Teaching English in Zakopane, is it safe?

♂

Edited by: Moonlighting Nov 24, 09, 10:37 #31

kayterr

Hi. You say you don't have experience as a teacher. What makes you think you will be a good teacher then? Don't you think the students have the right for professionalism? I hope for them that you will be good, but I'm always amazed to see on these boards the quantity of people who want to teach English in Poland, as if being a teacher was the most obvious or easiest job to do.

To be more on topic, I'd like to say that some village or mountain people will dislike anyone who simply is not a local. I have a Polish friend whose parents own a lodge in Zakopane. They are from Krakow and like to come and spend a weekend in their lodge from time to time. Constantly they are the victims of pettiness from some neighbours, who for example move stones in front of their gate to block the way in, or will deflate one of their car's tyres during the night ;-). Village people who don't like them just because they come from "the big city".

So there could be several reasons why people will not like you. But you will also meet people who will be positively interested in your difference. So don't bother too much. Be as good a teacher as possible, enjoy the nice walks in the mountain and the delicious country food. And if it turns out badly, just come back ;-).

♂

Edited by: jonni Nov 24, 09, 11:24 #32

Cardno85:

burn things and chant and talk to dead people and deities...

Their leaders dress in robes, and the encourage other men and women to join them, work for them, wearing robes with hoods, and give all their money to them. Obsessed with sex too.

Seriously, Zakopane, particularly in summer, is cosmopolitan enough not to be too backward.

Jammed full of tourists though, and accommodation is always ar a real premium.

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 ♂ [Suspended]	Nov 24, 09, 11:30 #33
Moonlighting: Don't you think the students have the right for professionalism? They would do if they were paying her. But seeing as she says at the top that she's volunteering at a summer camp, the students can't really complain about not getting what they pay for.

kayterrThreads: 2 Posts: 11 Joined: Nov 18, 09 ♀	Nov 24, 09, 17:49 #34
Yes, and I'm not teaching technical English grammar. This camp asks for native speakers so kids can work on conversation. I'm only trying to help...

♂

Edited by: SeanBM Jan 10, 10, 23:38 #35

pawian:

Warning against sects one characteristics of which is a display of certain signs.

I also photographed some of those signs.

jonni:

Their leaders dress in robes, and the encourage other men and women to join them, work for them, wearing robes with hoods, and give all their money to them. Obsessed with sex too.

I can't help but notice that your avatar is on the 'Symbole Zła' warning poster.

♂

Edited by: jonni Jan 11, 10, 01:26 #36

SeanBM:

I can't help but notice that your avatar is on the 'Symbole Zła' warning poster.

I noticed that too. It's the Eye of Horus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_of_Horus. Check it out and decide for yourself if it's a 'symbol zła'. I just use it because I like it. :-)

I noticed they also consider the Yin/Yang to be a symbol of evil, which would come as a surprise to most people from China.

About sects in PL, there certainly are some. I suspect more so in the provinces that in Warsaw, and surely not in Zakopane.

Scientology has a presence but is largely underground - they do discreet voluntary work but don't actively recruit, and aren't allowed to by law. Hare Krishna are quite big in Warsaw, and have been around since the mid-80s. Bahai (sect or not is another matter) has a presence, especially in the provinces. The 'Great White Brotherhood' (the ones that were stockpiling petrol ready for the end of society then got fined a fortune when it leaked out of the underground tanks) have a small presence here, and Osho (the ones that deliberately poisoned hundreds of people in the US with salmonella) are well established and sell a lot of their founder's books.

One (smallish) language school here in Warsaw is very closely connected to a well known sect, but thankfully they don't try to recruit their native speakers. Many if not all of the Poles working there come from within the membership though, and I suspect their students get the soft sell. One of their corporate clients switched to me because the soft sell had become a little less soft.

strzygaThreads: 4 Posts: 988 Joined: Apr 30, 08 ♀	Jan 11, 10, 01:55 #37
jonni: I noticed they also consider the Yin/Yang to be a symbol of evil, which would come as a surprise to most people from China. Yoga and Aikido haven't been spared either. It's the Dominicans who are responsible for the anti-sect propaganda and they really go over the top sometimes. Not that many people treat that seriously though, apart from some die-hard Catholic fundamentalists.

♂

Edited by: jonni Jan 11, 10, 05:20 #38

strzyga

People in Poland are often quite spiritually minded, many too are unhappy with the RC church and are looking for something else. This can be a golden chance for a money-making religious group to find gullible new members.

Some of these new religious movements offer a quick spiritual fix, companionship for the lonely, a feeling of belonging to something. But none of them are cheap, either financially or psychologically.

Churches often overstate the dangers of sects and cults - the Dominican information centre here always takes a position against new religious movements without objectively analysing them. But many are indeed dangerous.

Closer to the topic of the thread, young and vulnerable EFL teachers, away from home and insecure, can be at risk of being recruited by either a cult or a fundamentalist Christian group. I've seen this happen.

But thankfully in Poland the risks are few - there isn't much chance of being snared by a sinister cult, and certainly not in Zakopane.

f stopThreads: 33 Posts: 2,861 Joined: Dec 9, 09 ♀	Jan 11, 10, 05:27 #39
Seanus: You might be told off for speaking English as my English friend got, That's funny - I got berated for speaking English last time I was in back, and by my waitress, no less!

♂

Edited by: dtaylor5632 Jan 11, 10, 05:45 #40

jonni:

Closer to the topic of the thread, young and vulnerable EFL teachers, away from home and insecure, can be at risk of being recruited by either a cult or a fundamentalist Christian group. I've seen this happen.

What?! Seriously?

f stop:

That's funny - I got berated for speaking English last time I was in back, and by my waitress, no less!

In my local pub back in Krakow the bar staff refused to speak to me in English at all by the end of it. I didn't mind all that much though, it's fun to practice.

convexThreads: 46 Posts: 7,185 Joined: Nov 25, 09 ♂	Edited by: convex Jan 11, 10, 05:58 #41
The "Graffiti everywhere" picture is awesome

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Jan 11, 10, 09:13 #42
Teaching English in Zakopane, is it safe? Zakopane means Burried, as in with snow, so everyone should be careful, including you friend. The strong wind called Halny is something to be affraid of also. I'm sure you're make a good Góral and will have a positive experience.

jeetanThreads: 1 Posts: 8 Joined: Feb 17, 10 ♀	Feb 18, 10, 00:38 #43
it should be ok. why u r fearing?

TrevorThreads: 8 Posts: 74 Joined: May 5, 09 ♂	Feb 18, 10, 01:07 #44
I have a friend from Zakopane! She is a really good person (as all Polish people are) Zakopane is gorgeous as well!

Hello_009Threads: - Posts: 4 Joined: Feb 18, 10 ♂	Feb 18, 10, 10:47 #45
I think it will be safe..coz everybody want learn english..its like basic need now a days

♂

Feb 18, 10, 11:40 #46

Kayterr,

Just a slight 'warning', I'm not sure how common Black people are in Zakopnae, but I've observed a few things in North Poland which might be worth mentioning:

Black/Asian people are often figures of interest in many places. People don't see them that often, so they are likely to stare (a lot). If you are from a place where you are used to being one of a crowd, and people are used to seeing Black people, it can be a bit of a strain to find yourself being constantly looked at.

I mention this because I've been involved in a couple of projects where we had Black dancers/project workers come to our area up here and found it quite stressful to be observed and scrutinised as if they were from Mars. I had to explain to some of these guys that they would be going into villages where many people had not seen a Black guy 'in the flesh' and had definitely never met one.

This might sound obvious but the result can be hilarious (local villagers dressing up in their sunday best and taking a walk so they could 'see Black people'). In another situation one of the dancers got offended because one woman took his hand and looked at his skin.

It's important to realise that it isn't 'racism' in a hate way (bigotry), rather a very intense curiosity. people will be nice and charming, but VERY curious.

Of course, this might not be the case for you, but perhaps something to bear in mind.

Have fun!

Oh, you're not vegetarian, are you? Zakopane is not the best place to be one...

TREV:-)

voytek

Feb 1, 12, 03:04 #47

I wouldn't be aware. I'm Polish and I would be very happy if any Afro-American would teach me English especially in Zakopane. Zakopane must be very inspiring city. Such amazing, famous and very important for Polish culture artists like Hasior, Witkacy, Szymanowski, Kasprowicz were based there. I'm sure you find it lovely, you will have many friends and very welcome accomodation. Poland is very open and heart-thinking. :) good look

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Unanswered \| Archives
POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Poland News and Events	Witamy, Guest \| PF Members \| Gold Members

Home \| Unanswered \| Archives \| Random \| Statistics	Time in Poland: 04:53 / May 27
About Us \| Contact Us \| Rules, Privacy \| Poland Advertising	© 2005-12 PolishForums.com