DOes this sound do-able?

[English teacher]

Hi all,

I'm a US teacher, and using an agency, I just got a contract offer to teach in England. I think it sounds fine, but wanted to hear from others . . . I'm obviously new to this, and don't want to make a mistake. There will be enough challenges with the new position, without adding financial stressors.

So, the details . . . I'll be teaching about an hour outside of London, in Bedford. The salary offered is 29,000. I'm single, and don't plan to bother about an auto there (I'll use public transport). I plan to rent either a studio or a one-bedroom flat, so my only expenses will be rent, utilities, groceries, transport, and mobile phone.

How does this sound? I feel like the salary they are offering is good, and it seems like I can live on it. Anyone? Agree? Disagree?? AM I missing something? I also hope to be able to take advantage of the six breaks each academic year and travel -- maybe not first-class, but a budget holiday here and there.

And I'm trying to guesstimate my take-home pay -- 1,800 to 2,000 a month, I think (hope)??

Thanks in advance for any feedback on this.

PG

[prudence]

Hi there

Yes, that all sounds VERY do-able and fantastic actually. 29,000 is a great salary and more than enough for you to live on in or outside London. You'll be able to live somewhere very nice with that. And it will definitely leave you something to travel on.

All you need to know about teaching is here http://www.workgateways.com/job-teaching.html

Can I ask what agency you used?

Together with tax and National Insurance contributions, you will probably get around 20-25% of your pay deducted so your estimates for your take-home pay is correct.

Hope this helps and good luck!
_________________
Pru
WORKgateways
Working traveller/HSMP holder in London

[English teacher]

[quote:c304ee42db="prudence"]

Can I ask what agency you used?

[/quote:c304ee42db]

Pru,

Thanks for the speedy reply, and I'm glad to hear that my plan sounds as good as I think it is.

The agency is Bluewave.

[Heli]

Sometimes companies with no morals make up fake reviews to promote their own product.

Are you a real person "English Teacher"?

[English teacher]

Whoa! I'm a real live person! I even have a blog, on which I've faithfully recorded every event about this move . . .

http://boundforengland.blogspot.com/

Oh, and on that blog, there's a newspaper article about me, with a picture of me (I was written up in the Guardian in April, as a teach who blogs).

http://boundforengland.blogspot.com/2007/04/patricia-gaccione-started-posting-blogs.html

Yup, I'm a star.

Also, if you'll look here at Workgateways, I've had 50 other posts, which is a lot to put an ad in just one post. Hmmm. And none of which mentioned the agency. If I were out to advertise for them, I'd have mentioned them more often, wouldn't I?

To the rest of Workgateways, hello, and sorry I haven't been around since I got settled . . . The teaching life takes over. I'm now into my second year of teaching here, and the work is VERY tough, but worth it in the end. Pru, I need to catch up on your blog.

Just looking at my blog's links, and I still have a link to Workgateways on my blog, too . . . Think I'm advertising for them? Ooooh, spooky thought. Working for two places? Oh, that's right, I'm not real anyway.

Anyway, oh-skeptical-one, do we know each other from a past life or something? Or do you just pick out random people to challenge? You, who have had [i:66f77f92b1]one post! [/i:66f77f92b1] LMAO! If you had taken the time to read my other 49 posts, you'd see that I've helped people who are also transitioning over here.

Can't believe I'm replying to such ridiculous posts.

[prudence]

Hi there

As a representative of WORKgateways I can verify that English Teacher is indeed a real person who has added a lot of value to this forum and helped out a lot of people looking to make the move to the UK to live/work/teach.

Bluewave is also a reputable recruitment agency with a close working relationship with our website. Bluewave offers invaluable assistance to international teachers and WORKgateways candidates looking to work in the UK - they already advertise on our website so there would be no reason for them to fabricate messages on our very own forum.

Thanks for keeping a scrupulous eye out though as you do need to be aware that there are some dodgy people out there!

English Teacher - was wondering where you had got to these days! Hope all is well with you and that you're all set to enjoy the lovely English winter!
_________________
Pru
WORKgateways
Working traveller/HSMP holder in London