Job Discussion Forums

paulbaxter · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

Hi all.

I'm about to complete my TESL certification and am looking over my career options. A question I haven't seen discussed much is what sort of job/living situations would be family friendly. I have a wife and two small boys right now and am hoping to find a position where I could work and the wife could stay home most of the time with the kids. I've seen a number of situations where this arrangement definitely would NOT work, but I was wondering if some folks here know of some places where this WOULD work.

For the purposes of discussion we'll pretend that I could go to any country. My wife is not particularly fond of the idea of going to Asia or Africa, but I would consider them.

Any thoughts or ideas?

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

Paul, you didn't mention your educational background or if you have any experience teaching. I support my wife and 3 small children, but i have been doing this for a long time, have a masters and am in a university. If i was just starting out and only had a BA, then I would think very very hard about going overseas.. Very few jobs offer enough money to support a family, perhaps just universities and they want the proper education.
I don't want to be pessimistic because it can be a great life with a young family. Our two youngest were both born in Japan and now our daughter is fluent in Japanese. Wouldn't change this life for anything.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I'm with Gordon - if you have just a 4 year degree and a basic TEFL certification, and some work experience unrelated to language education, you're only eligible for entry-level positions in the field, regardless of country. Those jobs don't pay enough to support a family.

I can speak specifically for Europe, in that it takes significant experience and education in the field to be competitive for positions that would allow one to support a family.

paulbaxter · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

Yeah, that's my situation. College degree in history, very little ESL teaching experience, about to finish my ESL certificate at Duke University. My wife's high paying job is about to end in a few months, so we need to come up with some ideas pretty soon.

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

You may want to try Korea. They sometimes hire at universities with only BAs, but I think it is getting more competitive.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

sidjameson · Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 629 Location: osaka

You may have problems getting a visa for some countries with family in tow.
Actually your options are pretty limited. Sad

Europe........wages far too low, massive visa problems if ur N American.

South America......wages far too low.

Africa......almost no work and again wages.

Central America......not sure but possible, people seem to have families in Mexico etc. I think if you could live like the lower middle classes then it's possible....but this may be a big IF.

Asia.....ur best bet. But only a few countries. Visa may be problem here too. Money will be tight but I know of people with families in Japan, korea, Thailand, etc.......but mmoney will be tight, you will need extra hours to cover costs and there is your kids education to think about.

BUT people marry and have kids in every country where there's TEFL and manage it. If you are determined you can do it. You will need to adapt.

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

Japan is not for you. Entry level work will not be enough to support a family of 4. Period.

How old are your kids? How will you educate them? Home schooling is one thing (and still costs you money in supplies), international schools are terribly expensive, and regular schools will still eat your pocketbook (plus you have to know how to communicate with the staff in Japanese).

The only way you could survive financially in Japan would be to get a full-time job and a lot of supplementary work. This does not come as easy as some people make it out, and it will pretty much keep you away from your family most of your time. Not a way to enjoy living overseas.

wildchild · Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 519 Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

Paul,

I would encourage you to post your question in the Korea forum.

Good luck.

paulbaxter · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

I appreciate all the honest responses. I've been feeling out options and reading the job ads and the boards, but its hard to get a sense of how situations would work with a family along. I've seen plenty of ads which said the job provided a one bedroom or shared apartment and thought to myself "hmm, I don't think that would work for us."

I do have a lead on a university job in China and some non-profit sort of work (which would involve fund raising) so I guess maybe I should just focus on those.

I'll try a post in the Korea forum as suggested as well.

MELEE · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject:

Once you have a couple of years experience, Mexico might be an option. You can make enough to support a family, I do. BUT, my family is Mexican, and that makes a big difference. I have no finacial obligations in the US, and no plans to move back there so saving money or having money to relocate back to the US or send my children to university in the US in not in my finacial picture. My salary puts us firmly in the Mexican middle class but is peanuts when if you convert it into dollars. There have been threads in the past where we have talked about other issues involving raising kids abroad. You might want to do a search and read those old threads

ryancw · Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Posts: 14 Location: Alaska

Okay, I also have a wife and children, but will soon have a Master of Science in Management, and plan on getting a Master of Adult Education in the next year or so as well. Any chances of my being able to support all of us, or no chance at all? I just need to worry about bills, my children have college, etc paid for.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Stay in the States.

ryancw · Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Posts: 14 Location: Alaska

Well, thats an honest, though brief, answer. Does that mean that even a university job is out of the question, in regards to pay? My end goal is teaching college. I'd prefer outside the US, but will stay here if the chances of a supporting a family are actually that slim.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

With an education-related MA, you might be considered for university positions in some countries overseas - though you'd likely need some training specifically in teaching English as a second language on top of that. However, your lack of experience teaching language means you're not on the top of the list for the best positions.

In language teaching, it's really only the cream of the crop of all jobs that provides enough stability/pay/benefits to support an entire family.

The usual route to such positions is to serve a bit of time in a country where such jobs exist, building your local language skills and contacts. It's extremely rare to walk into such a position from abroad.

Assuming that you are a U.S. citizen with no additional passports, Europe's out for you - you can't work legally in the 'older' EU member states, which offer a few positions that pay enough to support a family. Central/Eastern Europe offers legal positions to non-EU member citizens, but the pay is far too low for your circumstances.