Job Discussion Forums

Nabby Adams · Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 215

There are trust funds and there are trust funds.

How many people would spend their 20's and 30's, actually any length of time anytime teaching for $1000 a month if they didn't feel secure that somebody somewhere was picking up the tab for their old age?

A westerner who knows social secuerity will be there can be far more whimsical in their career choices than a South American farmer.

And a westerner who comes from a "good" middle class family can afford to shout the "Hey man just do it" mantra that James is on about.

I bet there are many on this forum who will inherit a 6 figure $ sum one day. Well that kinda takes the sting out of the desperate need for retirement savings that an orphaned, ageing TEFL hack who had made TEFL his career in all but a few of the more lucrative countries would feel.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:54 am Post subject:

Dear Nabby,

My parents are teachers. I have three syblings. Won't be inheriting anything resembling six figures. (Unless you count figures on both sides of the decimal point. A shocking $1000.00 inheritance sounds about right.)

Nor am I confident of social security. Aside from rumors of its pending demise, under the US system you have to pay in to receive. And as I haven't, as an adult, done much work in the US, it doesn't seem that this option is there for me either.

Yet, I'm happily spending my 30s teaching English for around $1000 a month. (My 20s were a different story. Wilder, but nowhere near as lucrative.)

How can this be?

A few thoughts- it's not what you earn, it's where, and what you do with it. On $1000 a month in Ecuador, I can save a few thousand a year. Probably have to earn $30k or $40k most places in the US to save as much.

And I'm low earning, but not relative to where I am. I'm investing. Getting a masters. Probably buying property in the near future. On $1000 a month. Why not?

And living somewhere that the cost of living is so cheap, it's easy for me to do short stints in other higher paying countries, then take the money back to Ecuador, where it goes much further. (I'm in Korea now. Earning a mid-sized pile of money for a short-term teacher training gig. Two more weeks, and I move back to Ecuador, where a mid-sized pile of Korean money is quite large.) If you know how to live and work abroad, make it work for you. Earn where the numbers are big. Spend, and live, where they're small. It's only common sense.

Best,
Justin

PS- goes without saying that I'd be planning differently for a return to the US, but...with planning, everything is possible.

Nabby Adams · Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 215

Good reply Justin. But actually I do consider Korea to be one of the places that a TEFLer needs to go if he stands any chance of supporting himself in old age. (without recourse to State, inheritance or Santa)

Actually your way is one real path. What made you choose Ecuador? I only know Asia and to be honest I'm a little worried that economists seem to feel that the cheaper SE Asian currencies are going to get stronger in the long term. This was my version of your plan, but with Japan and Thailand, and so it means far more years in the hamster wheel if it comes true.

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

Nabby Adams · Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 215

Do you think Peru offers a long time option Nature G? Where in Lima are you? I mean can you afford to live in a central, nice location?

thelmadatter · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:32 pm Post subject: respect

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject:

Thanks Thelma,

But at the same time, OMG, I'm getting old! Being held up as responsible! This is SO not me.

I always like Dave Barry's financial advice:

"the smartest money move I made was not to have any before I was thirty, which kept me from spending it all on beer."

I agree. But, well, I'm no longer under thirty...
Crying or Very sad

BUt life is good.
Justin

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

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

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

Damn, 80 m2 and for only 65k? We were looking at places in Honolulu for about 45m2 at about 250 k!

But the air is a little better in Honolulu......but you can't get dinner for $2 either!

How do you think Peru compares to Eucudor (don't know if you've ever been there or not)? Eucudor is often referred to as the retirement choice for a lot of Americans considering its distance to the US and the cost of coastal property.

natsume · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 409 Location: Chongqing, China

Where's Eucudor?

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

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

It's nice to see some reality on here - meaning something approximating my experiences and observations.

The "pro-TEFLer" to me speaks at least one foreign language, has (over-) invested in being educated in this ....? field. Applied Linguistics, DELTA, or any of the numerous acronyms. My experiences seem to lean towards investing those funds in another educational field...or a trade.
I have stated many times on my home-forums(China) that this ...field will soon fade from being the Western unemployment release valve.

I left Eastern Canada many years back,because there didn't seem to be any work for ME. Beijing on the other hand was,for a few years: apply to 4 jobs, get 3, and 2 strangers contact you to see if you could work for them. 14 years later(so more precious experience..haha!), and I've applied for 10 jobs, and got no response - and presently doing a God awful job, just to save up to leave this @$! place.

The present catch-22 seems to be, if you're super-duper qualified, you're able to be gainfully employed back home.
Something else the OP forgets to mentions( all youngins do)is the issue of medical care.

18 years ago when I was thinking of going into ESL, there were too many choices.Now ? And heaven knows what this global downturn will lead!

Korea/Taiwan- Lots of scams and dodgy boses
Japan- Start-up costs are ridiculous money consuming,and that stuck in 1990 250,000 Y
Middle East- last refuge of good salaries,and they damn well know it..and try to leave if you don't like it.
Europe - Good night
Eastern Europe -Euro costs with 3rd World income
South America- Seems more akin to Europe...working paycheck to paycheck
Russia/St. Pete- Same as Eastern Europe, but maybe throw in more violence.
That's my take on pre-results of this global shakedown .

ESL Hobo · Joined: 23 Oct 2008 Posts: 262

Hi James,

Life can be tough.
Let's see, a story.
Left home when I was barely 17.
Both parents gone, now. No family to rely on.
Busted my hump getting a BA degree, working as I went, as many hours as I studied. But those were the happy wonder years.

OK. One of my lesser horror stories, a man doesnt like to admit too much defeat, hahaha.

I once left a country with nothing but a suitcase. I arrived at my new job absolutely pennyless. The school was great, they provided a loft style place for me to live (Which they took rent from my salary for a few months until I was paid up) I ate breakfast snacks with my kindergarteners, a decent lunch, and afternoon snacks. This went on for 40 days(biblical proportion of time, Hah!) I had to walk everywhere, no money for buses, sometimes through typhoon weather conditions and flooding. Again the school was great, they asked me if I needed an advance, but I was too proud to accept more than what they already given me. After I got my first pay it was like the sun bursting out from behind the clouds the worst was over and I was going to make it, and I did. That is, until the next big meltdown, LOL.

This didnt come about because of poor planning. It came about as a result of being betrayed by a series of people I trusted until I hit bottom. I still have problems trusting people, but life goes on.

I have been in lower circumstances but I loath to speak of them publically, some I blame on myself, some I don't. It just seems that some people are born into and live more difficult lives than others, for whatever reason.

Hope things get better for you now.

The ESL Hobo
"Life's a journey, not a destination." Aerosmith

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject:

Nice Story, Mr Hobo. My first job as a TEFLer was in Italy, and was similar.

But I've said it before, I'll say it again. If you want it to get better, and work for it, it gets better.

Not saying you have to; if a wandering bohemian lifestyle is what you want, have at it! TEFL will provide.

I've been about as broke as I wanna, in places where it isn't nice to be broke. Have slept outdoors when I couldn't afford indoors. Have had myself one heck of a time.

And though sometimes it's been rough, since I turned to EFL teaching, I've never had another job. Never had to get the day job, or the job waiting tables, or god forbid, to go back to the US and save up.

As I've gotten a bit older, my wanderlust hasn't subsided, but my desire to have reliable indoor plumbing has increased. With it, the desire to be able to get good books, and keep them as long as I want. To be able to travel home to visit family when I choose, rather than when I can.

I'll never be in a cubicle contributing to a 401K. But I guess I am getting a little more staid as I get older.

And still, TEFL will provide. (Provides better now, actually. You get a few specialized qualifications, and it gets easier.)

Best,
Justin