Job Discussion Forums

Irish Blood English Heart

Hi, im new to this forum and the wonderful world of TEFL, all night I looked through these threads hoovering up infomation that is all new to me!!! Its slightly overwhelming to say the least but I have never looked forward to or wanted to do something so much as teach in east Asia! And since English is something ive got than thats my easiest tool to use.

The question is, how possible is it for me to do this with my circumstances? Well here they are.

I'm 21 years old and will be 22 by the time I'd be ready to leave for Asia.

I'm born and bred English, white, with a BBC accent, and good qualifications up until University. However I dropped out of University half way through my 2nd year due to financial and personal problems and in hindsight plain stupidity. I was studying Sociology and Politics though. I am going to do a CELTA TEFL in Krakow in Poland in the next few months (I could do it here in Newcastle but i'd rather do it abroad and its cheaper too). Going back to University to do another degree isnt an option as i'm not eligiable for help with my fees or another student loan (meaning it would cost me 7000 pounds a year!). My only teaching experience was for 3 weeks before University as work experience in a primary school teaching 8 year olds.

In asia I am looking to fufil a vocation and to make a difference, Im not one of these people who just wants to travel and use teaching as an excuse. I intend to stay out there for a very long time and immerse myself in a different way of life from the British way.

I am looking for a job in a medium sized city perhaps somewhere off the main beaten track (HK, Shanghai, Beijing etc), but somewhere large and different. I am looking to earn enough to live comfortably and to have enough to meet new friends and going out occasionally etc. However I am not worried about savings to come back to the UK with. I am also looking for a job that would be able to arrange my VISA for me (even without a degree is this possible) and provide comfortable accomodation for me.

So am I dreaming or is this really possible? I know I probably dont have a high enough education having not finished my degree to teach in Japan so I guess that is out.

Which leaves places like Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia and (my prefferred option) China. What are my chances of landing a position like I said without the degree and at my age in one of those places?

Like I said China is my favourite but I heard you need a degree for the Visa there too. Is there a way around this?

I dont mind not earning top dollar as long as im confortable and its all legit and above board and I intend to proove myself and build up a career once im there.

Also is the accomodation you recieve free in these kinds of positions and seperate to the salary?

Anyway hope all this helps. Sorry for writing so much but ive seen in a few previous posts that people havent left enough infomation.

If anyone could help me or give me any advice that would be fantastic!!!

Thanks very much,

Danny

khmerhit · Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:14 pm Post subject:

Dear Irish Blood, you said

Irish Blood English Heart · Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:59 pm Post subject:

Lol what dya mean by self control khmerhit dya mean girls or alcohol? lol well im from Manchester so im used to an abundant supply of alcohol and im not one for sleeping around so im sure id manage that too!

Id definitelty be interested in Cambodia, but how much could I expect to earn? And what would my living costs be? Would I have a problem finding decent living quarters when I 1st arrived bearing in mind ive never been to Cambodia before?

Cambodia is definitely one of several options im considering

khmerhit · Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:21 am Post subject:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=8278

thats what i mean, mate

pm me and i;ll send you some stuff if you want
kh

Irish Blood English Heart · Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 11:39 am Post subject:

Lol well I dont intend to leave a trail of half Irish children wherever I travel! Cheers i'll PM you in a bit!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

My advice :

GET A DEGREE

Try Distance Learning while you are teaching. Others have done it.

Univeristy of London offers BA's. So do many universities in the States. Try Iowa for example. Or the Open University in Milton Keynes.

khmerhit · Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 1:07 am Post subject:

Excellent advice from the Scot.
Do not, as I did, postpone the completion of your degree.
Bottomfeeding has its downside, believe me, and if you're part Irish I expect you will understand what I mean. Crying or Very sad

But good luck whatever you do..just dont put it off.....
kh
PS Distance learning is cool, Im doing it now, at Athabasca.

www.athabascau.ca

Irish Blood English Heart · Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 12:31 pm Post subject:

I would loving more than to get a degree but like I said finacially there is no way in hell I can go back to proper university as I wont be given any subsidees on my fees so were talking 7k a year for fees along nevermind how I support myself!.

And the thought of staying in Newcastle for 6 years scraping a borderline existance in a crappy retail job while doing an OU degree fills me with terror!! If I could do it while working as teacher than that would be something else but in Newcastle the only jobs i'd find that allow me the hours off needed while paying me anything would be places like McDonald's!! The wages here are terrible, despite the fact that im better educated than 9/10ths of the local population the last job I had (and best I could get) was 860 pounds a month (about 10k a year) try living off that in Newcastle where even a room in a flatshare costs 300 pounds!!!

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

Without a degree you will be scavenging through life's very constant lows. The world is full of crashing bores and plenty of them are are teachers with a university education. If you can't finsh it for the time being I would suggest getting a fake degree, using it to go to the country that you want, learn your teacher's skills, prefererably finish your real degree and go from there.
Your desire to be a good teacher(and your exceptional good taste in music) will give you an advantage over many of the teachers that I've met. but to be honest at 23 and with no experience you can't make that much of a difference yet.
Become a good teacher, get some, hopefully genuine, qualifications and then you can bypass the language schools and try to do some real good in a school.
If you want any specific advice about Japan ask me I wont say no. Well how could I? Very Happy

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

Oops didn't mean to take a child and make him old. You are 21.
BTW I saw the great man in Osaka 2 years ago. Now there is a man who really did make a difference. Smile

Irish Blood English Heart · Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 2:53 pm Post subject:

Yeah Im seeing him in Manchester on his birthday on the 22nd of May for his first gig there in 12 years!!! And it was a 19,000 sell out in 2 hours!!!

Thanks for your good advice mate, Of course I want to do a degree one day, Trouble is like I said at the moment with the english tuition fees system the way it is I just cant. When i'm 25 I reach mature student status though so can go back to uni and do my BEd. So that gives me 3 years of teaching in Vietnam and china the way I see it building up experience and experiencing a different way of life to rainy Manchester or drab Newcastle. Then once I've graduated (a long way of I know) the world will be my oyster.

Anyway cheers for that!