Job Discussion Forums

[demitrescou]

Actor, TV/Film Director, Novelist, Screenwriter, Scientist, Historian, Psychologist, Pilot, Survival Expert (lol), __________(insert here), etc etc etc etc etc

This isn't another thread trolling about whether TEFLing is a real job or not. Regardless of your feelings on TEFL didn't you expect or hope for more from your life than this? Don't you feel seriously disappointed you didn't become something else or achieve much more?

I just wanted to put this out there as it's been eating away at me recently. I've just hit that 30 mark and these thoughts have been bombarding me. It's not a new feeling but I think it's playing on my mind now because I'm at that point in life where you have to kind of accept that certain things you perhaps once thought were possible, aren't realistic anymore.

There's a constant discussion on these boards about whether TEFL is a real job or not and bla bla bla but I rarely see open and honest discussions about this. I mean, surely most of us here didn't grow up with hopes of being an English teacher.

Are you disappointed? Has it bothered you for years? Do you regret not pursuing another path? Are you over it?

One thing I don't want to hear is the cliche about it never being too late as I don't think that's really true. While there are exceptions to the rule, the general competitiveness of certain professions and the burdens and responsibilities we have as we get older make some things out of reach.

Sorry to be a downer, just wanted to hear from others who may be or have been plagued by such thoughts.

[johnslat]

Dear demitrescou,

Are you disappointed? Nope.

Has it bothered you for years? Nope

Do you regret not pursuing another path? Nope

Are you over it? Nope (I think - not quite sure what "it" refers to.)

No regrets at all - it's been a fun ride these past thirty-five years.

Of course, I still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up, but that's moot anyway since I never will (grow up, that is ).

Regards,
John

[spiral78]

Ditto. I am endlessly interested in what I do, and for me it's a genuine pleasure to contribute to the success of my students.

[Glenski]

[demitrescou]

Glenski,

I don't know what you're asking. Why what? I explained my feelings and just putting it out there to see how many others can relate to such.

It's great if you and the 2 above posters can't really relate to such feelings. I wish I didn't have them either.

Just looking for honest replies.

[johnslat]

Dear


While I can't personally relate, I can sympathize. I suspect, however, that there are few, if any, professions/jobs that don't have people in them who feel as you do.

Well, maybe not quality-control tasters in distilleries .

Regards,
John

[demitrescou]

John,

I see what you mean but the kind of professions that were on my mind personally were creative ones. Screenwriters/film directors/actors/producers/novelists/theatre directors etc. Can you really picture people successfully working in these fields wishing they were teaching English instead?

I do see where you're coming from. You're talking about the average Joe in an 'average' job. That's not really what my OP was about though.

[it'snotmyfault]

If you're a frustrated novelist, screenwriter, actor etc and you're in your 30s or 40s you should probably just accept it isn't going to happen and concentrate on your day job.

Treat your creative side as a hobby, and if it leads to something that's great.
But the odds are stacked heavily against you.

[santi84]

I have a husband, two healthy beautiful baby boys, and a 4 bedroom house (which we own). I'd say I'm doing pretty darn well in the grand scheme of life, and I'm only 28.

Maybe at 30, it's not a disappointment with career, but rather with the other things in life (love, family, friends). You can blame it on career, but that is only secondary when the rest has already fallen into place.

[fluffyhamster]

Creative types have their fair share of breakdowns and disillusionment. I bet there are actors who'd envy the anonymity and creativity of ELT (were they to be told and get fired up about it). At least as a teacher you're "keeping it real"!

What I hope is that I can compile~complete a good pedagogical English grammar before I get too old to really care. A Chinese-English dictionary is also in the works but taking forever to write. (More self-discipline required!).

Of course we all sometimes think what if I'd pursued a career in MMA or whatever, but then the cons of that career can start coming to mind and make ELT seem like not such a bad move after all.

[revenger2013]

[Montanaland]

I struggle with this "inner"question every other day myself. Waking up with the same 6 men day after day in our company house is getting really old on top of my boring job. Trading 13 months for 90k while being surrounded with oil field trash gets very tiresome..especially for most of us on here that have a higher education and a different outlook on life.

[Glenski]

[johnslat]

Well, for thirty-five years, I've had a job that I love to get up in the morning to do. It's given me a lot of satisfaction, happiness even.

And while I may be fooling myself, I also like to think I've made a difference for the better in the lives of at least some of my students.

It's also given me a nice home in Santa Fe, NM, and financial security for the (short, probably - I'm already 70) rest of my life.

I'm still teaching, 15 hours a week at the local community college (just got home from a class), and not because I need to but because I want to.

Plus, I got to see so much of the world that I'd wanted to visit - mostly on someone else's dime.

When I think of the millions (maybe hundreds of millions) of people who have to drag themselves to work every day, doing a job they don't like very much or even hate, well, hey, I can't complain - the field's been good to me.

Regards,
John

[revenger2013]