Job Discussion Forums

booty · Joined: 22 Aug 2004 Posts: 94

After 4 years, I am packing in TEFL, being fed up with split shifts, low pay and dodgy schools that promise so much and give so little.
I wonder what the main reasons are why people choose to give up their jobs or life at home to escape the rat race. Question

Sorry if the poll�s limited. I wanted to put other categories such as Other and Escapism

EverReady · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 48 Location: Nobody Cares

Where is the "running away from responsabilities back home, not wanting to grow up" option?

Mike_2007 · Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 349 Location: Bucharest, Romania

Not enough options...

I got into TEFL because I was moving abroad so retraining as an English teacher was the most logical way to be able to earn almost immediately upon arrival.

I kept doing it because I enjoyed it.

Now after ten years I work for myself, still quite enjoy it, and make enough money to live comfortably and save plenty. I also see those who've spent the last ten years doing the 9-5 in some cruddy office somewhere and I'm not at all jealous.

Cheers all,
Mike

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject:

Not enough options.

Career development of what? YOur TEFL career or your career "back home?"

fluffyhamster · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 11:06 pm Post subject:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=57930

Girl Scout · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 525 Location: Inbetween worlds

This is what I wanted to do. I worked in ESL in the US for awhile and didn't enjoy it. I find it much more rewarding in an EFL environment. Unfortunately, do to unplanned circumstances, I too am returning to the motherland at the end of my contract.

Here's hoping it works out.

Marcoregano · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 872 Location: Hong Kong

Not enough options...

There should be one for:

Because it was better than the alternatives.

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

It was something I always wanted to do. Maybe I felt like I was born in the wrong place. Ironcially I never thought of getting married, and we just celebrated two years. It's hard to be married to a foreigner though. At least that's what my hsuband thinks once in a while.

parrothead · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 342 Location: Japan

A little bit of all of the above. Mostly, however, I love to travel, and vacations only allow you to scrape the surface of a country. Living abroad is really the only way to get a proper feel for a country.

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

The cash, the stretch, the moolah, the green, the duckets, the root of it all, the coin.

Why else? Laughing

MO39 · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject:

I began teaching English abroad so I'd have a way of earning my living while living and traveling in foreign, usually Spanish-speaking, countries.

soapdodger · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 203

There's not much to it really. If I stopped doing EFL, I'd have to lose the racehorses and the Learjet.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

johnslat · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:19 am Post subject:

Dear soapdodger,

"If I stopped doing EFL, I'd have to lose the racehorses and the Learjet."

The Lear, huh? Funny, I had you pegged as more of a Virgin guy.

Regards,
John

soapdodger · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 203

Nah John, I could never make it down to my villa near Cannes for the weekends on scheduled flights. Incidentally, fascinated to hear you are teaching "convicts". I don't dubt for a moment that they are enthusiastic about learning. Sadly for many people, being sent to prison is probably their only chance of getting the decent education they want and know they need.