Job Discussion Forums

[Ponder Frog]

I'm 26 years old, from England, with an art/design-related BA and a recently-acquired CELTA, and I am now having some quite significant doubts as to whether going away to teach EFL is the best thing for me at this stage. I realise this might sound a bit strange after I've invested so much time and money into doing the CELTA, so I'll try to explain myself as best (and briefly) as I can, and I'll be grateful for any thoughts and advice.

Since finishing my BA a few years ago I've been very aimless and non-committal with regards to my future. I've travelled a bit for a few months at a time, but have mostly been living at home and working part-time (mainly retail) jobs. I've always had English teaching in mind as a sort of 'Plan B', and earlier this year I felt that the time had come to make some sort of decision, so I signed up for a CELTA. I figured that I may as well make the most of having no ties or apparent prospects in the UK, rather than just hanging on in quiet desperation. Teaching is definitely something that appeals to me, but I couldn't bring myself to go the PGCE route (partly due to a lack of interst in teaching my degree subject, but mainly due to the bureaucracy, government pressure, life-consuming workload, endless paperwork and general negativity that characterises the UK education system at the moment). And I did find the CELTA enjoyable (albeit a bit stressful and draining at times).

But now, having done the CELTA, I'm still undecided. It's not that I no longer want to teach English or live abroad. I guess what I'd like to do now is to go away and teach for say 2-4 years. But I'm aware that as the years go by I won't be getting any younger or less unemployable in England. Over the past weeks I've been trawling TEFL forums, blogs and articles, and have read so many warnings about the black mark that TEFL will leave on your CV, about the risk of getting 'stuck' doing it, about the lack of job security, career structure, future prospects, the stagntating wages in many countries, the lack of respect and support from employers, about how it's a 'dying industry', and about the general precariousness of the job and lifestyle. It seems impossible to research any aspect of TEFL without sooner or later runnning into a barage of negativity and pessimism.

Also, despite its many flaws and terrible weather, I recognise that there are a lot of good things about living in the UK, and I wouldn't feel good about making it difficult for myself to come back and settle down here. I would definitely like to see some more of the world, but England still feels like home to me, and this feels like too young an age to risk forcing permanent exile on myself. On the other hand, having reached age 26 without ever having a 'real' job, my employability and prospects here are already pretty poor. So if I'm unlikely to find any work that isn't menial and unfulfilling then I might be better off going away and having a TEFL adventure after all. Fundamentally all I really want at this point is a means of supporting myself with a job that is in some small way fulfilling and worthwhile. It seems that English teaching can offer this at least some of the time (certainly more than my current situation), while also offering the benefits of travel and new experiences. But I'm just not sure whether it would be the best focus for my energies right now, given everything I've read and heard...

One big reason for my doubts is that I've really struggled to decide on a country where I'd be excited to go and live. I was interested in Taiwan, until I learned that (decent) jobs are now relatively scarce due to more supply than demand, and that almost all work there involves teaching very young children. But otherwise I've ruled out most of (East) Asia (unfortunate, as it seems that's where most entry-level jobs are). If pushed to pick an Asian country maybe I'd choose Korea, on the basis that it's easy for newbies, and is more developed, less polluted and perhaps not quite as generally 'difficult' as China. But to be honest there isn't really much about Korea that excites or interests me. I have been considering Latin America, specifically Costa Rica. It's an area of the world I have yet to explore, and very appealing in terms of culture, nature, lifestyle and people. But then there's the very limited earning potenial of this region to consider. On the one hand a low wage isn't a dealbreaker for me, since I have some savings and I'm not a heavy drinker or huge partier, and enjoy simple living. So I think I would do okay on a modest wage. Still, travelling thousands of miles to work for $7/hour (after spending over a grand on a certficate) seems like a slightly ridiculous career move...

So there are a lot of things I'm not sure about. I guess fundamentally I'm just not sure which is the worse decison - trying to solve my lack of direction in life by running away abroad (and in doing so potentially hampering my chances of a future in the UK), or sticking around in a place in which I can realistically envision no (enjoyable) future, and thereby missing out on the chance to try something that I might enjoy and be good at (as well as all the travel and stuff). Neither sounds like a brilliant 10 year plan.

Obviously I know that this is my decision to make, but it would be useful to get some different perspectives. Maybe some members here had to make the choice between teaching ESL abroad and a 'safer', but probably much more mundane life at home? I'm grateful to anyone who managed to read all that and will welcome all thoughts and reflections!

[MuscatGary]

Don't put yourself in the position of looking back ten years down the line and saying 'I wish I'd done that.' Take the plunge and go for it. If you're not sure how you'll cope abroad then try for a job close to home to start, maybe France or Spain. Good luck!

[Chris Westergaard]

I think you are over analyzing this way too much. Teaching abroad, for most people, lasts about a year. Pick a place that you find interested and make the jump. All of this worry and fear is not getting you anywhere. The experience, if you do it right, will change you and make you a better person. It will give you a different perspective on the world. You're 26 years old. You're young. What are you worried about. This isn't going to be a career. It's going to be a life experience. Go out and make it.
Cheers,
Chris

[Ponder Frog]

[adaruby]

[nomad soul]

[Prof.Gringo]

[dragonpiwo]

You sound like you are waiting to be rescued.

Moreover, it sounds like your head has told you EFL is a dumb idea, which it is.

When I was in my 20s the travel was great. I met some great expats (few of them were the teachers) and some great locals. Now, it's the Middle East and all about money. TEFL is rarely a career. It's like leaping from leaf to leaf across a pond but the final leaf ain't there and you die before reaching the far bank.

It's OK to have no aim in life careerwise. If you are decent looking and don't have probs meeting someone, find someone rich, have kids and live in the burbs.

A minimum wage job is bad enough, but when it's half a world away, well......nuff said.

[spiral78]

The OP posted almost a year ago. S/he is surely sorted by now!

[Lotteloes]

I do hope that the OP has made a decision
But I am sure that there will be much more people, newbies, around here worrying about the same thing.

Everythings comes with a price. I have a degree in business law, have worked as financial administrator, office manager, accountant, went back to evening classes to become a skilled lingerie maker, went back to a finance position and I am currently working as a HR/payroll advisorin Spain and thinking about doing a CELTA and start all over again.
Being 48, with a resume as above, it will be very unlikely that I will find a decent job in the Netherlands except if I start my own small businss.

This also means no retirement fund and for every year I live abroad the Dutch government will deduct 2% of the pension allowance they provide to all Dutch people (if it will be existing when I reach that age).

It is a good idea to take all these things into account when making a decision. OP was 26 years old, so he has time to go for it and "sell" that on his resume if he would found out that this was not what he wanted. But for some people on this forum there is more to loose.

[guobaoyobro]

You should consider going somewhere for vacation, and seeing if you can angle a job on the ground. Thailand would be a good bet for this.

Then, you can enjoy yourself on your vacation side of things, jump into ESL, and if it doesn't work out, you know you tried.

Even if a shred of you wants to still do it, then you should do it.

Like others said, don't look back and wish you had. Unless taking a crack will severely affect your life in a negative way for 5-10 years, GO FOR IT.

[guobaoyobro]

Also (one month later...)

There's a good lot of jaded heads on these forums.

Pick your spot in Asia, line everything up the best you can, and dive in.

DON'T limit yourself to a year. Instead, tell yourself you're going to keep an open mind to finishing your year and either signing a second year to really start saving, or find yourself an even cushier job.

Or, save up a little bit of dough, and since you're over here now, take another leap off the deep end and try a blind crack at a different area! Then you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Who knows, you might just land yourself a cushy job you love, save even more money, and a few years will wizz by leaving you in a great spot.

I'm currently in a super polluted NE China city, and sure, the air in winter is pretty terrible...but you know what, it's the little things. Slurping on Xiaolongbao and Mini Baozi that you paid a buck for while you watch the streets hum. Saving $700 a month and still living how you want.

It's all in what you make of it.

Do it, and please, update us.

[Prof.Gringo]