Job Discussion Forums

[EMH1969]

Hi,

This is my first post so please be kind. I'm not sure if this belongs in the general discussion or in the newbie discussion so if one of the moderators decides to move it, that's fine. I may also try posting something similar in the Asia, Latin American, and Europe forums.

Anyway, I'm giving serious thought to teaching overseas/teaching English and am looking for input on where I should go, either a recommendation for a country or a particular city. Alternatively, if there's a place that someone thinks wouldn't be a good fit for me, I'd love to hear that as well. I'll try to provide as much info about myself as possible:

Age: 38

Education: BA and MA in psychology, MA in public policy. On top of that, I have a K-5 teaching credential from the state of California. As part of the credential, I took two courses on teaching English language learners, one theoretical, the other practical. And teaching English language learners was emphasized throughout all of my credential classes.

Teaching experience: Taught 4 sections of Intro to psychology a long time ago, 15 years to be exact. Last year I worked as an assistant first grade teacher which involved lots of planning and delivering lessons. Have also spent several hundred hours volunteering in 2nd and 4th grade classrooms.

CELTA/TEFL/TESOL certification: None. Hoping it won't be necessary based on some of my other qualifications; would be open to getting if needed.

What I'm looking for:

Social: I'm not into drinking or bars at all. I prefer cultural and outdoor activities. So I'd like to be in an area where I have access to those. I'm also single, so a place with a good dating scene is important.

People: I'd like to be somewhere where people are generally positive and friendly and where it's easy to meet people.

Money: I'm not that concerned about how much I make as long as I can cover basic expenses (food, shelter, health insurance) and have some money for entertainment and possibly a little savings.

Diet: I'm vegetarian. I do a lot of cooking but it is nice to see vegetarian options on the menu when I go out to eat.

City size: I've spent too much of my life in sprawling metropolises. I'd prefer to be somewhere that's 1-2 million people tops.

Thanks in advance for any responses. BTW, I'm not looking for a perfect fit. I'm old enough to know that any place is ultimately what you make of it. A place that meets some of my criteria would be fine.

Ed

[Glenski]

How "vegetarian" are you? Do you eat cheese, fish, eggs?

With your credentials, you could get a job at an international school, which pays far and above what entry level work pays (in Japan, at least). Not sure if you are into Asian culture. You have to get past certain aspects before you can call it "positive and friendly".

[EMH1969]

Thanks for the reply. I meant to provide for details on my "level" of vegetarianism so I'm glad you asked. I do eat eggs and cheese but not fish. I will however, eat dishes that are cooked in fish sauce.

I'm also glad you mentioned international schools. I have some questions about those but I'll save those for a separate topic.

[Girl Scout]

I have to agree with Glenski, you may want to rule out most Asian country. However, there are a few areas within these countries, namely the islands and coastal towns.

You might also want to think about university gigs. They have lower contact and no parents to answer to.

[EMH1969]

Thanks Girl Scout. Could you provide more details on why you think I should rule out most Asian countries?

[denise]

You mentioned posting in the Europe forum. Where are you from? If you are American, you can rule out lots of jobs because of visa restrictions.

Re. being vegetarian: that really shouldn't be a problem anywhere. I'm vegan and I have survived and eaten in Europe, Asia, South America, and now the Middle East. Trust me--there will be options. It's an odd concept in many cultures and sometimes social outings can be awkward, but you shouldn't let diet be too big a factor.

I assume when you mention meeting people you mean the locals. I had the most luck in that regard in Japan and Peru. There are some stereotypes that say that Japanese people aren't very warm and open, and there are some that may want only to practice their English, but if you just want someone to have dinner and a not-too-soul-revealing chat with, it's not too hard.

d

[Justin Trullinger]

Vegetarian for a decade, and I'll second what Denise said- if you're serious about it, and willing to talk to people, you'll be able to eat.

As an added bonus, being veggie will help with language aquisition. Because, eating out, you're going to have some long chats with waiters!

Vegetarianism in Latin America is largely seen as a foreign thing. (mostly european) So areas with a lot of tourist commerce with cater for you more than out of the way places. But even in out of the way places, I find it fairly easy to find food.

Best,
Justin

[EMH1969]

Thanks Denise. I am American. As for Europe, I was thiking more Easterm Europe, rather than Western. Any idea if the visa restrictions are a problem in Eastern Europe?

The comments on being vegetarian were helpful as well (as were yours Justin). Are there countries where you've found it easier to eat than others?

And yes, I did mean meeting the locals.

[naturegirl321]

[Glenski]

[EMH1969]

[Justin Trullinger]

Interestingly, though, some of the strictest veggies I've known have been Japanese.

I suspect that in Japan, as in most countries, it is NEVER enough to say "I'm vegetarian." (because that's a word that doesn't mean anything in lots of places- but if it means something, it may not be what YOU really mean by it.) You really need to let people know exactly what you do/don't eat. (Language can be a big thing with this.)

All the best,
Justin [/i]

[EMH1969]

[Girl Scout]

Sorry Glenski.

Currently I am on a I hate everything about Asia stage.

It's not really about eating habits. I currently work with a number of vegetarians who are having no problems eating out. My comments are related to living conditions, specifically the social and city size requests.

After 7 years in Asia, I have found few areas that would meet these requests. Thailand would be an exception along with the coast of China. (I have not been to Japan.)

If you don't like where you live, even a short stay will leave you witha bad impression.

[denise]

Justin mentioned that the word "vegetarian" sometimes means different things. I have found that when you tell people, they just think that you don't eat beef. ("Meat"=beef). Then they will ask, "But you still eat chicken, right?" etc, etc., all the way down the food chain!

Your "don't ask, don't know" policy is a good way to go. I will specifically order vegetarian things and ask to make sure that there is no meat/chicken/fish/eggs/cheese, etc., but then what actually goes on in the kitchen--maybe it's prepared with butter, etc.,--is beyond my control, so I just don't ask.

As Glenski mentioned, there is plenty of tofu in Japan, and they do some very creative things with it. Or with soy, at least. The Middle East is also good because there's hummus and falafel everywhere. Yum!

As for visa restrictions, I was referring mainly to Western Europe. The central/eastern countries that have recently entered the EU are, I believe, still giving jobs and visas to Americans. They're not yet as strict as their western neighbors, from what I understand.

d