I have been writing about teaching English in my blogs and this has opened some email conversations which often bring many other things – this is the usual sort of reply I give, and an interesting reply from the USA.
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Tony – I am a retired English teacher. I read your brief response about teaching in France. What would I need to do to become certified in France?
I taught at a rather academic high school here in California. My wife has also taught English, and we would love to move to France it the dollar weren’t worthless. As for your lead comment about schools in England, are you sure that you aren’t an American pretending to be British?
Barry
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Hello Barry
To teach English as a foreign language in France you need a French diploma relevant for this – to get this you must be a resident, register with the social services and with either the Chambre des Commerces or the Chambre des metiers in your area. Before earning one penny this will incur you in monthly social and insurance charges. France does not recognise many (any) overseas qualifications, but clearly they will help you when registering and applying for the training for the diploma.
I admire many things American, as I do many things from the UK and most other countries – by birth I am English, with English, Irish and Scottish grandparents – so I suppose I am essentially British (no Welsh) – I do not admire the education system in England, but in Scotland I found it was good, as is the Scottish health service.
The dollar is having a bit of a kerfuffle at the moment, but I bet the euro gets it’s share of aggro later in the year and the dollar will come back into its own again.
Weighing up the things I have seen and the little I have learnt about life, I thought France was the best place to live 20 years ago, and I still do – for me.
Best wishes
Tony
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Tony
As an American of the very middle class – two teachers, my wife and myself, permit me to be less than kind about my country.
The dollar is having more than a “kerfluffle” in my opinion. We love to deny reality here, and I could discuss the nature of being in a relatively isolated country to delineate what that means, but my immediate concern is the state of my nation. Amercans worship excess and use charge cards as if budgeting did not exist. Hence, a staggering debt ratio for these cards. Also, we chose Mr. Bush and his ignorant policies in 2004. We have brought on any and all difficulties that we now must endure. I for one cannot image how any thinking person could so easily squander all of the good will we had on 11 September, 2001; however, Mr. Bush could.
I do not consider him a thinking person. Eric Foner, a professor of American history at Columbia University, has commented that Mr. Bush may be the worst President in our history. Only time can make a full assessment, but I would have to search mightily for a stronger candidate.
Europe is thriving because it learned the great lessons that World War II taught.
I envy you. I can only hope that my fellow citizens realize what a horrific mess we have made and that we can learn from Europe.
On a more positive note, the EU makes me very proud of my French and German heritage.
Barry
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Hello Barry
I remember the dollar at 2.80 to the pound sterling or about 2.00 to the euro – so it is about average for the last fifty years exchange variations -I bet it gets stronger than the 1.54 (mid bank) to the euro it is today.
The whole world is in the same boat, the problem is no one knows where it is going, how to get there even if they did know and there ain’t no captain on board anyway. Much the same as usual really.
I have simply learnt never to trust anyone who wears a tie, to assume all banks and civil servants are incompetent fools, to sniff all wine before tasting it and to say “please” and “thank you” . It is not enough for survival, but avoids a lot of stress and means I get to drink good wine with polite people sometimes .
I don’t have a bank account, credit card or mortgage – I wouldn’t get one anyway as I will not go into a bank or wear a tie – but I can see the attraction of borrowing huge sums of money you know you can never pay back.
I bet American soldiers (and British, etc etc etc) are still getting killed next year – I don’t think it is just the President’s fault – we must all be to blame, or none of us ?
Twas ever thus
Tony