Job Discussion Forums

[Peace2ya]

Hello

I am interested in teaching English and would love any advice on a fun place to go. Also, any advice on what kind of school might hire me, and if anyone thinks I might be able to get in mid-year. Any advice at all would help. Just getting started, but now that I have made the decision, I want to get this rolling.

My stats:
taught in the Czech Republic (uni lecturer) and did a tefl cert there.
BA in English (taught secondary english for @8 years) and have a teaching cred and an MA in education. working as an academic dean now.

[tttompatz]

[Peace2ya]

thanks for the response. looking for a great place to live, probably in a city with an expat community, and a good life- and by that, I mean peaceful, cultural, multicultural, full of art. Want to learn something about the culture, and what a community's needs might be. I am thinking of creating a foundation to empower girls to get educated so that they have a say. so you can probably guess, i am not interested in a trophy wife.

[Glenski]

I've answered a post or two you've made elsewhere, but here is more advice.

You need to help us help you with a few things.

What do you consider "fun"? You want to go to a "fun place", but what does that mean to you? You have already mentioned culture and art, but do you spend most of your time going to museums and concerts to satisfy those interests, or are you talking about something else?

An "expat community". Well, that's pretty much the world, although in some rural areas, it might consist of just you. The main point should be, though, to find a place where you are comfortable with the job, salary, climate, and overall culture, and IMO having a lifeline of a (large?) expat community should be secondary. But that's just me.

If you have teaching credentials (a license?), then look into international schools. It is not "mid-year" for them. The academic year in many has just started in Sept/Oct. But, perhaps you meant that by the time you are interviewed and hired it will be mid-year...? If so, I'd say many places don't do that sort of thing, so be patient and learn all you can first.

[Peace2ya]

if, by saying you answered other posts of mine, you mean your response directing me to delete my post, - in fact the one, wherein I tried to deepen my details, per your request, then yes, I must agree, you have answered.

you will note-- that I noted, that I do indeed have a credential, as noted by "teaching cred"- in both posts. But you are right, that might not have been clear. What I mean by fun, when I stated in my post, "what I mean by fun" is having art and culture around, not especially museums as you have extrapolated. I see too, that you have pointed out, were I you, what I should be looking for, in the way of expat community. Alas, I am not you, so that leaves me still myself, and apparently misunderstood. And so, I say, sir, do not should on me.

I did find helpful the reminder that the cycle of the year is different. For that, I thank you. Audience is key. Know yours. Newbie to forum, but not sir, to the planet.

Best

[Glenski]

[artemisia]

As I see it, there are two main things here: your qualifications & experience and then your desire to be somewhere satisfying to you culturally. Your choice of location will be determined to an extent by your passport. I�d hazard a guess that one of those things will end up dominating.

If you approach it from the point of view of a highly qualified and experienced teacher then the higher scale jobs will be available to you. Your idea of a fun place to go might not be the UAE, for example, but I�m pretty sure you�d be able to find well paid work though I think you might have to wait til January now. It would meet some of your requirements such as peaceful with an expat community. But fun and cultural? I don�t know. I remember reading an article about Emirati women investing heavily in art and possibly opening an art gallery but that�s still a more formal experience of art.

I�d ask myself which was really the most important thing: earning decent money and having a reasonable standard of living or being somewhere more culturally rewarding? I don�t know that it�s always possible to have both. Even if it is, you�d need to narrow the options down a bit. When you think of �culture� do you dream of some of the beautiful cities like Paris and Vienna with a vibrant arts scene? That would be closer to what you experienced in the Czech Republic if you were in Prague. In which case, international schools might be a good option, as suggested by another poster. Judging by your second post it sounds closer to what you're picturing. Or do you picture something more rural, tribal? If money and comfort are not the most important things then there are organisations like the VSO who look for highly qualified people. I think in ESL and education generally it�d be more in a teacher trainer role and probably rural. I�m sure it�d be rewarding but the location options might be limited and would it be fun and peaceful?? I don�t know.
I find it difficult to be an architecturally bland and visually uninteresting place so a place like Morocco would be of great interest to me. Probably such places would require a reconnaissance trip. I think it�s unlikely you�d be able to set anything up in advance without contacts but no harm in checking out schools and sending out CVs. Perhaps other African countries like Tanzania might be of interest? There are international schools in the cities there.

IMO it's always good to know WHY you're in a particular place. Is it the money or culture or something else? If you actively choose than you're less likely to end up bitterly resenting the lack of the other. The great thing for you is that you really do have options!