Job Discussion Forums

Capergirl · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 11:43 am Post subject: Utopia...where is it?

It has been said that ESL/EFL teachers traverse the globe in a vain attempt to find some mythical Utopian place to hang our hats. It has also been said that we are gypsies, never happy staying in one place for any length of time. Case(s) in point: my former employer went traipsing off to Qatar last year and my current employer talks endlessly about returning to Indonesia. I, on the other hand, have set my sights on the big kahuna of Europe...Britain. My workplace has a higher turnover rate than a McDonald's franchise. Are we never satisfied with what we have and where we are? Razz

svrart · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 1:56 pm Post subject:

Short answer - no. You will never find your Mecca / Utopia / El Dorado.

The underlying cause of this is restlessness. I am also a long distance hiker (Canada to Key West in 10 months - www.svrart.com/ect/index.php) and have found the same phenomena exists in long distance hikers. I have friends with many of these long distance hikers and they are always planning or in the middle of another, some times "last" adventure. There is nothing good or bad about it, just a state.

The upside is we are always searching, think originally and are intellectually alert. The downside is we will never be settled. We will always be searching for what is essentially a mirage but the search is enlightening in itself.

Sridhar

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I long ago gave up looking for Utopia which is of course etymologically "NOWHERE". Now I just try to avoid Dystopia.

Steiner · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 573 Location: Hunan China

Well, Utopia's not in Shenzhen, that's for sure.

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 7:17 pm Post subject: Eureka

Sorry all you guys and gals who say there's no Utopia - I've found mine: the American southwest. I knew it from the first moment I set eyes on it, over ten years ago, and since then it's only gotten better and better. So in one case, at least, Utopia's not mythical.
Regards,
John

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

Capergirl · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 11:39 pm Post subject:

@Glenski...I am actually an ESL instructor at the moment but have also done the EFL thing (in Asia). Nonetheless, if I do move to England I will be an ESL teacher, not EFL, and yet I'll be miles away from my native country. Go figure. Wink

@svrart...I think you are right. Restlessness, wanderlust, whatever we want to call it...this is probably one of the traits many of us have in common. My two greatest passions are teaching English and traveling. Working in ESL/EFL allows me to do both. In a similar vein, although I am teaching "at home" for the time being, I don't have to travel the world because my students bring the world to me. Very Happy

"Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life." --source unknown

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

Capergirl,you said your former employer "traipsed off to Qatar'.Does he know the "doors"? WHAT is a "kahuna"?Does that mean you want to teach in Britain?WHY? I mean, I like Britain well enough,but I can certainly think of other places where I would rather teach...
As for the Shangri-La Syndrome...yes ...some people may think there is a great little school(i.e. one that will pay you on time,treat you like a person,etc) in some great locale(I have seen actual posts on this board from newbies searching for places "that pay good money and where the surfing is good". Laughing

If you find a school that treats you well, pays you on time ,and you are satisfied with other living conditions in the particular country, I suggest you STAY there.Because the majority of positions in TESOL are not like that.

Capergirl

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

I hope....that it is not like a "brownnoser" Smile

"kahunas","bluenosers"... Smile

Capergirl, my Shangri-la post was not aimed at you personally.If you like London...by all means...good luck. To me, it always seemed kind of like a British version of New York City.Or maybe New York City is an American version of London.Oh-oh! Laughing

here come the flames and brickbats! Laughing

khmerhit · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 2:28 am Post subject:

Capergirl---
Does this mean there will be a vacancy in a university in Nova Scotia in the near future? Where do I apply? Take me to the country, I cant get there fast enough. You can have your big cities..

Utopia existed in Cambodia between 1975 and 1978: No money hassles, no housing shortages, no modern alienation, no class structure. Not much privacy either, howver. And there were some other drawbacks..

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

Like during that time,the Khmer Rouge murdered a few million of their countrymen....

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

Hello there Capergirl:

Capergirl said: "Are we never satisfied with what we have and where we are?"

Never say never. Wink

At the moment, I'm very satisfied with my life here in Russia, but the single greatest advantage of EFL is the ability to 'pack and go' when the mood strikes me.

It hasn't struck yet, but it will. Razz

Like you, I really enjoy travelling, and over the years, I have also discovered the joys and challenges of teaching.

The combination, at least for me, has proven both irresistable and unbeatable. It's not exactly Utopia, but probably as close to it as I'll come in this life.

Regards,
ex-Chonju-vet-keNt

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

I think I read that the area reported to be Shangra La is near Tibet, but not in it.