Job Discussion Forums

[will402]

Hello!

Forgive me if this has been covered but I cannot seem to find much information about the general kind of things about teaching English abroad.

For example, how easy was it to make fellow friends? I would hate to be along way from home without a few friends along the way. Did you have a community per se within the other teachers?

Just a few questions my consciousness needed to clear up before I made the leap.

[tttompatz]

[Andrew Jordan]

As, tttompatz said, usually good ex-pat communities exist in bigger cities. If there isn't, the novelty of being a foreigner means anyone who does speak English will want to connect with you. I have found many of my friends have been locals going through reverse culture shock as they return from years (decades) living abroad. I have generally found making friends to be slightly easier than when I lived in USA (I'm a inherently unsocial person).

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Probably about the best way to look at is that it is great to have a circle of friends / know a bunch of foreigners, but you need to be prepared to be on your own the majority of the time (from time to time- the same as if you suddenly moved to a new city on the other side of your home country).

It's best to not have to rely on others but not be a hermit, either (IME the majority of people who have been overseas for a long time are either in long-term committed relationships, or **were** in them, or are quite happy to be on their own {and yet often grumble about the country in which they live to newbies at bars that foreigners usually hang out in}).

[scot47]

The question is rather like : "Is it nice overseas ? Will I like it ?" It is a big place this OVERSEAS aka ABROAD !

[Denim-Maniac]

I work in China teaching adult students and China is a country where people still hold a keen interest in all things foreign. As a result, I instantly have a circle of friends who will invite me for dinner, drinks, activities and help with any language diffculties and translation needs one may have. This kind of thing is actively encouraged by my employer, is useful for my students and is welcomed by me.

And believe it or not, I often find it easier to find common ground with my students than with many of my fellow foreign teachers.

[Augustus]

I admit that this is one of the big concerns that I have too about working abroad. I am not a (big) drinker of alcohol although I don't mind being on my own to an extent.

[lemak]

Most decent sized cities have pretty active facebook groups organized by ESL teachers living there who are frequently arranging get togethers or can offer support or answers to questions. In some parts of the middle east or China where FB is not so active you'll often find city specific forums (fora?) with a wealth of info and loads of supportive people to help you make the initial jump.

I'm all for hanging out with the locals wherever possible...often they seem a tad more "normal"....(not that there aren't a bunch of awesome FTs around), but sometimes there are certain things that they just can't help with as much as a dirty aussie, slimey limey or yankee doodle can....legal issues affecting foreigners, where to buy that specific brand of cheese you're looking for etc.

MOD EDIT

[greegor]

In most places I've been, I've found it pretty easy to meet people and make friends. When I was teaching adults, most of my friends came from my students, and I'd meet and make friends with some of THEIR friends.

I don't make much of a point of making friends with other foreign colleagues, because I found that they will want to go home, or move on, in a year or so if not less. This is frustrating. I'm friendly with colleagues of course, and many of them like me, but I AM a bit stand-off-ish when it comes to getting close. I just don't want to lose my friends after investing the time and emotion in them.

So I make friends within my community. This becomes SO much easier when you learn some of the local language and can find friends outside the ESL world you work in. That broadens my scope and enriches life far more than I would have thought possible. I no longer feel so much like a foreigner, and that is really a nice feeling.

[dragonpiwo]

Try not to mix with other teachers. It will only end in tears