Job Discussion Forums

[brnrd]

It's going on 5 months since I started looking for an ESL job. I previously had worked in ESL for 20 years,but due to my elderly father's flaring health problems,a few months home,has become 3.5 YEARS.
In this five month stretch, I was offered a job in Istanbul - No visa! shared accommodation with MORE than one other (so..how many?) I didn't take it. ESL,and world travel for that matter is not foot loose and fancy free anymore,and I'm too poor & too old to take risks like that.The same thing happened the year before for Saudi Arabia - A bloody 30 day tourist visa,after swishing papers here & there for 3 months.
The last job offer was for China,and I signed a contract,but was told I had to wait 3-5 weeks to receive my invitation letter -my assistant from my last job, which was in China,contacted the relevant person,who said they never received it.
There was a time in Beijing,before the internet,when I would be cold called,harassed walking down the street about working for this person,or that school.Obviously,those days are dead and seldom remembered,but is it that difficult to get a job now? I'm 53,and I know that there is some saturation and shrinking of markets,but this much?
Cheers,
W. W.