Job Discussion Forums

[Lynn]

I'm going back to school to become a professor but not of TESL.

[Eagle64]

Hi, everybody. This is my first post on this forum. I've been reading your posts and wanted to add my own two cents so I signed up. It's been interesting reading eveyone's posts because I feel like I'm reading about my own experiences in a way.
I came to Japan after receiving an offer to teach in a university in Kyushu. I came over with the plan to teach for a couple of years before heading back to the States. After about my third year, I started having a hard time of making a decision as to what to do next. It seems everyone goes through this around this time. Do I stay or do I leave? What is here for me if I stay? I struggled with these feelings for quite a while.
In the mid 90s, I took a trip back to the States to visit family. It was then I realized how much I missed being in Japan, and how much I didn't miss America. That was the turning point for me. I decided to make a go of it where I was. Of course it helped that I had a great job, good pay, beautiful location(Kagoshima), coach of the school tennis club, Japanese friends and so on. Now I'm married to a wonderful woman, we just bought our own home, and are making a life here together.
I realize everyone's story is different but for me there were years of struggle, doubt, low pay, and loneliness before I arrived where I am now.
I hope everyone can find their own way and be happy with their decision once they make it.

Tim

[travelingirl68]

Thanks for starting this thread, it is also quite timely for me. Denise, I know what you mean about milestones and that fear of having no rooted place - I am 36 and getting ready to go abroad again this summer.

For as long as I could remember, I had wanted to live abroad but right after college I was just not emotionally mature enough to handle venturing out alone. I spent my 20's maturing and exploring the US and different career paths in the non-profit and corporate training worlds.

When I hit 33 I couldn't take it anymore and became afraid that: "if not now, when?" - it was time to head out into the wider world! I joined the Peace Corps and did TEFL and teacher training in Kazakstan. I came back from that experience last summer to face the big reality that my baby brother was getting married to my old roommate, and my baby sister had just had a baby! (I felt like I was the baby and they were the adults.)

This year has been tough, and I am thankful for my family for being so supportive. I am a nanny for my niece and that has given me time to play at being "mommy", and lots of time to think over what I want to do next...

Unlike all the organized posters on this board, I have not made any 5 or 10 year plans, but have tended to follow my instincts about things. I will do tons of research on topics, trying to dig up every possible fact or variable of a situation or circumstance, not able to figure out the right path until something clicks, I relax, and the right way opens up for me.

I too want to get a master's degree, but I abhor the idea of going into debt to obtain one. Instead, I want to go abroad again for a few years to save money, have time to apply to a variety of programs and try to get a TA position. I would love to go to China, especially Xinjiang, but I do have to think about finances at this point and am looking at Korea for the next two years.

Wow, I didn't expect to write all that when I began typing. I suppose it was refreshing to see others communicating about their plans and fears - and good for me to read about it when I often feel surrounded by people who seem to have it "all figured out".

[travelingirl68]

My oh My - I didn't realize this thread started 2 years ago! Denise, are you in Chile now? How are you feeling about hitting the (not so) big 30?! (It really is not as scary as it seems!) Everyone, please play catch up - how are all of your plans unfolding?

[Mchristophermsw]

Yes, life can be a Safari.

As for me, my adventure started as a child who was abused and stability was a far off reality.

In my teens I experienced homelessness off and on for many years. In my twenties, I struggled with abandonment, insecurity, and stability issues and it took me 8 years to get a 2 year degree!

However, in my twenties I also lived in India, Singapor and Mexico.
By this time, I have been personal trainer, recreation specialist, national level bodybuilder, gym manager.

In my 30's ( I will be forty in June ) got married, bought a house, got divorced, gave her the house, went back to school obtianed my Bachelors and Masters Degree in Social Work; worked as writing specialist, child protection social worker, counselor, and community college instructor.
Lived in Trinidad and Tobago for a year, re-married, came back to the states to take care my dying grandmother.

As of today, I have a peice of property on the beach on Caribbean Island, and a beautiful Wife. In 5 years we are going back to Trinidad to live and raise a family. I will either be teaching, counseling or Human Services. And I will be applying for residency

Trinidad is the major English speaking Country in Latin Caribbean and many people from that part of the world go to Trinidad to learn English, so this might be a good place to use a MA-TEOSL. or worse case scenerio obtian a teaching certificate from there and teach at a government school or one of the many private religious colleges and schools on the Island.

Anyhow, Life has been a roller coaster---But I am still thinking about future goals and plans, if all works out some of the other things I will like to accomplish is to do some teaching or humanitarian work in Ethiopia.

Further, when I turn 50 my dream is to go to a seminary and get my ministers degree. maybe be an associated pastor and then counsel youth and married couples in the congregation and work towards unification and strengthning of the family through biblical prinicipals, write a few books, and maybe even compete in some Master Level Bodybuilding shows.

One thing for certian, there is nothing like country life on a Caribean Island. The children are amazing, the people are warm and caring and there is no competition to keep up with the next person as far as status.

When I was there no one cared about my degree (s) it was not important in conversation like it is in the US were status means everthing.

Oh well, I think my MA-TEOSL will be a good next acheivement and serve me well as another tool in my "tool box" as with most things that I try to do, I do it so I can help other with it.

Thanks for listening to my rambling
Michael