fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2432 ]

[ SECRET POST #2432 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2432 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

[Leverage]

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02.

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03.

[Dragon Ball Z]

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04.

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05.

[John Cusack, Say Anything]

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06.

[Arrested Development]

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07.

[Star Wars]

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08.

[Easy A]

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09.

[Star Trek]

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10. http://i.imgur.com/XrNzg6P.jpg
[link for porny art, illustrated]

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[ ----- SPOILERY SECRETS AHEAD ----- ]

11. [SPOILERS for Twin Peaks]

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12. [SPOILERS for dangan ronpa, fire emblem awakening, pokemon special, and gatchaman crowds]

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13. [SPOILERS for Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan]

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[ ----- TRIGGERY SECRETS AHEAD ----- ]

14. [WARNING for abuse/incest/non-con]

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 000 secrets from Secret Submission Post #347.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 1 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Need some advice that started with an anon yesterday (I am only have $100 to my name anon).

I am considering teaching abroad. I have a degree in Special Education and am certified to teach, but can’t find a job where I live.

So I was thinking of going abroad to teach English (possibly South Korea or Japan). I am not getting any younger (I am 24) and I think it would be a great opportunity (and I’d be the first person in my immediate family to actually cross the ocean!).

Has anyone had first hand experience (as a North American/USA) or knows someone with first hand experience teaching abroad? I set up an email address [wttoverseas@outlook.com], if people would rather email me privately. :3

I taught English in Japan for an Eikaiwa for a few years. It was fun, the pay was fine IMO. I have to tell you that in the vast majority of cases, with Japan, you have to have some money up front :\ I have heard that some schools in China and Korea will reimburse or even pay up front for your flight, etc, but that's not typical in Japan.

Also Singapore, if I remember correctly from this thing I did in High School...

What program/company did you go through? How was the work?

AEON. The work was fine; I enjoy teaching and I had great students. The materials are pretty simple to use (a little too simple, actually. I sometimes made my own, more interesting supplements just so that my brain didn't go on autopilot while I was doing a lesson). I didn't work with kids generally so I can't comment on that, but the high school and up classes were fun and I also taught at corporations and those were really nice too. Also the hours were good; iirc I worked like 12-9pm or something, which is a pretty ideal schedule for a night owl like me.

Apparently for the JET program, you only need to know English and have a degree in anything (teaching/English would be good) and if you get in, you work in Japan

it's the same for private English schools in Japan-- you can have a degree in anything, as long as it's from an accredited university and English is your native language.

I have been reading a lot about the TEFL certification?

doesn't JET require some level of Japanese? I have several friends who have been and are in the program and they've all had years of Japanese study before even applying to JET...

What I heard is that JET is just VERY competitive. So even if they don't 'require' speaking Japanese, that might be an edge over the competetion....

Re: TEACHING ENGLISH ABROAD!

(Anonymous) - 2013-08-31 01:11 (UTC) - Expand

I'm the anon who suggested the TaLK program to you--ask any questions you have!

I was pretty low on cash when I came; I came almost two years ago, when the program still paid for your flight up-front (or I might not have been able to afford to come), but nowadays you have to pay for the flight--although I suppose you could borrow enough for the flight, they reimburse you (1.3million won, and you can get a one-way ticket for less) as soon as your Korean acct gets set up. Similarly, they recommend you have about 1,000USD to tide you over before your first paycheck, but I had WAY less than that and I was okay. You just gotta stay in when everyone else goes out to get shitfaced, and eat ramen until that first paycheck comes in. :P

What were your educational requirements? What other requirements did you have?
Where did you teach exactly?
What is teaching like (Did you have to make a curriculum, what about grading)?
Where did you live (neighborhood and house)?
What were the most jarring differences?

Thank you for answering any of these questions!

Requirements; to be a native english speaker + 2 years of university. (I personally have a BS already but most people are still in school)

I taught in Jeollanamdo, in a rural elementary school--the TaLK program is aimed towards underprivileged and underperforming rural elementary schools.

My program was afterschool; the school I taught at didn't give me a curriculum, and the kids weren't graded; some schools have different policies (for example some scholars teach curriculum classes in addition to the usual afterschool clases). We do a lot of games, crafts, phonics, basics really.

For the first year I lived in a homestay in the nearest metropolis (v. convenient to live but transport to work was a nightmare), for the second in a small city nearer to my school. Some people live on school grounds.

Biggest difference was how homogenous the country is. Korea is like 99% non-foreign, and most of the foreigners are still Asian. Also, cultural things, obviously...like because of the confucian background, there is a strong heirarchy in society, both on the negative side (as the junior teacher some people get kinda shat on), the positive side (people really are very nice and civilized, and crime is amazingly low), and the it-could-go-either-way side (grandmas on the bus will pet my hair or stroke my arm, telling me that my skin is like milk. They treat you like their real kid, lol)

No worries! Glad to help any way I can. ^^

Re: OP

(Anonymous) - 2013-08-31 01:42 (UTC) - Expand

Re: OP

(Anonymous) - 2013-08-31 02:10 (UTC) - Expand

I have had several friends do both and I have to say it varies considerably. One fried had terrible luck, another loved it so much that he's still going abroad, and there are several others through JET that put their three years in and came home.

Good luck, but really think hard on it. If you have questions, I can try and get the answers for you.

Did they all go to Japan? it seems like more people recommend SK.

One did both South Korea and Japan and had bad experiences with both. Another did South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia and is now in Malaysia, possibly Indonesia (I can never keep track, he keeps moving)

I've known two that have put their three years in with JET and I'm not sure what program another friend is with. I have another friend who did two years in China.

South Korea used to very good but that's only if you get placed in a district school and not a hagwon, as hagwons can very so much.

from what I hear of other people's accounts, if you teach in Japan (don't know about SK), don't be surprised if they make you put in more work than you would expect, since apparently teachers are supposed to clean, organize class trips, activities (plays, music, dances, cultural festivals, etc.) and so on

also the experience really varies depending on whether you go to a city or a rural town

Two people I know loved it. Of course, one only loved it until the tidal wave hit, and destroyed where she was living, and no one knew if she was even alive for about fifteen days.

The other had no problems while she lived there, except that one time, with the Yakuza dude who was hitting on her. And she was polite, extra polite, but told him she was engaged, and faithful. :D

That sounds sort of horrifying.

JET Programme application period should be starting soon. It is one of the better ways to teach in Japan when it comes to money and time. Less work for more money than an eikawa. You don't need to know Japanese unless you are applying to be a CIR, but you are supposed to demonstrate an interest in Japanese culture and language.

However, no matter where you go, South Korea or Japan, you need money for the first month.

JET does look interesting, I bookmarked it. I know you need money to live on, but are there any odd things you have to pay for your first month? Did you work in Japan?

Re: OP

blueonblue - 2013-08-31 06:01 (UTC) - Expand

Hi, I taught English in Japan for two years with Berlitz. :) Just got back a month ago! It's a great way to make money, and I can tell you, at Berlitz you'll still be considered very young - almost all of my co-workers were in their thirties or older. Definitely do it!

South Korea, I've heard people love it and hate it. Mainly I've heard more horror stories about bad management there, but I also knew two people who loved it a whole lot.

What exactly is Berlitz? I looked at the website but can't find anything specific about teaching abroad. Do you mind if I ask you some specific questions?

Re: OP

serria - 2013-08-31 14:26 (UTC) - Expand

I just started my fourth year teaching English overseas, and I wish I'd done what you're considering and started much sooner. I taught for two years in South Korea and am just now starting my second year in Saudi Arabia, and I also have a US teaching certificate that I couldn't use at home.

Here's what I can tell you to start you off:

1.) You have a teaching certificate. This makes you a valuable commodity in the ESL market, and you will have more jobs open to you. If you want to go teach in Korea, you can get in at a public high school, which is much preferable to working in a private one; you'll have fewer hours, always get paid on time, and just generally have a better experience.

2.) It wouldn't be a bad idea to pick up a TEFL cert, but because you have a teaching cert already, you could do one of the online courses and not have it affect you. Many people tell you to avoid the online certs because you don't get any classroom experience, but you already have that! In your situation, an online one would be fine.

3.) Korea is one of the better paying gigs right now, because the cost of living in the country is lower than it is in Japan. That said, if you want to go to Korea, I'd advise insisting on being placed in Seoul. I spent two years in a rural backwater and found it very lonely and isolating.

4.) The best paying jobs are in the Middle East, but living here is Hard Mode for most expats, and it might not be a good place to go for your first position. That said, if you think you're up for it, the UAE is doing a massive educational restructuring right now and you might be able to get in with them.

5.) Unfortunately, your timing isn't good for the public schools: the Korean public schools have their big hiring drives in January/February for school starting in March. You could probably get in with a smaller, more rural school, but the GEPIK program (Seoul/Incheon schools) is most likely closed. Likewise, I believe the UAE drive is over for the year.

Teaching overseas is a great experience and a good way to save some cash and get experience on your resume! Good luck, anon!

Thank you! This has been very helpful. If I can't find a job opening soon, maybe I will just find like a job at Walmart and save $100 a month to prepare.

Yeah, I did hear that about Saudi Arabia and I am not sure I'd want to go there was a woman. Maybe after I do a couple years in another country.

Are there any other companies you recommend (other than GEPIK)?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ SECRET POST #2432 ]

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