Job Discussion Forums

[AmericanAmina]

[In the heat of the moment]

I lived in the south and north of England, and always enjoyed holidays to the continent, spending a package week or two in France, Spain or Italy. Then I took a job teaching in China, the furthest east I'd been before was Bodrum for a day during a cruise around the Med! The culture shock lasted a good three months but everything was completely fascinating. Just people's normal lives; the way they ate, shopped, dressed, celebrated, thought of foreigners and reacted to me (I was the only foreigner in the village).

And then there was the teaching to learn, as I'd not been in a classroom since my non-teaching degree. I was starting from zero, I'd never paid attention to my teachers' practices when I was in education so I had nothing to personally refer to. I'd never read anything about teaching or considered it before applying for the job - teaching small children in a public school - and only got by with the help of an excellent English department manager, and a couple of very good teaching assistants (although towards the end they just sat at the back of the classroom, marking work, as I and my trusty chalkboard kept 40+ children entertained for 40 minutes).

After finishing the contract I went back to the UK and applied for jobs in my old industry, but had no success in getting roles that I could do standing on my head. After about the fifth interview I realised in every one, at some point, I'd been gushing about working overseas. So I did my CELTA and went off again for two years (ME). Back to the UK after a very bad job, then out again for a year (different ME) to a better job. Back to the UK, then off to SE Asia again, but this time didn't return home between the three jobs. I quit one job (with a good reference), then started and finished another contract, went to another country in SE Asia, staying in a hotel I was accepted for a job in a third country and went there. Then back to the UK for a brief stint before returning to the ME where I am now.

Phew. Just over ten years now, six countries, ten jobs if you count the summer camps. Before I'd been at the same company and location for seven years. If I was asked how to make it overseas I'd be at a loss to explain how, although having access to good tea and good cheese always helps.

[SammytheSlug]

[twowheel]

[Kowloon]

[getbehindthemule]

Fellow Celts, it's the weather and all that blandness and misery I tell thee
I'm Irish myself, love my country but always had that 'I don't want to live here' mentality. I can't put my finger on it, wanderlust I guess...
But after backpacking through SEAsia and then living in the Southern hemisphere for a couple of years when I was younger, on my return I just knew my future was as an expat.
After a stint in the US, I now reside in Shanghai and am surprisingly content here (despite the pollution)!

[Sudz]

I've teaching overseas since 2004, and have been at it for long enough that the idea of moving back to Canada actually seems kind of new and exotic in itself. Overall though, all of my qualifications relate to TESOL, and it's not feasible to make a living back in Canada. To be honest though, if I were to return, I have a feeling I would be contemplating my next overseas move within a year.

I do feel that I am wired for overseas living. The positives have always been apparent (setting aside a bad year or two) and the negatives often seem fairly trivial to me. Also, being alone for stretches of time is not something which bothers me (and is something I generally enjoy) which is one reason why I've been able to pack up and move on fairly easily.

[Kowloon]

[JoThomas]

A really interesting thread to read. I'll add my two cents in. I never travelled at all until I left a few years after teacher's college in 2005. I certainly wasn't a young chick at the time (32 years old). I had a bit of a breakdown realizing that there were barely any full-time teaching jobs in Canada and I had a huge student debt to pay. I always yearned to see the world. Being an adventurous and curious person who wanted to experience the world, I took a teaching job in England.

After that first taste of travel, I decided to go to Asia and spent four years in Korea teaching English. In all those years, I tried to settle back in Canada a few times, but between the high tax rate, no full-time jobs, and boredom, I went back abroad. Now year three in China, and dealing with a whole new country, not to mention sensory overload.

I think some people are just more flexible and adaptable than others when it comes to how long they end up living abroad. Some people just have enough after a year or less.

Living abroad has many perks that you can get used to. Traveling to exotic places during holidays and having your rent paid can be serious perks that you can't necessarily do if you lived in the west. Plus, saving money is easier in Asia if you don't have to worry about student debt. I don't see myself going back to the west to work after being abroad for 12 years.

[santi84]

Jo,

Have you thought about coming to Alberta? Granted, the winters suck but K-12 teacher salaries are well in the $70-90K mark with low taxes.

[JoThomas]

Santi84: No, not recently. Any links on job opportunities? I looked there at one point, but didn't see too much. Do you mean working on the native reserves?

[reblair79]

[santi84]

[JoThomas]

[santi84]