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sidjameson
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 629 Location: osaka
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:05 pm Post subject: Does tefl paradise exist? |
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I am sat at home. A bit the worse for drink I have to admit. Reflecting on how much nicer Japan is in October, it's about 25 degrees during the day and high teens at night. 6 weeks ago it was 35 and in 6 weeks it will be 15 and falling.
So, is there a Tefl market that offers great all year weather, at least as far as my criteria? Cheap cost of living would be a huge bonus and a beautiful country would be the icing. Oh and an open tolerant society. Not asking for much am I.  |
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Guy Courchesne

Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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Mexico.
the only thing missing from the mix is the money. |
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Gordon

Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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Guy Courchesne wrote: |
Mexico.
the only thing missing from the mix is the money. |
I just knew there was a catch.
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Chris_Crossley

Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 1797 Location: Still in the centre of Furnace City, PRC, after eight years!!!
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:01 pm Post subject: Homesick? |
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You're not homesick, by any chance, are you?! |
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Guy Courchesne

Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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Gordon wrote: |
Guy Courchesne wrote: |
Mexico.
the only thing missing from the mix is the money. |
I just knew there was a catch.
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Always a catch...there perhaps is no true paradise except the one you create for yourself. |
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Will.
Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 783 Location: London Uk
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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Of course it exists.
That is why we only stay for one year or less in each job. It is a short-term paradise that is always on the move, so off we go whenever it changes position and seek the new bar, sorry location |
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Teacher in Rome
Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Always a catch...there perhaps is no true paradise except the one you create for yourself. |
Right on Guy.
My current paradise is sitting here, glass of good, yet inexpensive vino in hand, Rachmaninov piano concerto playing in the background, roaring fire in the fireplace (chill in the October air)...
Catch: precarious living as a new freelancer, house with inadequate central heating (therefore inefficient fire in fireplace), personal income only good enough to live on - certainly not to save...
It's all a balancing act in my opinion. You choose your priorities, whether job satisfaction, quality of life, earning potential, tolerance of host country etc. I chose good old Rach and good vino, but it's not to everyone's taste. |
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SueH
Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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Hi TiR,
At a guess I'd say it was Rosso Conero, but I won't hazard the pianist for one of my Dad's old favourites which always leaves me feeling slightly triste.
Are you going to get a stufa for the caminetto, that should improve the efficiency?
Saving? What's that?
a presto
Sue |
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denise

Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish
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Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 11:17 pm Post subject: |
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Well said, Guy & Teacher in Rome.
Remember that cheesy bumper sticker that says, "The worst day fishing is better than the best day working"? That's a great philosophy for this job. Sure, there are annoyances, there's often not a lot of financial security, etc., but I certainly wouldn't trade my life for a more "normal" one. (And now that I'm back in the US, there is normalcy all around me!)
d |
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tedkarma

Joined: 17 May 2004 Posts: 1598 Location: The World is my Oyster
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 1:04 am Post subject: |
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Balance is probably the issue - and meeting some personal goals. I don't know that I have found paradise - but I certainly live in one.
Unfortunately, Thailand tends to demand more and pay less than anywhere else. |
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Gregor

Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 842 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:37 am Post subject: |
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denise wrote:
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(And now that I'm back in the US, there is normalcy all around me!) |
Wow. Really? In the US? I swear I will never get that. (Unless you were being sarcastic??)
My brother's lived there all his life and has a wife and kids and a house (well, a mortgage, anyway) and so on, and it's the most normal-looking existence I've ever seen. Almost like on TV. But it costs SO MUCH. Man. Man, oh man.
As for paradise, I have to go along with Guy. Mexico, except for the money.
I went back to the US for a while, it didn't take (no surprise there), so I came THIS CLOSE to returning to Mexico. But now that I have a wife and responsibility, we opted for China once again. I like it there. It's no one's idea of paradise, I don't think, but I'm not the only one who likes living there.
When you get older, being able to put some money in the bank matters quite a lot more than it did when I first started out in this business.
Still...denise was right when she pointed out in her own way that we have pretty chill jobs, as jobs go. That's pretty cool, in and of itself. |
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bigbadsuzie
Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 265 Location: Turkish privatesector
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Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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I never really rated Turkey that much before I arrived ,just thought it would be better than the u.k .Like the fishing philosphy even a bad day is good here compared with back home .
On top of that I have been careful and made one or two wise choices in the last decade and a half ,have no debts ,propertyI own outright ,money in the bank ,better all round health ,a lot more spare time,good food and company and a job security I never had back home .Its not paradise but I reackon it will do until something better comes along . |
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