Job Discussion Forums

asajones · Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 2

Hello everyone,

I'm 21, I've finished uni (IT degree), took my Trinity certificate, and have had 2 weeks teaching experience teaching Italians in a Plymouth summer school. I would like to travel to Japan/Thailand/Asia to teach (in that order of preference). Thing is, I have a �1300 overdraft that I need to pay off by next July. After that it's just that easy student loan! (But that is manageable.) My plan was to teach English in my home city, Plymouth, UK, for a few months to pay off my overdraft (and spend time with my family) and then travel with more financial security. I'd also rather go abroad with a bit of cash so that I can actually look around and visit places than scrimp and save. Problem is: there are no jobs in Plymouth at the moment; I cannot afford to spend much (eg on expensive flights to Asia). So my questions are:

Is it feasible to get a job in Japan/Thailand and still pay off a �1300ish overdraft within 12 months?

I've heard of GEOS of Japan; is this a good firm (their package sounds very good)? It requires no TEFL certificate but I want to work somewhere where I can fully excercise my teaching qualification (I don't want to be a language assistant - I know GEOS doesn't offer that anyway but it does sound kind of 'easy'/'cotton-wool' padded).
Are there other, better, firms for Japan?

Could I go to Spain/Italy/Greece with a cheap flight soon and pay off my overdraft within a year (then go to Asia) because of good pay? Has anyone worked for anglo-hellenic? Which countries pay better (I'd prefer those countries listed than the notoriously well-paid but hard-to-get jobs in Saudi Arabia) ?

I would really appreciate any thoughts on this matter,

Warm Regards and Thanks,

raring-to-teach-teacher, Asa.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

august03 · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 159 Location: Jiangsu, China

Though not your first choice you could try China, you would need to save about 2100RMB per month to meet your payments, if you get paid 4000+ a month and live in small city then you should be ok.

The school will also reimburse your airfare (in 2 stages) if you sign a 1-year contract. They will also pay for your accommodation, all utility costs and provide you with holiday allowance (2000RMB for the year) and other extras, plus if you work a few overtime classes you can earn more cash. You also get paid holidays, if you start by October you will get 6 weeks paid holidays for the year (if you finish in July) or if you start later you may be lucky to get 2 months paid summer break!) There are also opportunities to work during the breaks. So over the 9 months until July you will be paid a minimum of 40,000RMB and you need to pay back about 19,000, yeah I think it�s possible.

You will also be completely responsible for your own lesson plans so you can 'exercise' your skills.

If you consider China, PM me and I can give you more details.

isabel · Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Posts: 510 Location: God's green earth

Why have you overlooked Korea? I travel a lot, spend a lot, and still save $12,000 a year.

Yeah, Korea isn't Thailand- but I have been to Thailand three times in the last year, not to mention the Philippines, Viet Nam, and Cambodia.

It's been said here many times, and I took it seriously the first time I read it: Earn your money in Korea, holiday in Thailand.

I love Thailand, but I know better than to think that I could do as well as I am doing here, at least not before a very long time scratching out a living and learning the terrain, and then I still don't believe it is possible.

asajones · Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 2

Hey guys,

Thank you for all your tips. I am now considering South Korea more seriously, though I wonder how one gets a job from a reputable company there?

I'm still on hold at the moment. A job in Plymouth might be available soon so I'm biding my time...see what happens.

Also, after looking through the messages in the other groups there seem to be a lot that put me off going anywhere: schools that exploit/bad conditions. But, I figure, that wherever you go, you take a chance. And, I don't try to have any expectations so that should help! I imagine it's likely that most EFL teachers experience a crappy school at some stage - and you'd learn a lot from it. What do you think?

Anyway, thank you for your advice,

Asa Jones.