Job Discussion Forums

[zootalaws]

My wife may(?) be working in Brunei and I wondered what the chances are that I would be able to change my dependant visa for a working one?

I am highly skilled, doncha know! And the thought of living the idle house-husband for two or more years doesn't really fill me with joy.

I have thought about all sorts of other ways that I could earn my keep - day trading, internet support, writing, but nothing that appeals that much.

Any help or advice gratefully recieved.

[celtica]

I am sure you will only find yourself idle if that is in your nature....and sounds like it isn't! Treat it like a challenge to your ingenuity ...

Do you have kids? You will be busy being the main caregiver if so ... and fitting your work around their needs and your significant other's working day will keep you occupied to a certain extent.

The numbers of non-working "house husbands" is getting larger by the minute in Brunei -soon you will all be able to start your own kindy/school for your own kids! Humour (@#!) aside, it is true - lots of men here with teaching spouse...

Depends on your skills and just how much perseverance you have in looking for and obtaining work.

There are all sorts of different teaching/tuition jobs around in the technical colleges, university, some part time in the international schools. Some men have advertised themselves for (and become busy with) plumbing, childcare,carpentry/woodwork, counselling, buying and selling cars, mechanic, chef etc etc. Some upskill and study while here, others enjoy being at home, being main childcarer, going to the gym, diving, playing soccer/rugby.

Cfbt also run an outdoors education outfit ...maybe something there....

So the chances of getting a work visa may be reasonable...how many of those doing what I have mentioned actually have a work visa is not known (by me at least).

Have a look on bobwhatson.com - the local online site for a lot of expat ads and the 'social scene'.

[zootalaws]

No kids, all left home.

I have 30 years IT. Ride bikes, fix things, very techy.

Outdoors is cool - have experience with disadvantaged/rehab teens in that area, happy in jungle, with ropes, camping, fishing, sailing etc. I grew up as a kid in Malaysia and Sarawak - its kind of like coming home in some regards, but it's been a long time since I sweated it out in an equatorial rainforest. Oh, and I am hellishly unfit - that's part of the reason to get out of IT - too long hours, no exercise or 'me' time apart from eating and reading/watching TV - I'm too young to vegetate! Working on the waistline and the fitness now, but it aint easy

I would really like it if I can be fully employed but I am looking to a career change/retrain - I am sick of front-line tech consulting... hard graft and difficult to compete with kids nowadays. Really hard being motivated to stay current

I obviously don't want to run afoul of the authorities, this is the first chance we have had to be debt-free, child-free and ties-free since we got married And would hate to mess up a good gig!

[celtica]

I know you said you wanted to get out of IT but I am sure there are a lot of people who would love you to come to their homes and fix all their computer stuff!! Busy teachers who don't want to have to lug the computer to the shop to get it sorted/updated etc .....word of mouth is a wonderful thing here and you would get known very quickly.. So maybe if not fully employed, you could have some work to do .

Not to mention there is a huge need for IT techs in the govt schools - who knows what you could get yourself into once here.....

Have a look on the cfbt website for Borneo Outdoors...it is the outdoor education group.

There are also lots of gyms and groups who go to gyms.... rugby in the evenings for the house spouses....beaches to run on, parks to walk in...but yeah, you sweat!

How much you end up doing really depends on your motivation to do something. It may take time, but there is stuff to get involved in.

[zootalaws]

Thanks for that... I assumed that when they said no work, it meant no work... but if I can supplement with that sort of thing I would be well pleased.

When I said I wanted out of IT, I guess I meant I wanted out of the high-pressure, high-pace stuff I have done for the last 20 years. Fixing PCs and setting up networks/internet/servers etc for schools is right up my alley (as it were).

[wpshark]

Hi
Just wondering if you got here and what you are doing?
I am in a similar situation and would lik eto start something in the line of helping local businesses etc with IT- websites and Business English.
Let me know
wpshark at gmail dot com

[zootalaws]

No, not yet. We are still waiting...

As it stands, I may well take another job here - we planned to move to NZ but the IT field isn't that flash at the moment, nor is teaching.

I guess we are both victims of the recession and until things pick up, we would have been better off biting the bullet and sticking with our (good!) jobs for another year.