My wife and I have just moved to Florence after having taught English in Japan for seven years.
Is it possible to get teaching work out here without having a CELTA? Has anyone taught English in Florence that would be able to give me any advice?

I must admit though having been here for only two days we are both suffering from a bit of culture shock. A lot of the shop assistants range from surly to downright rude. I'm not sure how I feel about standing up in front of a group of them and trying to teach them! Can anyone suggest any other lines of work for someone with very rudimentary Italian?

One last question. Is there an electronics shop in Florence? Ive tried Googling it but the nearest I could find was Euronics in Empoli. Surely there must be one in a city the size of Florence!

Thanks in advance

hi Keeva, I'm not in Florence (but there others who are) but just wanted to welcome you to the forum and to italy. It can be a bit of a culture shock, expecially after somewhere like Japan where politeness is a must.

Yes there are loads of electrical shops in the centre but I would need to know where you are and what you want! Tbh the best two are a bus ride away - Marco polo expert near Ikea - get the ataf 29 it stood and returns from outside the shop or mediaworld in I gigli which you get a cap bus for from near mcds at the station but on via nazionale - you buy tickets in the office near the stop. No idea about teaching - most people seem to do private lessons by word of mouth tbh!

Have you tried webcamming?

Oh, boy, you're on a roll! Got told off for forgetting her indoors birthday did we?!

Thank you TestaRosa! My wife and Ill go there today because she needs a hairdryer. I on the other hand need hair clippers . I havent had the need for a hair dryer for a long time

If you go to marco polo today the bus is free! You want the navetta ikea - ask at the ataf office nr the train station. For a hairdryer though there is a big expert on alamanni, nr train station. Unless you fancy meatballs that is!

Small electrical appliances like hairdryers, kitchen mixers, razors, hair clippers etc. can also usually be found in any of the larger supermarkets where they sell a bit of everything and not just food.

Unfortunately though you need a car to get to the bigger coops or esselunga's in Florence - unless you are on the doorstep of one of course. My local esselunga is very hit and miss for electricals. If keeva goes to I gigli on the bus panorama would have them as well as mediaworld.

Thanks again for all the advice!

We ended up traipsing all the way to the COOP in Firenze, it seemed close on the map.

My wife got a hairdryer which the plug needs hammered into the socket and I bought the cheapest set of clippers, I'm Scottish, and they sound like a pneumatic drill.

We also bought a printer which I persuaded my wife that id humph all the way back to the centre of Florence instead of getting a taxi, I'm Scottish, had an argument in Santa Croce and went home to get drunk to try and get over the jet lag.

Loving Italy so far

It'll get better. At least the cheap wine here is good stuff. You can be as Scottish and as stingy as you want with the wine and you'll rarely get bad stuff

Which Coop?! I hope you mean the one near Piazza Beccaria and not one of the ones on the outskirts?!

Where in Florence are you??