Job Discussion Forums

[dubbs]

I've come to point in my life where I am unsure what to do. I'm finishing a degree in Music Production and realise that I'm not exactly going to walk into the role of 'record producer' when I leave my course. Not even sure if this degree means much anyway, but I guess its still a degree. A BA. Wow.
Okay, I've been looking into what I can do with a univeristy degree. Teaching english abroad is one option. That way I can see more of the world, travel and record stuff along the way with my laptop. Sounds cool? Maybe...
I've been considering China, mainly because not everywhere requres experience or a TEFL certificate, and from what I have read on these boards they are not always neccesary. The thing is I'm not the most confident of people, hell I had to down a few brandys just to do a presentation on one of my projects and that was in front of 2 people, so speaking to classroom seems a bit daunting. But then I think screw that, surely it can only help me develop as a person. But really, how hard is it for someone like me?
Another problem is my debt. I havn't worked for 5 years since leaving a job when I was 21 to do a bit of travelling and going to college. I'm upto it man, swimming in credit card bills. Coming onto �9,000, plus a �10,000 student loan. That's nearly 20 bloody grand. 20 thousand pounds. Shit!
Is it a bad move to sort of 'disappear'? I know I shouldnt, and that it was poor management of my finances to get in this situation but I'm here now.
I mentioned my idea of going to teach English in China to some friends. I think that they think I'm insane. One said he admires my courage to try it and even if I only last 5 weeks then at least I tried. LOL 5 weeks, shows how much confidence he has in my success. Anyway *beep* them, all they do is get wasted every weekend and snort shit up thier noses, I need to get away from that at least.
Given my situation would I be a fool to try it? Would going on a TEFL course help me get a clearer idea if I was suited to teaching? They do cost serious money these course, but what's another grand ontop of what I already owe, ha!
Hope this post isn't too long for you all, but any help please, as I'm a bit directionless at the minute.
Thanks, Dave.

[Glenski]

If you can't save money where you were born, you will probably have a hard time saving it abroad.

Sounds, too, like you consider teaching TEFL as a means to an end, not as a career move. Not exactly a wise decision, in my mind, unless you can find a place that REALLY pays a good salary, so that you can zip in and zip out of the contract and pay off those debts. However, you STILL have to WORK! Teaching is not a hobby. It is a job no matter how you look at it. I have known people who have used it to pay off student loans (in 3 years' time, mind you) or to build up a tidy nest egg.

The former person was a very good teacher despite his short term goals of paying off his debts. He left Japan to return to Canada and start...gulp!...another college degree (one in which he could actually get a job in his home country).

The latter person was so stingy that he brought cases of toilet paper to Japan to save money (!!??), never went out, never went sightseeing, never saw anything of his neighborhood or the country, etc. for two years. At the end, he STILL had toilet paper on hand and actually tried to SELL IT to his co-workers before he left for the USA. Oh, he had saved a lot of money in that time, but he never made a single friend, nor saw a bit of Japan.

[gugelhupf]

A quick note regards some of the practical issues you raised. First of all, unless you "disappear" for the rest of your life you won't escape the UK student loan. This is linked to your NI number so as soon as you work, claim benefits or start a pension in the UK you'll be liable for the original loan plus accrued interest plus default fees. Also, they recently changed the bankruptcy laws so that even discharged bankrupts are STILL fully liable for the loan. Not what you want to hear, but it's a fact.

If you want to do things properly then get hold of the student loans company and negotiate a repayment arrangement while you are abroad. In most cases you will have the whip hand in settling on a (realistic) rate of repayment because unless you are working in the EU or countries that have an arrangement with the Revenue they are not in a position to dictate terms.

UK student loans don't go away however hard you try to ignore them.

[bayabule]

Can't you still defer payment of your student loans? Maybe it's changed since I graduated in 99 but I have yet to pay a penny. I defer mine (5 years worth) every year because when you turn my salary into pounds it's less than �1780 per month. (the Rupiah is useful for something!)
Of course it'll never go away so I'll have to face up to it someday but for now it's been handy to put it off.
If you're not sure about teaching, and don't have the money for a cert yet you could try some kind of voluntary stuff. When I was at uni they had a voluntary student tutor scheme, where students could be classroom assistants in local schools. I worked in the languages dept, you could maybe do something in music. I know it sounds naff (and it was a bit) but at least it would give you an opportunity to be in a classroom environment and an idea of what it's like.
Going on a course is probably the best way, but yes it is expensive. However that may be a better way to find out you hate it than rocking up in China and wanting to leave after a couple of weeks!
Whatever you decide to do, good luck.

[ls650]

[khmerhit]

Ah, forget whether you can or you cant. I couldnt, then I did, and now I can. Easy as one two three.. so-----just hop on a plane and fly to KAMPUCHEA

PS. Get a cert first, it will save you some trouble. Good luck take care and have great time
khmerhit

[august03]

I live in China, save half my pay and still travel and live very comfortably - more so than I would in Australia whilst saving the same amount.

If you think you could teach and would enjoy it, do it, you can still pay your debts (get a direct deduction from your bank account each month), and see a new country at the same time.

Don't waste your money on a course for China, you wont need it and it wont help you decide if you like teaching in China - only being here will do that.

The only thing you'll need up front is your airfare (but that will be reimbursed later), if you would like the contact details of a good agency, PM me.

[denise]

You most certainly would not be a fool for trying TEFL, provided that:

1) you make some sort of financial arrangements, as suggested by others here, and

2) you realize that living abroad won't be an adventure every day--the "big picture" might be adventurous (it definitely has that appeal for me!), but your everyday routine will be more mundane. Aside from the teaching, there are the realities of maintaining a house, dealing with landlords, paying bills, etc., etc.

Not to sound trite or anything, but you really won't know if it's for you until you're in a classroom. You mentioned not being very comfortable with public speaking--that was me a few years ago. After a bit of public speaking practice (Toastmasters International--I whole-heartedly recommend them!) and a couple of years of teaching, now it's no problem whatsoever to go into a room and see a bunch of new faces. It just takes getting used to. (And it didn't take me that long to get used to it--it happened pretty quickly.)

d

[gugelhupf]

[waxwing]

Why is everyone talking about the student loan? That's peanuts compared to the $16000 or so credit card debt. If it's anything like my card, you'd need to pay something like 100GBP per month interest, and a minimum payment of 300 GBP per month. Sorry, but I don't see how that works out in China ... ?

[dmb]

Is there something about if you go X amount of years after graduating and not having earned enough money then the loan is written off?

[gugelhupf]

[waxwing]

What, does that mean he can just dump his credit card debt and forget about it?

[bayabule]

Credit card debts usually get sold to collections agencies eventually. It is sometimes possible to slip through the cracks and avoid them (an, ahem, friend of mine managed this) although I wouldn't recommend that. It's all a bit of a nightmare, take it from me. It's taken me years to sort out mine.
It's virtually impossible to avoid the student loan though. Although I believe dmb is right in that it gets scrapped after a certain number of years. I heard it was when you're 75 or something. The best thing to do is keep filing that deferment every year.
The money I earn leves me very well off locally but adds up to not much in GBP, so saving takes a very long time. Not recommended for people paying off large debts.

[dubbs]

Thanks for all the replies people, its appreciated. You have helped me put things in perspective a bit more.
Okay, student loan - no escape, best tell them before I left, they cant stop me going anyway. (can they?)
Um, credit cards etc. I have online banking and can fix up some payment method but its still gonna be a lot. maybe I should think about some other method of deferring payments. Consolidation? Citizens advice time.
TEFL Certificate? Maybe needed. I'm considering Japan instead, as it seems like they pay reasonable money. I saw an ad for Shane English schools offering training for thier Japan positions if you do not have a certificate. Are they worth it?
I realise that it wont all be fun and games, but I think I may enjoy teaching provided the students didnt all give me hell.
Thanks again!!
Dave