My Introduction

[Cardboard]

It's my understanding that a bachelor's is pretty much required for teaching in most countries. The big exception being China. Last time I checked it out they seemed willing to hire just about anyone, even if they put a requirement in their ads. Pay is very low by western standards but if you don't have debt payments you could get on decently as the cost of living is very low.

The thing I'm curious about is from what I have seen, the pay 15-20 hours of work is enough to get by and how many more hours you can get.  Working private on the side seems to be obtainable to increase my intake dramatically.  I'm used to working 50-60 hour work weeks and if I can get by comfortably that way it seems like a great option.  I still have to keep an open mind to everything but I have always felt the want to live in another culture. Finding a job overseas and hopefully meet a lovely lady in the process would have me extremely pleased with my situation.

[robert angel]

Regarding:

>>My most recent is a Global sushi knife which still hasn't lost its charm. $5 for a nice knife was just too much to resist though.<<

My deal of the year, maybe the decade on a knife, was on a 10 inch chef's knife, a 'Kai Shun Elite' model. It retails for $300, Amazon sometime sells it for $240. Global does make some great kitchen knives.

I picked up a 10 inch Kai Shun Elite at the flea market for $2.50. I had to send it to Portland, Oregon for sharpening, but Kai Shun sharpens their Elites for free. Sharpest knife I've ever seen--I think it can cut you from just looking at it.

With that in mind, a sharper knife is safer than a dull knife, unless you fall on it. When I forgot my shaving razor in the distant province outreaches of Mindanao--a Kershaw 'Leek' model knife -- a lovely gentleman's folding knife, was as good as most straight razors barbers use to shave people...

[Cardboard]

Sharpest knife I've ever seen--I think it can cut you from just looking at it.

Hah.  Its great to pick up a knife and know how careful you have to hold it just by looking at it.  I will always stay faithful to my Kabar though.

[jm21-2]

A Shun for $2.50 is certainly an amazing deal. I rarely use a chef's knife but I really want to add a Shun to my lineup. There was also a Fallkniven mine-clearing knife that I had my heart set on for a long time but just couldn't justify the expense. I got the Global as a gift (too cheap to buy it for myself).

Cardboard: It sounds like China may be a good bet for you. You can try out living in an extremely different (and fascinating) culture without having to get a 4 year degree. If you like the lifestyle but not the country you can always come back and use the GI bill to get a more formal education.

[Jeff S]

When I hear two fifty and knife, I think Tsukiji fish market. Unfortunately these hand forged and honed examples start at two hundred fifty (US$) and go up from there.

[robert angel]

Cardboard,

Kudos for you, at your relatively young age, to recognize the old school KA-BAR as being a great knife. It was, and still is--a great knife. More and more people are going back to the high carbon steel like the Kabar's 1095 carbon steel. Sure you need to dry it off when it gets wet, but it's really tough--soldiers have used that knife for everything imaginable and they still hold up--as you probably remember form your days as a Marine.

PLUS, unlike most of the knives collectors and soldiers alike buy with the high Rockwell hardness scale ratings, you can sharpen the Kabar (they have sacreligiously started making some of their classic design in hard steels like D2, as well as 1095) --you can sharpen a Kabar on a jungle rock or a city side walk.

The Gerber Mark II is also a great 'old school' knife. The way I look at my high end knives--I might sell most of my knife collection (and indian artifacts) before moving overseas, but I'll give knives like my Kabars to my sons

[Cardboard]

I would love to start a collection of knives as I do have a few interesting pieces, but with my decision to potentially move to another country I probably should not be starting that now.  

In other subjects, does anyone know if going through an online TESOL certification program is the way to go?  I have read both good and bad things about them, with a lot of places seeming to try and just get top dollar out of you for a cert that may not even be accepted where you are applying.  I would like to get the TESOL not just to look better for an application, but to give me some training before jumping head first into a completely new life.  If anyone can recommend good sites for these it would be most appreciated.  Just wish these was a university near me that offered a program to do it.

EDIT:  This website seems very legit and offers a full course for $295, including possible job placement upon completion.  Website layout looks professional and price seems very competitive compared to what I have seen so far.
https://americantesol.com/advanced-courses-catalog.html?reloaded=true

[Ray]

You could go to school for 4 more years. Or you can just use photoshop.

A lot of high school grads are barely literate so I almost hate giving that advice.

Likely just puting BA in Business Administration (3.15 GPA) Ramapo College of New Jersey would be the end of it.

Is that where you got your degree bcc...Photoshop? 

That was dumb advice!

Cardboard, if a job opportunity requires a Bachelor's Degree, then go out and earn it the hard (and honest) way.

IMHO, there are enough liars and cheats in this world already...

Ray

[Cardboard]

I don't mind going through the process of getting a degree, but if I can avoid doing so for now I obviously would like to do that.  It's not that I'm really trying to 'cheat' the system, but I don't think getting a bachelor's in some random field will really be that necessary.  I am mostly doing this as an experience, and after going through a year contract I will decide upon whether I am going to stay with it or maybe come home and move on to other things.  There seems to be plenty of job offerings in China for TESOL certified teachers so if I get certified I don't believe I will have a problem finding a job and living comfortably.  I am not high maintenance by any means, and just living every day is enough for me.  Its a good feeling to have nice things and a big home, but in the end they are only material items and are not necessary for every day life.  Being able to support myself (and possibly a spouse) is enough for me right now.  I am mostly looking for the change in environment and also (hopefully) to meet my other half. 

On a side note, ever since starting this whole process of research and thought, I am getting myself so anxious for what the future holds.  Were you guys all the same when preparing for your first trips?  Only been a few days and I'm ready to leave tomorrow!

[jm21-2]

I was in my first year of law school when I really decided to pursue this route. So...couple years of law school, bar exam, starting my own practice...took me a while to get to the point where I had both the time and money to travel to Asia.

I think you've definitely got the right idea. Try the teaching thing for a year and then decide whether it's worth it to invest the time to get a degree. I would try to find a place with as little pollution as possible. It's a major problem in China and I'm not sure I would want to deal with the extreme air pollution in some cities for a year. You will have plenty to live on I think. I visited Qingdao and it has some of the lowest foreign teacher salaries. A teaching job paid at least 3,500rmb/month with room, board, vacation, and bonus...compare that to about 1,000 I heard for a waiter at an upscale restaurant (no tips in China), or 2,000 for my Chinese girlfriend's job as a manager (she was well-educated and connected).

[Cardboard]

Was looking through a bunch of job postings to get a rough idea for what I would be looking at.  A lot of them seem to hover around an offer of 4,000-8,000 RMB, with the higher marks for those with experience.  From what it looks like, although low compared to other countries salaries, I could live very comfortably in my first year teaching making around 4,000 RMB.  I think I will focus my work at my first job for a while, and then maybe take some TESOL courses before starting my second contract.  This seems like a great opportunity to give me a year away from my regular every day life while making a decent living.  At the end of the year if its not for me, I always have a place here to come back to and can figure out where to go from there.  I'm digging around for some potentially free ESL courses to get an idea of what I'm up for over there.  If I'm going to be teaching, I need to make sure my top priority is the students are learning the material properly and they leave my tutoring with a good grasp of the English language.  Once I get a solid grasp of the basics, I'm going to get my passport paperwork started and start looking to get some contract offers.

[Capstone]

Cardboard,

I came across this site yesterday which seems to have some pretty good information concerning foreign teachers in China.
http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/sitemap.htm

[robert angel]

CB,

Regarding:

>> Were you guys all the same when preparing for your first trips?<<

Yes, I think most of us were. It's natural and healthy to be anxious/nervous when taking a big step into unknown territory, even after you've read up and collected good advice.

Generally things work out better than our worst fears, but having the adrenalin that is driven by anxiety and which usually creates even more anxiety/adrenalin, will get you through it.

As you're doing your homework, once you finally get over there,  you'll may still be scared, but you won't be scared stupid.

[Woody]

On a side note, ever since starting this whole process of research and thought, I am getting myself so anxious for what the future holds.  Were you guys all the same when preparing for your first trips?  Only been a few days and I'm ready to leave tomorrow!

Hah, if you think your emotions are getting wracked now, wait until you drive to the airport. Then wait until you get on that final flight to the foreign country and leave the states. Once the plane lifts off is you realize, holy crap, I am really doing this and there is no turning back.

But yes, a little bit of nerve-wracking is completely normal. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster when at each step of the process. Once you actually land at your destination, most of that fear just flows out of you. You realize, this is here an now, better make the best of it.

[z_k_g]

   

     I am mostly looking to find some good sites to start chatting with some women from some of your recommended areas.  A lot of the sites I have been coming across have very high price rates, with the most legit one looking like they wanted $15 just to send one email to a lady.  I would love to exchange a few emails, have a few IM conversations, and move onto the phone if the friendship seems to be working. 

Try dateinasia.com its FREE and I used it to contact my eventual sweetie.  You will get 80% scammers, 10% ladyboys and 10% decent chicks (that was my experience, yours may differ) 

But its really nice cuz you can search all over asia or specific cities or countries.  You can send them your email address; the best way to communicate is yahoo messenger and webcam which asian chicks love!!  just open a free yahoo account and sign up on dateinasia.com and you are rocking!!

You will be very busy with more 9's and 10's than you can handle and that's no exaggeration!  But you have to pick carefully and wisey, read the posts here and get educated before you start chatting.

[devonbm]

Wow thanks for all the info already guys!  I can tell I am going to be an active member of this community for a long time now and can see you are all very helpful and mature about the whole process.  I am looking into researching cultures a lot more in depth to see how I could potentially enjoy living the remainder of my life.  I have always wanted to travel, which was what led me to join the Marine Corps, but due to an un-forseen accident, I ended up getting an Honorable (medical) discharge.  I am now reading a lot of trip reports here and doing researching various websites to get a feel for their culture.  As for the religion issue, I am not at all trying to find someone who is not religious, its just that I need my potential wife to understand my decisions make me who I am and that is something about me I am proud of.  I know eastern cultures can be very different from us, so I wasn't sure if there were some areas I should avoid if they may frown upon not believing in a god.  Anyways thanks again for all the insight guys, but now unfortuneatly I have to head into work.   

You were in the Marine Corps, what years? I'm still in and getting out in about 2 months?  what was your job?

[Jeff S]

Just ran across this ad today: http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/edu/1688371739.html

[devonbm]

Just ran across this ad today: http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/edu/1688371739.html

If you run across, hot girl  wanting any guy for marriage, and will be loyal, clean and do anything man wants, I think you should post that haha

[Dave H]

I'm 6.0 tall,  200 pounds, 36 inch waist, 46 inch chest with a 17.5  inch neck, and finding clothes that fit me was hard. I've found that even USA people in general have a hard time finding clothes that fit their somewhat different size and proportion bodies

Hey Rob,

I have a bit of trouble finding clothes in my city of 300,000 Filipinos. I usually bring clothes, but have had some clothes custom made by friends...I need a good bit more room in the crotch than a Filipino.   I am thinking about having some kilts made.   I am around 5'9" but weigh 15.747 Stone (100 kilo - 220 lbs). I usually wear an XL shirt in the US, while an XL Filipino shirt is too tight in the chest and shoulders for me. It could never be too tight in the arms!   I need a 3XL! Hard to find in my city, which has very few foreigners.

I have always been more of a knife wound collector myself. Being on blood thinners, I may need to change my hobby!  

Dave

[Dave H]

Hey Cardboard,

Welcome to P-L! I think I missed your intro when I was on my "world tour." 

Dave