ScienceGuy

Well, if you have plenty of money saved....

You won't starve in Thailand working as an English teacher with a CELTA, but you won't be doing much other than working lots of hours for low wages(no time for that degree). Indonesia is doable if you can handle the Muslims(Allah akbah!) but there aren't any good Unis there.

I would personally recommend you take advantage of the student loan program, get a degree in an area that you're fascinated with and excel at, and then get your loans forgiven by working in certain industries that do that or else get a good job which affords repayment. You'll probably be poor for the next 4 years while studying but you can work part-time at McDonalds or the book-store or whatever.

If you want to experience another culture and try teaching, you can just fly out, check it out, meet some teachers, sit in on some classes, maybe even give a few "demo" lessons(students love these). It's pretty cheap to live here so you could stay a few months and see most of the country for little money.

There may also be some Unis in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, etc that will let you do an international study program and pay for it with student loans. Then you could focus on your degree while living in another country and experiencing that culture. I know a guy from Europe who is doing this and he works part-time teaching(no degree or CELTA), has a student visa for a year, and is extremely well-funded by his loans. In a few months, he'll have his degree and teaching experience plus lived liked royalty in Asia. Not a bad way to go...

kevhov

Thanks scienceguy. That helps. I'm probably taking the CELTA in Phuket. Like I said, I will have plenty of money saved, probably around $70,000 from bartending over the years. I realize that I will be living paycheck to paycheck without a degree. But, my main motivation is to be able to work and make enough to survive and travel a little some and see the world for a while before I start working on that degree. What about Europe, Latin America, or other areas of the world. What other countries is it possible to at least get started like this?

Cream

Europe I wouldn't recommend mate, more expensive then the US in the western countries and the eastern countries are not the nicest place to be. Saying that Turkey does have some opportunities for English teachers, but I doubt that they are easy to get.

For latin America you will want to talk to a guy on this board called Mr stretch sorry if I've spelt that wrong I will check.

I think Thailand is a good place to start, of course you're not gonna get the big bucks here, but you could get a job in a language school or at a normal school out in the sticks.

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kevhov

Let me also ask if anyone knows anything about working for hotels. If so, what cities (anywhere in the world) would you recommend to start looking? What kind of pay and do they put you up with room and board? Has anyone tried this? It would be optimal for me at this stage I think since I have worked in restaurants and hotels all my life.

martyboy

Hi Kevhov,

You said you understand why the Thai authorities require EFL teachers to have a degree. Why do you think a degree is necessary?

daniel36

Why is a degree necessary? Because people want to know you spent thousands of dollars to be credited with an education even though I've met many people who have degrees that most wouldn't consider "educated" or very intelligent for that matter. It isn't that you learned anything really or even went to classes. It isn't that you can speak or can think critically. You just have to spend the money to get that piece of paper.

Education begins at birth and it should last a lifetime. Four years at a university does not make you educated or intelligent.

Cream

Most people argue that a degree shows that you have the dedication to stick at something for 4 years.

I am one of the few that has managed to make it in Thailand without a degree, I don't teach EFL though as I work for an international school. You don't need a degree to be able to teach, you need the ability to teach, anyone with a degree that has nothing to do with education and is working as a teacher is the same. They are great teachers because of their ability as teachers.

Of course a nice paying job is hard to find without a degree now and its getting harder.

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happynz

I hope this doesn't hurt your feelings. Your plan sucks.

Why don't you go to Australia and invest that money in yourself by getting your degree there. As a student I believe you can work 20 hours a week during terms and full-time during the holidays. Western Australia is in the midst of a boom now so making some extra coin shouldn't be too difficult. Also, Perth isn't that far a plane trip from Phuket.

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stfranalum

hard thing to do that teaching without a formal education

ill tell ya man....

1. you will experience different cultures
2. you will not have time nor the energy to get your degree at the same time. somethings got to give (you either need to be home, or settled abroad...a travelling/wandering student wont cut it nowadays)
3. there is no ladder to climb. you either love the kids and thus enjoy your work, or youre scraping out an existence as a bitter curmudgeon desperate to punch out at the end of the day. its a love job, and thats the only way you will keep your sanity here. in fact if you are looking for ladders (which tend to be the necks of your colleagues) you will be perpetually frustrated.

come here. do the job enjoy it for what its worth. but the bottom line is that no one will invest in you, if you havent done so for yourself.

...or you can do the smart thing, and just finish your degree first, then go abroad, and you can teach pretty much anywhere.

kiwiling

Working at any job and doing a degree part time is difficult...teaching and doing a degree part time is very difficult...at best (and that is stretching it) you may fit in 30% of study in a year...that means 10 years to do a 3 year degree part time...that is no way to make a living.

stfranalum

but its certainly a way to get on the road to alcoholism!

kevhov

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I guess I'll explain why. I do have a few a years of college but quit because I was disinterested at the time. School was easy for me. I had advanced everything. I tutored calculus when I was a senior in high school. I'm not bragging, but it was easy. I want to get an online degree so I will be able to do that as long as I have constant Internet access. I don't want to go to austrlia and have to stay there for years. I have the option of going somewhere else if I want to this way. I know it won't be easy, but working 25 hours or so a week doesn't seem like it would affect my ability to get a degree at the same time. I worked full time when I was in school before and had no problem. I probably won't start the degree thing for a year or 2 until I can work the details though.

peelieorion

Naive to say the least. Teaching and doing a good job is demanding. Once you get to Thailand and experience the atmosphere I reckon you'll quickly put studying on the back burner. New culture, new language and a job you have no experience in. be realistic.

WCBuckeye

go on jobsabroad.com. if you have years of bartending experience you could probably get a job in india or maybe greece, south america, etc. unless you're sick of bartending, that would be a great way for you to live abroad, and some of those jobs will even put you up. I looked at a few of these myself before I decided to go the teaching route.

just out of curiosity where are you now?

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