# English Teaching in Verona



## morrowm1

Hi, I have just moved to Verona and would like to teach English as a second language. I come from an IT management background in the UK, have a degree in History, studied English at University and I am just about to finish my TEFL course. I was wondering if anyone had any hints or tips for getting employment in the Verona area. Ciao Matthew


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## hlufkin

Hi Matthew- How are you? I have no information on teaching in Verona. Sorry. Instead, I am hoping to get some advice from you. I will be moving to northern Italy for my husband's job in May. His job will be located in Brescia, but he could commute from Verona. Can you tell me anything about the expat community there, life in general? I'd love to have some information from someone living there now. Any help is very much appreciated! Best of luck on the job search !


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## morrowm1

Hi Hlufkin, I've been here less than a month and have not met many expats, apart from people who work with my wife. There is an English speaking Happy Hour at Bar Fuori Corso in Via N. Mazza on a Thursday and I have heard that it is well attended by expats and Italians who speak English. I haven't been yet but we intend to go this Thursday, I'll let you know how we get on and I will try to find out what the community is like. Ciao Matthew.


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## hlufkin

Hi Matthew-thank you so much! I found the English Happy Hour on another forum and checked out their facebook page. It liked like a great group of people. . I'll be curious to hear your impressions of it. What does your wife for work? I was a special education teacher I mainly taught children with dyslexia. Now, I'm home with our 10 month old. My husband works as an engineer/business manager. Looking forward to hearing your impressions. Thanks again! 
Heather


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## morrowm1

Hi Heather, my wife is a Project Manager for an American company and there is a mix of Italian-English speakers. Both of us are learning Italian at the moment and it is on the whole fun, I really think it is essential to try and learn the language. Don't get me wrong many people speak english here or at least understand it but it does makes things so much easier and, to a certain extent, enjoyable. Verona is a very beautiful city and we really enjoy living here, my wife has been here since November and I joined her last month I guess we are still in the honeymoon period so to speak. I'll let you know how we get on. Regards, Matthew


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## fede

Hi guys! If can be useful, I'm italian and I live in Brescia, Hlufkin!
Brescia is a nice city, less touristic than Verona and more industrialized (it's the second city in Lombardy after Milan). The location is interesting, since it's between Garda Lake and Iseo Lake (not so known but really beautiful) and the city has some interseting historical places (the center is very nice...maybe not as much as Verona, but a lot of friends of mine from abroad think it's not bad!).
About english speaker...I think there are much more people speaking english in Verona, because of tourism...Romeo&Juliet and so on. Anyway, in the last years I've noticed there are much more eng speaker also in my city!


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## morrowm1

Thanks Fede I haven't been to Brescia yet. From the photographs I have seen it looks very nice.


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## fede

morrowm1 said:


> Thanks Fede I haven't been to Brescia yet. From the photographs I have seen it looks very nice.


You MUST come here! It's nice to visit in Spring time; and don't forget the Lake of Iseo (since I guess you already know very well Garda Lake!), where you can visit the largest island in a lake (Montisola OR Monte Isola).
Have a nice trip!
Fede


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## hlufkin

Thank you Fede! It is very helpful to hear from someone who lives in Brescia. How long have you lived there? Do you know of any expat groups that meet in Brescia? Can you recommend any neighborhoods that are very safe and family friendly? We will be coming over in the next month to look for an apartment. We plan to look in Brescia and Verona. Is it better to be in the center of the city or further out? How is public transportation there(buses)? We will have one car. Thank you SO much!


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## hlufkin

Hi Matt- how are you? Hope the job hunt is going well I was wondering what you thought of the English Speaking Happy Hour. Hope it was useful. Also, wanted to asking you are taking Italian lessons at a school? Lessons are covered for us in our relocation package. We are both planning on taking them. Thanks again for all of the insight! -heather


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## fede

hlufkin said:


> Thank you Fede! It is very helpful to hear from someone who lives in Brescia. How long have you lived there? Do you know of any expat groups that meet in Brescia? Can you recommend any neighborhoods that are very safe and family friendly? We will be coming over in the next month to look for an apartment. We plan to look in Brescia and Verona. Is it better to be in the center of the city or further out? How is public transportation there(buses)? We will have one car. Thank you SO much!


Hi Hlufkin!
I'm glad if I can be useful...I've lived in Brescia for...well...many years, since I'm italian and I was born in Brescia. I know, it sound strange, since this is an expat forum, but I think it's a good possibility to improve my english talking with mother-tongues and, at the same time, I can be helpful for somebody. I hope this doesn't disturb...and, please!, correct my mistakes, in change!

Anyway, I don't really think there are expat groups in Brescia; it's a small city (inspite of the population) and, how can I say?, it's much more "provincial" compared to Verona. In Brescia it's quite hard to breathe an international spirit :confused2:

Are you going to consider flats in the metropolitan area or in the province? In the province there are many nice places, villages more or less near to the city, such Collebeato, Rezzato, Caionvico. It depends of the distance you accept to live far from the city itself.
If you live out of the city , you have to consider a lot of traffic to move in the peak hours.
While, if you take in consideration the metropolitan area, Mompiano is not bad (much green)- in the north of the city- but I like also the south (called Brescia 2). In Brescia 2 you find the "financial district" (very pretentious definition!!!) and some green park; Brescia 2 is very very close to the center.

Just one suggestion: be aware with real estate agents; ask every kind of information and also ask for the "energetic class" of the flat. In italian: ACE (Attestato di Certificazione Energetica). It's useful 'cause you can understand if the heating of the house is convenient or not).
And ask if the heating is centralized (centralizzato) or individual (termoautonomo). The second one is better because you can turn it on and off when you want, while with the 1st one (most of times) you have to pay also if you turn it off, because other tenants keep it on.

About public transportations: don't expect the bus-sistem of a ig city; anyway in the city area connections are good (orange buses), more or less 1 bus every 10 minutes. If you live out of the city (blue buses), connectins are more rare (from 29/30 min till 1 hour).

I hope it can be useful and quite clear...I've tried to do (almost!) my best 
Keep in touch if you need held, I'll be here!:ranger:


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## morrowm1

hlufkin said:


> Hi Matt- how are you? Hope the job hunt is going well I was wondering what you thought of the English Speaking Happy Hour. Hope it was useful. Also, wanted to asking you are taking Italian lessons at a school? Lessons are covered for us in our relocation package. We are both planning on taking them. Thanks again for all of the insight! -heather


Hi Heather, we didn't get to the Happy Hour last week but we did go last night. It was good. A real mix of nationalities, a few Italians practicing their English, which is great because these guys really know the city and want to help with any advice. It is a relaxed atmosphere in a nice setting. 
I am doing an online Italian course and my wife has lessons through her work. I am learning slowly but I am enjoying the experience, it is such a lovely language. Ciao Matthew


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## hlufkin

Hi Matt- thanks so much for the information. It is great to know that it is a friendly, helpful group! We have just heard that we are slated to be set up in northern Italy for June 1st. We are not sure if we will have an apartment figured out or be in company housing. Should be interesting to iron out all the details! I'll drop a line when we are there. Perhaps we (husbands and wives+our baby) can meet up for a drink. Have a nice holiday!


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## hlufkin

Hi- thanks for the information. Our plan is to look at flats in the city because we will only have one car. I am hoping to find a location where I could walk to the grocery store, pharmacy and parks within ten minutes. Does that sound realistic? We are planning on looking at both Brescia and Verona for apartments. Thank you again.


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## morrowm1

Hi Heather, in Verona you are never very far from a grocery store so 10mins is definitely realistic. I have found public transport to be good here and quite cheap - getting around/shopping is easy (I would think even with a young baby). It would be great for us all to meet up when you are settled.


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