Earning a TEFL in Prague

Week 3

teflprague — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 05:59:00 GMT

Sure has been hard to keep up with homework on this TEFL course. I would give this tip to anyone looking into taking a TEFL. Pick one that lasts more then four weeks. There is so much work involved in this course that you litterly can't do anything else. And if your not planning to stay in country, then you won't have time to do anything but the course. Even your weekends will be swallowed by homework.

That being said, this was the first day I got out of class early enough to go and do something. So, I went a visited the military musuem on Zizkov hill. It was a pretty good museum. Has a T-34/85 out front. Some artillery pieces inside and a few bombs. The museum also featuered a few of the very rarest firearms. Pieces you won't find anywhere else. The German paratropers rifle was one of these. They also had an excelent collection of anti-tank rifles. Several of which are also very rare. They have a nice collection of aircraft cannons in display cases as well. The only complaint I have about this musuem is that while they do have plaques in English on all the exibits, the translations are very bad. So bad it looks like they used google translate or something.

After the musuem I climbed to the top of the hill and discovered a really big monument. In fact, it has the biggest equestrian statue in Europe. But the best part was that I was on top of a pretty large hill. The whole city was laid out below, and there was a very nice breeze. It was a very plesent place to spend a bit of time, just relaxing and taking in the views. After walking around there a bit I headed back down the hill, and the bells began to ring. They all began to ring at apx. the same time and I could hear them from all over the city. It was pretty cool, hearing the whole town ring. Prague is called "the city of spires" well thats do in large part to the number of churchs here. And almost all these churchs have nice bells in their bell towers. So, if your in Prague, take a trip to the Zizkov monument, and wait for the hour to strike. (I was there at 6pm/1800). Its a sound you won't soon forget!

Week 2 day 3

teflprague — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 18:23:00 GMT

Well, first I just have to say this TEFL course demands a LOT of time. Basicaly have to give up everything but studying. Including; eating, sleeping, eating, sleeping, and anything else you can think of that is not studying. Today we where given our first grammar quiz. Its not a hard test, but it takes valuble time.

At this point in the course, we are actualy teaching real students real English lessons. Yesterday I taught my third lesson, and today will be my fourth. Planing a lesson takes all our out-of-classroom time. The next lesson which we will be teaching is a reading lesson. Its used to help students progress in their reading and reading comprehension skills.

There are two classes and the boss has us switching between the two groups. One group is at an intermediat level, the other is pre-intermediat. I get the intermediat group tomarrow. Fortunaly tomarrow is the last lesson for this week, so I'll be able to catch up a bit.

Some of the best things about traveling to another country? Meeting new people and trying new food!! One of our students is origonaly from Slovakia, and she is making a traditional Slovakian meal for all of us. Of course, we are all helping, but it sounds delicious already!! Czech food is quite good also, but I'm so busy I don't even have time to eat out right now.

I'll be trying to write more often from now on. The course is getting into a bit of a rountine and next two weeks should not be so busy.

As my British friends would say,

Cheers!

Day 3 Prague

teflprague — Mon, 7 Jul 2014 23:15:00 GMT

Well, I've had less time to write then I thought. I arrived on Sunday morning. Unfortunaly after very long uncomfortable flights, I spent a lot of time sleeping. Classes began on Monday. We started with an intro and breiff overview of what the course entails. I'll write more on that later. Then we had a breif tour of the city. After which, we where given maps and a list of things to find in the city, then compeatly abandon by our guide! It was not to bad tought, we could not find all the things on the list, but we did not get lost either. With a map and a little patience, Prague is a pretty easy city to nagigate. Especaily by Metro. The metro line is quite new and very efficient. You can get from one side of the city to the other very quickly. it can be crowded during rush hour, but not so bad that you can't find a spot. And Czech people are pretty polite. They always move for their elders, and they are pretty quiet too. Its easy to find American or British tourists on the Metro or trams. Their the loud people. So just a tip, if your coming to Prague, they like it quiet, and save the yelling for in the home or if you do something very wrong. I've not been yelled at (yet). Also, they are big soccer fans. Actualy, thats the loudest I've heard them, when a team scores a goal.

The Czech Republic lives up to its beer reputation also. Its quite good and everyone drinks a lot. So far, the best I've had is nonfiltered. I find it pretty hard to say in Czech, and even harder to remember. O, yea Czech spelling is nothing like it sounds, so don't even bother. You can spell words phoneticaly, as they sound to you, or you can learn how to spell them correctly. Untill I learn Czech pronunciation, I'll stick to phoneticaly. Even then its fairly hard. Fortunatly, there is a great deal of English, and a lot of signes are easy to decipher. So even if you don't know any Czech, you can usualy find what your looking for. But here is another tip for the traveler, you get better service if you at least try to speak in Czech, at least hello, yes, no, and so on. Especialy hello, its considered polite to say hello as you enter a store or just about anywhere. And if a door is close, close it behind you. If open, leave open. Thats also considered polite. There are not many elevators here either. And the ones I've been on a very slow. But plenty of stairs. Good for keeping in shape! The Czech also love their escilators. They are everywhere. And some of them are very fast! The one at my metro stop goes down something like a hundred feet, and it drops almost faster then you could fall! But stick to the right hand side, both up and down. People sometimes walk/run up and down them. If ever in doubt about where to stand or how to get onto something or when to cross the street, just watch a local. I've learned to stay off the left side of escelators, and that walk/no walk sighns are more for decoration then actual law. Just go with the locals, and you'll be fine.

Same for finding someplace to eat. Try and stay out of the tourist areas, Charles Bridge and the castle. The places around there are generaly much more expensive. Try and find somehwere with locals, and a little more out of the way. The food is just as good, and cheeper. Especialy the beer. Its almost twice as much in the tourist areas, and its the same beer. So look around, and you can save a bit of money. Plus its more fun to get out of the tourist areas and see what authentic Prague is like. I'll right more on finding good food later, after I've had a bit more experience myself.

As always, keep checking back for updates! Cheers!!!

Jake

Pre-Departure

teflprague — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 07:21:00 GMT

Welcome!

Hello all, my name is Jake. Like many people, I want to travel and see the world. I want to experience all this planet of ours has to offer, both in nature and culture. And like most of us, I have to live in this world too. So, how does one fund a dream of traveling the world, and keep from starving to death? One answer, teach English. There are many countries throught the world that despiratly want native English speakers to teach English. So, lets tally it up, I'm a college student, English major, intrested in teaching, want to travel the world, aaaaa, perfect job! TEFL teacher!

Now, I came to this realization a few months ago. Putting it into practice has been quite another adventure. After several weeks of internet seaching, and several dozen study programs latter, I found one that looks perfect. Not only does it get my out of the house, but across the pond, and I get to earn my TEFL certification! So, off to Prague I go! (one of the most beautiful cities in the world btw)

No, wait, stop.... I forgot. Yea, you need MONEY to travel. Yea, umhumm, that green stuff that does NOT grow on trees. (trust me, I have a money tree, and I havent seen a single solitary dollar bill) Apperently its nessecary if you want to fly across the Atlantic ocean and get to the Czech Repubic. I mean, I did consider swimming, but I had to disiss that as totaly impractical. I mean, I just could not figure out how to carry my luggage!

Well, now I have to find money, and visit a doctor to go over my immunizations, and get some shots, and buy travel insurence, and work with my college so I get some academic credit of of this. O yea, and buy plane tickets, and pay for the program, and find someplace to stay while in country, and on top of all that, I have to take out the trash! Boy o boy, what a day.

So, what does a pennieless college student do to find enough money to travel abroad? Well, about the only thing I could do. Luckily for me, I'm an artist. So I figured, why not try and sell a painting or two to pay for the trip? Good idea right? Wrong. Nobody wants to by my art. At least not in Fredericksburg. I know, I've asked most of them in person. Sooooo, no art sold, no money. Guess I can't go......

Wait, who is that? Get off of here you loser, I never give up. I'm going even if I DO have to swim!!!!! I'll just mail my cloths ahead!

Luckily for me, I do actualy have a little money saved. Excuse me, "had" a little saved. But, I've got my plane tickets, health insurense, and program fees covered. I will be getting a little thiner this trip though. So, if your reading this, and you have ANY intrest in abstract art. Please check out my website. I don't need nearly as much as is listed for each of the paintings. If you see one you like, send me an email and I'll be glad to talk with you about it, and work out a much more reasonable deal. To see my work, go to Fine Art America, and type in jake prague in the artist search box. That will take you to my page. I don't know why, but this system won't let me put the URL in here.

Anyway, I leave on July 5th. One stop at Paris to change planes, and then on to Prague. I will be leaving Prague to head back to the states on August 10th.

I'll be posting here frequently to keep up with the progess of the TEFL program, and to provid insights in the beautiful city of Prague!

Thanks for reading,

Jake