TEFL in Cyprus
Posted by Erin MacKenzie - 16:29 on 23 March 2010
The population of 780,000 means that there are a limited amount of jobs in Cyprus for those wishing to teach English. Most signs in the country are printed with an English translation which exemplifies how widely spoken it is in Cyprus as there is a great desire amongst the Cypriots to learn and improve their English. However, teaching in state schools is very difficult as not only do you need a degree relevant to the subject you wish to teach but you also need to have a good grasp of Greek. This means that most teachers look for work in private language schools which are run in all the cities and most large towns. A TEFL certificate is almost essential in order to work in Cyprus.
Most contracts offered by schools are for 20-25 working hours per week and the average hourly pay is about C£7 which is more than most other countries in Southern Europe. You will likely receive two paid holidays: two weeks over Christmas and two during the Greek Orthodox Easter.
A decent apartment will cost around C£150 per month and the average cost of a meal for one person is £3-10. Living costs in Cyprus are fairly low and particularly for British Nationals, life in Cyprus is often similar to life back home so it is easy to settle into the country. However, this might not be suited to the more adventurous types who want to experience a culture shock!
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