Korean Job Discussion Forums

humanuspneumos · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

Hojucandy reminded me once again of the question- "Is there life beyond TESLing?" Am I just being a hedonist? (highest ethic is pleasure itself) I know pleasure only lasts for a season. Do I have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) because of Asia or before Asia? Asia is like a flitting humming-bird 24/7. Home is like a water-buffalo or a speeding train that stops at predictable locations and times. Western civilization with its laws, zoning, and shoe-box jobs and white-picket-fence mentality is just boring. Capital B O R I N G.

Materialism just bores me to tears. I've been in Korea off and on since Dec. of 96. That's a while. Family members are purchasing homes close to a quarter-of-a-million dollars and I'm- well- I'm TESLing and can't see any way of breaking the cycle- though cultural norms say "You should be- you know- settling down."

What's anyone elses take on the whole thing. None of us will get rich for sure (65 and looking at a measely 800 a month pension and no mansion) assuming we continue on the TESLing track beyond that magic number- whatever that is- I suppose the accountants know. How about Hojucandy- will Hojucandy be able to break the cycle? What do you think Hojucancy?

mike in brasil · Joined: 09 Jun 2003

1. Several people in the states don�t consider teaching ESL a real job. So, if you do it, like we do, we are always fighting with that.

2. Several Americans are very highly motivated to be Lawyers, Doctors, Engineers, etc. LOrd knows my parents would love it if I were one of those things.

The fact of the matter is, only after you become a teacher and do it for a while and actually see people learning because of your efforts, do you realize that it IS a real profession.

In California my one best friend is a house painter and the other best friend is a gardner.

As far as "breaking the cycle", the most important thing is to have your financial freedom. In other words, not depending on the rat race.

In Brasil the Banks pay 20%+ interest a year. If you put in $50,000 US, you�d make $10,000 in pure interest. ANd in Brasil, to live well, you only need R$2000 (about $700 US) a month.

I want to go to Korea to save the money (and maybe retire in Brasil like this) so I can get out of the Rat Race. Hell, I�m only 33.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Tancred · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2003 3:38 pm Post subject:

for me, there is definitely life beyond tesling and i can't wait to get back to it. I'm bored senseless here (in korea) and miss the throbbing pulse of my life back home.

But one does what they're happy with...mike in brasil seems to have a good plan. You find out what you want out of life, make a list, and then go about fulfilling them. It's not complicated. And as for those silly fools who think you should "settle down"...well, that's just dumb. I have seen too many people get married, have children, buy a home, and commit to a long-term vocation in some drab banal company, only to say, years later, "My God! What have I done?" And the days go by...

Anyway, these people only want you to settle down so they can have company in their misery...that's my suspicion.

T.

Mr. Literal · Joined: 03 Jul 2003 Location: Third rock from the Sun.

katydid · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Location: Here kitty kitty kitty...

I plan on making a lfe for myself after TESL. It may be in education, it may be in something else entirely, but you know, I wasted a lot of time in the past wondering what would happen to me if I did X or didn't do Y, and then, I found it all evens out in the end.

Ryst Helmut · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2003 8:05 am Post subject:

There most assuredly is a life after ESLing. It just depends on several factors.

Of the ESLers I've known (that have gone back to the other world), they have done....as could be expected.

It all depends on your qualifications, education, experience and what-not to allow you to move on to bigger and better things.

Of those who didn't do as well (compared to when they were ESLing) when they went back, well....they never had much to offer in the first place.

Those who did do well, they held advanced degrees and already had something to build on...some were able to incorporate their ESL experience...

All I know, I don't want to be ESLing (in the same context) for the next 20 years. Some six years in Korea is enough for now, and still under 30... time to kill. We've made our plans, know what we want, and moving to accomplish these goals.

Shoosh,

Ryst

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

you know I asked myself the same question after I left university and I think I'm coming to the same conclusions Ryst has.

Those who want to will move on. Those who want to stay in their comfort zone, the professional student/esler (note professional is used in both a loose and serious term) won't.

CLg

Butterfly · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Location: Kuwait

The market for ESL is as big as ever in Asia especially. To get your slice of it and diversify you got to be prepared to use your imagination and take some chances. There is very little life after TEFL, but there are opportunities within it. The world needs to speak English teachers, take control of this industry, it's yours.

Jensen · Joined: 30 Mar 2003 Location: hippie hell

I sometimes wish I could be back in Korea, teaching English, talking Korean, and drinking OB in crummy little dives.

Other times I'm damned glad I brought my family back to the states and "settled down." Not really getting anywhere here either, still kind of avioding full-participation in the "adult" world. But I do own land and a SUV and a shop full of tools so fringe-dweller or not, I've bought into the system at least that far.

As an EFL-er I wore a suit, kept clean, and had a lot of polite social interraction and got to experience Korean culture, which I love...mostly. But the air was bad, so was the water, and the kids risked their lives every time they crossed the street to go to the playground.

My post-EFL life has been more free, as I'm not tied to any little hagwon hitlers. I live in a beautiful place where I can hike for miles in the backcountry, right from my door step. The air is clean and the water's great. But a humanities degree doesn't count for much in a rural community so my daily work is ditches, pipes, foundations, wiring, nuts and bolts. I wear boots and coveralls and come home filthy.

Working on changing that, maybe will get into translation/interpretation eventually. But it's hard to chase opportunities that might not even exist when I can get decent blue-collar work just by showing up on the job.

Thought about teaching high school, but that is a really sad existence. I did student teaching for a few weeks just to check it out, high school is as boring and useless as it was when I was a student. Maybe worse...I'd rather clean sewer pipes.

"After" EFL hasn't been better or worse, just different.

Wish someone would invent a hagwon contract where you could do 3 months on/3months off. That would be fun.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Ryst Helmut · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:29 am Post subject:

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Wouldnt a succession of 3-month stints shortchange the students? By the time you'd figured out their needs & learning style, & they'd adjusted to you, you'd be gone.

Whose interests would you be serving?

Ryst Helmut · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:44 am Post subject:

FierceInvalid · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

Jensen - glad to hear you're doing well. I hope you come by some situation whereby you irreparably wreck your SUV but you yourself are fine.

As for life after EFL, I'm not sure yet. I've been looking for something else to interest me but haven't found it yet. I want to be abroad too badly and can't see any other way of staying out here...besides, for the moment I enjoy it...I hope it lasts.