Teaching Overseas

My classroom

Hi. It's a smoggy afternoon so I suppose this is a good time to catch up on my writing. Thanks again for stopping by to read.It's dawned on me that I haven't really touched on about what my job is much like. You may find this helpful or neat, but if not, that's too bad because this is one topic I know at least a little about, so here goes. 

I'm not a smart fellow who planned this ahead of time. There was no long term goal that brought me here. Most of the things that worked out for me have been due to a combination of coincidence, opportunity, and luck. But don't let that dissuade you. If someone like me can do it, you'll be golden! 

Look at this idiot. A jazz degree, a dad shirt and an
armful of cheeses. What kind of priorities are those?

A little background knowledge about me, I got my degree in music because it was something I enjoyed and was decent at, knowing full-well that it probably wouldn't provide me with immediate and steady work. I pursued teachers college because I liked (and still do like) working with kids & teenagers, but I struggled through my classroom placements for a number of reasons (organization and diligence probably being the main ones). I didn't know if I would enjoy or be good at teaching, mostly due to the constant problems I was encountering in my practicums (practice teaching). I accumulated a handsome amount of student debt, and seriously doubted my ability to survive in the field. Yikes. 

Now I'm in my third year of a full-time contract teaching English, Math, Science & Social Studies to 10 year-olds in a former Portuguese colony turned casino-land in China. Not too shabby eh? Also, not exactly where I thought I'd end up. Heck! I even wear ties to work and shine my shoes, like a professional!

Organization is key

The first year of the job was by and far the most strenuous. I'd like to think that teaching is a mental work-out routine, so to say. It was a trial-by-fire, but it was definitely good for me. Your mind struggles under the weight of each day's new challenges, but by the end, it gets a little stronger, smarter, more efficient. Whether it's dealing with an arbitrary conflict, planning a unit from scratch, managing a rowdy bunch of kids on a field trip, creating better resources to make a lesson interesting, marking a small mountain of projects (I could go on...), I found myself better able to meet the needs being asked of me. I also had a lot of support and guidance from my colleagues. A LOT of support Thank you Hoda, Hope, Marion & quite a few others! I'm glad the first year was a big kick in the head, I wouldn't have got my shit together had it been anything but. So, this whole Macau thing kind of worked out in my favour. It's full time work in my field, it's challenging yet rewarding, and it's been good for me (both the ups and the downs). But it's rude for me to only talk about myself, so here's how this might apply to you. 

Kids are both fun and funny 

Thinking about teaching?Whether you've got some training or experience in education or not, you can find work. Schools will come in all shapes and sizes. Some adopt a culture/nationality for the basis of their staff & teaching content, mostly from Western countries with prominent education programs. Scattered around the globe, you can find British institutes, American Academies, and even a few Canadian international schools. Some schools will be secular, while others are religious-oriented. Many schools have been founded by those wishing to spread their faith, and make up a larger number than schools at home. International schools will likely hire you as a full-time teacher, teaching multiple subjects or grade levels simultaneously, much like you'd do in a full-time position at home. Local or specialty schools might hire you specifically to teach English to students with varying levels of English abilities. Pay, benefits, vacation time and the workload will all vary, but there's lots of opportunity out there for those whether you have official certification (B of Ed, TEFL, etc) or not. 

(I've got to say that I feel like a bit of a domesticated professional using all these terms) 

From my experience, there are strong pros and cons for leaving your home country to find work elsewhere. 

"Ewwww, foreign countries. Those are the ones on the news that have stuff going on all the time, and they don't have Tim Hortons..., and they're just... different..."

Did you find that comment sarcastic? Maybe a little offensive? And yet, did it still strike a chord of truth somewhere deep inside you? That's because that's what I myself thought.

Well, I wasn't that bad, but I knew it'd be different. Also, I realize that a positive aspect for one person could certainly be a negative aspect for another, so I'll try to outline the most significant ones without categorizing them, and you can decide for yourself. 

This is HK but that's close enough

Living in a different country has been a challenging, interesting and awakening experience. For many people, it's the initial put-off that may dissuade them from even considering leaving home (For instance, what kind of thoughts come to mind when you think about moving to China? Or the Middle-East?). For me, it was a process of being intrigued, frustrated, bored and finally comfortable with the stark contrasts to life at home. I could probably do a whole other post on how Macau is so different to Canada, and I'd probably forget to leave out the things I'm used to by now. If you have the gusto to move to a new country in the first place, you'll get used to the differences and find your own way to keep yourself happy. 

Go to Taiwan. DO IT.

If you enjoy travelling, there's excellent potential for adventure. I've been able to visit a number of countries and try new things, although I find it better to do it with a friend than strike out on my own. Learning how to ride a motorcycle and going on multi-day excursions is probably my single favourite thing to do. The next expedition will likely take place over Chinese new year if anyone would like to come to Goa (India) for some great food, beaches, nature and riding. 

As with any job,
it's important to get feedback

Opportunity. If you grew up in an English-speaking country, you have the enormous benefit of being eligible for opportunities in places high and low. I left Canada because of the crappy teacher job situation there. The land of opportunity is out there, and there are jobs and countries that need the next batch of teachers for the coming school year. You can search these out online (TeachAway, SeekTeachers, etc) or at a job fair if you want to take things to the next level. It's a pretty unique ability to rock up at the doorstep of almost any country and find some work. 

Make sure to bring essential items to
foreign lands, for your mental health.  

Being away from home, and the things that go with home, is probably the biggest difference. I came here to chase and opportunity and scratch out a bit of a living. If you've heard of the saying "Go West, young man", I went as West as one could go. I missed (and still do miss) many of the things that I had or could pursue in Canada, and coming to a new place forced me to strike out on my own to seek out people, hobbies, and satisfying uses for my time to keep me from going crazy. As a wiser man said, "There is no growth without change, no change without loss or fear, and no loss without pain". 

There are other fields to find employment and explore the world. A buddy of mine has been doing the same thing, only as a musician. He signs on for hotel/cruise ship venues in various countries and has been doing that successfully for about 10 years. If this is an intriguing prospect for you, or if you have other questions you think I'd somehow be able to address, you can leave a little message down below or contact me some other way. In all likelihood this is being read by someone who I've met in person already (and if it's not, how the heck did you make your way here?). 

Hopefully this thing still works...

As for me, Macau has been good both to me and for me. I'd like to think that I learned a lot and did a good job where I could. A big part of me would like to stick around for another year or two, or hunt for another school/country to continue what I'm doing now. Writing this blog, appreciating the little things and and reflecting on general stuff has led me to make a decision. After a lot of consideration, I will be returning to Canada in July of this year to make my home in Hamilton. Another year, I may yet disappear and chase another overseas opportunity, but for the foreseeable future I will be fussing over old broken cars, hosting backyard parties and trying to recover the remnants of my jazz chops in the Hammer (and maybe find a high school music teaching job?).

Shit. I'm going to have to find a new name for this blog....