Spotlight On France

Paris. The only bad thing about it, aside from the labyrinth-like Gare du Nord, is that a certain hotelier decided that his “colorful” daughter would share its name. Really, I cannot speak French to save my life (anymore) and my bank account would be empty after a day or two there, but everyone loves Paris. And the rest of France is nothing to scoff at either.

It is probably cruel of me to post about yet another country where my North American readers are unlikely to be able to work legally in EFL. And, according to a Times Online article TEFLtastic recently shared, it looks like gaining French certification can give you a hard time too (I learned from the comments that apparently the author of the article does have French citizenship).

But.

If you are from the US, between the ages of 20 and 34, and either have a degree or are enrolled in a degree program, you may be able to teach in France as an assistant. Basic proficiency – apparently three semesters will do – is another requirement, and know that you could end up anywhere in France. For housing in Paris, Craigslist seems active, and the usual suspects for jobs (for those who can legally work) also apply – TEFL.com, ESL Cafe and esljobfeed.

You can read about a day in the life of a French teacher of English, thanks to An EFL Notebook, and you can also check out the blog of an EFL teacher in Aix-en-Provence. And finally, for daydreaming about where you will live and what you will do when you get there, check out Bootsnall’s Paris travel guide, the Paris Logue.