Job Discussion Forums

[Evanzinho]

I'm interested to hear about other's experiences in "bouncing" between different countries teaching English every couple of years. For example, teaching for a few years in Korea, then heading down to teach in Taiwan for a couple of years, then maybe over to Hong Kong for a year, then over to Japan and so on.

Has anyone on here ever done something like this? Is this idea at all feasable? Care to share your experiences? The vagabond in me is curious...

[tttompatz]

[Mrs McClusky]

I have bounced around 9 countries, excellent life experience, but I am usually broke!

[spiral78]

Yeah, the thing about moving around is that it usually takes a local reputation and local contacts to get the better jobs going.

[Justin Trullinger]

I'm sort of a slow bouncer- a few years here, a few there...like the "not to sound mercenary poster," I tend to be looking to improve conditions with the moves, but I'm flexible about where, exactly.

If you want to bounce, and not be broke, you need to go slow, or to get in with an international organisation. I know several "bouncers" within British Council circles who seem to be doing well, and pretty much moving every two years.

Getting teacher training qualifications is another good way to bounce and stay solvent- it's a long-termer's option, though, as the experience required means you have to have been in the game for quite a while before you can get into it...

Best,
Justin

[Sashadroogie]

I believe with the BC you have to 'bounce' along. As far as I know, no long-term contracts in one location, for much the same reason embassy officials get moved around. Which is what the BC really is: an adjunct of sorts to the British Embassy.

[mozzar]

Do you at least have a choice of where you can bounce to in the British Council?

And what about chain schools like International House - does that make transfering easier?

[spiral78]

[i]And what about chain schools like International House - does that make transfering easier?[/i


]Yeah - but I think their pay is entry-level most places.

[Sashadroogie]

[oxi]

I bounced around in some interesting places, usually low paid, for one or two years each. Now I'm reasonably settled in Hong Kong and have been here five years.

Re. British Council:-

Teachers normally do a 2 year contract, then can do one more, ie. 4 years total, then have to move elsewhere.

Some places are more relaxed about it and find loopholes. When I was in Delhi they just invented new job titles and began the cycle again - eg. some teachers became 'young learner coordinators'. In Hong Kong, lots of people go onto local contracts - so they get the salary but don't get airfares home, insurance, etc.

You make your own choice where to move - you just look at the jobs advertised. But as you're applying for a new job you have to interview again and can be accepted or rejected. One issue that can crop up is leaving and starting dates overlapping, which can usually be sorted with flexible line managers. Another is being left in limbo if you decide to leave, but you've got nothing set up for the next job.

Money usually ok, bit better than other jobs like IH. Not as good as international schools.

[Trinley]

[mozzar]

I'd always worried that if I bounced around that I'd never be able to have a decent job and that one day I'd wake up as a 35 year old doing the same job as a newbie fresh from university.

[Trinley]

[naturegirl321]

It's hard to actually do it. I picked up a husband in one country and will be picking up a kid in another. You get more baggage with each country and just want to stick with one for a while.

Once you start getting older, you want to put down roots. Plus, it's expensive to up and leave and start all over again. Too often you have to literally start at the bottom of the ladder.

[Trinley]