Ajarn Forum - Living and Teaching In Thailand - View Single Post

Sanuk Canuk · 29th February 2008, 14:30

I had an old friend and colleague send me a job offer today via Email. This is the third such offer I have received in the last year and they are getting harder and harder to turn down. I love living in Thailand but my first 6 months of teaching was not the rewarding/fulfilling experience I had hoped for. Granted I know 6 months in one school is not nearly enough experience to judge the future of an entire career on but still I wonder if I am crazy to be passing up on these good jobs back home.

I still like my idea of opening up a restaurant because I think that would work as a good little earner for the girlfriend but I am really not sure what I want to do with myself. Maybe I will take the job in Canada and just vacation here in Thailand when I can. Man it is tough to know what to do. The recent blip on the stock market has reminded me that I am very venerable to reverses in the equities market and if things continue to go down working might become a necessity rather than an option.

The thing that is enticing me back to the frozen north is purely the finances, I figure for every year I stay there I could save enough to live in Thailand for 3 years, not to mention that that would be a year where my investments would sit unmolested hopefully growing at a modest margin.

What to do, what to do…….I don’t really know why I am posting here, maybe just to try get stuff straight in my head. Hard to know what I really should do at this point. I figure I have 3 options, stick with teaching, return to the frozen northland or try exist on a modest return from my investments, while hoping that my future returns will provide both income and modest growth. Since I am only 39, it seems strange to contemplate retirement at this age but that really is what the third option amounts to.

I know that this sounds like whining when I am in a good position but I am really conflicted ….. Comments?

29th February 2008, 14:30	#1 (permalink)
Sanuk Canuk Sanuk Canuk is..... Cunning Linguist Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bangers Posts: 682 vCash: 500 Rep Power: 66	Another unsolicited job offer. I had an old friend and colleague send me a job offer today via Email. This is the third such offer I have received in the last year and they are getting harder and harder to turn down. I love living in Thailand but my first 6 months of teaching was not the rewarding/fulfilling experience I had hoped for. Granted I know 6 months in one school is not nearly enough experience to judge the future of an entire career on but still I wonder if I am crazy to be passing up on these good jobs back home. I still like my idea of opening up a restaurant because I think that would work as a good little earner for the girlfriend but I am really not sure what I want to do with myself. Maybe I will take the job in Canada and just vacation here in Thailand when I can. Man it is tough to know what to do. The recent blip on the stock market has reminded me that I am very venerable to reverses in the equities market and if things continue to go down working might become a necessity rather than an option. The thing that is enticing me back to the frozen north is purely the finances, I figure for every year I stay there I could save enough to live in Thailand for 3 years, not to mention that that would be a year where my investments would sit unmolested hopefully growing at a modest margin. What to do, what to do…….I don’t really know why I am posting here, maybe just to try get stuff straight in my head. Hard to know what I really should do at this point. I figure I have 3 options, stick with teaching, return to the frozen northland or try exist on a modest return from my investments, while hoping that my future returns will provide both income and modest growth. Since I am only 39, it seems strange to contemplate retirement at this age but that really is what the third option amounts to. I know that this sounds like whining when I am in a good position but I am really conflicted ….. Comments? __________________ [Laying Plans] "It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected." Sun Tsu