Job Discussion Forums

[eslHQ]

by the time i finished my marketing/management degree, i had had quite enough of the business world. but, if i didn't want to sell things, what could i do?

travel.

my graduation gift to myself was a 3 week trip to europe. and during that time i realized i wanted to combine work and travel. i had heard something about a TEFL couse and teaching overseas so as soon as i got back from europe i enrolled in a course. one month after i finished my course i was off to korea. that was 1999 and im still here.

ive loved almost every minute of it. my jobs have been great. i met my wife, who was doing the same thing as me, in korea. it has been a wonderful experience.

eric

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Better late than never, eh??

After trying for years to "make it" as a drummer/songwriter/singer and working at more than 30 jobs, I decided to finish up my degree in business management. After college I spent a short time as a sales rep. I'd learned enough about corporate America to know that I didn't belong there, so I happened upon Nova's website and got the wheels rolling to go to Japan. After working there for a year, I decided to give China a try. Once I finished up a year in China, I came back to the states to earn my MA TESOL. I was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time, and landed a full-time TESL gig at the university where I'm getting my degree. I think I'll be there for quite some time.

[Gregor]

Jizzo! You're a drummer??
Do you still play?

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Since I've been living in apartments for the past few years, I've had to place my drumming on hiatus. BUT, I'm buying a Martin HD-28 next month and continue to write songs (so I don't run out of stuff to play).

Btw, nice avatar, Gregor! I played hard-core metal, jazz, and country over the past 15 years. More country/pop/jazz-oriented these days. Guess I'm feeling the effects of age.

[Babala]

I was working for a company back in Canada that offered a one year post in Argentina. The idea of working and living abroad appealed to me unfortunately my job then did not. I think life is too short to work at a job you hate. I thought about staying just to do the year in Argentina but then I remembered a friend a mine who had taught in Japan. The prospect of getting to quit my job and still be able to live abroad convinced to give it a shot. I went into my TEFL training wanting to go to Thailand but came out of it wanting to go to China. I started teaching in China almost four years ago. I figured I would do one year here and then maybe try South America. Well I am still teaching in China and loving it.

[shenyanggerry]

I 'retired' at 52 - they offered me a bribe to stay home and I took it. A few years later, bored with sitting around waiting to die, I took a university TESL certificate.

I first came to China at age 59 on a five month contract 2003. I came back in 2004 and 2005. This time I signed on for the full academic year. I work enough to get a feeling of satisfaction, have enough free time to feel half retired. The best of both worlds!

I'm just amazed that more retired folk don't persue this rewarding and not overly demanding way of life. I don't coast. When I show up in class I'm there to do a job. After much of a lifetime catering to bosses, clients, meeting the mortgage and car payments as well as working forty hour weeks, twelve - fourteen hour weeks are a soft touch.

[Spinoza]