Job Discussion Forums

[Jester18]

If you don't mind, I'm just curious to hear more about other's experiences.
I have a few questions below:


1.) Where have you taught?
2.) How long have you been teaching?
3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life)
4.) Which country was the worst to live in?
5.) Which country had the best students? Why?
6.) Which country had the worst students? Why?
7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends?
8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas?
9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas?
10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire?
11.) Where would you like to teach in the future
12.) How much longer would you like to teach?

Here are my answers, if you are curious:



1. Korea, UAE, Taiwan, UAE, Saudi, San Francisco
2.) about 13 years
3.) Taiwan
4.)Saudi---too much religion and lack of things to do
5.) Taiwan----very engaging and liked to have fun in the classroom
Also in San Fran, I taught some great Russian immigrants
6.) Saudi---very lazy and we are urged strongly not to talk about things like women, alcohol, politics, religion the list goes on and on and on
7. Taiwan
8. New Zealand ----great people and beautiful country
9. Russia --- got robbed there
10.) Thailand or a Spanish speaking country
11.) Argentina, Mexico or Vietnam
12.) Until I reach the grave, end up in the nut house or I get a million bucks for my novel---haha!!

[tedkarma]

1.) Where have you taught?
Thailand, Korea, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Botswana (not EFL),
USA (as an EFL volunteer)

2.) How long have you been teaching?
EFL since 1991, Overseas since 1989

3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life)
Thailand

4.) Which country was the worst to live in?
Saudi Arabia

5.) Which country had the best students? Why?
Depends on what you call "best students" and it probably depends a
lot on the type of school at which you taught.
My experience: Hard working - Saudi Arabia
Most fun and respectful - Thailand
Most all-around balanced people type students - Taiwan
Students who conquered the most obstacles to go to school
and study, Botswana

6.) Which country had the worst students? Why?
Disciplinewise: Saudi Arabia
Unmotivated: Korea and Thailand

7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends?
Difficult question - I am fairly self-contained - and tend to make
only a few friends and mostly from my own culture.

8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas?
Tanzania, Nepal, Phuket (all were great!)

9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas?
Miami (not overseas - but it is difficult to have a "bad" vacation!)

10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire?
Phuket

11.) Where would you like to teach in the future
Right where I am

12.) How much longer would you like to teach?
Until I retire (if ever)

[Will.]

1.) Where have you taught?
UK, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain, South Africa, Russia, Bolivia, Peru, Chile.

2) How long have you been teaching?
I started in 1990 but onlt P/T I went F/T in 1995 i did MFL in between

3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life)
France

4.) Which country was the worst to live in?
Russia, I was not there long but it still ranks lowest

5.) Which country had the best students?
Czech Republic.
Why?
Rich kids and well motivated and career oriented adults too.
6.) Which country had the worst students?
Spain.
Why?
Manana attitude in professionals and externally motivated younger adults and kids.
7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends?
France, But I am, and was, fluent in the local language
8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas?
3 weeks walking in the Tatra mountains in Poland
9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas?
Ibiza. packed beaches, no real 'local' life A tourist nightmare....for two weeks!!!
10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire?
Wherever there is white water, sea fishing, mountains and cliffs nearby. Volcanic hotsprings would make it a clincher, good seafood is a must.
11.) Where would you like to teach in the future
In a good school/institute or university...note the 'GOOD'
12.) How much longer would you like to teach?
Who knows? Ask me at the end of the lesson.

[denise]

[quote="Jester18"]If you don't mind, I'm just curious to hear more about other's experiences.
I have a few questions below:


1.) Where have you taught?

Czech Republic, US (part-time, freelance), China (just for a summer program), Japan, Chile, Peru

2.) How long have you been teaching?

since 1999, but that includes a two-year break to go to graduate school

3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life)

Japan, although I am ashamed to admit that it was just because of the salary, on which I could do just about anything, and the highly-developed infrastructure

4.) Which country was the worst to live in?

hmmm... I wasn't in China for long enough to comment, but I imagine a long-term stay there would have been difficult. Peru, for all its beauty and appeal as a tourist destination, also presents some difficulties

5.) Which country had the best students? Why?

Peru, because they participate, come to classes in good moods, and generally have intelligent things to say

6.) Which country had the worst students? Why?

Japan--very little motivation and very little ability to think freely

7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends?

Peru, because I speak the language

8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas?

Greece, because after a life-long love of Greek mythology, I was finally able to visit some of the sites

Argentina, for a much-needed snowboarding vacation to help me survive the never-ending Peruvian summer (and they say it's "winter" now!)

9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas?

I guess I must be really lucky. I haven't had a bad vacation yet.

10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire?

San Francisco, with a nice house in the Castro. Or Argentina... those cursed student loans won't allow either of those scenarios to happen, though!

11.) Where would you like to teach in the future

see #10, plus Seattle.

12.) How much longer would you like to teach?

Forever.

d

[M109A3]

1) Where have you taught?

Armish country Indiana and inner city Houston, TX. Going to SHanghai next summer for an extended teaching stay to be with some friends and family already there.

2)How long have you been teaching?

Since 2004. It's where I belong! I HATED truck driving, still do, even though I've been away from it for some time.

3)Which country was best to live in?

Rephrase to which COUNTY was best.... By far Amish country in rural Indiana. Very motivated and hard working students. However, volunteering for zero cash doesn't pay the bills...................

4)Which country was worst to live in?

Once again rephrase to county.... Harris County Houston TX. I have too many disheartening stories about what goes on here.

5)Which country had the best students?

Countiesnox, Gibson and most any other rural county in Indiana. They're close-knit and family oriented.

6)Worst students?

Houston, TX.

7)Easiest to make friends?

Rural Indiana and rural Texas.

8)Best overseas vacation?

Cali, Colombia - Breathtakingly stunning outside of town.

9)Worst overseas vacation?

Cali, Colombia - The FARC love to kidnap visitors venturing out of town and sometimes even in the city now-a-days. I speak with a Colombian accent in Spanish so I blended in very well there coming close to being kidnapped twice. They thought I was from the Brazilian border area from my accent. I left shortly thereafter.

10)Where to retire?

In a safe and secure semi-tropical area of the world. Definitely needs to be warm. I paid my dues growing up in northern Maine.

11)Where would I like to teach in the future?

Shanghai without a doubt. I'd love to get into an esteemed university and teach there. Maybe points further south as well. However, I really enjoy the university level students.

12)How much longer would I like to teach?

Until they shovel six feet of dirt over me. If I'm not teaching I'm not helping others. To me that's a tragedy. Even when I was a trucker I liked helping others learn to help themselves.

I realize I'm not an overseas teacher yet. But I felt compelled to respond for the fun of it.

[Shaman]

1.) Where have you taught?
South Korea, Japan, France, Canada (Montr�al, Ottawa), Sweden

2.) How long have you been teaching?
All in all, 6 years

3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life)
France was great, but Sweden is pretty hard to beat

4.) Which country was the worst to live in?
South Korea... hands down

5.) Which country had the best students? Why?
My students in Ottawa were very driven. Passing a battery of governmental lanaguage exams translated into salary increase, thus there was a directly proportional increase in attentiveness and work ethic. My students in France and Montr�al were a lot of fun. Ditto for the current bunch.

6.) Which country had the worst students? Why?
A short-lived stint with international students in Canada (two locales). It didn't take them long to figure out that the tail could wag the dog. Teachers were treated like chattel

7.) Where did you find it the easiest to make local friends?
It's been pretty easy in all places.

8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas?
Ireland

9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas?
Holland - it got better after breaking up with the ex and taking off for Ireland.

10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire?
Haven't decided that yet... most likely somewhere in Europe

11.) Where would you like to teach in the future
See above.

12.) How much longer would you like to teach?
Until my screenplays sell. If not, far into the unforeseeable future.

[GWUstudent]

1.) Where have you taught? China, Japan, and Bhutan (^^)

2.) How long have you been teaching? only about 2 1/2 years in total

3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life) love Japan...the food, the landscape, the culture, the festivals, and the onsens.

4.) Which country was the worst to live in? I love China, and I would go back and work there, but...I had a tough time with the pollution.

5.) Which country had the best students? Why? I absolutely loved my Bhutanese students. That culture is unlike any other and my students seemed genuinely interested in coming to class and were also really respectful. I loved getting notes from them addressed to "Dear respected Madam."

6.) Which country had the worst students? Why? hmmm....had some difficult ones in Japan...a few that refused to talk.

7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends? I feel like I meet people easily wherever i go.

8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas? Myanmar, China, and Vietnam

9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas? I've never had a bad vacation.

10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire? I love living overseas, but I also love being near my family in the US. I have a hard time planning that far ahead.

11.) Where would you like to teach in the future? I want to go back to both Bhutan and Japan. Europe would be great too....love Scandinavia.

12.) How much longer would you like to teach? I'm in school right now..so am not sure when I'll be back at it.

[Jetgirly]

1.) Where have you taught? Italy and Canada (all my Canadian students were from Korea)
2.) How long have you been teaching? Since January 2005
3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life) Can't say.
4.) Which country was the worst to live in? Can't say.
5.) Which country had the best students? Why? Can't say.
6.) Which country had the worst students? Why? Can't say.
7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends? Can't say.
8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas? I would like to return to Egypt and Morocco in the future, but Barcelona was great because it was different than home but very manageable.
9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas? Egypt- but I still want to return. Sweden was pretty rough too- I was there during the winter and there was very little sunlight.
10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire? Can't say... I'm too young.
11.) Where would you like to teach in the future? A public school in Canada, which is why I'm doing a B.Ed program right now.
12.) How much longer would you like to teach? Maybe five or six years in the classroom, then move to another area of education.

[White_Elephant]

1.) Where have you taught? Kentucky, Michigan, South Korea and the Philippines.
2.) How long have you been teaching? on and off since I was a freshman in university - about 15 years.
3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life) USA
4.) Which country was the worst to live in? the Philippines
5.) Which country had the best students? Why? the Philippines because they were so loving, motivated and cooperative.
6.) Which country had the worst students? Why? South Korea - by far because the students exhibited the following: disruptive talking, inudible responses, sleeping in class, tardiness and poor attendance, failure to do homework, cheating on tests and an unwillingness to speak the target language - English.
7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends? Almost anywhere in the USA
8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas? Thailand, definately!
9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas? the Philippines, without a DOUBT!
10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire? I don't know yet. Maybe Thailand.
11.) Where would you like to teach in the future? Thailand, Japan, Qatar, UAE
12.) How much longer would you like to teach? Until I'm no good at it anymore due to old age. Oh, who knows.

[Like a Rolling Stone]

Japan, a few years.

All the rest: Japan.

Just the facts ma'am

[delacosta]

1.) Where have you taught?
THailand. Vancouver- Canada, MExico

2.) How long have you been teaching?
8 years
3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life)
Mexico but Vancouver is only slightly behind, mostly because I prefer the small town way of life here in Zipolite. Vancouver's a great city with fantastic nature so close by though, and really multicultural. I might be returning soon.
4.) Which country was the worst to live in?
I love all three, but if I'd be least likely to return to Thailand, just because of the east-west cultural difference thing. I had lots of close friends but I think a Westerner would always remain essentially an outsider.
5.) Which country had the best students? Why?
Vancouver! Newly arrived immigrants eager to learn, not because of pressure to learn English to survive in the emerging Global Economy where if you don't learn it you won't rise to the top fast enough and will miss out on all the shiny new consumer goodies necessary to be happy in life! Come to think of it they were probably learning it for the same reasons, they were just more mature and motivated. I wonder how Canadians or Americans would react if told that they all had to learn Chinese or they just wouldn't cut it it.
6.) Which country had the worst students? Why?
Probably a tie between Thailand and Mexico. The motivated were/are outnumbered by the un or motivatioanlly challenged bunch.
7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends?
Not difficult anywhere but I speak Spanish so the language barrier wasn't there.
8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas?
Mexico, riding my bike form Puerto Angel on the Pacific coast to Veracruz on the Atlantic. More or less on a whim.
9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas?
At a 10 day meditation retreat in Thailand. I had a complete psychic meltdown. It was incredibley difficult at the time but I now do at least one retreat a year, more if I have time. Actually thats what I do pretty much on all my vacations now. It's like travelling, but inward...
10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire?
At a meditation monastary somewhere. Where I could share a liitle hut and a garden with my wife, where we would slowly let go of life...
11.) Where would you like to teach in the future
Not sure, I prefer to dwell in the present. I don't always but I prefer to think that the future will take care of itself just fine.
12.) How much longer would you like to teach?
I punch out in exactly 57 minutes.

[kaw]

1.) Where have you taught?
Italy, UK, Turkey, Indonesia, Oman, Bahrain

2.) How long have you been teaching?
7 years

3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life)

difficult one - Oman maybe - great people and beautiful scenery- Bahrain is very easy - typical 'expat' place though lacking in any real local culture


4.) Which country was the worst to live in? Indonesia

5.) Which country had the best students? Why? Turkey - hard working, great fun, Oman - ok so they did cheat most of the time and homework was seldon done but there was just something about them...

6.) Which country had the worst students? Why? not had any really bad ones - ok Israeli students I taught at summer school in the UK - very spoilt......


7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends? Turkey
8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas? off to Tanzania and Zanzibar next week so will let you know
9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas? Seychelles had its bad points - very expensive
10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire? Australia/ Turkey
11.) Where would you like to teach in the future? Possibly Tanzania or back to Oman
12.) How much longer would you like to teach? Until I get really bored with it or win the lottery

[jpvanderwerf2001]

1.) Where have you taught?
Ukraine, Mexico, Argentina, India, Russia

2.) How long have you been teaching?
6 years

3.) Which country was the best to live in? (best quality of life)
Argentina, overall hands down the best (though I'm enjoying Russia, and Mexican food is sublime)

4.) Which country was the worst to live in?
India, hands down

5.) Which country had the best students? Why?
Ukraine/Russia: They work very hard and are receptive

6.) Which country had the worst students? Why?
India: They couldn't understand why they had English teachers since they'd been speaking the language all their lives (I was an accent trainer, it wasn't EFL); I guess this doesn't make them the worst, only the least receptive

7.) WHere did you find it the easiest to make local friends?
Haven't had many problems in any place, though I did spend almost all my time with expats in India (mostly a lifestyle thing)

8.) Where did you have your best vacation overseas?
Thailand - food, beaches, cheap

9.) Where did you have your worst vacation overseas?
England - suspect weather, no beaches, expensive

10.) Where would you like to retire or semi-retire?
Excellent question, no idea yet

11.) Where would you like to teach in the future?
Another good question, I like where I am now. Things may change, though...

12.) How much longer would you like to teach?
Maybe five more years, maybe fifty

[Lynn]

[matttheboy]