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Where to start??

 
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Stephadella



Joined: 29 Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 9:41 pm    Post subject: Where to start?? Reply with quote

Hi all...another noob question so I really appreciate any responses...

I'm 25, female, UK passport holder, have a clean criminal record and currently living in New Zealand.
I'm presently doing a tefl course with TEFL England and I'm really enjoying it, so would be looking to move/start each teaching in January 2013 (i probably need to start looking for jobs now to get visa stuff sorted?)
Education-wise I have a BA in English, I took English for A level too and I had good grades at gcse level. I have no teaching experience however I have casually helped friends with their English but nothing organized and what would be classed as teaching.

So.....I want to travel and teach esl, I've been looking at everything and anything esl for the last month, it's all I can think about and im working in a shop in nz now which is good as a working holiday but I want to do more than just work in retail...I want to teach esl in Asia...but I can't decide where I want to go.

Currently tossing up between China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan but wondered if anyone knew of where would potentially suit me with the education/qualifications I have but no experience?
I've been looking online and there are so many potential jobs out there, some of which people have negative comments about or have had bad experiences with, so just posting here to see if someone could point me in the right direction towards reliable and reputable schools or recruiters across the countries I have mentioned. (I was looking at TBI in Indonesia which seems pretty good, EF seems to be quite big in China and Indonesia but people seem to have mixed reviews about some of them and then there is everything else on this sites job page!!)

Also, as I'm currently not in the uk, will I need to go back to get medicals, criminal checks or anything else which needs to be from my home country? (I have my degree transcript and certs here)

Thanks in advance for any helpful replies,
S
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Glenski



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

PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are eligible for entry level work in Japan. There is a lot of competition here nowadays, though. Nothing starts in January, so change your timetable. Most jobs start in April. If it's conversation school (eikaiwa), most openings will be posted in Feb/March. If it's ALT work, start looking at the end of the year to March.

You could bypass a work visa by getting a working holiday visa, but that has a limit of 12 months. After that convert to a work visa.
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Stephadella



Joined: 29 Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool, I didn't know I could get a working holiday visa for Japan...will look into that further...yeh I gathered as much in regards to the competition, everywhere that looks half decent seems to want experience...thanks for the info on the whv tho! Dont suppose you know of any decent, reputable places i should look at there by any chance?

Does anyone know if it's the same for elsewhere in asia that would have an April start date rather than just after Christmas when I'd ideally like to go?
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tttompatz



Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines

PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stephadella wrote:
Cool, I didn't know I could get a working holiday visa for Japan...will look into that further...yeh I gathered as much in regards to the competition, everywhere that looks half decent seems to want experience...thanks for the info on the whv tho! Dont suppose you know of any decent, reputable places i should look at there by any chance?

Does anyone know if it's the same for elsewhere in asia that would have an April start date rather than just after Christmas when I'd ideally like to go?


Korea - academic year starts in March
Japan - academic year starts in April
Thailand - academic year starts in May
China - school year starts in Sept.

Language centers (as compared to regular schools) hire year round.

You qualify for work (with appropriate visa/work/residence permits) in ALL of east/SE Asia.

Pick a country and work from there. There are, on average, about 150,000 new (entry level) job openings every year for newbies with no experience.

.
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Stephadella



Joined: 29 Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 8:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey...I didn't know I would qualify for work anywhere in Asia..I assumed my lack of experience would work against me...thanks for them dates, really handy! I feel a bit better knowing I should be able to get something...my English degree doesn't feel so useless now!!

I was looking for after Xmas time because that is when my visa here in nz runs out and I'm trying to decide whether to fly back to the uk once the application has started or try get something straight away starting from nz...if a place offers return airfare I guess going back to the uk is the better option otherwise I will just have to fly back there from nz anyway. Do many people get a return flight that can be refunded so if they decide to stay in Asia or stay on with a school, it's not a total waste?

Will I need to be in the uk/will it be easier for getting things together or going to embassies etc?
Thanks
S
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tttompatz



Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jobs / schools in most countries do NOT provide a ticket to the country to work (Korean jobs and the JET program in Japan are still notable exceptions).

China is just about the only other country that offers anything for airfare for newbie level jobs and that is from China to your home country at the end of your contract.

In virtually all other cases you need to pay for your own airfare and usually take care of your own housing.

.
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7969



Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Posts: 5782
Location: Coastal Guangdong

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:16 am    Post subject: Re: Where to start?? Reply with quote

Stephadella wrote:
So.....I want to travel and teach esl, I've been looking at everything and anything esl for the last month, it's all I can think about and im working in a shop in nz now which is good as a working holiday but I want to do more than just work in retail...I want to teach esl in Asia...but I can't decide where I want to go.

Working at a university in China can provide you with a decent job. Stress free 16 hours per week, half decent students (mine are a pleasure to teach), ~ RMB 4500-6000 per month, at least a one way ticket home/maybe return (depends on school - some offer a cash bonus in lieu of), paid winter holiday (usually 6-8 weeks long), free apartment on campus, and in the case of some schools full or half salary over the summer holiday if you return for a second year. My paid 2012 summer vacation, which ends tomorrow, started on 18 Jun. Decent work environment and China has plenty of places for you to go during the long vacations.

You can begin your job search at the link below. I found my current job (been at it for seven years now) on this site:

Teach in China
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Stephadella



Joined: 29 Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies. I will still try to find somewhere with an airfare allowance or refund but will just have to save enough now so if I find something good that doesn't, I will have enough money. I also looked through that site 7969, university teaching sounds like it could be an option, the package seems pretty good...

This has been super helpful so I appreciate everyone's response. Now I just have to finish my tefl course and then decide on a country. Going out there and finding a job and relocating to Asia doesn't seem such a scary thing to do now...I had originally looked at internships (i to I tefl course providers) as an option because they sort stuff out for you, it would give me experience and you're not on your own, but not sure now if this is something I would think about now because the pay is so low, its just an allowance and if I can actually get something better on my own then it may be worth a shot!

S
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Glenski



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

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 12:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stephadella wrote:
university teaching sounds like it could be an option, the package seems pretty good...
Which country? You need a minimum of a master's degree, publications, some fluency, and some experience for most uni jobs in Japan, for example.
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Stephadella



Joined: 29 Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh I duno, still deciding on country and 7969 mentioned uni teaching In china so i was just commenting on how it sounded like a pretty sweet job...to be honest Im looking to teach kids anyway...
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Stephadella



Joined: 29 Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh I duno, still deciding on country and 7969 mentioned uni teaching In china so i was just commenting on how it sounded like a pretty sweet job...to be honest Im looking to teach kids anyway...
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