Job Discussion Forums

[nate78]

Hi, this is my first time posting here, and I just had a few questions. I'm a 26 year old American. I graduated in December with a B.A. in German and a minor in English. I earned my TEFL certification last summer in Prague. Currently I have begun working on a Masters degree in Creative Writing.

I'm interested in getting out and seeing the world a bit. My primary interest lies in Europe, but I need to find a teaching job where I will make enough to pay on some student loans. So if I can't start out in Europe I'd like to go somewhere that would allow me to pay off enough to debt to move on to Europe eventually.

I'm curious what countries would be best. I know Japan has been mentioned to me as the best, but others have said its not so good because it costs more to live there. They suggest that while the pay in somewhere like Vietnam or China is lower, you actually make more since its much cheaper to live there. Someone even said I could make enough money in Germany to live and pay on loans, especially with my B.A. in German. So what countries would you suggest as optimal for making money? I'm very interested in working in Europe, but if that isn't possible then I've considered Taiwan, China, Vietnam, South Korea but I'm not sure which would be best.

There is also a possibility my girlfriend would be going with me, but she has no college degree and would be unable to teach even if she wanted to. So her with me I would also like somewhere a bit more comfortable and active, for instance, though I might get along fine in rural China, she probably would not, but I'm not looking for luxurious here, just generally safe and comfortable.

Thanks for any help!

-Nate

[perdita]

nate78,

Let's be realistic, eh? Get yourself a nice little office job somewhere, slave away by day, watch Office Space by night, save up a few grand and spend a summer backpacking around Europe because the 11 Euro an hour you're looking to make in Germany's vastly oversaturated TEFL job market is not going to make a dent in those student loans and you'll probable end up in the kitchen at an Irish bar anyway. If you were debt free and/or had a substantial trust fund, I would say go for Europe, but stay the hell out of Germany.
That said, if you must work a crap TELF job to fund your desire to globetrot...go spend a hectic year in Korea and see how you feel about the field.
I don't wish to sound totally rude, but it can be helpful to think about the darkside or worst case scenario instead of totally getting carried away by the romance of a cafe am Alex or midnight walks in front of the K�lner Dom.
Viel Gl�ck, Auf jedem Fall.

[nate78]

Well thanks for the info and warning.
I certainly considered the possibility of decent money in Germany highly suspect and entertain no illusions of grandeur to be certain. Nevertheless, there is the reality that office jobs sadly aren't in the abundance they once were, and those that are seem with rare exception to require work experience. If I have to live like a pauper for a few years to get experience make headway into reality, well I guess that's the way it is. It's a mad mad world. But that job in the Irish bar sounds promising... do you have any leads on that?

[spiral78]

The reality is that there are very few jobs open to non-EU citizens in Europe that would pay enough for to cover outstanding loan payments in addition to living expenses. It becomes really impossible if you are also supporting your girlfriend. I agree that it might be a more viable proposition to go somewhere in Asia where pay is generally higher- and you'll be eligible for legal work permits.
As a North American, you can still work legally in Central Europe, like Poland and the Czech Republic and Hungary. But you'll find that the pay offered there is nowhere near enough to pay off loans back home, or support that second person, much less both.

[castlem]

[Glenski]

[ls650]

[Celeste]

I would second the JET programme. I have been on it for 3 years (just preparing to go back to Canada these days) and it has been a great experience. The work is good, the pay is good, the housing is cheap and there is a lot of support from Tokyo if you need it. It is well worth the lengthy application process.

[Gordon]

[Celeste]

GOrdon-
Heading back to Vancouver in July. We are going to work for our old employer there and we are going to start taking homestay students. And then kids etc. (Can't wait to get started on the next chapter of my life! Sort of sad that this one is coming to a close though.)

[perdita]

If you've really got your heart set on Germany...
Have you considered trying to spend some time in Germany as a student? It might involve a bit of financial aid trickery and/or a few more loans, but the cost of a semester at a German Uni is pretty low. Of course, you've got to prove that you have the funds to support yourself, but a bank statement from a family member could do the trick. And with student status you can let your student loans sit and acquire interest for a bit longer. You can also work in Germany up to 20 hours a week, find Schwarzarbeit, or hook yourself up with some private students to help pay the bills. If you have friends/family in Germany...so much the better.
You could also just jet over to Nordrhein-Westfalen and try your luck getting a job that can allow you to siphon 100 euro per month to keep the bill collectors at bay. If you do that, just make sure you research it very well. If your dreamy job teaching Englisch to a bunch of poker faced know-it-all German businessmen doesn't offer health insurance (it's illegal to live in Germany without health insurance)...good luck. It's cheap for students...not so cheap for unsalaried foreign teachers.
As for the jobs in the Irish pubs...even the smallest town has one...just show up before the start of the school year when all the Englisch als Muttersprache foreign students haven't arrived yet or pop in during the semester break.
Viel Spa�[/i]