Job Discussion Forums

sashajade · Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Minnesota, USA

Hi. I am interested in any advice in choosing a country to teach english in. I am new to this. Is it better to start out in a country such as Korea rather than trying to find a job in Europe? I have a B.A. in theology, but no ESL certification. I need to make enough money to pay bills back here in the U.S. while I am overseas. I'm rather low on funds to start out. I guess what I'm wondering is are there countries that are better to start out in that require less money up front and less experience. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

People seem to go to Korea for money, Europe for culture.

sashajade · Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Minnesota, USA

I'm wondering if this is a good, realistic game plan: Take an online certification course, get a job in a country like Korea, where I can get experience and save money. If after a year, I decide that I really want to do this for several years, then, earn a CERTA degree overseas, and look for a job in Europe. I am a little short on money upfront, and I want to make sure that I really want to do this long-term before I spend a lot of money on schooling. I would ultimately like to end up teaching in Europe someday but it seems like there are a lot of restrictions for Americans and the money is not that great. I'm thinking with time, experience, and the right connections that it might be easier to teach in Europe - particularly Italy. What do you think?

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

I would do an on campus course. Try the Korean forum for more info

Europe is open, but the new Europe. Italy is hard, but you could get in. Go East, should be easier.

sashajade · Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Minnesota, USA

Thanks for your replies. I see you're in Lima. I spent 2 months in Lima in 1990. I loved it there.

ecocks · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 899 Location: Gdansk, Poland

but landing jobs for Americans in Western Europe is not as easy as in the Eastern areas. EU regs and visa restrictions are making things challenging. There are good jobs depending on what your short and mid-term goals are. If money is that big a deal (like repaying student loans time) then Japan or Korea, even China would probably be better. If experiences and the European caucasian thing are more to your liking then Europe works as well.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

The JET programme in Japan requires only a bachelor's degree in any subject. The ALT work is mostly in rural areas, and you may have to go to several schools, but it pays more than most entry level work in Japan. Your hours are sensible ones, too. Look into it. It is a good opportunity to learn about the school system, culture, and language here. It's not for everyone, but if you have bills to pay, that would be a better option than the other entry level work. They are also one of the rare outfits here that pay airfare, and you might even have reduced or free rent, depending on the situation.

Down side, you have missed the deadline for applications for 2008-09.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

sashajade, I hope it is not too personal of a question but it might be helpful if you tell us about how much your bills back home are? Then we could better suggest a country where you would make enough to pay those bills. For example working in Peru for 500US a month probably won't allow you to pay your bills back home. Most jobs in Eastern Europe would not allow for that. The jobs in Eastern Europe probably pay around 800 US a month.

Inlingua in Naples Italy was offering recently 13.50 Euros an hour for around 80 hours a month. That is around 1080 Euros a month before taxes and insurance.

MO39 · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:56 am Post subject:

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

Also, I highly suggest that you do some volunteer ESL teaching while you are still in amerika. You will soon find out if you care for this type of vocation, and you will have something to put on your resume once you leave home.

sashajade · Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Minnesota, USA

I have about $70,000 in student loans and about $7500 in miscellaneous debt. I hope to be able to pay a lot of the of the miscellaneous debt off before I go overseas. I will also need to save $ to move and possibly get certified. I'm single and have no children. Besides my dog, Henry, who I can leave with family for a year, and my debts, I have no other commitments. As I might have said before, I would like to get in a better financial situation so that I would be able to teach in places where the pay is not as important.

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

sashajade · Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Minnesota, USA

Serious_Fun, you ain't kiddin'. I'm so broke I can't pay attention! Laughing

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Extraordinary Rendition · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject:

Not something I'd consider right now, but there seem to be a lot of adverts for jobs in Germany working as an independent contractor, teaching Business English on-site at clients' establishments of one sort or another (see TEFL.com). The schools seem to pay well, and appear to be willing to hire non-EU nationals, presumably because of the teacher having independent contractor status (they often use the term "freelance"). Impediments: They sometimes ask for applicants already in Germany, but not always, and often ask that you have some knowledge of the German language. Just a thought...

Also, if you want to follow-up on the volunteering in amerika idea, you can contact your local Council on Literacy. They will give you some initial training, but it will usually be for one-on-one teaching, which is quite different from teaching classes; nevertheless, as Serious Fun mentioned, it would give you a taste of teaching, and some experience.

Serious Fun, with a nickname like that, no wonder you spell amerika correctly!!!