Where the fek do I go?

Mods, sorry if this is the wrong forum but it's the only place I know.. If it has to be moved, just delete it instead.

Basically, I got voluntary redundancy yesterday... which I really wanted. But now that it got confirmed, I'm really at a loss for what to do....... My head is all over the shop. I have to leave Ireland in September which to be honest is really alot earlier than I had planned or expected.

My choices boil down to either South East Asia or South America.. I think I want to teach english to keep me going but I want to avoid the tourist trail completely. Asia seems like the safest option but South America seems like the crazier more scary option.


Any advice welcome.

Karl Hungus

North Korea

starbelgrade

Get a job.


Mwah ha ha!!

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Why do you have to leave?

starbelgrade

baz2009 wrote: »

Why do you have to leave?

Upcoming court case.

baz2009

baz2009 wrote: »

Why do you have to leave?

Cause I only went for it with the intention of leaving... And I was told the whole time I didn't have a chance of getting it. I've 2 years experience since college and want to travel, it's just a massive shock that I have to leave everything I know so soon.

Hank_Jones

They're always looking for people with degrees to teach english in South Korea.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055966010

Larianne

South America, I'm guessing would be less touristy than South East Asia.

storm2811

I know a fella teaching English in South Korea,says he loves it there.
I'd go for South America though,seems more fun....and tacos.

Wolfe Tone

Go to Cuba, have heard great things. They love the Irish too, ditto wih Argentina.

SomeFool

Patagonia

x PyRo

Leitrim.

starbelgrade

Larianne wrote: »

South America, I'm guessing would be less touristy than South East Asia.

South America is riddled with tourists.

starbelgrade

x PyRo wrote: »

Leitrim.

Leitrim on the other hand, isn't riddled with tourists. Though Carrick is full of stags & hens every weekend.

ElaElaElano

Go to Argentina Ads. And use your redundancy to bring me along. And in return I'll sing you to sleep every night, forever.

Deal?

Snowie

dude go snowboarding for a winter i promise you wont regret it!!!!!

if you want any info i can give you it all ive done enough winter season to write a book

Diabhal_Glas

Dont just go to one place.

Get a round the world ticket, they are usually valid for a year. I got a 7 stop one a few years ago and went to

Ireland
Canada
USA
Fiji
New Zealand
Australia
Thailand
Ireland

Spend some time in each country and maybe you could work somewhere along the way.

This is an amazing way to see the world. I remember leaving alone and bricking it but youll meet many cool people along the way in hostels etc..

Life changing stuff where ever you go/ what ever you do...

talk to mates that have travelled and you have a lot to look forward to

Can barely remember starting this thread, so so drunk last night...

I like the sound of an around the world ticket but I don't want to be tied down to anything... In my sober state I'm thinking Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan and then either Australia or South America. Teaching English along the way.

Should be good

jackiebaron

Diabhal_Glas wrote: »

Dont just go to one place.

Get a round the world ticket, they are usually valid for a year. I got a 7 stop one a few years ago and went to

Ireland
Canada
USA
Fiji
New Zealand
Australia
Thailand
Ireland

Spend some time in each country and maybe you could work somewhere along the way.

This is an amazing way to see the world. I remember leaving alone and bricking it but youll meet many cool people along the way in hostels etc..

Life changing stuff where ever you go/ what ever you do...

talk to mates that have travelled and you have a lot to look forward to

I always regret not doing something like that but now I'm forty, even though I'm still 20 on the inside. Am I too old and bollocksed to do it?

Agricola

Deleted User wrote: »

Can barely remember starting this thread, so so drunk last night...

I like the sound of an around the world ticket but I don't want to be tied down to anything... In my sober state I'm thinking Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan and then either Australia or South America. Teaching English along the way.

Should be good

Id drop Austrailia personally unless you have a burning desire to see it. Its just a hot and sticky version of Ireland / Britain isnt it!

South America for me.

Fair play to ya Ads. I wouldnt have the liathroidi to bum around the Far East teaching English!

Respect - Granted

jackiebaron

Deleted User wrote: »

Can barely remember starting this thread, so so drunk last night...

I like the sound of an around the world ticket but I don't want to be tied down to anything... In my sober state I'm thinking Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan and then either Australia or South America. Teaching English along the way.

Should be good

How much do you get paid teaching English?

Korvanica

Deleted User wrote: »

head ..... shop

there ya go, you knew yourself all along

go asia

L.Jenkins

Go to Yemen.

Terry

Hank_Jones wrote: »

They're always looking for people with degrees to teach english in South Korea.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055966010

I'll second that.
I've a friend who has been there for about 5 or 6 years now. He loves it.

jackiebaron

jackiebaron wrote: »

How much do you get paid teaching English?

In Japan, jus over two thousand euro a month.. And I think Korea is maybe 1200 or so but living is really cheap. Six or nine months and you'd save enough to head on somewhere else. Been a few months since I checked on it tho so not fully sure on Korean wages..

bonerm

1) Decide which nations women you fancy the most.

2) Go there.

bonerm

bonerm wrote: »

1) Decide which nations women you fancy the most.

2) Go there.

Hmm.. Well I've always wanted to do an eskimo. Would the Artic be nice at the time of year?

longshanks

fly into mexico, backpack your way down through central america. then you have south america. result
the downside... there isn't one
the upside... women, music, drink, drugs, sun, scenery, and its cheap

bonerm

Deleted User wrote: »

Hmm.. Well I've always wanted to do an eskimo. Would the Artic be nice at the time of year?

Not really. It's Baltic in the Arctic this time of year.

longshanks

longshanks wrote: »

fly into mexico, backpack your way down through central america. then you have south america. result
the downside... there isn't one
the upside... women, music, drink, drugs, sun, scenery, and its cheap

Fek.. That does sound pretty class.. My brothers in South America aswell these days so I might get onto him nd see how he likes it..

I really can go anywhere I want like... I love redundancy!

southsiderosie

A friend of mine took off for Argentina and never came back - the cost of living is really cheap, but Buenos Aires is relatively developed; the steak and wine were cheap but excellent, and he luurrrved the ladies (and ended up marrying one). There are loads of people willing to rent under the table for dollars/euros, since their currency is ****e.

I spent some time in Central America and quite liked Nicaragua - very underdeveloped, but cheap and the locals were really nice. It's also a lot safer than its northern neighbors. Panama was awesome, and Panamanians are the best looking people I've ever seen, but it's a little more expensive because they use dollars (and it's more developed, especially around the Canal Zone).

Medellin and Cartagena are awesome, and Medellin has a nice climate pretty much year round (Cartagena is stifling in the summer). Colombian women are amazingly hot.

Spanish is pretty easy to pick up (especially compared to Asian languages), so after bumming around for a while, you could potentially come back fluent, and have one more skill to go on the job market with.

tl/dr: Latin America for the win!

Right, now i'm properly confused.. Already reading up on central america and love the look of it. This thread just might have changed where I end up..

Diabhal_Glas

jackiebaron wrote: »

I always regret not doing something like that but now I'm forty, even though I'm still 20 on the inside. Am I too old and bollocksed to do it?

Depends on your state of mind, If your thinking about it then Im sure you'd be well able for it all. Staying in hostels is one of the keys to meeting people (and saving money) and you do meet people of all ages.
In some hostels I found that there were quiet a few 'gap year' annoying little Brits running daddys credit card into the ground, but that was mainly in certain parts of Australia, that was the only annoyance I found in hostels.
You can be as active or chilled out as you like, great cost effective way to see a lot of the world.

Deleted User wrote: »

In Japan, jus over two thousand euro a month.. And I think Korea is maybe 1200 or so but living is really cheap. Six or nine months and you'd save enough to head on somewhere else. Been a few months since I checked on it tho so not fully sure on Korean wages..

From what I've seen of the English teachers in Shanghai while I lived there, they drank every red cent that they made, partied and had a ball. Realistically if you just don't dig into your savings while there you would be doing well. Consider it a fun working holiday that is kind of free.

pickarooney

Has anyone ever really managed to teach English while travelling? You would have to stay in the same place for at least three months I'd imagine and the options are fairly limited (China, Korea...).

pickarooney

pickarooney wrote: »

Has anyone ever really managed to teach English while travelling? You would have to stay in the same place for at least three months I'd imagine and the options are fairly limited (China, Korea...).

I know of a fair few people in Korea doing it.. And you're not that limited teaching english.. eastern europe, asia and south america being a few big places.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

jackiebaron wrote: »

I always regret not doing something like that but now I'm forty, even though I'm still 20 on the inside. Am I too old and bollocksed to do it?

No. ****, no. I know aguy who did it at forty two. With his wife, Dad, and eight kids. Do it now.

OP: The more "developed" a coutnry is, the more likely you might need a TEFL course. They are expenisve but quick - might be worth looking into doing one before you go?

Ikky Poo2

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

No. ****, no. I know aguy who did it at forty two. With his wife, Dad, and eight kids. Do it now.

OP: The more "developed" a coutnry is, the more likely you might need a TEFL course. They are expenisve but quick - might be worth looking into doing one before you go?

Was thinking that.. But was also thinking that I could do one in Thailand.
If I had known i'd have to leave so soon, i'd have started one already..

pickarooney

Deleted User wrote: »

I know of a fair few people in Korea doing it.. And you're not that limited teaching english.. eastern europe, asia and south america being a few big places.

I don't remember meeting a single person who was teaching English when I was in South America for six months. There just wasn't the demand for it. Maybe in one of the bigger cities, but then you're stuck in a big city for six months and can't go travelling.

jimmycrackcorm

Go anywhere except on the dole.

Gummy Panda

Deleted User wrote: »

Was thinking that.. But was also thinking that I could do one in Thailand.

Ah... ladyboy, you like? :pac:

On a serious note, South Korea sounds awesome.

pickarooney

pickarooney wrote: »

I don't remember meeting a single person who was teaching English when I was in South America for six months. There just wasn't the demand for it. Maybe in one of the bigger cities, but then you're stuck in a big city for six months and can't go travelling.

I'm sitting beside a guy in work so taught in Peru for a year while backpacking.. Think it sounds like a great way to do it. But then again, I've never done it.

papajimsmooth

I know a mate who landed in south korea with a TEFL cert and he was raging because you can buy them on the sides of roads over there on the cheap. Just another option i guess to save a few quid

jackiebaron

Diabhal_Glas wrote: »

Depends on your state of mind, If your thinking about it then Im sure you'd be well able for it all. Staying in hostels is one of the keys to meeting people (and saving money) and you do meet people of all ages.
In some hostels I found that there were quiet a few 'gap year' annoying little Brits running daddys credit card into the ground, but that was mainly in certain parts of Australia, that was the only annoyance I found in hostels.
You can be as active or chilled out as you like, great cost effective way to see a lot of the world.



From what I've seen of the English teachers in Shanghai while I lived there, they drank every red cent that they made, partied and had a ball. Realistically if you just don't dig into your savings while there you would be doing well. Consider it a fun working holiday that is kind of free.

I guess what I'm saying Diabhal is would I look like a fool travelling around doing something that is normally reserved for 25-30 year olds? I can handle the roughing part of it, I just wondered if I'd look out of place. did you ever see anyone 40 doing this type of thing?

pickarooney

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm sitting beside a guy in work so taught in Peru for a year while backpacking.. Think it sounds like a great way to do it. But then again, I've never done it.

Did he work in the same place for 12 months or move around from school to school?

I don't think you'd look out of place in the slightest.. You're just another person wanting to see the world. And what would it matter.. Life's too short and all that..

Lux23

Theres a TEFL programme starting in September in Ecuador, I was thinking about it if I don't find a job. We can go together!!

pickarooney

pickarooney wrote: »

Did he work in the same place for 12 months or move around from school to school?

No idea, he's not in today so can't ask him.

Morlar

Wherever you go my advice would be give mexico a miss.

ChristopherUno

I'd personally take South America, though I'm now in Asia and have been for the past 11 months, so perhaps it's a case of the rainforest is always greener on the other side?

Teaching English is a great idea though I think, it looks better on your CV than a year long absence of doing anything, it fills your pocket (a little) rather than emptying it, it's a fantastic experience and you really get to know the place because you live there.

bread

South America - learn some spanish while you are there - i stayed in Sucre, Bolivia to learn spanish for 2 weeks last year.

Lux23

Lux23 wrote: »

Theres a TEFL programme starting in September in Ecuador, I was thinking about it if I don't find a job. We can go together!!

Was chattin to a lad on tuesday who spent some time on the galapogas islands in ecuador.. It sounds like it'd be a great country to see. Decisions decisions.