disappointed with myself and my career

[mesmerized]

Hi all good folks around here,

 

I'll try to make it short as my other thread has been posted in another section.

 

My name is Adam and I'm 28. All my life I've believed I could achieve more and I expected a lot from myself. Too much. I hold two degrees in Teaching English and American/English Literature but it looks like they're worth nothing. I had to leave my country (Poland) because the average salary there was too low to survive on my own. I've been to several countries such as Greece, Holland, the UK and Canada/US for a while. Now I'm in China where I teach English. But... my English is getting worse and worse. I use simple vocabulary, my knowledge of grammar has become one huge mess and I'm really tired of being in this country even though the money is good. In my current school I'm the best teacher according to what the students said. The other teachers are just native speakers who don't really have any idea of how to teach English effectively. And yet... it's hard to find a job if you're not a native speaker. One can have a bunch of degrees, loads of experience... and yet, the passport says it all. I've been rejected by several schools without even having interviews.

 

You see... I know I can't stay here forever. My personal life doesn't exist. My biggest dream has always been to get a degree from a Canadian or Australian uni but I simply can't afford it. I wanted to move to New Zealand but apparently I'm absolutely worthless for their economy and job market.

 

I've always considered myself to be an intelligent man who has achieved something in life, but now I think I was completely wrong. I don't know what to do with my life. Like I said, I'm 28. Most of my friends are successful and satisfied. Some of them have families, girlfriends etc.

 

I wanted to move to an English speaking country, do one more year of studies but... I just feel like a loser. An old one.

[camus154]

I'm confused....why are you worried about finding a new job if you already have a good-paying one? Are you just not happy staying in China?

[mesmerized]

I'm confused....why are you worried about finding a new job if you already have a good-paying one? Are you just not happy staying in China?

 

I'm not. China is just a stop-by place. I've been here for a year and I have never before experienced so many bad things in any other place. I'll be here for maximum one year more 'cause I'm totally lost as for what I should do with my life. Plus, I am where I am because I need to support my family financially... but frankly speaking I'm really unhappy being here. I'm not developing in any way.

[blueidealist24]

A lot of people in this economy are disappointed with their prospects. I am too. I haven't heard the greatest things about living in China, TBH. Is there any way you could go back to one of the other countries that you worked in and liked better?

[becomingkate]

I live in Alberta, Canada. I know a few of people teaching English in Japan, and they surprised me for staying as long as they did. One girl has been there for nearly eight years!

 

Are you qualified to work as a teacher in Canada? Our cities are growing at such a rapid rate, and we're building new schools and new senior's residences all the time. We have a shortage of healthcare professionals, especially areas like respiratory therapy, as the hospitals hire all the new recruits and the private sector is left wanting. Many of our healthcare practioners come from South Africa.

 

If you like to work in the blue collar fields, we have oil & gas going strong in Fort Mc Murray and meat processing in several major cities.

 

Each of the jobs I mentioned start at about $70K/year and lots of our universities offer night courses. The college in my city devotes a whole wing to 'english as a second language' students. They spend a semester there and transition into regular classes.

 

I'll be here for maximum one year more 'cause I'm totally lost as for what I should do with my life.

 

Sometimes the time goes by faster when you're planning something. Do you like teaching? Can your skills transfer to another job more readily available in New Zealand or Canada like professional development? We have "career colleges" that train unemployed adults in things like receptionist/warehousing/safety and they're always hiring teachers to run classes.

 

Anyway, good luck! I'm also trying to figure out what to do, so I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too.

[Snny]

I have the same degree and teach in the US. It took me two years to get a full-time contract after I graduated and we're cutting teachers because of budget. I was shafted from three different schools because of funding. Unfortunately, it's not any easier over here either. New Zealand is hard to get in and I tried too.

 

The question you should ask yourself is this: do you enjoy teaching? China isn't a great place to work, but I have friends who teach in South Korea and Japan... they LOVE it over there.

[LovelyLezo]

First of all, i think if you're not happy in China, then you should make an exit strategy. The strategy could involve any sort of time span. I think you should try to find work in other non-english speaking environments, ones perhaps with more tourism, so that you get to meet similiar others?

[mesmerized]

Yeah... you're right. I should start preparing myself to leave this place. But it's so hard to leave a place where you can live normally because you make a decent living... In my country it's gonna be an uphill struggle. I love teaching, it's what I'm best at... but I can't do if for a handful of pennies.

 

You know how I feel? Like my studies, my major, my diploma are worthless. Like I wasted time by choosing that major.

[camus154]

You're kind of all over the place, OP. You love teaching, but you feel your studies were a waste of time. You want to get out of China, but you earn a decent living there and you don't want to give that up.

 

I think you need to take some time to clear your head and get grounded. Figure out what's really bothering you and what you can do about it.

[mesmerized]

I think you need to take some time to clear your head and get grounded. Figure out what's really bothering you and what you can do about it.

 

I've been trying to do that for lots of years now. What do I want? I want to move to an English-speaking country and try to make a living there. I want to live in a place where hardworking, reliable people are appreciated. Canada would be perfect, but like I said before... who needs an English teacher (a non-native one, mind you) in a country where 100% of citizens speak English?

 

PS. It's not my choice Camus. I am where I am because I have to make money. I can't depend on my parents. And I can't go back and live with them. I'm 28. Living again with my parents would be a failure. Plus, I have to help my family instead of letting them support me.

 

I don't like this place, China. I'm suffering from the 4th food poisoning this year... Things like that never happened to me when I was in Poland.

 

I teach kids whose parents make LOADS of money. Yesterday I had a class with a kid who's going to the US to study at Yale. Her parents are gonna pay 1.2 million Chinese yuan for that. Can you imagine? I couldn't even dream of studying at Yale even though I'm ten times more hardworking than that girl. I'm usually very modest but... that's the truth.

[camus154]

Well, man, I wouldn't call your career choice a failure but your options are realistically limited to non-English speaking countries, unless there's a chance you can focus more on your literature degree rather than teaching English. Is that a viable option?

 

I understand your frustration in seeing wealthy kids who seem to be provided with everything while you're busting your butt--but your work ethic is yours alone, don't ever lose pride in that....it's becoming more and more of a rare commodity.

 

Perhaps it's time to start thinking outside the box....are there other career paths you could investigate? Lots of people graduate college with English degrees and wind up working in completely unrelated fields.

[LovelyLezo]

You know how I feel? Like my studies, my major, my diploma are worthless. Like I wasted time by choosing that major.

 

Yes darling, i chose Psychology, when really i love music! So alas, i have combatted that by studying music by myself (with a private music teacher). You can always extend on yourself, it just takes ideas and initiative. You've got to start marketing yourself! It's probably seeming a bit doom and gloom right now because of your living situation.

 

I'm fairly sure there are opportunities in rural Australia (outside the capital cities) for teachers. Once you get experience there, you can move into the capital cities. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to explore it further. I'm not sure about VISAs etc, but i could look into it from my end.

[LovelyLezo]

I couldn't even dream of studying at Yale even though I'm ten times more hardworking than that girl.

 

Okay, time to put that hard work and determination to use. Develop an exit strategy and look into working in rural Australia (i'm harping on aren't i?!). Perhaps you could find out some information by googling to start off with. As i said in my ^ post, i am willing to make a few phone calls (but, of course, can't guarantee anything).

[mesmerized]

Today I can't think of any future. I just wanna leave. I just wanna run away from this whole mess.

[emma34]

First of all I admire your boldness - you are ready to move all over the world for a good life and that is exactly the kind of boldness you need to build it

 

Unfortunately I feel like the world's economy is such right that now that someone with your education is going to have trouble in any country finding a really good decent job with a quality lifestyle right away. So I think you have two options:

 

1) First decide where you want to live in the world. Pick a country (ie Canada) and develop skills that are needed in that country (ie health care professional). That would obviously mean going back to school.

2) If going back to school is not an option. Pick a country where you can make a decent living and have a quality life without necessarily using your education right away. I will use Canada as an example again since that is where I am from. Teachers here have a hard enough time getting jobs right out of university and will often have to substitute or serve tables for a little while until they can get a full time job. You would likely have a harder time because you would have to get certified, etc. That being said, you would find it easy I think to find a job to work while you wait for a full time teaching job that would provide you enough money to live and a decent quality of life. I suppose though it depends how much money you need. You can make a decent living as a server. In the oil fields they are always looking for men to work and the money is crazy. Or the snow hills in BC!

[mesmerized]

Thanks Emma34. Appreciate your reply.

 

China was my last big jump into the unknown. I'm so tired of moving from one place to another. My life lacks stability. I wish I could be like most of my friends who have already settled down. Most of them did at the age of 25. I'm already 28/29 and my life is one huge mess.

 

I was thinking of going back to university but when I checked how much money the British Columbia Uni would like to get from me it turned out that I'd have to work for the next 2 or 3 years here in China to pay for one year of studies. And that's only if all I did was to work 24/7 without any pleasures. So, I'd be 31 or 32... then I'd apply for the uni and hopefully graduate from it at the age of 33.

 

I think it's too late for me.

 

I can't go back to Poland because I'd be making half of what I'm making here (which in Poland is just not enough to survive on your own) and on the other hand... I can't stay here for much longer. I see no way out of this trap.