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dog8food
Joined: 02 Oct 2007
Posts: 60
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 Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:37 am Post subject: What are some other work abroad opportunities? |
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I'm a 26 year old american in my travel phase. I've volunteered as an english teacher in Korea and it was awesome, but where can I find other legit travel/work opportunities/programs? I'm not quite sure I'm cut out for the teaching thing. I'd be greatful for any links/resources. Willing to go anywhere.
Thanks! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:13 am Post subject: |
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And your background would be...?
Experience?
Education?
Language fluency?
Goals?
Desired length of stay in one city? |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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| WWOOF or working holiday visas might be an option |
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Madame J
Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 239
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Au pairing or conservation? The latter is more likely to be volunteer based, however. |
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dog8food
Joined: 02 Oct 2007
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
And your background would be...?
Experience?
Education?
Language fluency?
Goals?
Desired length of stay in one city? |
I'm not looking for anything specific to my characteristics, just wanted some brainstorming--wondering what else other people do overseas.
Thanks for your ideas. I'm actually looking into the au pair thing, even though I'm a guy. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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au pair?
Well, since you're not going to be specific, then my answer will be as general.
Depending on the country and its immigration regs, you can do whatever you are qualified for.
Examples in Japan:
People own their own businesses, from pottery to ski teaching to accounting.
People do construction, work in factories, and do rocket science.
People are heads of companies (or their branches), do sales work, or are personnel directors/headhunters.
Like I said, it depends. Language requirement is a biggie, though. |
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RollingStone
Joined: 19 Jan 2009
Posts: 138
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| Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:03 am Post subject: Re: What are some other work abroad opportunities? |
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| dog8food wrote: |
I'm a 26 year old american in my travel phase. I've volunteered as an english teacher in Korea and it was awesome, but where can I find other legit travel/work opportunities/programs? I'm not quite sure I'm cut out for the teaching thing. I'd be greatful for any links/resources. Willing to go anywhere.
Thanks! |
...interesting post.
You have teaching experience that was "awesome" yet want to do something else. But you dont know what. So you ask a TESL web forum about what to do besides TESL. Interesting strategy.... |
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jpvanderwerf2001
Joined: 02 Oct 2003
Posts: 1117
Location: New York
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| Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:59 am Post subject: |
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| How about Peace Corps? Americorps? Take your Foreign Service test and go that route? You're 26, world's your oyster. Good luck! |
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denise
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish
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| Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:04 am Post subject: |
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| dog8food wrote: |
I'm not looking for anything specific to my characteristics, just wanted some brainstorming--wondering what else other people do overseas.
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Well, most of us here teach...
For a different (i.e., non-teaching) perspective, check out the Thorntree Forum on Lonely Planet's website. There's a branch of the forum that deals with living and working abroad.
Why aren't you factoring your own characteristics into your search? What you are capable of and interested in doing will determine whether or not you get the jobs that you seek.
Here in Oman, there are tons of western non-teachers--it's a new experience for me, meeting people who don't either teach or work in bars (the other expat job). There are a lot of engineers here, sent by big oil companies. And businessmen, diplomats, etc., etc. They're not just here to travel or get a travel bug out of their system, though. They're career- and family-oriented.
d |
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Mike_2007
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 349
Location: Bucharest, Romania
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| Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:31 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| So you ask a TESL web forum about what to do besides TESL. Interesting strategy.... |
To be fair to the guy this isn't a bad place to post a question when you want to touch base with people from a wide variety of countries. Most other expat forums are country specific. I'm also betting there are a lot of people on this site who were once teachers and have moved on to new careers abroad, or had careers abroad before teaching, or even have friends amongst the expat community who aren't teachers.
The non-teachers I know here are generally involved in a few fields. Some (probably most) are corporate types sent over from the mother company, others are working for English-language publications (expat mags, business newspapers, tourist guides, etc.), one has an agency that does background checks, a frozen food delivery company, a couple of estate agents selling holiday homes in Transylvania, a doctor, a chemist, a property developer...
Most jobs abroad need, as mentioned above, some level of qualification or experience to make up for the lack of language skills in the country's L1 and/or lack of contacts and on-the-ground expertise. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:44 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Most jobs abroad need, as mentioned above, some level of qualification or experience to make up for the lack of language skills in the country's L1 and/or lack of contacts and on-the-ground expertise. |
Not to mention that unless you are investing or marry someone most developed countries are not going to give you a work permit unless you were actually trained in that field in your home country.
The pay is not great but local Taiwanese companies hire foreigners in all kids of fields. You can find engineering, accounting jobs, etc.
If you want to work abroad get a computer science degree and do contract work from your home country over the internet. I know one guy here who just graduated and does online computer work and studies Mandarin for a visa. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:45 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
I'm a 26 year old american in my travel phase. I've volunteered as an english teacher in Korea and it was awesome, but where can I find other legit travel/work opportunities/programs? I'm not quite sure I'm cut out for the teaching thing. I'd be greatful for any links/resources. Willing to go anywhere.
Thanks! |
I plan on taking the foreign service test in November. If that doesn't work out I think I will try to get a second degree in Finance or Business. |
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