Job Discussion Forums

dazedandconfuzzed · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 30

Hi,
I need some life planning advice-
I'm going to Australia (from UK) on a Working Holiday Visa soon (1way ticket only bought so far), but afterwards I want to get a new teaching contract.

I have:
honours degree
7months teaching experience (with an IH school)
CELTA
a need to pay off my credit cards

I was thinking South Korea but I don't know if I have time to sort the visa docs before I go to Australia, and if being in Australia will make it harder. What about Dubai/Emirates? Where should/can I go?

thanks

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Asia ocule be good, there's a separate Korean forum, my visa to Korea took only two weeks. Or you could go to latin america, just show up and look for a job.

MO39 · Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject:

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Not if you worked in an institute, and pirvates, and lived frugally

MO39 · Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:52 pm Post subject:

dazedandconfuzzed · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 30

quite a lot of debt! am willing to work lots and live modestly... (frugal sounds scary). basically i need somewhere where it's quite easy to earn lots of cash and not be miserable. I am thinking S. Korea but if there are any other options to be recommended...?

MO39 · Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:28 pm Post subject:

desultude · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 614

Check out things in the Middle East/ Gulf States. There are also some awesome sounding gigs in Brunei.

The biggest problem in some of the Middle East is the restrictive social rules.

I'm is Saudi Arabia, and there is nothing here to do in terms of going out, except for shopping, going to parties within compounds and going to Bahrain (about an hour from where I live). Saudia is the worst, but there are restrictions everywhere in this part of the world. I haven't lived in any other country here, but it seems that they are much better in these terms.

The good news about the ME is that the pay is good, as well as housing (I find the housing in Korea, even in good situations, claustrophobic and noisy). There is generally no taxation on your pay. You get return tickets home every year. The climate is either great or horrible, depending on your perspective and the time of the year. I find that the eternal sunshine keeps me much cheerier than the gray did in Korea. Of course, there is also +50 and sandstorms to contend with.

On the other hand, I saved much more money in Korea. It seems to be easier to spend money here, especially on travel. A one week break here sends me to some other great close in country. Within this academic year I will have been to India twice, Morocco, and Egypt, not to mention endless weekend jaunts to Bahrain.

hibapkev · Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 19

I'm currently living in Shenzhen, China. My pay for my teaching contract (12 40 minute classes a week) is pretty low. BUT in the contract my living arrangements are taken care of. With an 8 hour work week I am able to tutor for another 8 hours a week and almost triple my salary. The key is finding good tutoring gigs here. This city is rich and crazy to learn English. I have a few friends who freelance tutor and pull in almost 20K CNY a month.

helmsman · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 58 Location: GCC

Living costs have been rising dramatically in the UAE, so it is getting harder to save than previously. Another point to consider is that in the UAE, and the Gulf in genral, you need An MA or equivalent and experience to be eligible for the well-paying jobs. There is a huge range of international schools, and many do not require a teaching qulaification, but then again you might not do much to reduce your credit card debt. I'd suggest trying east asia.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Living and teaching in the Japanese countryside (inaka) on the JET Program have been very good to me. As I have few expenses and a very low rent for a two story house here in the inaka, I am able to send a lot of money to my US bank account every month. The yen-USdollar exchange rate currently favors those with yen.

Is the JET Program here in Japan a consideration for you?

donalfromthegap · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 5

If you are planning to go to Korea make sure you look up the new visa regulations where you need to do an interview in your own country and get a backround check.

miamimaestro · Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 18 Location: UNITED STATES

Hey dazedandconfuzzed, if you have a Bach. or M.S. degree in ESl, I would recommend Miami. You will certainly not be bored here. The pay is very good and there are many gigs.

MO39 · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:56 am Post subject: Re: Going to Miami

miamimaestro · Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 18 Location: UNITED STATES

I'm not an immigration Lawyer, But there are many Europeans working in the U.S. Things have gotten a little difficult, but I see many people from many nationalities working in Miami. As a matter of fact, there is a fellow teacher that lives in China and flies to the U.S to work every other semester for a couple of months and then goes back to China. I don't know how she does it. It's like the old saying goes, "If there's a will, there's a way." One needs to think possitive. Very Happy