Job Discussion Forums

jezebel · Joined: 18 May 2005 Posts: 53

I'm curious to hear input of those who teach on this.

From what I've heard, TEFL is the career choice of essentially three types of people
-those who are particularly interested in teaching ESL and experiencing a particular culture
-those who don't know what to do next in life
-those who are burned out from their "real" life and want to explore

Aside from the first, direct, path, it seems like TEFL attracts a lot of people seeking self-exploration. My question is: does the experience truly end up catalyzing self-development like you expect before you set out?

I hear great stories of people who shake off the lazy assumptions and "lived in the same town all my life" perspectives of their former lives, find career direction/true love/or a newfound love of sushi. But I'll bet they all don't turn out this way. What about people who go to Asia to escape depression or personal frustrations --- do they shed those emotional burdens, or does Asia just take away all of their coping resources and only make things worse (with cheaper liquor...)?

Love to hear your input on your experiences or those of other teachers you've known or roomed with...

merlin · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 7:03 am Post subject:

Hmmm, I think you've got part of it.
But first, the "classify everyone into three groups" just doesn't work. There are a wide range of motivations for leaving one's home country: political, emotional, marital, romantic, sexual economic. Then some quite simply have a terrible vice they find is easier to satisfy abroad. then therer are those who are in all likelyhood certifiably insand and living in a foreign culture gives them a cover or at the very least an excuse for all sorts of wacky behavior.

Ok, so let's ignore that part and go on: do people enter tefl to go on some sort of "journey". Well, yes, I guess so, but no more than anyone else in any other lifestyle (as opposed to a 9-5 job) adopts a new lifestyle in order to make a change in their life for the better or maybe hjust get something out of their systems or go through a "phase".

But then some people get a new job-as-lifestyle without really the foggiest idea that they are about to embark on such a journey. A boy joins the army and a year later he's shooting up a truckload of women and children ... he begins an unplanned journey with an unknown destination.

Here's my parable: TEFL teachers and others that take on the "career as lifestyle" are like trees in a hurricane: If the tree's well-rooted the hurricane causes it to grow stronger in future years. If it has shallow roots the bigger ones are always the first to blow over.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

How about another group of people: "those interested in language acquisition, living in a new and different country and raising a family overseas so that they can see that there is another world out there to explore". That's the group I belong to, but I don't have a membership card for it yet.

tedkarma · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 11:03 am Post subject:

I liked the "cheaper liquor" part. But it ain't so. In most Asian countries - unless you are drinking the local bathtub cr*p - decent booze is more expensive than back home.

That said, bankruptcy court and two former wives are looking for me - but really I am here just for "self-exploration." Very Happy

Okay, back to real answers . . . I just love living in other cultures - it can make you feel so alive and challenged. It is a whole 'nother kind of education. After five countries and 16 years in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East - I have a whole different outlook on politics, history, culture, religion, and what should be done with/about this nutty world we live in.

I wouldn't/couldn't trade this life for - what was a nice and pleasant life back home - but oh so limiting. This life has too many challenges - you meet too many interesting people. And when you've had the opportunity to work and succeed and thrive in a variety of countries - I think you have really accomplished something.

Small edit: I have to echo what PaulH says about people bringing their problems with them. People who are troubled - generally have their problems magnified, not diminished, by living in another culture. There are just too many daily challenges. They just aren't going to make it over the long run. Generally, they self-destruct quickly - and we send them back home.

Celeste · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:16 pm Post subject:

I fell into this career, mostly because my husband and I wanted to travel and save money while doing it. I didn't come into this career LOOKING for personal growth, but that has been a nice side effect. Once upon a time, I was a nice small town girl who studied french in high school and entertained the idea of doing something with languages someday. Here I am having happily ever after, teaching English, living in Japan, studying Japanese, and I also have a couple of years in Korea under my belt. I have met a lot of haunted souls in this field, but they usually don't stay in one country for more than a year, so I try not to get too attached to these people and therefore don't get to know them too well. I suppose they are runnig from something in their pasts, but I am too polite to ask. I know a lot of people who get into this business because they want to work and save money for a set number of years, often to facilitate going to grad school or paying for their BA.

sigmoid · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 1276

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

I jumped into this field about six years ago with no clue what to expect. I stayed in it because I found that I truly enjoy teaching. I didn't/don't seek out self-exploration or personal growth, but I bet it has happened somewhere along the way even without my seeking it. I'm six years older, and I probably would have grown/developed even if I had stayed home.

I feel like there's an implicit association in the original post between staying "home" and stagnating and traveling abroad and growing. I simply cannot believe that. People stuck in dead-end jobs/ruts at home are quite capable of learning new things, and people who pack up and move halfway around the world are quite capable of staying the same.

Traveling might allow you to "find yourself," but living/working is another issue--far less romantic, far more mundane. If you are generally and adaptable and open-minded person, whether on your home turf or not, you should do fine, and you will likely learn a few new things about yourself. If you're not, a foreign culture may just alienate you.

d