Polish Language Teacher

Since time immemorial Poland has stood as a gateway between East and West, and, hence, is a country of surprising contrasts. It has risen to meet the challenges presented by the fall of the communist party in 1990 with style and aplomb. The new Zloty has stabilized, and inflation is slowly spiralling down - less than ten percent at time of writing. The striking contrasts continue when one compares slick cities, with no shortage of ‘slickers’, to rural agricultural villages where horse-drawn vehicles are commonly in use. It remains a relatively cheap country to live in, but this won’t last forever. Polish people tend to be helpful, friendly and hospitable, and westerners are still something of a novelty. A population of thirty-eight millions fits comfortably into a landmass of...  [Read more]

Stepping off the plane in Malta you are stepping into what has been described as the largest open-air museum in the world. Indeed, Malta boasts the oldest man-made structures in Europe - 7000 years, to be precise. But if monoliths, Roman ruins and crusader castles don’t grab you, the fact that you are in the heart of the Mediterranean world will. There’s plenty in the way of beach life, clear skies and a nice hot climate. The growth in resorts over the last twenty years furnishes the party animal with plenty to feast upon. Hence, history and culture, beach life and nightlife are the keynotes that make Malta an attractive place to stay a while. The official language is Malti - a Semitic language that derives from Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic; however, English is also the official...  [Read more]

The Orange Revolution which saw free and fair elections finally bought to the Ukraine in 2004/5 has led to a great enthusiasm for change, and brought about a great sense of freedom. This is reflected in bold fashions and enthusiasm for partying and living the good life, where possible. The population of forty-eight millions fits snugly into a landmass of two hundred and thirty square miles. Ukrainian is the official language, but also Russian, Romanian, Polish and Hungarian are spoken. Religions observed include Ukrainian Orthodox, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic, Islam, Judaism and Protestantism. In other words, quite a mix. Since 1989 the transition to a market economy in what was the old Soviet Bloc has led to huge demand for English language skills. Everything...  [Read more]

Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are arguably the most westernised of the former Soviet Bloc states. Their proximity to their western neighbours has meant that they have developed relatively rapidly, and are all now full members of the EU. In Latvia you can enjoy costal resorts, medieval castles and scenic river valleys. In Lithuania you can trace back the cultural elements that once made this a super state with Poland, back in the days of the old Polish empire. In Estonia you can indulge in the potent local liquor, to wash down the famous blood sausage, along with bog walking, if that takes your fancy. In all three life is relatively inexpensive, and one can enjoy a tremendous cultural experience without putting too much of a dent in your wallet. Since 1989 the transition to a market...  [Read more]

Problems for learners in a Country of your choice: Italy In this paper I will address the issues I face as a teacher from the context of living and working in Italy, as well as the common problems my students encounter while learning and speaking English. I also want to draw attention to the input culture and society has on language, and look at how these factors influence dynamics within the classroom. Of course, it is nearly impossible to view ones self outside your own given cultural perspective, so as a result of this I will also be discussing my own assumptions on how I "imagined" people might act, compared to the reality of the situation. Often I neglect to take into account these differences, simply because I was raised in America, where I am used to a different set of cultural...  [Read more]