Job Discussion Forums

bhog · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 22 Location: KCMO

Hi everyone! I'm a 28 year old guy from the States w/ a BA in Political Science, and about half a MA so far in the same. I'm in the middle of working on a TEFL certification from the TEFL Institute in Chicago. I have no prior teaching experience and I'm considering teaching English in S. Korea...but would prefer to go elsewhere. I've got a few questions for anyone with advice: (I'm a tad all over the map.)
1. Most posts I've seen in the Korea general discussion area are negative. Is living in SK really that bad, or is this just the place to "get a load off your chest"?
2. The main reason I'm considering SK is $. Is it possible to save elsewhere? (Thailand?)
3. Does anyone know much about teaching in Vietnam?
4. Is possible for a North American to get a job in Eastern Europe...say Czech Rep w/little or no exp? What about after a year in SK? How's the $ situation there? Opinions?
5. $ in South America?

Sgt Killjoy · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 438

I see lots of $$$. If that is the case, then go to Korea or rethink a TEFL career.

1. Korea isn't that bad, but if you get into a bad situation, it can be very very bad.

2. You can't save money in Thailand, you could save in the middle east, but don't know if you got the qualifications to land a decent gig over there.

3. Don't know much about Vietnam, but have heard that the pay is higher there than Thailand.

4. Don't know about question 4.

5. Forget earning big bucks in South America, but with a little work you could find a job to pay your living costs and maybe save a little bit depending on your own personal habits.

tedkarma · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:18 am Post subject:

Korea is probably the place for you. Some good research and careful interviewing of a school's current and past staff should eliminate SOME of the risk.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

mlomker · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 378

If you don't have a preference (such as the desire to learn a particular language) then Korea is certainly the best place for pay and variety of jobs to chose from.

Taiwan is another place that pays well but there aren't as many jobs. Vietnam is place that you have to love in order to go there--living conditions are difficult (read the Vietnam board here if you're curious). Latin America pays very little...people got here for language/culture reasons. I've heard good things about Prague, but the market sounds thinner there.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Japan?

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Korea is probably the best place to save money, but the quality of life is less than many other places. If I was young and single, I'd go to Vietnam to teach. Having just gotten back from there last week, it is a great place to live and teach. Who knows I may be there one day to work.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:17 pm Post subject:

Recently joining EU member states still have some leeway in offering visas to Americans. (Poland, Slovenia...) Don't know squat about the Czech Republic workwise, but Prague is a cool city-

Justin

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

It's still possible for North Americans to get legal work permits for the Czech Rep, Poland, Slovakia. Prague's a major teacher training centre, with about six courses running all the time, so the market is tight, but work is findable most times of the year, especially for candidates with a professional attitude and appearance.
The wages in Central Europe translate into an ok life while there and some travel in country, but you can't expect to pay any debts at home or travel extensively on your teaching salary.