I see a lot of degree holders complaining about the non-degree holders flooding the job market. He or she might say something along the lines of, “I worked for four long years to get here. Why are there so many people here taking jobs that they don’t deserve because they didn’t put in their time like I did?”
So I thought of this question. Did you go through university wanting to be an English teacher overseas? If it were me, had I gone to university, I wouldn’t want to work in Asia, after paying thousands and thousands of dollars earning my degree. I would rather put my degree to use and get a better job back home.
Now I am sure many of you are going to disagree with me here, but I’d say that the main reason most people are teaching in Asia (aside from travelling the world) is, degree or not, because they can’t find decent jobs back home. Either that or they earned their degree, only to realize that that field isn’t for them.
I’m here because I want to be here not because I can’t find a job at home.
I didn’t go to university because I planned to teach in Taiwan and needed a degree to do so (legally) but after university I realised it was an option open to me because I had a degree.
I don’t think there are too many people who think…
…because if you don’t have the qualifications then you aren’t entitled to teach English here legally and therefore have to organise visa’s and you aren’t entitled to healthcare etc.
Nope. Maybe you are here because you can’t find a job at home but I, and many other people, are here because we want to be.
I can’t say I planned to live in Taiwan, but I did get my degree so I could find a job in another country. I knew I didn’t want to stay where I was and I also knew the only way out was a good education.
My first trip to Asia was in 1990. I knew I had to have a degree to qualify to work overseas legally so the answer is yes.
The short version – I quit a good paying government job, went to college and got my degree. Four months after graduating, I moved to Taiwan.
Did I get a degree to come to Taiwan? No. But I’m sure that with the exception of those earning a film or theatre degree to live in New York or Hollywood or those getting a foreign language degree, not many people go to university just to be able to move to one specific place.
In essence, my degree helped me be able to move abroad. The linguistics major and the TEFL specialization I did in addition to it is helpful in teaching English as a foreign language which, since English is the lingua franca of the US, I would have to go abroad to teach it for this purpose. The French degree makes it easier for me to go to France to work.
But the reason why I chose those two majors, as opposed to physical therapy or journalism, is because I had a genuine interest in both subjects. If you had actually spent time in school, you might have a better understanding of this.
I think the question you are really asking is, is earning a degree and then using it for teaching in Taiwan a waste?
No. Along with what I apply from my majors, I have the general education courses I took which expanded my knowledge of so many different subjects that I can use it to teach my students when our lessons cover these areas, such as in botany, zoology, chemistry, mathematics, geography, geology, fine arts, history, writing, etc.
I’m sure some places prefer someone with work experience over educational experience, but in the field of education, it’s a no-brainer. A student who has spent 4 years after high school working on their education tends to make a better student than someone who spent those same 4 years working in a hardware store.
My ticket to Taiwan was for two weeks only. I threw it away the day after it expired.
I didn’t plan to stay here. It sort of happened and before I realised I’d been here for a few years.
No. I went through uni so I would have a better chance of becoming an airline pilot and get sponsorship. This was on advice from a certain airline company.
Turns out these days they prefer 20-24 year olds they can train up themselves that havn’t necessarily got degrees, but have some kind of “life” or travel experience. I’m 26. All the pilot training and licences I have have been paid for by myself. I have wasted loads of time and money doing a couple of degrees when I could have just applied for a job and been done with it.
Now I’m out here getting my so called “life experience.”
I felt that my linguistics degree was insufficient preperation for teaching English in Taiwan so I went back and got my masters in Asian studies. I also enrolled in a private language institution where I acquired near fluency in Mandarin. Naturally I have both the CELTA and TESOL cerificates and I spent a few years doing vounteer tutoring so as to gain practical experience before coming to Taiwan. It took me ten long years but now that I am here fulling my dream of being an ESL teacher in Taiwan I realize that it has all been worthwhile. In fact I should have my student loans paid off by the time I am forty and at that time plan to start saving up for a little spot in a trailer park somewhere in Florida. If things continue the way they are I should be able to retire by the time I am about eighty.
I wouldn’t have even been able to drive ten years ago . Why did you feel that you needed more education and experience to teach here? Would you feel the same way if you were in the same position now?
The instuitution I attended failed to provide us with sufficient cross cultural sensitivity training with regard to bathroom etiquette. So, yes, I am glad that I went back and acquired the proper certification. If I had it to do all over again I wouldn’t change a thing.
Earning a college degree for the purpose of living in Taiwan? Sounds ridiculous. I wonder if anyone did that.
I was sick of my career in the US, so I took a year off and traveled in SE Asia. When I decided to return to Asia to live in one country, learn the language ( ) and become familiar with the culture, I seriously considered going to Thailand or Vietnam, both beautiful countries in which I had spent time. I also considered Japan. But for some reason I trusted the advice of several foreigners I had met in SE Asia who lived in Taiwan and had told me what a great place it is, so I came here instead, sight-unseen, to live. Strange decision. Vietnam and Thailand are both more beautiful and probably would have been more fun, but Taiwan’s ok. And I met my wonderful wife here, so it was obviously the right decision.
[quote=“Mother Theresa”]Earning a college degree for the purpose of living in Taiwan? Sounds ridiculous. I wonder if anyone did that.
[/quote]
[quote=“Vannyel”]My first trip to Asia was in 1990. I knew I had to have a degree to qualify to work overseas legally so the answer is yes.
The short version – I quit a good paying government job, went to college and got my degree. Four months after graduating, I moved to Taiwan.[/quote]
Taiwan wasn’t the goal but living in Asia was and I couldn’t do that legally without a degree.
Curtass…relax, bob is being a smartass. You guys take this education stuff way too seriously…it’s only money …http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa072602a.htm
Hey, it’s probably not even an issue because degree holders should be getting jobs easier than non-degree holders, shouldn’t they?
I didn’t plan to come here, it’s just a stop over for me. I don’t think many people do. I could see it being annoying if someone who isn’t qualified for a job got one over someone who is, esp. if they have a fake degree.
. Why did you feel that you needed more education and experience to teach here? Would you feel the same way if you were in the same position now?
) and become familiar with the culture, I seriously considered going to Thailand or Vietnam, both beautiful countries in which I had spent time. I also considered Japan. But for some reason I trusted the advice of several foreigners I had met in SE Asia who lived in Taiwan and had told me what a great place it is, so I came here instead, sight-unseen, to live. Strange decision. Vietnam and Thailand are both more beautiful and probably would have been more fun, but Taiwan’s ok. And I met my wonderful wife here, so it was obviously the right decision.