Moving Abroad- Page 2

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:00pm

You most definitely do NOT have to have Education certification. That kind of thing's only valid in the US anyway.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:02pm

I hear ya, SorryGrateful. As much as I love this city I was born and grew up in, I do want to see the world and not end up where I began. But it's just so hard, in terms of immigration and visas and finding work, to move to another country.

I'm currently trying to decide whether I should spend a year living the poor but romantic life in France, or begin another three years of study.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:02pm

SG, get hired by a wealthy Italian family to tutor their Roman god son in English!

[Calvin]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:03pm

And a lot of teaching programs will give you a really intensive crash courses in the language before you go. I was looking into one in Budapest at one time (because really -- how many people actually go out and learn Hungarian on their own?).

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:09pm

My Fair Lady just popped into my brain at the mention of Hungarian....

[YessicaB]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:10pm

Love4Cheno...I say we swap passports...then I'll move to NYC and you can live and work anywhere in the EU! Sounds like a good plan right?

SorryGrateful, have you been to Italy? Not that it's not nice, just saying that it might be a bit of a culture shock if you haven't been before...
I'm pretty sure you could go as an Au-Pair (Live-In Nanny), you'd be on a Student Visa and it would make moving there a lot easier I assume (and you could then try and find different employment once you're there...). I'm not really sure about immigration laws in Europe, but I can tell you the ones for the US are a pain in the A**!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:10pm

I know for a fact that Japan and South Korea hire young English teachers by the thousands. About ten of my peers are teaching in Asia right now -- and some of them speak abysmal English (as an English major, this disturbs me).

Essentially, what the employers want are conversational teachers; you'll be teaching a curriculum, but the real lessons come from just having conversations with eager young Asians of all ages.

Contracts are usually one-year, with the possibility of renewal (almost always offered -- it's more a question of whether you'd accept). There's a lot of variation in salary. The employers are getting a good deal because they know they can pay you less than a regular teacher, since you're mostly going for the experience.

However, the real money comes from being a private tutor on your free time; business clients sometimes pay around $50/hour for a good tutor, and all you'd be doing is going to dinner with them and having a conversation in English.

I spent yesterday evening writing a reference letter for my friend who is going to Japan. She hopes to make enough in one year to pay off her student debt. But don't get the impression that it's a mountain of gold there, because it takes a lot of discipline and on-the-side tutoring to save money.

Updated On: 3/28/06 at 01:10 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:13pm

I lived in Paris, but I wasn't teaching, so I don't think my experience will help you.

Visas and permits are difficult and time-consuming to navigate, but if you have sponsorship of a corporation or program it can be done.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:14pm

Here's a blog from a friend of a friend. He is currently teaching English in China, and he has been writing about his experiences online. It's a fun read:

http://users.livejournal.com/_nojournal/

[Calvin]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:14pm

cookie, I've been humming "You Did It" ever since I typed that.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:29pm

tee hee

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:41pm

BlueWizard,
when I was exploring the Japanese teaching experience, I was finding a HUGE variance in salaries.
The best ones would give you a stipend-type salary which was fine (probably the equivalent of 30-40k a year here) BUT they'd pay your apartment rent. in Japan, that stuff runs as much as a 1BR on the UWS for a true walk-in closet studio.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 2:00pm

OK, if I wasn't sure before, I am now. I love all of you on BWW! Thank you so much for the ideas! I can't tell you how much it means to me.

And I've always been very interested in China and Japan, so I will look into that. Thank you!!!!

ETA: Does anyone know where to look for these Asian teaching opportunities?

Updated On: 3/28/06 at 02:00 PM

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:29pm

Most are done through agencies that recruit in North American cities (especially college campuses -- check notice boards and the international student centre at your local university). The ones I know of are Canadian, so I don't think it'd be much help to you.

Like bwaysinger said, there's a HUGE variation in salaries and wages, as well as quality and dependability. Some agencies and academies are just out to make a buck, and don't care about the teachers OR the students. Don't get screwed over! There are lots of online communities for overseas English teachers, so do some Googling and read some bulletin boards to find out which agencies and which schools are good.

I know the Japanese government has a really established program called JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching program). I've included the link below. Two of my friends are in the program right now, and they're having an amazing time (you can read one of their blogs here: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/heatherinjapan/). It doesn't pay very well, but it's more structured than other programs and there's government support, too. No teaching experience required.

Be prepared for culture shock. This is especially true of China, Korea and Japan. The culture and society are very, very different from what you'd find in North America. Even as a Chinese Canadian, I felt major culture shock when I was in Beijing last year: I wasn't used to bargaining for everything (including taxi rides), the air quality, the North Chinese food, the personalities, etc. Of course, it's all part of the amazing experience, but you do need a thick skin and a high level of independence to live in a completely foreign environment.
JET program

Updated On: 3/28/06 at 03:29 PM

[pndmnd]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:37pm

You'd want to do research on the individual agencies and companies, but I have seen ads for this type of thing on Craigslist.com in the education section of various cities.

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:12pm

YessicaB- I will trade my situation for yours anyday!

Maybe I've just been in NYC for too long...

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:18pm

Thanks so much, Wizard! I appreciate the advice and will take it to heart.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:35pm

son said this

You can't work unless your current employer sponsors you in the other country.

depends on the country........same with pets, some keep them in quarentine, some don't.

See if your library has a current edition of

Craighead's International Business, Travel, and Relocation Guide to 84 Countries 2004-2005: The World's Most Comprehensive and Thoroughly Reviewed Reference ... and Relocation Guide to 71 Countries) (Hardcover

it is the source to use in this area