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Is Marriage Practical In This Field????

 
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Robert Russell



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 44
Location: Suwon, Korea

PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 11:02 pm    Post subject: Is Marriage Practical In This Field???? Reply with quote

Most of the teachers I have met are single. I think having a wife would be difficult in this profession?? Am I right? Hope I am wrong. Can the marrieds tell me. Would it not be more difficult to find an ESL position as a married????
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Roger



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 9138

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 12:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think you are not averse to being lumped together with those who seek adventures, am I right?

That's what most of them do, anyway. They come, try to enjoy themselves (some without success!), then fly away.

Others get snared here and stay put.

On the other hand, a couple from overseas would find life here too unsettling. Either he loses his job, or she does hers.
Or both are out of work - especially if they work for them same outfit!

Just happened recently here!

Or do you imagine your wife would not want to earn a living here?
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Robert Russell



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 44
Location: Suwon, Korea

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 12:34 am    Post subject: Both Reply with quote

I have lived in Asia close to 18 years and was in one position in Asia for 15 years. I have an MA TESOL and see this field as my career. I am not interested in being a transient at this time. I will stay put if I can. But a wife on this salary??? And if situation changed and I had to repatriate it would bedifficult to find a good position in the US. My friends with their MA TESOL work in adult education or in Community Colleges. The hourly pay is good--getting enough hours to make a comfortable living is another thing. With all this in mind I wonder about marriage, especially if one married a foreigner.
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sperling
Site Admin


Joined: 22 Oct 2002
Posts: 117
Location: Los Angeles, California

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 12:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Robert -

Well, I managed it! My wife is from Thailand, and we've been together for nearly 15 years. I first taught in Thailand, then in Japan, back in Thailand again, and finally in the USA (after completing my MA). And in my travels I've met lots and lots of married ESL/EFL teachers throughout the world.

Go for it!

All the best,

Dave Sperling
Founder
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Dave's ESL Cafe
http://www.eslcafe.com
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Gary B



Joined: 19 Feb 2003
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 2:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wha'z up?
Dave, just curious. What did your wife do while you were teaching? If she's from Thailand and you taught there, obviously she was able to work there as well. What about when you taught in Japan? I'm in a similar situation. I'm married to a woman from Latin America, but I'd like to teach in Asia once I finish my Masters which is in a month. Any demand for Spanish classes at all in Asia?
Chow for Now,
Curious About Life With A Wife On The Road From Motown Gary B.
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As far as Japan goes, life isn't cheap being married, even to a local as I am. If your wife can work, she should seriously consider it.
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Celeste



Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 814
Location: Fukuoka City, Japan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My husband and I both teach EFL/ESL. We didn't when we first got married. He was teaching ESL in Vancouver, and we decided that we wanted to live abroad, so I also got a job in the EFL field when we went to Korea. I ended up enjoying teaching a lot more than my technical theatre and film career, so I am still teaching 6 years later. I am now looking to further my teaching career and am looking into Master's programmes so that I might be able to teach in a college someday.

There are some hazards associated with both husband and wife being teachers. We have a tendency to talk shop too much. Most of our friends are also teachers. For several years we worked at the same school, and this was okay for us (we didn't fight or get on eachother's nerves) but it made for pretty boring dinner conversation. "How was work- oh yeah, I was there too."

Right now we are busy squirrelling away cash so that we can have kids someday soon. I would like to have the luxury of stying home with my children until they are school aged, so we need to save as much as we can before trying to live on ONE teacher's salary.

How many people out there have kids? How many can afford for one parent to stay home with them? Is this possible on a teacher's salary where you are?
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
How many people out there have kids? How many can afford for one parent to stay home with them? Is this possible on a teacher's salary where you are?


Our first is on the way, and 3 out of 4 co-workers of mine have kids with their Japanese wives. Making ends meet isn't easy, and all of us supplement our FT or PT jobs with private lessons (and in my case, proofreading, too). About half of us have working wives.
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sperling
Site Admin


Joined: 22 Oct 2002
Posts: 117
Location: Los Angeles, California

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 5:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
What did your wife do while you were teaching? If she's from Thailand and you taught there, obviously she was able to work there as well.


She was teaching Thai ... and giving birth to my son! Smile

Quote:
What about when you taught in Japan?


She studied Japanese, and was also able to earn some income by babysitting the children of some of the wealthy expats living and working in Tokyo. We had a wonderful year, which was really like a working honeymoon for us.

All the best,

Dave
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Gary B



Joined: 19 Feb 2003
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wha'z up?
Dave, thanks for the answers and thanks to all of the responses. Teaching and traveling single is certainely much different than teaching and traveling being married and it's been interesting hearing about all of your experiences since this will be new for us. I met my wife while I was teaching in Ecuador and I'm currently teaching back in the States and she's able to work legally here as well. It'll be much different if we go to Asia where I'd be able to teach, but the question is what will she do? It was encouraging to hear the positives. We could always go back to Ecuador, but the dollarization process is sending the prices sky high in relation to the pay. Anybody need info about Ecuador, feel free to ask though I haven't been there in 2 years, but still write to a freind that's still there.
Chow for Now,
Great Topic From Motown Gary B.
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2003 2:19 am    Post subject: Hope and love Reply with quote

I wonder if a better question might not be: " Is marriage EVER practical? "
Of course, it could be that, after two divorces, I'm just a bit jaded. Dr. Johnson observed that remarriage is the triumph of hope over experience. My addition to that - with an eye towrds the divorce rates - would be that even an initial marriage is the triumph of love over " reality ". But, having shown my cynical side, I'll admit that I'm still rooting for hope and love over experience and " reality ".
Regards,
John
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guru



Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Posts: 156
Location: Indonesia

PostPosted: Fri Mar 07, 2003 6:25 am    Post subject: I'm married to the most wonderful woman on earth. Reply with quote

My wife is indonesian. No regrets. We have 2 kids. I started in a language school now i'm in a high school and hopefully after some more qualifications i'll be in an international school. there's jobs out there that do pay well and wifes out there that make your life well. Marriage is fantastic! Laughing Laughing Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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itslatedoors



Joined: 17 Feb 2003
Posts: 97

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2003 5:58 am    Post subject: Getting married in tefl Reply with quote

Marriage can work in this field especially if your partner/wife is a tefl teacher as well.The key questions are money and (later), your kids' education.The Middle East is the only place where you'll have a really decent standard of living as a family in this industry. Many contracts out here give you marital status and contribute substantial amounts to schooling.There are many happy couples out here.
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