Job Discussion Forums

[MrGarmonbozia]

Greetings and Salutations,

Before we begin let me provide a little background relevant to this post:
1) I do not have a degree but I have two honors diplomas. One is in film and television production and the other is in journalism.
2) I am a published writer, reporter, screenwriter and photographer.
3) I have tutored English to adults and have been a teacher's aid for students with Down Syndrome. In addition I have taught as a Teacher's aid for adults needing instruction on using computer and the Internet in conjunction to use in business. Finally, I have worked with children teaching them to read as a volunteer with local literacy programs.

So, with that said, and to nutshell things before this post transforms into War and Peace'esq proportions: I am basically seeking something new, the ability to pay off my student loan debt while traveling and, most importantly, the want to fulfill my desire to make some kind of difference, if even a minute one, in this crazy world.

With my above mentioned credentials (or, perhaps, lack there of) is there any hope to find secure work without a degree that will allot me enough finances to actually save money? Bear in mind I tend to live a rather Spartan existence. How much is not having a degree going to be a hindrance?

With minimal finances as is, dumping $1,000 plus into a TESOL course, especially if the bulk of it is taught with online desk work, does not seem like a lucrative venture to me. Seems more logical to spend such money on flights, etc.

Currently I have been eyeballing Japan, in particular the Peppy Kids Club, and China.

I am currently located in Canada and am 28 years old.

Any advice, commentary or direction from those seasons vets out there would be most welcome. What can I expect out there on the road of discovery?

Cheers,
Mr. G

[tedkarma]

A "very spartan" existance can lead to savings in China, Thailand, and Indonesia (sans degree). But spartan - can be pretty basic in the developing world . . .

I thought the Spartans were party people, no? Conquer, pillage, the spoils of war . . .?

[Glenski]

Being a 28-year-old Canadian without a degree, you have only one option in Japan -- the working holiday visa -- which is good for only 12 months max. After that, you will have to leave. Spartan existence or not, you might make a dent in your student loan debt, but without knowing how much it is, it's hard to say just how big a dent.

[MrGarmonbozia]

[denise]

My debts were a bit higher than that, and I was able to make the payments in Japan and still enjoy myself. I had a better-than-average job situation, though. Paid housing and other benefits. Even on a lower salary, I would have been able to pay the roughly $400 I owed every month. Life would have been a bit more spartan, though! Going out can be very expensive in Japan.

d

[MrGarmonbozia]

[Glenski]

CAN$35,000 is about 3.6 million yen at today's exchange rate. That's what a yearly salary is for a JET ALT, and they make more than most conversation school instructors.

Figure 3 million yen/year for typical conversation schools in Japan. Lose half of that for basic necessities. What you do with the rest is up to you, but it'll probably go for the following:

emergency medical (not covered under insurance)
sightseeing (you'll do that just because you are new here)
weekly entertainment (bar hopping, eating out, DVD rentals, etc.)
long distance calls (unless you subscribe to something like Skype)
EVERYTHING else.

If you try to pay off that whole debt in a year, it's impossible. If you want to pay off about 50,000 yen of that per month, I'd say it's very easy, and you don't have to live like a monk. That's almost CAN$500 per month, which means the "dent" you'd make in 12 months comes to $6000. You might make a bigger dent depending on a lot of circumstances.

[MrGarmonbozia]