Job Discussion Forums

[spiral78]

I have a critic on the Czech Rep and General Europe forums who often implies that my posts aren't reliable because I spend time here and post anonymously - the implication being that I must have some covert purposes (see excerpt at bottom of this post).

While I feel no need whatsoever to justify myself, it did occur to me that it's kind of interesting to consider what does motivate us to post regularly here.

Personally, I find visiting Dave's an interesting 'break' from whatever else is going on in my busy days. I also like the idea that I may be able to help newbies consider their options realistically - and sometimes I take the opportunity to offer ideas to teachers who are asking about classroom stuff. Finally, I think Dave's offers ways to keep in touch with what's going on in our field in the rest of the world - most of my long-term personal contacts are limited to Europe and Canada.

How about you guys? Why hang out here?

By the way, in case anybody else cares, I post anonymously because years ago I picked up a stalker from the forum (no fault of Dave's, of course). It was scary.


What definitely is important is perhaps to consider that on such forums as these you will come across people who post anonymously and who spend vast amounts of their personal time both on this forum and on other forums. Schools do often post anonymously, using forums as under-the-radar advertising.

[Justin Trullinger]

Okay- I'll bite.

I use this forum because I spend too many hours at my office. Between teaching hours, meetings with parents, client companies, level tests for exchange students, TESOL course interviews on the phone with various time zones...I'm here too much.

But not always incredibly busy. Sometimes by 5, I've done all the admin I have to do, but am waiting for a six o clock meeting. Often, I don't have enough consecutive free time to leave for lunch, but have many shorter times free.

Dave's is FUN for filling those minutes.

Also, it's something easy to pick up and put down.

I find it stimulating, and think it helps others.

I do have an ulterior motive. In addition to the reasons mentioned above, I want to help inform newbies, so they don't fall prey to unethical employers, recruiters, or trainers.


Best,
Justin

PS- If you posted under your real name, Spiral, I would definitely consider stalking you.

[spiral78]

[ITTP]

[BenE]

I post on Dave's because you nice people helped me out in the beginning with the CELTA? TEFL? I to I? generic questions all the way to the more complicated questions about where to go.

A lot of my decisions on where to move to were dependent on the opinions and anecdotes from people frequenting this forum and lead to my decision of Vietnam over others such as China, Indonesia, Japan or the other countries in the EU.

Now I sit on here and occasionally post some comments and see if there is anything I can add my own opinion to.

[spiral78]

I think the issue isn't your username but instead the fact that you are located in Holland and spend part of the year out in the Czech countryside - for many pointers you provide clear and valuable information (and I have written this before), but sometimes you are off the mark, especially when posting about Prague specifics and also about countries other than Holland and the Czech Republic
I have also lived in other cities around the globe (such as Cairo). Plus, I have quite a lot of travel under my belt.

I've lived and worked in Luxembourg, Belgium, and Canada as well. Neville, if you're an authority because you've travelled - well, I have knowledge of the European region, having lived, worked, and travelled here for more than a decade. I won't be limiting my posts to Holland and the Czech Rep.

As for direct information regarding the CR, I lived in Prague for three years, and have both friends and family in the city. I am often there, and have friends in both teacher training centres (not yours, obviously) and language centres. I make no secret of the fact that I have friends in the industry there - but am not directly connected to any specific school.

There is a very clear distinction between not agreeing with a poster, and implying that he/she is unreliable or biased or trying to do something nefarious.

We are all entitled to our opinions, and to express them, and it's up to other posters to sort out what they think is reliable and what may not be. That's how people can disagree without things becoming slanderous and personal.

[Glenlivet]

Here to gather some information and hopefully impart some information. Also, since being in Poland I've made a point of not socialising with other native speakers. If I wanted to spend my time in such a way it would have been better to stay in the UK! It's still nice sometimes to get a more Western perspective on life here though.

Anyone who posts their real name/details on the internet needs their head testing. I've been around Usenet etc for over 15 years and have heard some scary stuff, even involving people who are anonymous (IP traces etc). That nice innocent newbie you're trying to help could just be your worst nightmare waiting to happen.

Be careful out there!

[spiral78]

Yeah, 'my' stalker ended up parked in his van across the street from my house (this was in the US and he came from three states away). I was alert enough to phone the police when I saw the van with out-of-state tags, as the guy had already alerted me by sending email direct to my hotmail account. He had guns and stuff - no way to know what he intended, as the guns were licensed, but quite creepy overall.

[Justin Trullinger]

[johnslat]

Dear Justin,
No doubt about it; we're both bonkers - although you're more so than I am, given that you use both FULL names.
So, maybe I'm only 3/4s crazy.
Regards,
John

[spiral78]

It may be different for guys:) Especially when you haven't been burned in the past.

[Justin Trullinger]

Probably is different for guys.

I also probably feel a little protected by my location. Next to nobody in Ecuador could read this forum, even if they knew about it. THose who can, mostly know me already.

And anyone who would actually COME to Ecuador to stalk me is likely to be crazy enough that they'll never make it.

I did once have a self-proclaimed cyber-stalker. She was fun! Whatever happened to PerpetualTraveler anyway?


Best,
Justin

[nickpellatt]

I continue posting because I have far too much time on my hands, and cant quite fill that time with facebook and emails. So I keep popping in here as well.

I cant remember quite why or how I joined really .... it might have been to find out an answer to a specific question, and google led me here. I do like to share my limited experience as a new teacher with newer members, and as I have spent most of my teaching time in China, I do frequent the China forums and post there.

I like to share my limited knowledge, and I like to pick up some of the knowlege and know how from everyone else here.

The final reason I like to post here, and hopefully make a sensible contribution, is to make a few contacts. There are a few names on here I interact with ... and I hope if I end up making a move to the part of the world they live and work in, they might be able to help me out! Im not someone who would be comfortable arriving in a country on the back of a recruiters recommendation ... so if I wanted to go to somewhere ... I would hope someone on the board here might be able to help me out.

That cuts both ways of course ... I dont have many contacts at all ... but I have found work for two people, one of whom I 'met' here ... Im happy to help people out when they seem sensible professional people.

Ive never really worried about using my real name online. You can find me on other forums under the same name, on you tube, facebook and with a blog (that I dont really write in anymore). I havent had a stalker, but I did get caught out once by a girlfriend who googled me and found an internet journal that documented steroid use when I was bodybuilding. I would have preferred she didnt read that ... but there is very little secretive about my life ... so Im not overly worried.

I

[spiral78]

I've got no secrets either - but after being threatened via email and then finding the guy was actually camping out in front of my house...well, yeah - it's not that I'm trying to hide my identity or quals or experience, but I haven't got over the worry entirely.

[johnslat]

Dear Justin,
I just changed my user name. Got to run now and book that flight to Ecuador. See you soon.

Regards,
PerpetualTraveler (aka johnslat)