a work visa from my home country than while floating in a neighboring country outside the Czech Republic.

I have a lot of people offering advice and trying to talk me down different paths and toward teaching opportunities in different countries. It's made for a lot of options to drink in during such chaotic last days here. That's why I'm really looking forward to going home and stepping out of it for a while. Grounding myself again and really taking the time to do the research, think things through and prepare myself without all the distractions here — hanging out in Prague with a bunch of other people who don't have full-time jobs and are just looking for ways to pass the time.

Which is not to say I haven't been enjoying myself. Oh God, I have. And which is also not to say I haven't been productive. If anything, teaching at Oxford these last few weeks has showed me that I really do enjoy working with students, developing lesson plans and helping them with their English. I want to continue to improve as a teacher. I want to do this full time.

Now we just have to hope those options will be available at the end of the summer. From what many people have been telling me, they will. Fingers crossed, and all that.

Ivana Trump, Becherovka and swine flu

Laura's here. And though her sleeping schedule is still a bit off, we've managed to do quite a bit already. Yesterday, we wandered around Old Town and peaked inside a few churches. On our way from the Jewish cemetery, I took her down Parizska street — what I refer to as the "5th Avenue of Prague." Lots of famous brands have shops there, like Dior, Prada, D&G, etc. We were walking in front of the Rolex shop and Laura noticed some strange activity. I, of course, have gotten to the point here where I don't really pay attention to the surroundings anymore, just focus on where I'm going.

Anyway, there was a guy standing around with a huge camera, and the store clerk was waiting in the doorway, looking very well dressed and a little anxious. Then there was a guy in a suit standing in the middle of an empty parking spot in front of the store, stopping people from parking there. "Let's see what happens!" Laura said. So we did, and we waited. Then up rolls this fancy, black SUV, and an entourage leads this woman in. She had blonde hair pulled back and up and she was dressed in a pantsuit, I think. She walked up to the store clerk and they kissed on both cheeks. That's when I said (quite loudly) "Oh, it's Ivana Trump!" And then she disappeared inside the Rolex store.

Laura and I both agreed she looks really, really good for her age. Later, we Wikipediaed her back home to discover she is, in fact, from the Czech Republic. But at the moment, walking back into the square, we discussed how cool it would be to be wealthy and have such a scene unfold just for you to buy a watch. Somehow all that talk about the good life may have brushed off, because we decided to "be the tourist" and take a seat at one of the outdoor cafes in the square for a drink or two. They're notorious for being expensive, and we learned this as we took the waiter's advice and ordered a shot of Becherovka with our beers.

It's kind of a traditional Czech liqueur and it tastes very cinnamony. I've had it before, but never with a pint of beer. Interesting combo. Also, not so cheap.

Anyway, I'm still very much enjoying my upper level class. And they may in fact enjoy me, because they still show up or haven't switched classes. I did a lesson yesterday on "The Haves and Have Nots," and, somehow, we started talking about the swine flu — mainly because we were discussing how poorer countries don't have good health care. I really enjoy being able to talk about current topics in the classroom, but it did get a little strange as I tried to include the topic in our grammar lesson on reported speech — "I have swine flu." "He said he has swine flu."

Eh, you work with what you've got.

In the news

Before I forget, some things I read lately (mostly in the NY Times) that make mention of the Czech Republic and/or things of importance to my current situation:

Here's the first. Basically, it says migrant workers are fleeing the once promising cities in Europe and returning to their crappy homelands (Romania, snore!) because of the far-reaching effects of the global recession.

This bit was interesting:

The Czech government announced in February that it would pay 500 euros, or about $660, and provide one-way plane tickets to each foreigner who has lost his job and wants to go home.

They will pay you to leave. Similar to paying you to not work. Dang, too bad I don't have a job to lose, yet. I also wasn't aware so many younger Czechs run off to Dublin to find jobs. But I was struck by this one woman's rationalization for leaving Ireland and heading home:

While unemployment is also rising in the Czech Republic, “it is much easier to be at home with family and with friends and not to have a job,” she said, “than to be here and not to have a job.”

Amen to that.

Also, here's a story from the Prague Post, the English-language paper here, that tries to shed some light on the visa issues we teachers are facing in Prague. I say "tries" because, pardon the snark, but it looks like it was written for a college journalism class. Be sure to take a look at the photo — that's my teacher, David, and my friends Shannon and Hannah sitting in the background (appearing to be in deep conversation while David teaches. Nice.).

And finally, a guy from my homeland got detained in Prague and promptly sent back to Louisiana. Who, you ask? Oh, just this guy. So that's what he's been up to! I never thought to ask until now.