Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Unposter]

I think Ttompatz gave the best advice as usual: It all depends on you. There are certainly do certainties in life and in ESL there might be even less.

It is not an "easy" job and it is not for everyone. I have been doing this for nearly 15 years and I have never thought, "what if," if anything I've only asked, "why not earlier?"

If you have doubts, I think there is a more than fair chance, it really isn't for you.

Is it career? Sure. Anything can be a career. It is your life. Do the things that you think are best for you. Just remember that what others decide may not be good for you and what you decide may not be good for others. This is not a one size fits all world.

My only advice is that if you are from America, save your money. Any semblance (sp?) of a safety net is being dismantled and it is increasingly becoming a fend for yourself kind of place - so you better be prepared to fend for yourself.

Other countries may be different but if you are American, you really need to consider that.

This is just my opinion and you can take it for whatever it is worth but if you are someone who likes to spend money, ESL can be a fun diversion for a year or two but its economic opportunites (generally) are less than other professions. But, if you like helping others and you were born to save money, this just could be the profession for you.

I'd also just like to say that there is nothing wrong with taking a couple years, see the world, make a dollar or three, and then move on to something else. But, if you are really considering making this your career, you should do it because you enjoy the work (and I guess the lifestyle), not because you think it is better than what you can do back home. Chances are if you put your mind to it, especially after saving a few dollars here in Korea, you can find a way to make it happen back home. As a college graduate, you don't have to be a refugee. But, I just as clearly want to say, if this is what you dig, then by all means stay and make the most of it.

[pegasus64128]

Good post, and funny avatar. What's that from?

Anyways, I agree that anything can be a career. You can come across people here that frown on ESL as a career, but many of those people are indebted and have no real credibility. If I spent the time I spent back home, then I'd probably be indebted myself, though I doubt it. I would have just ended up leaving for somewhere else anyway. I was making decent money back home but not enough to stop me from traveling. It all depends on your individual set up. For me, traveling to Korea was the right choice, I hope! ;>

If I have one regret, it's that I didn't follow my original hunch and go to Taiwan, but I was a virgin to living abroad at that time and Korea had fewer question marks and better money.

Regardless of how things turn out for me, wherever I end up, I will always be unsettled to a degree. Once you make a bridge between two ways of life, you'll always be missing one when you live in the other for long enough.