What Does Bridge Tesol Certificate Look Like

Slovakia is a good place to get off the beaten track and experience rural folk life, hill walking, and out-door pursuits. At the same time the cities are vibrant and their architecture is a testament to wave after wave of conquerors leaving their mark upon the population centres. Slovakia is also extremely inexpensive both as a place to live and a place to visit. The official language is Slovak; however, Hungarian, Czech and German are also spoken. The population is five and a half millions, and this fits into a fairly tiny nineteen thousand square miles. Of the population, sixty percent are Roman Catholic, ten percent are Protestant, and four percent Orthodox. Since 1989 the transition to a market economy in what was the old Soviet Bloc has led to huge demand for English language skills....  [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]

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]

There are a number of new republics - former members of the USSR - that are worthy of the TESOL teacher’s consideration. Kazakhstan, offers wide-open spaces, endless steppe, and world famous horse sausage. Azerbaijan, intriguingly, was once a major stop over on the great silk route, and sports medieval minarets and high-quality carpets. Uzbekistan has many architectural splendours and some of the oldest towns in the world, and again many stopovers on the silk route. Georgia, described variously as a part of Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East - depending upon whose geography you go with - obviously has an incredible array of cultures, and a striking contrast between the old and the new - not to mention fantastic food. Belarus is for the nature lover, and those who enjoy the great...  [Read more]

Bulgaria is a country striving to adapt to the new economic order that prevails in the country. Much has changed for many people, and what were formally regarded as ‘peasants’ now have satellite television, if not a great deal else! Bulgaria has remained remarkably immune to the political turmoil of the recent decades. This has brought with it stability rather than the boom and bust that has characterised some countries in the region. Hence, the currency is fairly stable, and working conditions are predictable. The population is about seven and a half millions and this fits into a landmass of forty-three thousand square miles. Languages spoken include Bulgarian and French, and the religious orientation is eighty five percent Bulgarian Orthodox, with thirteen percent Muslim. Since 1989...  [Read more]