Job Discussion Forums

[nickpellatt]

Ive been asked to write an article for a magazine along the above lines, and would just like to open it up to the forum for some further ideas about making a success of working life abroad. It is going to be a teacher specific article...and obviously I have my own ideas but they are geared more around a single male living in Asia.

Some other perspectives would be cool ...

Thanks in advance

nick

[RollingStone]

umm... im sure many will be happy to add their 2 cents but... have you considered reading what is on the site....? there are stickies, threads etc etc etc that deal specifically with this topic from a from a wealth of angles.... couldnt you sorta read those and distill the main themes and subtexts..?

jus a thot

[Glenski]

I hesitate to respond because you may be getting paid for the article yet are soliciting only opinions here, but here goes...

Why a single male in Asia? No equal opportunity?
How long is the article supposed to be?

Successful means meeting one's expectations in life/work and making "enough" money and getting recognized for one's achievements. Pretty generic, yeah, but how to be "successful" covers a broad area depending on who one is. I'd suggest keeping that in mind when you write.

("Enough" means different things to different people.)

[nickpellatt]

There is a small payment involved ... and its got to be around 1800 words. There will be some creative prose to set the scene, but I imagine it will end up being along the lines of '7 tips on how to make working abroad easier'.

I mention my persepective as a single male in Asia, lone women travellers may face difficulties that I havent encountered or thought of. I pretty much know what I am going to write ... so just made a post to see if anyone had any similar types of advice. It will be a fairly generic article to be honest.

Lots of people seem to have terrible experiences when trying to move abroad, and yet my work and travel experiences have been wonderful...so Im just going to write my take on why things dont always work out for people. The magazine is aimed at young people who take gap years, summer jobs etc, rather than older people emigrating permanently.

[Glenski]

Well, nick, in that light, since you have already figured out what you want to put in, I'll contribute a bit more.

[Cool Teacher]

[father Mackenzie]

I think Glenski has given some very good insights into living abroad. I would like to comment that I see new young teachers here and it is essential they know what they are getting into and they need to research where they go before hand.
Also whilst this may sound negative,it is from my experience. Receiving bad news from home about family and friends. I am not talking about bereavement but other things like family crisis, or accidents etc. This can have a lasting affect on the individual and can affect their work and social life. Finding companions and friends who will listen and support them sometimes can be hard. Sickness is also not very pleasant either. If you are sick and cannot work, you can feel isolated and alone when if you were at home you would have support from others.

Finally, I think that the perception of teaching while travelling is still strong and easy to do but when people come to do it, they find that they do have to work and that they are expected to be serious and professional and act as responsible adults to the students who expect to learn from them. The cultural differences and lifestyles also can affect people in different ways for both men and women which can also change a persons view on living overseas for the better and for the worse.

[RollingStone]

[nickpellatt]

Thanks for the replies so far, especially Glenski.

I did an interview for this magazine in 2006 disccussing my first experiences in China, and have been invited to submit something offering frank advice on how to make the transition to working abroad a successful one. The payment (if the article is used) is considerably under �100 so please dont think Im pulling a fast one by asking y'all to write the ideas whilst I cash the cheque

The advice will fall into categories that will be quite broad but include the importance of some simple planning, keeping a sense of humour and sense of adventure, having realistic expectations, learning to accept, respect and live alongside alternative cultures and faiths, and keeping in touch with loved ones at home. I may broaden some of these topics and expand them depending upon how I feel when writing.

[naturegirl321]

Being flexible
NOt comparing countries
Learning the language
Adapting to culture and customs

oh, try looking at www.transitionsabroad.com for ideas too

[natsume]

High tolerance for ambiguity.

[basiltherat]

Respect ,but not necessarily agree with or approve of, the local population and their customs/beliefs ..... despite how they may contradict or clash with your own.

Avoid trying to convert them to your way of thinking or your way of doing things even though their way makes no sense to you.

Smile in the face of seeming incompetence.

And if you really can't hack it anymore, pack your bags and leave.

As my ex-boss said "If you don't like it, feck off !"

Agree totally.

Best
Basil

[Noor]

A reason to be there besides making money.

[shenyanggerry]

Find a local ex-pat bar. You need contact with your own language and culture. That being said, I consider Americans, Aussies, New Zealanders, Irish and British close enough to Canadians to be my culture - especially when compared to Chinese.

[spiral78]

I know it sounds terribly basic, but it's an issue in the EU: 1)be sure you can work legally in that country, and make the effort to get the legal paperwork you need.


2) Do your research. How much money should you save up before going 'there' ? Don't leave yourself without a financial lifeline.