Job Discussion Forums

Marcoregano · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 872 Location: Hong Kong

Joachim wrote: Hong Kong....amazing students....not in the same sentence surely????? How can that be?

foster · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 485 Location: Honkers, SARS

Marco, I have some pretty amazing students in HK...I have some shocking ones as well. I truly love my job here and I enjoy my time. That said, today is Friday and I would give my left anything to go home right now... Rolling Eyes

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 5:04 am Post subject:

I chose China cuz it's the only place that would let me work without a degree. That and the culture, language, history.

I wouldn't mind going back to HK (used to live there a while ago). I loved it there but it's expensive. Japan's cool also but the TEFL thing seems to be cooling off itself. Korea looks like the best bet huh?..... <open ended questions>

LA

yaramaz · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 6:59 am Post subject:

I chose Turkey by fortuitous accident. When I finished my TEFL course, I was offered jobs in Hong Kong and Okinawa and in Hokkaido. I was right in the middle of the hiring process for HK when a little email from Wherethefeck, Turkey popped into my inbox. Next thing I knew I accepted it and royally miffed the school in HK. The salary was a fraction of HK's. No dim sum restaurants in sight (tragic). No regrets, even though it hasn't been easy. Apparently, I chose one of the most difficult, conservative cities to live in... ooops. Even the Turks ask me why on earth I am here and not in IstanbulAnkaraIzmirAntalyaWhatever.

However, I am really happy here. I didnt have a clue what I was getting myself into when I came here, even though I had travelled extensively for years... just not in this neck of the woods. I plan to stay at least a few more years as I am really not ready to leave--- though I am very ready to leave this city of headscarves and concrete. I thinkI will be in Istanbul next term... mmmmm salt air and cafes not full of scruffy men in suits smoking, drinking tea, playing okey...

Scott in HK · Joined: 11 Jan 2003 Posts: 148

Lanza-Armonia wrote

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 3:00 pm Post subject:

...thanks for the info...I'll look into it more....

LA

Teacher in Rome · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286

Your stories are really interesting. I like the fact that everyone has got up off their collective butts and gone somewhere 'unknown' for money / love / cultural interest, or whatever.

Some people around me are not the sort to go off travelling and think that English teachers are a little weird for wanting to leave their 'home' countries. After a while, it makes me feel a bit of a freak. Well, freaks we all are, then - I'm in good company!

So what do you think are essential personality traits for surviving - years at a time - in completely different cultures?

basiltherat · Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 952

latefordinner · Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 973

As with so many, fortuitous happenstance. I decided to get some experience before I started teaching, so I volunteered to tutor for the LINC program. My student and her family had just immigrated from Shanghai, they got me interested in China. It wasn't even on the radar until I met them. Now however...

waxwing · Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 719 Location: China

I guess you wouldn't believe me if I said chess, so I'll opt for dyevushki in fur coats Wink

Another non-trivial factor is (was) the fact that I can go for weeks here (actually it's been months) without seeing a single other foreigner or 'traveller'.
Realistically that's a bit over the top, I'd think twice before opting for that again.

khmerhit · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 8:14 pm Post subject:

waxwing said

johnslat · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:37 pm Post subject: Cameleon-like xenophilia

Tolerance is definitely a vital asset, but I'd also vote for adaptability, the knack of "fitting in" to whatever environment you happen to land in - and to whatever "social class" of people you find yourself among. I'm not sure if this quality can be acquired or if it's innate - maybe both, or some combination of the two, are possible. But it's certainly been helpful to me over the years.
Regards,
John

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Another personality trait that I'd add is independence--I'm sure we've all known people who have packed up and gone home because they weren't used to being so far away from family/friends. There were a number of people from my TEFL program who went home within a matter of months.

d

waxwing · Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 719 Location: China