Job Discussion Forums

nomadder · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:00 am Post subject: Homeless For Life?

I'm wondering how many others out there feel like they'll never find a place to settle. You like(or liked) where you teach(taught) but you can't see living there forever. You go home and all has changed and you can't see living there forever either. And so you search. For what, you're not sure. You'll know it when you see it or maybe someone or something will cause your journey to take a major pause. Or it could be that you are just born to be a wanderer. You know that every place has its good and bad points so why not just keep wandering in order to shake up the mix? Any thoughts?

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

Why not just keep wandering?Well,sooner or later,everyone gets sick or dies.That sounds pretty simplistic.But the idea of a life of wandering appeals to some people."The grass is always greener".I am not saying that is necessarily wrong...but.And if you want to settle down,of course,you will be faced with at least some compromises.No place is perfect.No job is perfect.It is called accepting reality.
And of course,the original poster was correct.Things do change,obviosly.Some times for the good,but sometimes they become worse.
At least a portion of people are in this business because of bad economies back home.Maybe they are not even that happy teaching overseas(well,some ARE happy,of course) but they figure it is better to be employed overseas than unemployed back home.Who can blame them?They are doing the best they can under the current situation.

khmerhit · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:22 am Post subject: Is this Classified?

SWM, late 30s, GSOH balding with paunch, WLTM feisty adventurous red-headed ESL female pro for rollicking good times & possible marriage with a view to settling down... anywhere! Replies to Reverse Culture Shock Unit #4657, major G7 nation where it snows a lot.

Capergirl · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:34 am Post subject:

@khmerhit...Red-headed? Confused

Me little celtic heart is broken. Crying or Very sad

Capergirl · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:46 am Post subject:

Oops...meant to answer the question by the original poster. Razz

I have to say that I don't see any white picket fences in my future. I have that wanderlust so many EFL-ers have. Currently, I am pretty much going out of my mind being stuck here in Nowheretown, Canada...I desperately want to be on a plane to somewhere (I've changed my mind half a dozen times in as many months Rolling Eyes

). Maybe it's some sort of a sickness, I dunno. I do know that it's hard to make the decision to go globe trotting when I have my little girl in tow (she's 3). Will it be hard for her to move around so much? I hope not, 'cause I definitely don't see myself staying put. Confused

Tong Dawei · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 215

I long for the day when i can see atleast five years down the road so to speak. I have lived in many places over many years of my life. I want to settle down. Since i have lived in so many different settings, i know that every place has its good/bad points. It's the same with people and jobs. Hopefully, someday soon i will be in the position of having a job where the good points outweigh the bad, in an area where I feel comfortable enough to stay so that i can be willing and able to make the commitment of taking on a mortgage. I really look forward to having my own nest...

"Some where over the rainbow..."

Until then, i try to enjoy the journey towards that still elusive goal.

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

I have a friend (former US Army brat) who is thinking of pulling up stakes agian soon - and he's got two grown children.

Nowheretown, Canada sucks. Evil or Very Mad

That will never be my home again.

My job out here is okay. I'm sighned to stay another year. Might stretch that to two (I want to limit the number of times I move while doing my MA.) But I simply do without a lot by living here. This is not a "spend the next 40 years here" kind of a place. I would, however, like to spend more time in China.

Japan was a fun place to live, but I wouldn't live there forever unless I could get a much better job than I currently qualify for (hence the MA).

Own a home!? On what I make!? I'll spend the next year saving enough to make my last school payment. A round trip to see my family will eat up at least six months' salry of the year after that (provided I stay in the PRC and decide to go home for a visit.)

Next stop? Possibilities include:

- Developed China
- Vietnam
- back to Japan
- Singapore (sigh . . . not easy)
- Hong Kong (another sigh . . . not easy. PS Yes I know this is "Developed China's" poster city, but immigration laws are different. )

Ironcially, in spite of Our Founder Dave's advice, I have no desire to go to go to South Korea (anymore) or Taiwan (no, Capegirl, this isn't a personal dig Wink

). For some reason, Taiwan just doesn't lure me. I can't really say why. I've been warned off South Korea's Hogwan industry. I have some Korean friends who are really cool (living in Japan), so I was interested to go see once upon a time, but it seems that working there can be problematic. Rolling Eyes

If I want to get kicked in the teeth again, I'll go back to Japan via the Big 4 and at least get paid on time, keep my passport, and have the right to quit and/or join a union.

But that's just me.

Bertrand · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 293

The best part of travelling somewhere is the actual travelling; arriving is always something of a disapointment.

I don't know if this is at all relevant but the Chinese have an old proverb: The world's longest journey begins with a single step.

Will. · Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 783 Location: London Uk

A strange thought occurs to me. I left the geeen and pleasant land in '76 many returns and short visits in between never staying in any one place for more than a few years, always moving on to see new places and faces. I returned 3 years ago and, believe it or not, I feel like I felt when I first visited a new place. I am considering getting a guide book, y'know one of those backpacker things we see being read at main stations. Things are different, changed. What was once boring and staid is now new and of interest. I never knew how much I never knew of my own country. I now treat it as a new country with places and faces to see.
Absence.....
The moral? If you stay away long enough you see things from a different perspective.
The pension plan is not that good.

richard ame · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 319 Location: Republic of Turkey

Strange thread this ,on the one hand we have Nomadder who seems to dread the thought of putting down roots somewhere but also seems aware if he doesn't soon that later in life he will regret it . Then we have others who are afraid to admit they left their country to do that (get a place of your own cos you can't in your own country). I make no apoligies that the country of my birth is a place I will visit for a week possibly two and then be glad to come back here ,what is there to miss ?If I was ever homeless over here (highly unlikely ) there would be no shortage of offers of help I don't see that happening back home somehow doyou ??

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

The thought of being a life-long nomad seems far too adventurous and romantic--not the sort of thing that I could see myself doing. A few more years of life abroad, and then I'd like to head back home and teach there. I guess that, despite no longer having a home or any family in my hometown/home state, I am far too rooted there. And despite my antipathy towards the current regime--oooops, government--in the White House, I can't seem to lose my Americanness.

Who knows, though... maybe in a few years I will have changed my mind, and will no longer feel the need to rush back home and settle down, get a house (on a teacher's salary?!?!?), a dog, etc. I've got to say, though, that the thought of turning 30 and still being a nomad/vagabond/whatever is kinda unsettling.

d

Capergirl · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 12:21 pm Post subject:

nomadder

Interesting responses. Caper Girl I too am from N.S. and have been in Asia as well. I might go back to Japan and eventually get a Masters as well. I've seen enough of the world already to know that not any one place really does it for me. Back in Canada at present and wondering was the weather always this bad or is this just a bad year? Now the sea seems too cold and Northern for swimming. The crime rate is beginning to make parts of the US look safer than here and that was never the case before. Crazy rules and regulations conspire to keep this country in the dark ages. Friendly? Depends. More propaganda.
As for wandering with a child-good for you Caper Girl. If you've read any Dervla Murphy you'll know anything is possible.

MindTraveller · Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Posts: 89 Location: Oman

It's important to remember that throughout human history, we have been nomads. It's only been within the past 10,000 years that SOME people settled down in cities. Then, lots of people left home in Mesopotamia and Africa to spread all over the world.

This fact comforted me when I realized I got an 'itchy stomach' every few years. (Really, I felt it in my stomach and not my feet.)

Having a high need for stimulation, being a nomad satisfies that need. Being a bit crazy, it's very important to 'move on' sometimes.

I have a pretty good USA pension plan I use to save for my old age, and last year I discovered I can retire in the USA by buying a trailer in a "50+ year old trailer park". These realities have relaxed me about not ever having a home. I don't want a house (too much to clean, lawn work, etc.) The 50+ trailer parks are nice, without the youthful riff-raf.

I considered retiring to Sri Lanka, where homes cost $25,000 (USA). Then I thought, why live so far away from 'home', from public libraries, where people speak the language - and, with my imagination - fear the local dirt-poor people would rise up and kill all the 'rich, white, foreigners' living in their country? I've chosen to settle for a mobile home. (Condo prices are sooo high in cities....)

Yeah, the question is where? Americans who stay in America are among the most mobile people compared to many other nationalities. So some of us move from country to country, rather than state to state, or city to city.

Relax. Being a nomad is normal. It just makes you more aware of lots of things in life - and the importance of saving money while young.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Basically, there are two types of nomads:
]The poor who are constantly looking for a settled, stable and sedentary life, preferably in a megacity (Manila, Bangkok, Shanghai, Cairo, Kinshasa, Rio, Mexico Ciudad).
Know how much they envy us from "Nowheretown"???

And then, there are the bored, civilisation-fatigued, well-fed but adventurously-challenged.