Job Discussion Forums

spanglish · Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 742 Location: working on that

I'm new to tesol - B.A., CELTA, a few months into my first job. I'm not sure that teaching in a massive city is for me and I miss clean air and quiet.

From my research, rural Japan is looking like the most promising place for my criteria. Any feedback?

Vanica · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 368 Location: North Carolina

You might be better off where you are.

[/img]http://esamultimedia.esa.int/images/EarthObservation/pollution_global_hires.jpg

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

Can't speak for Japan, but I will say this, if you are thinking rural, rrealise that it might be tougher than you think. If you don't speak the langauge, and can't easily entertain yourself, you might be bored out of your mind.

Where are you from? That will impact where you can go.

voltaire · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:36 am Post subject:

Hokkaido might be a nice choice for you. The only other place I can think of to fulfill your criterion is heaven itself.

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

When you get a bit more experience you can look into Oman, although the clean air is murderously hot from May to September. Muscat's quite a nice city--it's got a low-key charm to it.

d

jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

Try Salalah Oman. Peaceful small city with the amenities and a whole world of nature. Sun, sea, surf, forest, mountains, caves, sand desert, year round moderate climate with May and june being the hottest months at 27 to 32 degrees. Has it all.

airapets · Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 78 Location: The Middle Kingdom

The OP said she had just a bit of experience teaching English. Usually you need a couple of years experience. I will say, though, Oman is fairly pleasant, even in Ibri, though yesterday it was a not so cool 47*C.

jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

Dhofar is unique in its climate, geography and culture...unlike any other area in the gulf. It is unlike any other region of Oman as well. The Indians compare it to Kerala, The Californians to Big Sur, The Western Canadians to the Western Cordillera. Of Course being on the Indian Ocean the sea life is amazing! Diving is reported to be as good as or better than the Red Sea. Give it a go spanglish. A really good place to live, work and enjoy.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Do I have to mention that the market in Japan is flooded with teachers...?

spanglish · Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 742 Location: working on that

Thanks all for the responses. If anybody else has opinions, I'd love to hear them!

I'm actually a guy and I'm from the US. Those places in Oman and Japan sound pretty nice. If I went for Japan, I'd probably only do it through the JET program, if I could get accepted.

I speak Spanish, so it'd be nice to stay in a Spanish speaking country, but that would probably eliminate the part about saving money...

parrothead · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 342 Location: Japan

I don't think you have to live in rural Japan to enjoy nature and appreciate fresh air. It is a remarkably clean country. Even the larger cities are relatively clean for their size. I live in a medium size, low-rise city in the north. It is especially clean, very quiet, and just a little boring.

Blingcosa · Joined: 17 May 2008 Posts: 146 Location: Guangdong

Check out Brunei.

It is an independant oil-rich sultanate of just 300,000 people. It shares the island of Borneo with Malaysia and Indonesia.

Seems to fit the bill - small, rural, unpolluted and added bonus of decent salary.

It is a dry country though (no alcohol) - I don't know if this would bother you or not.

spanglish · Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 742 Location: working on that

Thanks blingcosa! Sounds intriguing; I'll check it out on wikipedia and do some research here on the board. My contract is up in December, so now I'm in research job application mode.

I'm getting a little discouraged about the career path teaching English seems to take (low wage ceiling, country hopping for years on end, not getting to live in your own country), so I'm thinking of getting off the ESL grid and just teaching on the side or something.

It'd be nice to fulfill my criteria in a Spanish speaking country...

Vanica · Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 368 Location: North Carolina

The Southern hemisphere may be less polluted as the magnetic North draws all the pollution upwards (I'm not a scientist but I heard something about this). I translated for some lawyers who said that the Amazonian region was pretty clean, if you avoid the parts the oil companies contaminated. Perhaps Patagonia. South America is huge, but I know from my own experience in Rio and travelling Brazil that the cities have huge population densities and abundant crime. I would like to check out other areas, myself.