Job Discussion Forums

[guru]

It would be interesting to see the best and worst countries as there's heaps of teachers here from all over the world.

[isabel]

The best and worst for what? There is usually a trade-off between wages and environment.

Best for income: Middle East or North East Asia (Japan and Korea).

Best for living: My vote would be for Mexico.

[Joachim]

Best for living: Thailand
Best for money: Hong Kong

Worst for living: Indonesia
Worst for money: Indonesia

[JosephP]

Here is where I have taught English -- starting with the first,
Taiwan,
Korea,
Malaysia,
Thailand,
Hawaii,
New Zealand.
The best? Hmmm..they've all held my attraction for one way or another.
In the south-central area of Taiwan where I lived, it was kind of a Chinese Dogpatch. Betel-nut chewing, flip-flop and Rolex wearing students inviting me out for a bit of slap and tickle with the syau-jies down at the KTV did get a bit wearisome.
Korea -- kimchee. 'nuff said.
Malaysia was really pretty good. Fantastic scenery, friendly folks for the most part, great food (yummm, I love those ais kacangs round the corner from Komtar).
Thailand was wonderful for me for the most part as a place to live (I married a local lass and we had our daughter there), but as a place to work or to make a decent salary, ugh.
If someone says they know of a place with a kinder, more gentle climate than Hawii I'd have to say they were lying. I absolutely love Hawaii, the food, the music, the big surf. The cost of paradise drove us out though.
I'm now trying to get permanent residency in New Zealand. I like the place well enough. Friendly people (crummy drivers though), great food --really -- and absolutely stunningly beautiful nature, even in Auckland. One thing I don't like is youth culture's need to emulate South Central Los Angeles. But, I am an old fart.

[sidjameson]

Hi Joseph,
Are you trying to get into NZ as a EFL teacher? I am considering the same myself. I would love to know your experience.

[Aramas]

[khmerhit]

kampuchea. try it and see.

[rippedandtwisted]

alright, so the first good Kiwi bash in ages...
If our vowels and our Driving ( ) are so bad, maybe you guys should slide off back to the 3rd world... (with me..)
AS for the topic, well, Bangkok and Thaladn are two totally different places, and until you've been to some of the real nasty backwaters of the world, well..... Got to know to understand.
For me it's a matter of what the students themselves are like.. the best could even be Thais (for discipline) and Chinese (for sense of humour and originality)(!?)

But of you're gonna include New Zealand, WELL! then it becomes really easy.....

[khmerhit]

Dear Reepedandtweested--I got nuthin ageenst keewees, meet, but for the feect they dress a beet funny like and they ceent prounounce the freeging word "RED"\\

otherweese, ee luv eem to beets!

yrs khmeeeeeeeeeerheeeeeeeeeeeeeet

[Mouse]

The ESL teaching field underwent a huge slump last year, with many schools closing and many teachers having a hard time keeping hold of their jobs (many didn't). Not wishing to tell horror stories (nor to speculate about changes in immigration law or the generation of a negative reputation abroad), but it would be worth checking out if you're looking to head down under. Anyone know if things're looking up there, yet?

[lozwich]

Not sure if you're talking about Down Under in general, Mouse, or NZ specifically, but here's my little perspective about Oz...

Some years ago the Australian government decided that TEFL was something very important in Australia (probably as a way to get international money for hugely expensive student visas) and made it an educational priority to create a workforce. Therefore, there's now CELTA, MA in TESOL and other courses all over the place. In Brisbane, you can hardly walk around without stepping on an EFL school.

When I did my CELTA last year, the staff at the school were almost all Australians. Lots of my colleagues on the course have stayed in Australia and picked up work, and I think that's where the problem might be for foreigners wishing to teach in Oz... There's so many of us dang Aussies working there that the demand for foreigners is quite low. I'm going home for a working holiday over the northern summer, and already have a promise of a job - in fact, they approached me!

Just my two bob's worth...

BTW, in regards to the OP, living in Mexico is pretty fun most of the time, and I'm lucky to have a good job, but I find the food difficult (I'm almost vegetarian) and the choices of things to do is fairly limited in most towns.

Lozwich.

[JosephP]

There's ESL work to be had in New Zealand, but it isn't as easy (quite difficult to be truthful) as a couple of years ago when we had the boom in Chinese students. The schools that didn't hitch their wagon to the PRC are keeping their heads above water while those who saw the Chinese export education market going on forever have sunk.
Part of the problem is that a lot of schools popped up during the boom and many of these "schools" were sketchy, at best. And not only a is it case of the Kiwis ripping off the poor overseas students as the majority of the schools folding their tents are run by Asians trying to cash in on the market (that's alright with me) or trying to scam the immigration service. At any rate, the boom wasn't managed well and the whole export education business in New Zealand needs to evolve into something less chaotic.
But, if one does score a job, New Zealand is a pretty decent place to live. And yes, Rippedandtwisted, Kiwi drivers are erratic at best. Or perhaps I have unreal expectations that such generally friendly people should somehow extend their good nature and show a little courtesy on the highway. Oh well.

[gugelhupf]

[scot47]

Korea good be could for those who want to go stark staring mad.

[desultude]

Korea is just fine. There are a lot of us here that are happy with what we are doing, and especially with the money we are earning. At a university you get good money and great vacation time- like five months a year.

I have posted before about how much money I make and save. I travel a lot.

Its not Mexico or Thailand, but its good. I love my students, and have no problem with the culture.

There are a lot of people posting on the Korea board that are young, on their first time away from home, suffering in badly paid (relatively, anyway) institute jobs. They whine and complain. Gee, some of the same people have been whining on the Korea board for years. And they haven't left. What does that say?