Job Discussion Forums

[aimee]

Hi!

I was born and raised in Peru. Currently living in the US with my husband (who is from Brazil, to make things a bit more complicated ). We both have been in the US for the past 9+ years, but we love to travel and are feeling like it is time to move somewhere else.

I got my B.A. here and got a job, but then decided I wanted to make a career change and started an M.A. in TESL in Hawaii last Fall. Unfortunately, I had to stop this semester (due to $$). I am interested in getting some insight about jobs overseas with the qualifications I have, my background and situation. I have taught and tutored ESL/EFL for years, but always on a part-time basis. I am thinking about getting a CELTA certificate for now, but now I am not sure that it will be worth it, since I am not a "native-speaker."

I was thinking about going to Japan, since I'd heard and read that they have the best paying teaching jobs. Plus, I have been wanting to go there for years now, so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone.
I applied to GEOS and was "invited to an interview" in SFO. However, I called to confirm, and after speaking to the lady for a long while, I asked if there were any chances my husband could get a teaching job though he was a physical therapist by profession. She said yes, until she found out his bachelor's degree was from Brazil, so I told her that though he was Brazilian, he was as fluent as, or even more so than me. When she found out I wasn't a native-speaker (though she couldn't tell from speaking to me), that was it for my chance to work with GEOS. I'm even more discouraged now that I'm reading a lot of the discussions on this forum. It sounds like it will be nearly impossible for me to get a teaching job in Japan.

Will it be worth investing $2000 in a CELTA course? What's the likelihood of both of us getting a job?

Thanks for any help you may give me.

[denise]

There are places that value skills/knowledge/experience over being a native speaker. I wish I had some concrete leads for you--specific countries/schools--but I don't. Other forum members do, though, so hopefully they will chime in.

I really just wanted to let you know that a school that absolutely requires that its teachers be native speakers (regardless of their skills, command of the language, etc.) might not be worth working for anyway. You can do better. Don't get discouraged.

Good luck!

d

[bluffer]

What is your nationality? It may still be worth doing. Especially if you have an american accent.

[aimee]

I'm a Peruvian citizen. According to my professor, I definitely have an American accent, compared to my "British-accented" classmates.

[bluffer]

In Asia it is often how a person looks that gets a job. If you could pass for a "native speaker" you might get a job.

The trick would be to get them to see you and hear you before they ask the dreaded nationality question.

I believe that in Japan it is easier to get a job on the ground rather than from abroad. This would let you avoid the nationality question until they have actually seen you - sometimes anyway. You may strike it lucky and get a school that is desparate for someone and will bend their rules.

But it is VERY expensice to live in if you arent working. But apply for a few jobs and see what happens from home. The worst that can happen is that they dont reply.

Other countries in asia are less expensive but fall into the same native speaker only situation. You will probably have more chance on a face to face than an email interview.

[aimee]

Hmmm... I think I didn't mention I'm of Chinese background.... I think I'd better start looking somewhere else.
Thank you all so much for your help!