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Teaching in Macedonia FAQ
First posted at 12:01:55 PM on 1998/4/8
Special thanks to Tracey Anderson for the info!
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Is it safe to live in Macedonia?
What are the job opportunities/requirements?
Where is Macedonia?
How do I get to Macedonia?
What is the exchange rate?
How much money can I make?
Can I save money there?
Do I have to speak the language?
Where is Macedonia? The complete official name is the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). It is a small landlocked country that shares a border with Greece and gained its independence from Yugoslavia in 1992. There is a dispute with Greece over the name Macedonia and they have been using the FYROM temporarily until that issue is resolved.
Is it safe to live in Macedonia? That is, "Is there anything to worry about in terms of the wars of Yugoslavia (with Bosnia, Croatia etc.)? " Macedonia separated peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1992. With the separation, the military went to Serbia in the bargain. While they are developing their own military, the United Nations has a protection force UNPREDEP (United Nations PREventive DEPloyment force) in place here. They are scheduled to be here until their current mandate expires this summer. There is speculation that their mandate may be extended by the UN. Recently, there have been some problems (demonstrations, crackdowns, fighting, raids etc.) in the Serbian province of Kosovo (20 km from here). The problems are between the Serbian police and the Albanian majority in the region (90% of the total population) who want the return of their autonomy, which was revoked by Serbia in 1989. There is speculation that if there are no measures to stop the conflict soon that there could be another Balkan war. As Kosovo is just over the mountains from Skopje (the capital), some people believe that any war would eventually involve Macedonia as well, especially as the population here is 20% Albanian also. Other people believe that the situation will not escalate any further and that if it does, Macedonia will stay out of it. At the moment, there has been no fighting or conflict on the Macedonian side of the border, other than an Albanian demonstration to show solidarity with their Kosovo counterparts. You will have to determine for yourself whether the risks are worth taking or not, based on your own feelings and the status of the situation at the time that you are making the decision about whether or not to go.
How do I get to Macedonia? Unless you work for a private school, you will probably have to pay your own airfare, in whole or in part. Connections to Skopje can be difficult to find as it is a small city with only a very recently opened airport, unless you are flying from major U.S. hubs such as New York or L.A.. You may find you need two or three different connecting flights to land in Skopje. As well, you cannot fly in through or from Greece. (As a result of the dispute between the two countries over the name, there are no flights to or from Macedonia allowed in Greek airspace.) Sofia, Bulgaria is a good place to connect and then take the bus (a half day ride) from there. The cost of a one way ticket from the U.S. is approximately $750 USD (last fall).
What is the exchange rate? You can get today's exchange rate at this site's EFL Info Center
As with anywhere, the rate fluctuates daily. However, it is usually 53 to 56 Macedonian denars to one American dollar. Money changers are everywhere so check for the best rate before you change.
How much money can I make if I teach English in Macedonia? If you work for a language company the rate is about $10 to $15 USD per hour. Soros hires teachers also but, because they are a non-profit foundation, the pay is less (though they do provide housing, which most language companies will not). You can make a decent salary if you work in a private school (some start at about $20,000 USD). It is also fairly easy to supplement your income through private lessons on your own time if you wish.
Will I be able to save any money there? Rent is fairly cheap in Macedonia (around $200 to $300 dollars/month). Other things, however, can be fairly expensive (fresh produce, meat, personal products). Transportation (bus or taxi) is quite cheap. If you do not live extravagantly, you can save a good portion of your salary.
What are the employment opportunities, job requirements, etc. for people who want to teach English in Macedonia? Macedonia is a mecca for language companies and more and more are opening all the time. Private schools are more rare but a few are slowly starting to open up, particularly in the capital (Skopje). Many language companies will hire you simply because you are a native speaker. Others (and private schools) want a degree of some kind, though not necessarily a teaching degree or an English degree.
Do I need to be able to speak Greek or Macedonian? Macedonia has no formal ties with Greece so nobody speaks Greek. You can manage easily without speaking any Macedonian. Many people, especially younger ones, speak at least a little English. Many of the older generation speak German or French. Macedonian is from the Serbo-Croatian Bulgarian family of languages and you will need to learn the Cyrrilic alphabet. Once you have done so, you can read everything, even if you don't understand it, as Macedonian is a phonetic language. It shares many words in common with both Serbian and Bulgarian.
What is the school calendar? Classes begin in late August and run until late June, for a total of 180 teaching days. There are three weeks off for Christmas and one week off at Easter. Both American and Macedonian holidays are celebrated.
What are students like? In language companies, there will be students off all ages but most will be adults and many will be business people. In private schools, many of the students will be the children of foreign businessmen and diplomats. Many (though not all) are excellent, well behaved students. From grade one to grade eight, Macedonian children MUST attend Macedonian schools so you will likely not be working with them. Macedonian high school students (grades 9 to 12) are allowed to attend private schools. Many of them are somewhat on the lazy and inattentive side. Cheating seems to be the norm so they will need to be taught the Western standards as far as that is concerned.
What about curriculum? All schools and companies will have their own curriculum for you to use but how well developed it will be depends on the school/company and its resources. You may find yourself doing a great deal of curriculum development on your own as well as making up your own assignments, visuals, props etc. Most private schools will have a Western curriculum with Western books etc. This may not be true of locally run schools.
What about getting a visa? When you arrive, you will need to get a 3 month tourist visa, free of charge at the border. Afterwards, depending on many factors, you will either get a work visa (which your employer should pay for, at least partially) or you may have to go to the nearest border, cross over and cross back to get another tourist visa every three months. In most places, there will be little problem getting a work permit.
Would I get housing/insurance through the school? Many private schools will supply or at least help pay for housing. Most language companies will not. Insurance plans are rare. Most apartments are furnished, which generally means just the basics, though some places are very well stocked, you just have to find them. Be careful that you are very clear about your privacy if renting from a private individual rather than a leasing company. Be sure that you can change the locks so that they do not have a key.
What is the lifestyle/standard of living like? Macedonia is a former communist country and the standard of living and lifestyle is accordingly different. There is not great poverty (except among the gypsies) but few people are very wealthy either. The lifestyle of the foreigner will be better than that of a local because of the differences in salary. Pollution is a problem here, though not to the degree that is often found in Asia. Environmental awareness is only just beginning.
How easy or hard is it to get along with the people (especially, with my employer)? As with anywhere, it depends on the employer and the people you meet. Macedonians do tend to keep to themselves, unless they have had some kind of previous contact with Western Influence. (For example, many have been on exchange programs with foreign colleges.)
What about weather/food/recreation? Summer is very warm. Humidity is low because Macedonia is landlocked and mountainous. Winter is grey and misty. It can be cool but it is not generally bitterly cold (minus 10 Celcius) and there is a moderate amount of snow. Food is very much like Greek food and there are many preserves made in the fall to eat through the winter. Produce in winter is limited but plentiful in summer. You can buy many groceries to cook your own Western style meals. There are some imported American or Greek products available, but they are costly. Outdoor pursuits are the main recreation: hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. There are café/bars all over in the summer and plenty of dessert places too. There are also movies available in English but they are about 6 months behind what is on in theaters in North America and have Macedonian subtitles.
What should I bring with me? Some suggestions:
- English reading material, tapes of movies, TV etc, and music for yourself
- Any teaching resources you think would be useful
- Things to entertain yourself (games, cards, puzzle books etc)
- A laptop computer if you have it
- Any prescription drugs you need for the course of the year
- Any over the counter pain relievers/cold medicine etc. you might use (nothing is available here)
- Any favorite dry food products you like (granola bars, oatmeal, dried fruit etc.)
What about communication with the outside world? Post is slow and expensive, especially overseas. They will not send anything airmail that weighs more than 20 grams. You will have to send it registered, which is costly. It take can 2 or 3 weeks for your post to arrive from or get to home (if at all). Parcels take a minimum of 3 months or so. Sometimes, you will have to pay when you pick up a parcel, even though postage was paid in the country of origin.
Telephone is cheap locally but quite expensive long distance. It is relatively easy to get a good connection though.
Internet (and therefore e-mail) is available through some carriers but it is very slow, sometimes difficult to get a connection and then the connection is easily broken.
English newspapers are available only in the centers of the large cities and only some of the time. English TV is limited and the news you do get is very Europe-centered, so there is very little about North American news.
Any other suggestions?
If you can, get in touch with somebody who has worked or is working at the school or company you are interested in and ask them some questions. Then take everything with a grain if salt.
Copyright (c) 1998
Timothy M. Nall. All rights reserved.
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