Job Discussion Forums

[spanglish]

[CTravel32]

2 or 3 mil is maybe not low end, persay, especially by local standards, but it is not a great salary to make moving half way around the globe worth it. I would stay in Japan.

I did not have a teaching license when I got my first job at a colegio in Bogota, where I was a teacher for two years. I still do not, and have another job at another good school.

[Sudz]

Yeah by local standards I would think that'd be a comfortable salary. It would be a pay cut, but I wouldn't be moving for the pay, more the lifestyle. Currently enjoying my current job here though - especially after growing accustomed to it - so this move would likely be further down the road (if at all).

[CTravel32]

If it is not too personal. I am curious, what about the life style interests you?

[Sudz]

Good question. Rather than saying I'm interested in the lifestyle, it would have been more accurate to say I'm interested in a change - different people, language, climate, food, etc.

Honestly though, in my 4 years here, I would say that I'm enjoying more now than I ever have in the past, so this might be a little down the road. However, I will say that I do find myself missing good-ole hot, rough around the edges SE Asia at times (it can feel a little rigid here), though I'll have a better sense of how much I miss it when I go back for a visit (hopefully) this year.

I might be romanticizing South America, though I have always wanted to visit, and feel it might share some of the qualities I enjoyed about SE Asia (even though I realize they're very different places).

To summarize: change is good (sometimes)

[CTravel32]

I would recommend Medellin, which feels like spring nearly all the time. I am here in Bogota where it feels like it is always raining (well, not always, but you know). In fact, it is pouring as I type this. I always laugh because you can tell the foreigners who are fresh off the plane because they are wearing shorts, t-shirt and sandals thinking this is some tropical warm place. Nope, nights can get really chilly and even during the day, it can be quite cold.

Yes, change is good. I am leaving Colombia after three years for my own change. I very seriously toyed around with Myanmar but cost of moving was too much despite a decent salary. My sights are set on Guatemala now. With the salary I will be getting compared to cost of living (and what is commonly quoted here) I should be able to save up for that really big change to SEA within two years, and, who knows maybe eventually Myanmar!

So any way, good luck!