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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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 Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:06 pm Post subject: Re: Countries that offer the highest salaries - top 3? |
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| EFLeducator wrote: |
| nyc2323 wrote: |
| Where can a TEFLer make the most money these days? |
1. Japan
2. South Korea
3. China or perhaps Vietnam. |
It is how much you can save not how much you can make! |
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Ixchel
Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Posts: 156
Location: The 7th level of hell
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| Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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| tttompatz wrote: |
| timothypfox wrote: |
| It is important to also factor in the cost of living. For example, a smaller salary can still go a long way in a rural area. |
It is a BIG thing to factor in....
I earn $40k per year in Thailand on a single salary and it certainly allows a very comfortable lifestyle (3 bedroom/2 bath house all the mod cons, all the necessary creature comforts, long vacations (200 instructional days per year), domestic and international travel AND still allows for savings in excess of US$20k per year.
You won't find many teachers in the States who can say the same.
As to buying property... we own a house on Vancouver Island in Canada and 5 hectares of land with a 4 bedroom house (custom built) in the Philippines.
I also have a pension that I will qualify for in my later years.
Teaching may not be the most lucrative profession but it does allow a decent standard of living, the possibility to own property and provide for your future. It is firmly planted in what was once called the "middle class".
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I wonder how many people make a career out of teaching overseas. I never see the pension thing addressed. I have a friend who spent 25 years teaching around the world. She made lots of money (and spent it) and had fun but then returned to the US at age 45 with nothing to show for it and no pension because she hadn't even paid into social security. When I retire I'll have a really nice pension plus the money from my TSA and other retirement funds that I've paid into over the years. If you're doing this at the beginning or end of your career it's one thing but unless you're planning to remain overseas in retirement then a pension is important. Also sometimes people end up with health problems far younger than they expected and their ability to work either long hours or into old age is cut and that pension/retirement savings is a weight lifted. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Ixchel wrote: |
| I wonder how many people make a career out of teaching overseas. I never see the pension thing addressed. I have a friend who spent 25 years teaching around the world. |
Stop here. "Around the world" is a key phrase. If she didn't stay long enough to put money into a pension plan in 1-2 countries, that's her fault. It's certainly possible to put money away like that, but you have to stay in one place for a while.
Some countries have treaties with others that allow you to combine the time worked and collect on that.
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| Also sometimes people end up with health problems far younger than they expected and their ability to work either long hours or into old age is cut and that pension/retirement savings is a weight lifted. |
Not every country is like the U.S. with its health insurance situation. I live in Japan, for example, and can pay only 30 percent of medical treatment costs because of national health insurance (less after I hit a certain age). |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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UK National Insurance differs in some ways from US Social Security. Those who have "entered insurance " in the UK can continue to pay on a voluntary basis while working overseas or may be able to have credits while working in countries with a reciprocal agreement.
Not a great pension but 30 years of working/credits will get you about �5500 a year. |
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Ixchel
Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Posts: 156
Location: The 7th level of hell
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| Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, you can pay into social security voluntarily in the US too but many teachers working overseas choose not to. That's what I'm talking about.
It's just something to think about. When you're young and starting out you think you'll be strong and healthy forever. Short term it's great, long term if you plan to come home not so much.
If I retired right now I'd get a pension of about $2,900 USD a month until I die. And I plan to work 17 to 20 more years if I'm able physically (which would be almost $2,000 more per month at that time) I've been off 15 months due to a very serious knee injury then surgery and not even close to returning to work so had I screwed around when I was younger I'd be in a bad spot now.
And I never did answer the OP's question. Does s/he really think that anyone goes into teaching for the buckets of money? If you want to live like a king, start a hedgefund. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 12:10 am Post subject: |
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Dear Ixchel,
"Yes, you can pay into social security voluntarily in the US too but many teachers working overseas choose not to. That's what I'm talking about. "
No, you can't "pay voluntarily into SS" if you're working overseas - unless you're working for the US government or an American company over there.
I've talked to the SS people about this. If you think I'm wrong, may I suggest giving them a call?
Regards,
John |
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Ixchel
Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Posts: 156
Location: The 7th level of hell
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:24 am Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear Ixchel,
"Yes, you can pay into social security voluntarily in the US too but many teachers working overseas choose not to. That's what I'm talking about. "
No, you can't "pay voluntarily into SS" if you're working overseas - unless you're working for the US government or an American company over there.
I've talked to the SS people about this. If you think I'm wrong, may I suggest giving them a call?
Regards,
John |
It's funny how your posts are always so inflammatory and trying to start a fight. "If you think I'm wrong... etc." You always seem so angry for no reason.
I don't know anything about it except that when I taught at the American School in Paraguay I paid US income taxes after two years. I was told I had to by the American Embassy. But it was good because it put me two years closer to social security since I mostly have a state teachers' pension. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:39 am Post subject: |
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| Ixchel wrote: |
| Yes, you can pay into social security voluntarily in the US too but many teachers working overseas choose not to. That's what I'm talking about. |
But it's not what I referred to.
I work in Japan and have not contributed to U.S. social security since I arrived. However, I put into a Japanese pension plan. The totalization treaty between the 2 countries allows me to use credits from both systems to decide when I can start collecting a pension.
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/factsheets/US-Japan.htm |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:46 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Yes, you can pay into social security voluntarily in the US too but many teachers working overseas choose not to. That's what I'm talking about |
John (like many of us) is wary of information posted here that may mislead would-be teachers. Your post above implies that any teacher living abroad can continue to contribute into the US social security system, but this is not the case. As johnslat points out, this is only true if you work for a US company abroad (as your post below indicates that you did) or for the military.
| Quote: |
It's funny how your posts are always so inflammatory and trying to start a fight. "If you think I'm wrong... etc." You always seem so angry for no reason.
I don't know anything about it except that when I taught at the American School in Paraguay I paid US income taxes after two years. I was told I had to by the American Embassy. |
There is little use taking issue with a post which points out inaccuracies or limitations. One of the most valuable things about Dave's is that our combined experience can actually help people make (their own) decisions with their eyes more open than they otherwise would be. |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:16 am Post subject: |
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| Ixchel wrote: |
| It's funny how your posts are always so inflammatory and trying to start a fight. "If you think I'm wrong... etc." You always seem so angry for no reason. |
I wholeheartedly disagree with this. I don't think johnslat ever seems angry on these boards. On the contrary I find him to be one of the most calm, well-balanced, informed, and helpful posters on these boards. Look at his many posts. I don't find them to be inflammatory at all.
When he has been incorrect about something, he usually apologizes and acknowledges his mistake. I have witnessed this.
| johnslat wrote: |
| If you think I'm wrong, may I suggest giving them a call? |
Actually, I found that the way johnslat worded this really softened the message. He could have said this in a much harsher way, but he chose not to do so. This is in line with the usual thoughtfulness of his posts.
Now...back to the topic at hand. Where can I get me some of dat pot o' gold at da end of da TESOL rainbow?
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
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Xie Lin
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
Posts: 731
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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| fat_chris wrote: |
| Ixchel wrote: |
| It's funny how your posts are always so inflammatory and trying to start a fight. "If you think I'm wrong... etc." You always seem so angry for no reason. |
I wholeheartedly disagree with this. I don't think johnslat ever seems angry on these boards. On the contrary I find him to be one of the most calm, well-balanced, informed, and helpful posters on these boards. Look at his many posts. I don't find them to be inflammatory at all.
When he has been incorrect about something, he usually apologizes and acknowledges his mistake. I have witnessed this.
| johnslat wrote: |
| If you think I'm wrong, may I suggest giving them a call? |
Actually, I found that the way johnslat worded this really softened the message. He could have said this in a much harsher way, but he chose not to do so. This is in line with the usual thoughtfulness of his posts.
Now...back to the topic at hand. Where can I get me some of dat pot o' gold at da end of da TESOL rainbow?
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
My thoughts exactly. But Fat Chris said this much better than I could have.
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Yip. Fat_chris said it all there.
Johnslat is one of the decent TEFLers posting here. How many other posters start with that now so old-fashioned and sorely missed phrase 'Dear ...'? |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Sasha,
Dear me 
Regards,
John |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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johnslat is right on the US position regarding Social security paymnents. You can pay overseas only if you are in a govt or related job.
Sometimes people interpret the information that they do not want to hear s AGGRESSION ! |
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Teacher in Rome
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Posts: 1286
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| Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Johnslat is one of the decent TEFLers posting here. How many other posters start with that now so old-fashioned and sorely missed phrase 'Dear ...'? |
Count me in as another member of Johnslat's fan club. I like the fact that Johnslat is unfailingly courteous - even when he doesn't agree.
One of the very good things about this forum is that there are many, many decent, kind and helpful posters. I find it a great place to bounce ideas off other teachers, get the lowdown on teaching in different parts of the world, and while a few minutes away here and there. (Is that spelling right - it looks wrong.)
I shall drink a toast to you all!
Happy holidays! |
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