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tideout
Joined: 05 Feb 2011
Posts: 213
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 Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| LPKSA wrote: |
Yes, if you want to continue teaching ESL,
... get used to working split shifts part time here and there.
... get used to not having enough to get by.
... get a job in LA if you want to actually make a living ESL but again, part time split shifts here and there....
Good luck.
-Fellow returnee who left again. |
LPKSA,
You're saying you returned to the US and then went back to VTN? Do you mind sharing a bit of your experience? Your reasons?
Thanks. |
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loerzel
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:24 am Post subject: |
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I'm just over two weeks in and my first impressions are:
Immediately missing access to cheap, fresh restaurant meals.
Immediately loving the fresh air and complete absence of trash upon trash in the streets.
Some good points earlier. Yes, huge mega-chain stores are everywhere, but for every Walmart there's still a local farmer's market. And the beer...oh the glorious aisles and aisles of micro-brewed beer.
But oh the fees... just getting back on the grid and in the system is killing the savings -- transportation, registration, insurance, phone, etc. |
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kurtz
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 518
Location: Phaic Tan
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:49 am Post subject: |
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| loerzel wrote: |
I'm just over two weeks in and my first impressions are:
Immediately missing access to cheap, fresh restaurant meals.
Immediately loving the fresh air and complete absence of trash upon trash in the streets.
Some good points earlier. Yes, huge mega-chain stores are everywhere, but for every Walmart there's still a local farmer's market. And the beer...oh the glorious aisles and aisles of micro-brewed beer.
But oh the fees... just getting back on the grid and in the system is killing the savings -- transportation, registration, insurance, phone, etc. |
I still think a holiday back in the home country is enough of wakeup call in terms of costs; that pretty much keeps me in Asia. Trick is to find a well-paying job in Asia and save your rear off; then you have the funds to actually spend some decent time home.
Keep us in the loop. |
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Riding One
Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 63
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 4:24 am Post subject: |
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| loerzel wrote: |
| But oh the fees... just getting back on the grid and in the system is killing the savings -- transportation, registration, insurance, phone, etc. |
We ought to have a thread dedicated to those of us that return to your native Western countries after teaching in South East Asia.
Sticker shock.
The regulations, rules, the costs.
Saving just evaporate into thin air - to do the basic necessities. |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 6:26 am Post subject: |
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| Riding One wrote: |
| loerzel wrote: |
| But oh the fees... just getting back on the grid and in the system is killing the savings -- transportation, registration, insurance, phone, etc. |
We ought to have a thread dedicated to those of us that return to your native Western countries after teaching in South East Asia.
Sticker shock.
The regulations, rules, the costs.
Saving just evaporate into thin air - to do the basic necessities. |
Hear, hear! I met someone recently in Saigon who worked in TEFL back in Australia and he said I could easily get a full-time job at his university. Just under one thousand Aussie dollars a week, 4 weeks paid vacation, 12 sick days a year etc. All in all, not a bad job. However, when you take into account that you will have to pay $220 and up a week to rent a semi-decent apartment, you will lose around $9,000 in annual income tax, you have to pay over $300 for 12 months vehicle registration, it's over $15 for a decent takeaway, around $100 for a good night out with the lads etc. it really doesn't look that good anymore  . Personally, I'm much better off here. |
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EmGee
Joined: 14 Mar 2014
Posts: 38
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 10:36 am Post subject: |
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I lived in Beijing/Shanghai from 2007-2010 then moved back to London for 1.5 years then moved to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia where I've been ever since. Take home salary was double in London but I was never able to save any of it due to the cost of living. Generally, I seem to have a lot more fun and save money in Asia. London is a beautiful and clean city compared to the others but ultimately that's not that important when life is boring.
Another problem was I didn't really fit in very well in London especially with locals. I'm English but I've lived abroad since graduating Uni so I ended up hanging out with the expats. |
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tideout
Joined: 05 Feb 2011
Posts: 213
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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I'm glad to see this thread. I've been doing ESL for about 6 years and came back to the US about 10 months ago as it was the "mature" thing to do.
I came back with the intention of using some of my ESL $ to do a little occupational training and transition back to life here. The 6 month course has turned into 8 1/2 months w/ poor education and delays. I'm still waiting for my state license. I've been drained and I didn't even opt for the car when I came back. If I went back to my old field I'd be making a little more than half of what I was making in HCM not to mention Korea.
I had a Canadian friend when I was in Central America who said that after about 5 years of living outside of your country it would be hard to go back. I dismissed it as bull**** and more about his personal prospects. I'm a believer today however. Culturally it's not an easy fit being back. My humor is both a bit dark not to mention politically incorrect for most places here. My bouncing around the globe is seen as unstable to many (as opposed to adventurous) and my US counterparts here think of VTN as some kind of country still in b&w & and back in history.
It's tough as you get older. I missed the death of one of my good friends and just heard about another's passing. You realize that you simply won't be around for some of the big events in those who you're close to. On the other hand many of them aren't doing much other than working obsessively and then zoning out on some reality tv show........
What can we say... |
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Riding One
Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 63
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| Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 4:25 am Post subject: |
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| tideout wrote: |
| I'm glad to see this thread. I've been doing ESL for about 6 years and came back to the US about 10 months ago as it was the "mature" thing to do. |
Be careful with that mentality. A "mature" thing to do. It often does not turn out to be that way.
| Quote: |
I came back with the intention of using some of my ESL $ to do a little occupational training and transition back to life here. The 6 month course has turned into 8 1/2 months w/ poor education and delays. I'm still waiting for my state license. I've been drained and I didn't even opt for the car when I came back. If I went back to my old field I'd be making a little more than half of what I was making in HCM not to mention Korea. |
I too, question the quality of education programs, at least in the USA, where I'm from. High cost, with average quality, and sometimes less.
| Quote: |
| I had a Canadian friend when I was in Central America who said that after about 5 years of living outside of your country it would be hard to go back. I dismissed it as bull**** and more about his personal prospects. I'm a believer today however. Culturally it's not an easy fit being back. My humor is both a bit dark not to mention politically incorrect for most places here. My bouncing around the globe is seen as unstable to many (as opposed to adventurous) and my US counterparts here think of VTN as some kind of country still in b&w & and back in history. |
Re-adjusting to the culture and lifestyle was difficult for me on my stint back and this is the case for many. It can be tough. After 5 months, I realized that this lifestyle in the US was going to be permanent if I stayed and that was a depressing though. I came back to Asia and I'm glad I did.
| Quote: |
| It's tough as you get older. I missed the death of one of my good friends and just heard about another's passing. You realize that you simply won't be around for some of the big events in those who you're close to. On the other hand many of them aren't doing much other than working obsessively and then zoning out on some reality tv show........ |
Yeah, that part of being an expat. We will miss birthdays, wedding, and funerals. We are too far away. |
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tideout
Joined: 05 Feb 2011
Posts: 213
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| Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
I came back with the intention of using some of my ESL $ to do a little occupational training and transition back to life here. The 6 month course has turned into 8 1/2 months w/ poor education and delays. I'm still waiting for my state license. I've been drained and I didn't even opt for the car when I came back. If I went back to my old field I'd be making a little more than half of what I was making in HCM not to mention Korea. |
I too, question the quality of education programs, at least in the USA, where I'm from. High cost, with average quality, and sometimes less.
Yeah, it seems terrible. Not cheap either. A personal disappointment and on a larger scale disturbing how poorly some things are being done now. Another re-evaluation moment I guess you could say.
Re-adjusting to the culture and lifestyle was difficult for me on my stint back and this is the case for many. It can be tough. After 5 months, I realized that this lifestyle in the US was going to be permanent if I stayed and that was a depressing though. I came back to Asia and I'm glad I did.
Really agree. On some level in my situation, I'd be crazy to bail on this before letting things run their course. On the other - I'm half planning to leave again.
One of the things I learned early in my TESL Latin American days was when to see a situation as the loss as it was and not get mesmerized by the local color and culture. I'm sort of seeing a parallel effect here. Arguably greyer really. The cities I've seen from PA to NY to Mass. might be better recognized in the post Soviet era. Binghamtongrad, Scrantongrad etc... |
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