Job Discussion Forums

Cayenne · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Canada

I know that this topic has been addressed before, even recently, but I couldn't find anything that answered my specific questions.

I am currently completing my B.Ed. in TESL and I also have a B.A. in translation. One of our projects has always been to live abroad for a few months with our kids so that I can teach and the kids (and the hubby, at the same time) can take advantage of the wonderful experience this would be for them.

Hubby is not a teacher and would have to take a few months off his job, which is why we cannot really leave for a whole year. We would also like to go before the kids enter school, if possible (they are 18 months right now so we still have quite a bit of time ahead of us). He would take care of them while I teach.

Based on your experience, does that look feasible at all? Are there any schools and/or organizations that will offer jobs for less than a year? Should we forget about this altogether?

Thanks a lot for your help!

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

Perhaps it would be helpful for us to know what you mean by "a few months" and "less than a year".

Any specific countries in mind? Cost of living may be a factor with a family.

Cayenne · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Canada

"A few months" would most likely be anywhere between 3-5 months, more or less like a university semester. We don't have any specific place in mind although we are in love with latin America and would not mind going there.

Thanks for your help!

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:03 pm Post subject:

As you look at options, you may actually find that you're about as well off saving up money and taking a long vacation or doing a self sponsored volunteer project.

There are very few places where it's common to hire teachers for so short a period. Those few that I've heard of rarely if ever pay well enough to support a family.

Even in places where a teacher can afford to support a family, recouping initial costs usually takes more like a year.

Sorry to be a bearer of bad news- but in essence, if you can afford to do this at pretty much your own expense, it might be possible.

If you're looking for it to be paid for by your employment, it seems very unlikely.

Best,
Justin

Wildcats in the house · Joined: 15 Jan 2010 Posts: 13 Location: Benghazi

I understand from your post that you are thinking of this more for the experience than for a method to support your family, so I will respond in that vein.

I think if you could squeak out a year (don't forget about the holidays, which can be long - Spanish schools turf you out in mid June and don't expect you back until mid Sept) it would mean you could work for an academic year - much better all round. You could look for countries where they take people at the beginning of their careers i.e. possibly less glamorous countries. Ten years ago I went to Poland (!), ended up with excellent career prospects and a fab time (and lived somewhere few people had been to!). If you check the schools list at www.ihworld.co.uk, they usually have comments like 'suit someone at the start of their career' - a sign of a less popular destination.

My current situation is that I have thrown all my EFL experience down the tube in order to have a family, and am now looking to get back into it again. I have three small ones. (I don't regret a minute though Very Happy

)

Good luck - bite the bullet and you will all have a great adventure if nothing else. If you don't go, you might end up looking back with a 'what if' aspect. And you will always have your tickets home if things are really pear shaped - lucky for you your husband has the safety blanket of a job at home! Let me know how you get on.

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

3-5 months' experience for the kids at that age will be meaningless. They will have no way of remembering anything.

3-5 months' experience of teaching (with neither of you experienced in it) also doesn't seem to make much sense if you truly want to gain some TEFL experience. You'd barely be getting used to the building where you work and the most general of business / teaching customs, and then you'd have to leave. I can't fathom why you think such a short term is so appealing. Hubby would be the one who gets the most out of the whole thing, IMO.

Cayenne · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Canada

The reason why we cannot leave for a year is that there is no way hubby can take a year off work without losing his job. Also, I do have experience in teaching (almost two years) so it would not be all new for me.

Thanks for the feedback!

Wildcats in the house · Joined: 15 Jan 2010 Posts: 13 Location: Benghazi

What about summer camps? You can probably pick something up. Sorry to mention it again, but www.ihworld.co.uk has jobs on at the moment for five months - you can usually pick up jobs in Europe for people who have had enough and gone home early i.e. in January to June. Just an idea. You might end up in a place you have never thought of (or heard of)

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

you can usually pick up jobs in Europe for people who have had enough and gone home early i.e. in January to June.

Wildcats, you said you were in Poland ten years ago.

Things have changed. The laws are FAR tighter regarding hiring non-EU member state citizens to teach English.

Canadian, US, Aussie, and others only get 90 days inside the entire Schengen zone (google for a list of countries) before they must leave the zone for 90 days. Border runs no longer work.

The 'new' EU member states do still issue work permits for non-EU teachers, though it's a tough, competitive process and some don't get lucky. But Western Europe is technically off-limits, and it is HIGHLY unlikely that any North American teacher is going to pick up 5 months of legal work anywhere in Europe.

Your experience is a bit outdated, I fear. Do check out the Schengen zone and its laws as of Jan 2009. You might also want to read up in the Poland and Czech Rep forum regarding the job market in general and visas for non-EU citizen teachers. I mention these two countries only because they are among the few where North Americans can still technically get legal work.

Cayenne · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Canada

Summer camps sound interesting! You are right in saying that we are far more interested in the experience than the money; however, we would like to be able to support the family while we are travelling - I'm not talking about making the payments here while we are gone. We are able to live on little : my husband is typically laid off a few months per year and I am a full-time student, we have two babies and are still able to travel every year (with the kids, may I add). Let's just say we're not your typical North American family!

I know leaving for a year would be the best but in our case, it's not really feasible, not for now at least.

I'll definitely look into summer camps. I also have a professor who has contacts in Costa Rica, I'll talk to him about all that.

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

Would you care to answer my question more completely, please? Even though you have had 2 years of teaching experience (abroad or otherwise), I would like to know more.

I'll paraphrase:
Why do you think such a short term is so appealing? What do you hope to gain (you, hubby, the kids)?

Cayenne · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Canada

As I said, the thing is not that a few months is appealing, it's pretty much the only way we can do it because we can't afford my husband to lose his job and he cannot take more than a few months off (which is already quite good). If there is no way I can get a short contract, then there is no way we can do this. I know that a longer contract would be better but it's not logistically feasible for us.

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

Thank you, Cayenne. I may not be expressing myself clearly enough here.

You "have always wanted" the experience of teaching abroad, but you can only afford 3-5 months. I understand the latter but am not sure about the former.

What do you expect to gain in 3-5 months of teaching abroad, whether professional or cultural/social? This includes the babies. Put another way, what is it about such an experience that you can't gain from traveling as tourists?

Cayenne · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Canada

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Good question! I have never thought about it in that perspective. Actually, I don't think we will travel as tourists for a few months if one of us is not working, at least not before we retire.

If part of the issue is earning some money to cover part of your expenses, you would need to be aware that one teacher at a summer camp rarely earns more than enough to live on, and most summer camps aren't going to pay travel expenses to the country.

Sure, having a paycheck always helps, but it would be really difficult to find anything that would pay more than just enough to feed and house the teacher during the time period. Housing for summer camps also obviously isn't set up for families.

If the issue is more that your husband is reticent about a long holiday somewhere for the cultural experiences, and would accept the whole idea better if it's somehow about work, then it makes more sense.