Job Discussion Forums

[Kurochan]

And I don't mean to an angry spouse ....

I'm feeling burnt out on China, and I guess on living abroad in general. I've been thinking about going back to the US, but I'm scared to death about it. What if I can only get a job in some sort of podunky "Deliverance" kind of place? What if I have to learn to drive, or buy a car?!? What if people hate me for no discernable reason (as other Americans often seem to do)? What will I do with all my stuff here? Will I go from being rich in China to poor in the US?

I really feel I need to get out of here, and yet I'm really scared of going back!

[dmb]

Why not try a new country?

[nolefan]

in the wise words of Metallica: "wherever I lay my head is home"

I don't know about otehr countries but I am deadly afraid ofraid of a country that defends human rights, free speech and so on just to turn around and issue the PAtriot act, Homeland security and above all, Gitmo..... that is way scrier than people not liking me or going from rich to poor....

I had the same lifestyle as a bartender in the states as I do in China...money means some but what you do with it counts a hell of a lot more.

[lozwich]

I'm terrified of going home, and I've only been gone for 7 months!

I'm going to have to speak English all the time and deal in person with all of the things that I like dealing with only over email. I'm going to have to have various medical checks that could result in a diagnosis of various nasty forms of cancer or at the very least, extensive dental work. I'm going to have to deal with real estate, wills and work.

Of course, none of this usually bothers me, so perhaps its just me practicing a little avoidance because I'm not ready to go home??

Thank goodness I'll only be there for a couple of months before zipping off to a new country.

Have a good day.
Lozwich.

[Roger]

kurochan,
sorry to read you are "burnt out on China", I know this happens rather frequently, which seems to demonstrate that it's a fairly normal occurrence; go to cool off in the good old and, potentially, merry U.S. of A.; you will burn out there too (again?) and return to us.
Or to Taiwan.
Don't be afraid - seize on this unique opportunity to experience a new country (albeit one you think you are familiar with...).
A change once in a while is a good thing. Don't shirk it.

[gingermeggs]

I'm not afraid to go home..it's more like "there's no reason"...Plenty of other countries to go to....Consider...if I go home, I will be just one more miserable *beep* in the dole queue...I wouldn't teach there, and no-one else would give me a job....here, I stand out in the crowd, I am a valuable member of the society in which I live, and I get paid a decent salary for doing a good job....what's not to like? And..there is always Thailand, Vietnam, etc, etc....... A change is as good as a holiday.

[jebjeb]

going back to my "home" country scares me to death! ok, maybe not that much, but there are days that that's a major reason why i stick it out here. the idea of figuring out what i would do there, trying to come close to maintain the lifestyle i have here, trying to re-connect with friends who may or may not understand the appeal of international living, nevermind all the details (apartment/ house, car, jobs, etc) are enough to keep me put for at least another year or so. but, i also realize that there are things that would make it the right decision as well.
good luck in making your decision!

[denise]

I actually want to return home in a few years and teach ESL, and I'm not worried about fitting in (if I ever find that cushy ESL job, I will still be among English teacher-types). I am worried about losing the easy lifestyle that I've had both in the Czech Republic and now in Japan. I've never been an extravagant spender, but I do like being able to go out to dinner regularly, develop new hobbies, etc. On a teacher's salary in the States, such things would be difficult.

d

[ls650]

[johnslat]

If anyone's serious about "going back home", my advice would be to plan far in advance - at least a couple of years before you "repatriate". If you come back to your homeland on your holidays, spend a good portion of them making contacts, canvasing likely employers, having interviews, leaving off resumes, etc. Chances are fair to good such "spade-work" will pay off, but if you just come back home without having done your "homework", you'll almost certainly regret it. Even with good preparation, you might well have to "cobble together" some part-time jobs until you get to know the right people - and they get to know you - and can land a full-time position.
Regards,
John

[foster]

Yeah, the thought of returning to the drone of small town life and redneck teaching scares the bejasysus out of me.

I love my home country, but I have way more opportunities here and WAY more free money and options. Yeah, I am busier here than I would be at home, but I prefer that.

Travel out of Canada to other places is crazy expensive and now that I have travelled, there is NO way I could settle down and not travel on my off times.

The thought of repatriating is a bit daunting as well. One of my friends made the comment that another of her ESL friends kept saying "Well, in Japan....When I was in Japan....We never/always did that in Japan...." and it drove people nuts. People ask me about Japan and HK and I tell them but I try not to go overboard with the "Life abroad" stories.

I worry what Tax Canada would do to my savings. I am currently in a Capital Gains Free country and quite like knowing that Revenue Canada can't touch my savings from HK.

When I talk to my friends, I find that there are things that have happened that I missed and I am sorry I missed it, but I don't feel the connection to some of them that I had before leaving. Some of them, we are just as good friends, but others have lost their shine with me. Perhaps,I have with them as well. I called a friend the other day and after 5 minutes, I was struggling to talk to her. Haven't talked to her in 5 months. You would think I would be able to say something. I worry about having to re-create my social circle again. I certanly don't want all my friends trying to fix me up with their single friends.

I don't want to have to re-establish myself as a teacher in Canada. I am struggling to do that in HK, since I am a *real* teacher here as opposed to a Nova drone in Japan. Interviews, reference checks, background checks, practice teaching, evaluations...ICK.

I am a lifer!

[Shaman]

[Capergirl]

[James_T_Kirk]

This is an interesting thread. I have now come full circle myself: I went abroad to teach English in China, returned to the States, went back to school to get a Master's, and got a steady job. Now that I am somewhat settled here in the United States, I plan on returning to Asia to teach again!

Right before I graduated from college with my Bachelor's, I realized that I wasn't ready to get a corporate job, so I started searching for alternatives. I considered Americorps, the Peace Corp, etc. One day, I was in the Career Center at my school when I read an article about some guy teaching English abroad in China. The light bulbs went off in my head�I thought it would be incredible to live in a country like China for a year, even though I wasn't too keen on the teaching aspect. I did some more research, got my TEFL Certificate, and the next thing I knew, I was teaching English in China! Going into the experience, I merely thought of it as a way to "find myself". I planned on doing it only for one year and one year only.

Needless to say, the year I spent in China was probably the best year of my life. I loved every minute of the experience; much to my surprise, despite less than ideal conditions, I even loved teaching! I kicked around the idea of remaining abroad teaching English somewhere, but my "Western programming" kicked in at some point and I decided to get a Master's so I could "settle down" (presumably get married, buy a house with a white picket fence, and have 2.5 kids). I applied to grad school, got accepted, and returned to the land of overweight people.

I had a severe problem with reverse culture shock. I took me at least a year to recover adequately (and I was only abroad for one year!). I graduated, got a cool job that involved travel, had a steady girlfriend, and started to settle down. During this whole process however, starting about a week after I had returned home, I started to miss my life abroad. I missed my old friends, my old lifestyle, my old job, and yes, even some of my former students. Each and every day, I thought about going back to Asia. I was close to doing it a few times, but something here always held me back (girlfriend, new job opportunity with my employer, family). However, after returning to Asia for a vacation in January, I have been pushed over the edge. Thus, in August, when my lease is up and I have some outstanding debts paid off, I am going back (I seem to mention this any chance I get on Dave�s�sorry, I can�t shut up about it, I am too excited!!! )

Do I regret returning to the States? Not at all. I got my Master's, experienced the best relationship that I have ever had in my life (even though it didn't ultimately work out), got a chance to watch my nephew grow up, and gained great experience performing a job that I love (and a job that had allowed me to travel all over North America). However, I am really to move back to Asia and start teaching again! I am pumped up...August can't get here soon enough!!!

I am lucky in that I can pretty much return to the United States whenever I want and get a decent job. John is very wise (as usual) when he states that it is a good idea to have a plan in place to find a job when you arrive home. Good luck, and remember, this is a two-way street...if you aren't happy at home, you can always go back!

Cheers,
Kirk

[Wolf]

I'm afraid of returning home. I haven't set foot in my homeland for more than four years. I currently have no desire to. I might be switching countries soon (like naturegirl321, China has me burnt out too), but plans to return to Canada to live are distant at best.

By the time I do go home to live a good deal of time (a decade or more, perhaps) will have passed, and my own home would become nearly as foreign to me as any place I live in now as an expat (or immigrant ;D)